SAN FRANCISCO \u2014 Every starting pitcher has an obvious goal: get outs, prevent runs, pitch as long as possible. Within that framework lies a more abstract goal: set the tone. Even in a lost season, there is still a tone for Logan Webb to set.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that the Giants\u2019 roster has been decimated in recent weeks following a flurry of trades<\/a> and a series of unfortunate<\/a> injuries<\/a>. The bottom five of Saturday\u2019s lineup \u2014 Osleivis Basabe, Drew Cavanaugh, Turner Hill, Buddy Kennedy and Christian Koss \u2014 was one of the more obscure sequences of names in recent memory. Most on this roster aren\u2019t established major leaguers, but players scratching and clawing for staying power.<\/p>\n Webb, who tossed six innings of one-run ball in the Giants\u2019 7-1 win, doesn\u2019t have those same concerns. He\u2019s a three-time All-Star in his prime. He\u2019s long secured generational wealth. There isn\u2019t much for Webb to play for over the next six weeks aside from individual accomplishment. Yet still, there is that abstract goal:<\/p>\n Set the tone.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got a lot of, in general, young spots all over the place, including our coaching staff, to be honest,\u201d Webb said. \u201cIf you can set the tone with how you go about your business every day \u2014 not just the day you throw or play, but also how you do your work and how you treat people around here, I think that\u2019s a big thing.\u201d<\/p>\n The numbers from Webb\u2019s outing against Colorado on Saturday said plenty. He struck out seven batters and didn\u2019t issue a single walk, trimming his ERA to 3.50 and his FIP to 3.16. Webb has already won NL Pitcher of the Month once this year, and he\u2019s setting himself up for a second bid after surrendering just two runs over his first three starts (0.90 ERA, 20 innings) in August.<\/p>\n The third of Webb\u2019s seven strikeouts was the 1,100th of his career, and the Giants celebrated the \u201cmilestone\u201d by briefly flashing a graphic on the scoreboard. Webb appreciated the gesture, but the brief celebration caught him off guard.<\/p>\n \u201cI was a little confused by that, to be honest,\u201d Webb laughed. \u201cI saw it on the board, and I was like, \u2018No way they\u2019re going to do this right now.\u2019 Then, some clapping. I think it messed up [Connor] Norby a little bit. He was like, \u2018What\u2019s going on?\u2019 I\u2019m like, \u2018No, just get in the box.\u2019 \u2026 There was no significance to it. I didn\u2019t even know it was going to happen. Hopefully, there\u2019s some better milestones further down the road. I don\u2019t think that was like a tip your cap moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Webb threw only 80 pitches before being pulled, the result of being struck by a comebacker in the right shoulder\/back area by Brett Sullivan. He finished the fifth following a brief meeting with head trainer Dave Groeschner, then went back out to complete the sixth. Despite his efficient pitch count, Webb started to tighten up and manager Tony Vitello ended his day a little early.<\/p>\n For San Francisco\u2019s (51-72) younger players, the takeaway from Webb\u2019s outing on Saturday shouldn\u2019t be his ability, but his adaptability.<\/p>\n Webb, one of baseball\u2019s best groundball pitchers, has long relied on his sinker. Entering play, Webb\u2019s most-utilized pitch was his sinker (29.7%). His least-utilized pitch is his four-seam fastball (12.7%), the offering he\u2019s kept in his repertoire through the years. Against the Rockies, Webb flipped the script.<\/p>\n The right-hander\u2019s 24 four-seam fastballs were the most he\u2019s thrown in a single start since April 2021. His five sinkers were the fewest he\u2019s thrown in a single start since \u2026 also April 2021. Webb also mixed in his third fastball, throwing 19 cutters.<\/p>\n Webb\u2019s success after implementing a drastic change of plans could serve as a teaching moment for the Giants\u2019 youngsters.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I saw yesterday that it\u2019s 18 guys with less than two years of service time on our team,\u201d Webb said. \u201cI\u2019ve been here for a while. \u2026 I\u2019m not Hunter Pence, I\u2019m not going to be the most vocal guy, but I can do it with how I work each day and go out there and try to set the tone with how I do things. That\u2019s a valuable thing as well.\u201d<\/p>\n