It's time to consider that this team is truly, deeply, inescapably bad. It's not time to assume it. It's time to consider it.

What would this team of truly, deeply, inescapably bad players look like? Well, there would be fill-ins. There would be Jake Peavy, likable, unassuming. I get the idea of Peavy. You saw the idea of Peavy -- it helped the Giants make the postseason last year. There's a rhythm, a groove that he finds. He was a part of the Red Sox last year as they sank into the dark matter. Then he was reborn. And he has a resume. I didn't mind -- nay, encouraged -- the signing.

He's a placeholder, though. He's someone who eats the innings and does okay until the real frontline pitcher gets here. Which is fine. Contending teams are built like that, sometimes.

Then take Casey McGehee. He's a placeholder. He's someone who eats the at-bats until the real frontline third baseman gets here. Which is fine. Contending team are built like that, sometimes.

Do this for the entire roster. Save Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, and whichever of your favorites you're willing to spare. I'm saving the Brandons and Pence because I still believe. Still, you understand when you look at the roster like this. I love Aoki. Calligraphy-on-parchment love the guy, have for years. But he's a placeholder, a stopgap. He's someone who does okay-to-good things until the real left fielder gets here. I hate to say it, but Joe Panik's like that. Gregor Blanco. The older, crumblier Angel Pagan. There are a lot of players who could be good for the 2015 Giants, but very few who should be indispensable.

It's one way to build a team. It worked as recently as ... lemme check ... last year. But there's a risk. There's a risk of the placeholders sliding into liabilities, all at the same time.

They might all snap out of it at the same time. There might be a 15-game winning streak that reminds us of how things should be. It's still time to consider this team is truly, deeply, inescapably bad. They've lost eight straight games. Why wouldn't you consider it?

This probably isn't a 100-loss team. This probably isn't a 90-loss team. It could be a bad team, though. It could be a very bad team. At least consider it.

★★★

The Giants didn't get a runner on second base until Joe Panik doubled in the ninth.

★★★

The Giants were out-hit 18 to four.

★★★

The Giants had four hits.

★★★

Josh Collmenter won't be in the league in five years. He can't throw harder than Barry Zito. Literally, Barry Zito today, the guy in Nashville, trying to make a comeback. The Giants couldn't hit him.

★★★

The Giants had four hits.

★★★

The Giants had one fewer hit tonight than Josh Collmenter, who is a pitcher.

★★★

The last time the Giants lost eight straight games, here was the lineup:

Dave Roberts - CF Randy Winn - RF Ray Durham - 2B Barry Bonds - LF Bengie Molina - C Pedro Feliz - 1B Kevin Frandsen - 3B Omar Vizquel - SS Matt Cain - P

★★★

Melky Cabrera led off that game for the Yankees.

★★★

The relievers, in order: Randy Messenger, Steve Kline, Vinnie Chulk, Brad Hennesey.

★★★

Kuip: I believe Hunter Pence cut his hair, too. Kruk: ... Kuip: That qualifies for news right now. Kurt: Hey, that's a rally.

★★★

Yusmeiro Petit came into another blowout. That's five straight losses for him, He didn't pitch that well on Friday night, but he's still a quality pitcher. The best way to use a quality pitcher like that is when his team is already behind. Why, if you can rewire the mainframe and come up with a better way to use him, why, maybe you should manage the team.

★★★

You can't win it ... but you can sure as hell lose it in April. - Vida Blue

Damn straight.