David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer 8y

Rout another sign that time is running out on Matt Cain, Jake Peavy

How much should a baseball team value loyalty? The San Francisco Giants, a franchise known for sticking with veterans who have helped them win in the past, will have to answer that question once again in the coming weeks. Maybe sooner.

Matt Cain, who has won 97 games for the franchise and helped them win World Series titles in 2010 and 2012 when he compiled a 2.10 ERA over eight postseason starts, is 0-4 with a 7.84 ERA this season. The Colorado Rockies roughed him up -- to put it gently -- for 10 hits and eight runs in Thursday's 17-7 rout that included a 13-run fifth inning (the biggest in Rockies history). Jake Peavy, who helped the team win the 2014 World Series and is regarded as one of the best teammates in the game, is 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA this season. The Giants are 3-9 in the 12 games the two have started and have allowed 91 runs those games. Combined, Cain and Peavy have allowed 91 hits and 59 runs in 60 innings.

As the late, great Dizzy Dean once said, "I ain't what I used to be. But who the hell is?"

The struggles of Cain and Peavy come at an interesting time, considering ex-Giants ace Tim Lincecum is having a showcase event in Arizona on Friday. Scouts and representatives from an estimated 20 teams will be on hand to see how Lincecum looks in his recovery from hip surgery last September. Bruce Bochy indicated the other day the Giants would be interested in bringing Lincecum back, although likely in a relief role.

That comment, however, seems related to the Giants’ emphasis on loyalty. Bochy isn’t about to throw veterans like Cain and Peavy under the bus, not this early in the season, even with their poor results. The fact that the Giants are 15-15 yet still tied for first place in the so far feeble National League West means they don’t have to rush to judgment on the two struggling veterans.

The results, however, have been so bad that it's difficult to find hope that either will turn things around. I guess you can dig and try to find reasons. Peavy, for example, was effective as recently as the second half of 2015, when he had a 3.03 ERA over his final 13 starts. Cain's average fastball velocity is only 1 mph less than it was way back in 2010. It is, however, fooling nobody. Batters are hitting .355 and slugging .548 against it. In his heyday, from 2009 to 2012, batters hit .245 and slugged .409 against his fastball. Against the Rockies he clearly lacked command on all his pitches. Look at how many misses he had way off the plate.

When Cain had to challenge hitters, they didn’t miss many. Of the 47 swings the Rockies took, they missed on just six of them. Cain is getting paid $21 million this season and next, plus a $7.5 million buyout. So they have almost 50 million reasons to try to get something out of him. Like Peavy, however, Cain has been through a multitude of health problems and has plenty of mileage on his right arm.

Truth is, when most good pitchers lose it, it's not gradual; there's usually an injury or they are suddenly ineffective when they just hit the age and innings when they can't sling their best stuff any longer. Cain's last quality season was 2012. While Peavy has been better in recent years, he also has made 25 starts just twice since 2008. Odds are, the Giants would have needed somebody to fill in for Peavy at some point anyway.

Which is why Lincecum, even though he hasn't really had a good season since 2011, may be an option. Chris Heston, who had a 3.95 ERA in 2015, is now in Triple-A, where he has allowed 21 baserunners in 13 innings. Clayton Blackburn and Ty Blach are also candidates, although both lack major league experience.

The Giants have a few more weeks to figure things out. That gets them through the end of May and maybe nine or 10 starts apiece from Cain and Peavy. But if they don't see better results, they need to make a verdict: Winning supersedes loyalty. Even Cain and Peavy would admit to that.

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