In Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, the San Francisco Giants have two 23-year-old pitching prospects who are among the best in the game. Both will be candidates for 15-win seasons in 2008 if the Giants can score enough runs for them. That may be a major obstacle, though, as the Giants ranked 29th in the majors last season in runs per game, and the offense doesn’t look better going into the new season.

In 2007, Cain went 7-16 despite a 3.65 ERA that ranked 10th in the National League. Among major league pitchers who qualified for the ERA title last season, only Kip Wells (3.43) received less run support per nine innings than Cain (3.51).

Among ERA qualifiers with an ERA of 3.65 or lower in the last 30 years, only six have posted fewer wins than Cain over a full 162-game schedule.

Fewest Wins among Pitchers with a 3.65 ERA or Lower in a 162-Game Season,
1978-2007
(min 162 IP)

Pitcher. . . . . . . . . . . .Team. . . . . . . . . . . . W-L. . . . . . . .ERA. . . . . . . RSA
Jon Dopson. . . . . . . .1988 Expos. . . . . . . . . 3-11. . . . . . . .3.04. . . . . . . 2.77
Joe Magrane. . . . . . .1988 Cardinals. . . . . . . 5-9. . . . . . . . 2.18. . . . . . . 2.61
Jose DeLeon. . . . . . .1991 Cardinals. . . . . . . .5-9. . . . . . . . 2.71. . . . . . . 3.15
Pat Zachry. . . . . . . .1980 Mets. . . . . . . . . . 6-10. . . . . . . .3.01. . . . . . . 3.44
Bob Knepper. . . . . . 1983 Astros. . . . . . . . . 6-13. . . . . . . .3.19. . . . . . . 3.37
Bobby Ojeda. . . . . . 1992 Reds. . . . . . . . . . .6-9. . . . . . . . 3.63. . . . . . . 3.90

While Cain received just 3.51 runs of support per nine last season, Lincecum was the beneficiary of 5.71. That was the highest average among all Giants starters in 2007. Both pitchers could use that kind of luck in 2008.