San Francisco Giants Preview: Sizing Up The Team As Spring Approaches
Coming off their first World Series championship in 56 years, the San Francisco Giants are flying high. They return the bulk of their squad and aim to make another championship run in 2011.
How do the Giants size up heading into spring? Read on to find out.
C Buster Posey
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2010 regular season statistics: .305 BA, 18 HR, 67 RBI, 58 R
Without the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year, San Francisco might not have been a playoff team much less a championship one.
Posey was called up on May 29 and initially started at first base. He played so well that catcher Bengie Molina became expendable.
When Molina was dealt on July 1, Posey assumed his natural position. The results were immediate; the Giants scored 148 runs in July, 39 more than any other month. The pitching staff also improved, compiling a 3.44 ERA with Posey opposed to 3.50 with Molina.
Barring a sophomore slump or injury, Posey will put up good numbers in 2011.
1B Aubrey Huff
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2010 regular season statistics: .290 BA, 26 HR, 86 RBI, 100 R
Following a dismal 2009 season, Huff was unemployed until the Giants signed him to a one-year, $3 million contract last January.
A year later, Huff has a World Series ring and re-signed a two-year, $22 million contract.
What a difference a year makes.
Huff might not put up the numbers he did in 2010 but he should be productive; in each of the past nine seasons, he has totaled at least 15 HRs and 59 RBIs.
2B Freddy Sanchez
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2010 regular season statistics: .292 BA, 7 HR, 47 RBI, 55 R
Sanchez is a nice player for any team to have. Though not much of a power hitter, the 2006 NL batting champion makes solid contact (.298 career BA). He is also a versatile fielder having played 2B, 3B and SS extensively throughout his career.
Sanchez did have shoulder surgery during the offseason and is questionable for the season opener. Unless there are surgery complications, Sanchez can be expected to put up .295, 5 HR, 50 RBI, 55 R numbers.
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SS Miguel Tejada
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2010 regular season statistics: .269 BA, 15 HR, 71 RBI, 71 R
Tejada was signed to a one-year, $6.5 million contract. He replaces World Series MVP Edgar Renteria.
Tejada represents a regular season upgrade over Renteria. He plays in nearly every game and puts up solid if unspectacular numbers.
Geography is another factor; Tejada is returning to the Bay Area where he played his best baseball though it was with Oakland.
However, the 36-year-old may not have much left in him. It will be interesting to see how he holds up over the course of another season. He still should be good for .265 BA, 15 HR, 75 RBI, 75 R.
3B Pablo Sandoval
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2010 regular season statistics: .268 BA, 13 HR, 63 RBI, 61 R
Sandoval came down to Earth after his monster 2009 campaign, hitting .268 (down from .330) and grounding into an NL-leading 26 double plays.
There is reason for hope, however.
The down 2010 year "Kung Fu Panda" suffered could have been just the sophomore slump victimizing another player.
The second and bigger reason is that Sandoval looks to be in great condition after shedding some pounds. On his twitter, Sandoval said, "This year I will concentrate on my work, I'm motivated, I've matured and I want to show my potential. Mind, Body & TRUST."
NL pitchers, watch out; a rebound 2011 season approaches.
OF: Nate Schierholtz, Andres Torres, Cody Ross
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Nate Schierholtz: .242 BA, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 34 R
Schierholtz played in 137 games but most of his appearances were for pinch hitting/fielding purposes.
Schierholtz started off fast, hitting well above .300 into early May and giving San Francisco hope that he could become the new right fielder. However, he quickly tapered off.
While an unproven hitter, Schierholtz is a solid fielder. In each of the past two seasons, he has finished top five in the NL for RF assists.
Andres Torres: .268 BA, 16 HR, 63 RBI, 84 R
Torres was largely an unknown before joining the Giants in 2009.
When Aaron Rowand went down with injury, Torres took advantage and became the starter in center field.
Earlier this year, Torres and the Giants agreed on a one-year, $2.2 million deal. Though Torres put together a nice 2010 season, it remains to be seen if it was a fluke or the real thing.
Cody Ross: .269 BA, 14 HR, 65 RBI, 71 R
After a blistering postseason performance in which he was named NLCS MVP, Ross is in good position to become a starter.
His regular season numbers were nothing special but he turned it up in the playoffs with a .294 BA, 5 HR, 10 RBI, 11 R stat line.
It remains to be seen whether Ross can duplicate this kind of production over the course of an entire season. If he can hit .275 with 25 HRs and 100 RBIs, a slight elevation of his 2009 numbers, San Francisco should be pleased.
The fan favorite is also a popular clubhouse figure.
The Veterans
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Pat Burrell: .252 BA, 20 HR, 64 RBI, 50 R
Burrell signed a one-year, $1 million contract to stay with the Giants.
Burrell has the ability to crank home runs (285 career slams) but his .254 career BA leaves much to be desired.
In each of the past two years, Burrell has mustered 64 RBIs, his worst season total. His other numbers have also fallen since his stint in Philadelphia. As a 34-year-old, the downward trend will most likely continue.
In the World Series, Burrell went 0-11 with nine strikeouts.
However, age has its perks. Being a veteran, Burrell provided leadership for the World Series champions. That is why Bochy chose Burrell to organize the appreciate lap around AT&T Park after the Giants clinched the NL West. As long as Burrell continues to be a good clubhouse influence, San Francisco should be pleased even if his stats decline.
Aaron Rowand: .230 BA, 11 HR, 34 RBI, 42 R
Rowand lost his starting job to Andres Torres. Despite his diminished role, Rowand handled the situation with class.
As with Burrell, Rowand's best days are behind him. Statistically, he has failed to live up to the five-year, $60 million contract he signed in 2007.
However, Rowand's true contribution to the Giants is his leadership. A clubhouse leader with the White Sox and Phillies, Rowand has taken that mantle in San Francisco, too. In the World Series, he scored one run and knocked in two despite just four plate appearances.
The important role that Burrell and Rowand play in San Francisco can hardly be overstated.
Starting Pitching
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The starting pitchers are the strength of this team. With players such as Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Barry Zito, Jonathan Sanchez and Madison Bumgarner rounding out the rotation, it is easy to see why.
Despite the sometimes pedestrian offense, the starters keep the Giants in games. Four of the five had ERAs below 3.50 (Zito the exception). In games started by Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez and Bumgarner, the Giants tend to win, going 21-12, 19-14, 21-12 and 11-7 respectively. Zito was the exception again as the Giants mustered a mediocre 16-17 record when he took the hill.
In the World Series, the Texas Rangers scored just 12 runs in five games. After scoring seven runs in the first game, the Rangers scored five runs the rest of the series, barely managing a run per game.
Teams that have the misfortune of playing the Giants in 2011 will be similarly pressed for offense.
Relief Pitching
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After the starters leave, scoring is just as scarce for the opposition.
San Francisco has a plethora of solid relievers. Brian Wilson, Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez, Santiago Casilla, Ramon Ramirez, etc . . . make for a good bullpen. Wilson was particularly outstanding with a 1.81 ERA and a league-leading 48 saves.
The World Series was more of the same.
The relievers yielded three earned runs in 10.0 innings. All three runs were allowed the first game. For all you math geeks out there, that means the Giant relievers held the Rangers scoreless the final four games of the series. Wilson was brilliant in postseason play, sporting a spotless 0.00 ERA and six saves.
Manager Bruce Bochy
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Bochy is a good manager and the World Series victory further solidifies that status.
He won over 900 games with the Padres, guiding them to an NL Pennant and World Series appearance. After 12 seasons in San Diego, Bochy took over the Giants, transforming them from a middling 71-91 squad in his first year to the 92-70 champions we know today.
Thanks in large part to Bochy, the 56-year wait between championships is over.
Outlook
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The outlook is rosy for the San Francisco Giants. They return the bulk of their championship team and are in prime position for more postseason glory.
Don't get too excited though, Giants fans. The Giants are unlikely to repeat as champions. The last time a team won consecutive Fall Classics was the New York Yankees in 1999-2000.
However, the San Francisco faithful have reason to dream. The Giants have a leg up over all previous championship teams this past decade in the pitching department. In the postseason where pitching is the single biggest indicator of team success, the Giants are second to none.
The big question mark for San Francisco is the offense. As long as they put runs up on the board, the Giants will be fine. If not, they may not even make the playoffs much less the World Series.
Should they make the 2011 postseason, look out. With their experience and pitching, they will be the squad no one wants to face.
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