San Francisco Giants: Projecting the 2012 Batting Order

Since swinging a pair of trades earlier this season that brought in outfielders Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera, it’s been a rather quiet winter for GM Brian Sabean and the San Francisco Giants.

Heading into Spring Training in just over a month, lots of questions remain to be answered with regards to the team’s batting lineup, a unit that finished 29th in the MLB last season in runs scored:

• Can Brandon Belt unseat Aubrey Huff at 1B?
• Will Angel Pagan or Melky Cabrera start in CF?
• Is Brandon Crawford ready for the majors?

For now, here’s an early look at what the Giants’ batting order could look like come Opening Day:

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1. CF Angel Pagan

It may not have been a sexy trade, but the Giants move to acquire Angel Pagan from the New York Mets back in December was one that will reap benefits immediately.

Replacing Andres Torres who was sent to New York in the deal, Pagan is an above-average leadoff hitter showing great discipline at the plate, a tremendous ability to square up balls (24.0 line drive percentage) and speed to agitate pitchers on the base paths.

In a sense, he is a spitting image of Andres Torres, circa 2010.

Defensively, Pagan allows Bochy to move newly acquired Melky Cabrera to a corner outfield position where he is much better suited. Despite the fact that Pagan finished with 10 errors last season, I’d still rather have him patrolling the expansive center field at AT&T rather than Cabrera.

2. LF Melky Cabrera

Newly-acquired Melky Cabrera gives the Giants a solid, versatile offensive weapon they haven't in years.

Despite playing five full seasons with the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves, the 27-year-old Cabrera was relatively unknown to baseball fans until breaking out with the Kansas City Royals in a big way. Cabrera set career highs in nearly every statistical category (.305, 18 HR, 87 RBI, 102 R, 20 SB).

Now the question is, was it legitimate?

Whether Cabrera plays in center field will largely be determined by how Pagan performs this spring. Cabrera’s game is much better suited to a corner outfield position where he rates as slightly above average defensively as opposed to extremely below average in center.

3. 3B Pablo Sandoval

Much of the discussion at this time last season was in regards to how third baseman Pablo Sandoval would look coming into camp after losing his starting job during the Giants’ 2010 postseason run. Sandoval came to camp slimmed-down and returned to his 2009 numbers, batting .315 with decent pop and terrific defense.

It was a terrific bounce-back campaign for the 25-year-old that certainly helped to alleviate growing concerns in the Giants’ clubhouse.

Entering 2012, expectations are high for the “Kung Fu Panda.” Offensively, he will be looked to continue his hot streak and be a top run-producer in the Giants’ punch-less lineup. Defensively, Sandoval should continue to perform at a Gold Glove-caliber level at the hot corner and will need to in order to quiet chatter that he won't be able to stick at third in the future.

4. C Buster Posey

It’s a little concerning when a team’s star player is a 24-year-old with just one full season of big-league experience, but that is exactly what Buster Posey means to the San Francisco Giants.

After sitting out much of 2011 recovering from a horrific home plate collision, Posey is fully expected to be ready to report this February and to start behind the plate come Opening Day.

Posey was certainly missed last season, both in the clubhouse as a soft-spoken leader and even more so in the middle of the Giants' lineup.

Posey is a strong, well disciplined hitter than should easily return to his 2010 numbers when he posted a .305 average with 18 homers and 67 RBI over 108 games en route to the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

5. 1B Brandon Belt

While Brandon Belt has yet to turn anyone into believers in San Francisco, after Aubrey Huff’s struggles last season, the kid has to be given a chance to shine in 2012.

According to Giants’ staffers, the 23-year-old Belt is the future first basemen of this team, not a corner outfielder like Bochy made him into often in 2011. For Belt to get his stroke back and turn into the capable hitter that everyone believes he can become, the Giants cannot afford to yo-yo him around between San Francisco and Triple-A Fresno or the starting lineup and the bench like they did all of last season.

Unless Aubrey Huff explodes this March and crushes Cactus League pitching, Bochy needs to give Belt the position. The "Baby Giraffe" is already a more polished infielder and I believe he can really thrive offensively if he sees some consistency with his role.

6. RF Nate Schierholtz

As of now, it looks more than likely that Aubrey Huff, Angel Pagan and Nate Schierholtz will compete for two of the three outfield spots with the remainder relegated to fourth outfielder/pinch-hitting duties. With Huff’s extreme defensive incompetence and overall value as a hitter off the bench, Schierholtz is my early favorite to claim right field.

While I would much rather have Carlos Beltran sparking the lineup and patrolling right field in 2012, Schierholtz is a big league average, everyday regular who can certainly help the team this season.

Offensively, he hits for a decent average, flashes a little pop and has enough speed to stretch singles into doubles. Meanwhile, Schierholtz's calling card is his terrific defense, highlighted by a cannon arm and solid instincts.

2. 2B Freddy Sanchez

I would love to project a bounce-back campaign for former batting champion Freddy Sanchez, but at 34 and coming off a season when he missed 100 games with a shoulder injury, I just can't do it.

Even with his age, when healthy Sanchez is still a top of the lineup hitter, capable of a .280-.290 average out of the No. 2 spot. For now though, with the Giants' offseason acquisitions, he may be relegated to the back of the lineup for the first time in his career.

Sanchez is expected to be fully healthy come Spring Training and will certainly be the front-runner to claim a starting role entering camp. That doesn't mean that his spot is safe however.

While it may be a little premature, my eye is on 21-year-old prospect and 2011 draftee Joe Panik, who looked terrific in his professional debut in 2011. He crushed at Low-A Salem-Keizer this summer and impressed at the Arizona Fall League with solid defense and a smooth, contact swing (.323 average). It’s doubtful he makes a splash in 2012, but as shallow as the Giants are up the middle, I’m not ready to write it off.

8. SS Brandon Crawford

Last season, the Giants used a four-man rotation to try to lock down the shortstop position: Mike Fontenot, Miguel Tejada, Orlando Cabrera and rookie Brandon Crawford. Of the group, only Fontenot and Crawford provided above-average defense, and both return in 2012. Sadly, the veteran Fontenot led the pair with a .227 batting average.

With the Giants' decision to stay out of the shortstop market this winter, it looks increasingly likely that the 25-year-old Crawford will be the likely starter heading into camp.

Throughout his playing career, Crawford has had the reputation of being solid defensively but overmatched at the plate, dating back to his days at UCLA. Despite his limitations with the bat, his glove does appear to be good enough to earn him the starting job, especially without any real competition.

Needless to say, the back of the Giants' lineup looks to be a gaping hole yet again in 2012, void of much offensive output.