John Shea - San Francisco Chronicle (SFGate)
In the Giants' five decades in San Francisco, Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax had nothing on Greg Maddux. Nor did Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton. Nor Tom Seaver, Orel Hershiser, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz.
A Giants nemesis of historic proportions, Maddux has handled orange-and-black-clad batters more than any other pitcher since the Giants moved west in 1958, and here's an update on his future: Maddux, 42, hasn't ruled out playing beyond this season.
"From what we see, he should be pitching another 10 years," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He really shuts us down. We try to figure him out, but he throws his glove out there, and we have a tough time."
It happened again Sunday. Maddux tossed his glove out there. And his cap and cleats. Six quick innings later, he dragged his equipment off the Petco Park field and watched the Padres' bullpen finish a 4-1 victory over the Giants, who split their six-game trip to Southern California.
Six pitchers have started at least 50 games against the Giants since '58, and Maddux has the lowest ERA (2.78) and best winning percentage (.682) and is tied with Phil Niekro and Don Sutton for most wins (30).
Maddux is 30-14, compared with Niekro's 30-19 and Sutton's 30-25. Drysdale's win total over the Giants topped 30, but that dates to the New York years. In the California years, the Hall of Famer was 27-28.
"Who knows?" said Maddux, asked to explain his superiority. "I know they've had pretty good teams." The old pro quickly changed the subject, saying, "They've got some good young pitching. They've got guys who can frickin' fire it with the best of them."
That wasn't Sunday's story. Maddux was. As he always seems to be when the Giants see him. He surrendered one run and two hits, issued no walks and struck out one batter, Aaron Rowand, on a backdoor sinker.
Rowand, who grounded out on a changeup his next at-bat, said, "You never know what you'll get from him." Except a frustrating time. Maddux is 7-0 with a 2.40 ERA in his last 13 starts against the Giants, who haven't beaten him since May 9, 2003. Only the Mets have lost to Maddux more.
"I only pitched six innings," Maddux said, as if he were wondering what the fuss was about. It wasn't solely his pitching. He singled in the Padres' first run, lining Kevin Correia's two-out, full-count fastball to right field to bring home Nick Hundley in the second inning. Furthermore, he showed why he has won 17 Gold Gloves, fielding Dave Roberts' sixth-inning bunt and, seemingly in the same motion, flipping to first base.
It was the first time Correia opposed Maddux, and Correia did his best to match him most of the afternoon. Correia, though, gave up the tie-breaking run in the sixth on Hundley's bases-loaded sacrifice fly, and the Padres scored twice more off the Giants' bullpen.
"I grew up watching the guy pitch, and he's probably the best pitcher of my era," said Correia, 27. "To get a chance to throw against the guy, I'll look back on it as something I enjoyed. I didn't expect to give up an RBI single to him, though."
Infielder Emmanuel Burriss got his first taste of the Maddux magic and said, "He makes batters do what he wants them to do. Luckily, he's not throwing in the 90s anymore."
Actually, Burriss was one of three Giants to reach base off Maddux, who plunked the rookie on the right thigh in the first inning and then complained to the umpires that Burriss leaned into the pitch. Burriss stole second and scored on Randy Winn's single.
The only other baserunner was Roberts, who singled with two outs in the third. Maddux retired his final 10 batters and exited after 73 pitches, then awaited the finishing touches on his 352nd career victory, his second in a row after a 14-game winless streak.
He's two wins behind Roger Clemens on the all-time list.
Taming S.F.
The most successful pitchers against the San Francisco Giants:
Highest winning percentage
(Minimum 14 wins)
1. Bob Welch 19-4, 826
2. Dick Ruthven18-7, .720
3. Orel Hershiser22-9, .710
4. Greg Maddux30-14, .682
4. Jack Billingham15-7, .682
Most victories
1. (tie) Maddux (30-14), Phil Niekro (30-16), Don Sutton (30-25); 4. Steve Carlton (29-19); 5. Don Drysdale (27-28); 6. Bob Gibson (26-22); 7. Tom Seaver (25-13); 8. (tie) Hershiser (22-9), Warren Spahn (22-14); 10. Larry Dierker (21-11).
Taming S.F.
The most successful pitchers against the San Francisco Giants:
Highest winning percentage
(Minimum 14 wins)
1. Bob Welch 19-4, 826
2. Dick Ruthven18-7, .720
3. Orel Hershiser22-9, .710
4. Greg Maddux30-14, .682
4. Jack Billingham15-7, .682
Most victories
1. (tie) Maddux (30-14), Phil Niekro (30-16), Don Sutton (30-25); 4. Steve Carlton (29-19); 5. Don Drysdale (27-28); 6. Bob Gibson (26-22); 7. Tom Seaver (25-13); 8. (tie) Hershiser (22-9), Warren Spahn (22-14); 10. Larry Dierker (21-11).
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