SF'S Logan Webb wants wins over awards
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb earned the second complete-game win of his career earlier this week in the series opener against the Padres.
After the game, though, he said he is not focused on the Cy Young Award race with the Giants on the outskirts of the NL wild-card race after a disastrous road trip last week.
“To be honest, winning is more important,” Webb said when asked about the Cy Young Award. “If we don't do that then it's kind of a waste. That's my goal. I'm tired of losing. It's not enjoyable. It's not fun. We have to make some big changes in here to create that winning culture that we want to show up every single year and try to win the whole thing.”
Asked what those changes should look like, Webb said that wasn't his job. He added, though, “For me and other guys, we've got to come in here with that same winning mentality every single day. Not saying that we don't have that. I'm saying I think we need to put a little extra onto that.
“I know (Alex) Cobb hasn't been to the playoffs in a long time, and I feel terrible for a guy like that. He's been pitching his ass off, this year's he's an all-star, and he should be pitching in the playoffs, and I want to help make that happen for him. It's tough.”
The Giants (78-79) entered Tuesday 4 1/2 games back of the third and final wild-card spot in the National League. They would have to win all five of their remaining games and need a lot of help to move past three of the Diamondbacks, Cubs, Marlins and Reds into the playoffs.
Webb's win Monday was just his second in his last 10 starts since early August. He's now 11-13 on the season, with a 3-6 record since the all-star break.
“I'm always mad at myself or something,” Webb said. “So I would say maybe lately, I've been a little bit more frustrated that I haven't done my job.”
Webb said he felt San Diego's Blake Snell, Monday night's opposing pitcher, deserved more consideration than himself for Major League Baseball's top individual pitching award.
“He has a 2.30 (ERA), a 2.20, whatever it is,” Webb said of the San Diego Padres' lefthander. “That's pretty good.”
Snell now has an Mlbleading 2.25 ERA after his exceptional performance Monday against the Giants, as he struck out seven over six scoreless innings. He's also fourth with 234 strikeouts and has a solid 14-9 record for a Padres team that's been well out of the playoff picture almost all season.
Webb outshined Snell in a terrific pitcher's duel at Oracle Park and a rare highlight for the Giants this month. Webb allowed nine hits but struck out seven as he gave the Giants a chance to come back and earn a 2-1 win, keeping their faint playoff hopes alive for at least another day. It was his second career complete game, two and a half months after the first.
“It's kind of hard trying to go pitch for pitch with him,” Webb said of Snell. “He's going to win the Cy Young, he's the best pitcher in baseball. It's always a pleasure watching him. I don't know if that was the first time competing against him, but it's always impressive to watch him do his thing.”
After the game, Giants manager Gabe Kapler, speaking perhaps to a few voters who were in his office and watching on television, felt Webb should also get some Cy Young love, saying the big-league-leading 216 innings he has thrown so far this year should count for something.
“Giving your team meaningful innings time in and time out is as important as any other number,” Kapler said. “I know that we've kind of leaned back on rate stats, which I understand as well as anybody. But seeing it up close and personal every fifth day, you see the value, right? You feel the value. And so I imagine everybody around the league does too when it comes to innings.”
Webb also sports a 1.07 WHIP, tied for seventhbest in the big leagues, and his 5.1 WAR mark for this season only ranks behind Snell, Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees, and Sonny Gray of the Minnesota Twins. He has also received fewer than three runs of support in 22 of his 33 starts this season.
Webb finished 11th in NL Cy Young voting last season, but for him, any kind of individual recognition would easily be trumped by team success. And right now, after a disastrous 8-15 September, the Giants are on track to miss the playoffs for the fourth time in Webb's five MLB seasons.
Webb said he'll make one more start this season, likely Saturday or Sunday against the Dodgers. MLB'S innings leader wouldn't have it any other way.
“I'll be there,” Webb said.