San Francisco Giants: 5 Under-the-Radar Players Who Will Step Up Big in 2012

After a disappointing 2011 that saw the San Francisco Giants miss the playoffs following their magical run to the World Series in 2010, San Francisco is looking right the ship in 2012.

With the return of a healthy Buster Posey and a rested pitching staff, many feel the Giants are poised to make another run at the National League West in 2012.

However, if the Giants are to make that run, they will need some help from players who may not stand out at first glance.

It's no secret that the Giants will need Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Brian Wilson and Posey to step up to have any shot at the postseason. But they will also need help from some unexpected sources.

Let's examine five under-the-radar players/positions that the Giants can expect big things from in 2012.

Clay Hensley

Hensley is fresh off an injury-riddled season in Florida, in which he threw only 67 and two-thirds innings while amassing an earned run average above five for the Marlins.

Hensley was signed by San Francisco in late January for just $750,000, and as a result he'll come to the Bay Area with fairly low expectations from the fans' perspective.

Make no mistake, though, Hensley's signing could end up being a steal for the Giants.

The former Padre-turned-Marlin suffered a sprained right shoulder and a left rib contusion in 2011 but appears to have fully recovered from both setbacks.

It remains to be seen what role Hensley will play as a member of the Giants. The seventh-year right-hander out of Lamar has experience in both starting and relief positions at the major league level.

A year after witnessing Ryan Vogelsong's resurgence, the front office has to be intrigued with the thought of Hensley putting together a similar story in 2012.

Like Vogelsong, Hensley was initially selected by San Francisco in the draft before being traded to another team. Also like Vogelsong, Hensley bounced around to a couple different clubs before resettling in San Francisco.

With the loss of Jonathan Sanchez and the uncertainty of Barry Zito's performance level, the Giants are in need of filling the fifth starter position.

Despite his run of injuries, Hensley found success in both San Diego and Florida. Look for the right-hander to make an impact with the Giants this season whether it be in the rotation or the bullpen.

Hector Sanchez

Sanchez made his MLB debut last July after a successful five-year minor league career. Although Buster Posey is well on his way to making a full recovery, there is still room for Sanchez to make an impact in 2012.

During his time in the minor leagues, the catcher from Venezuela enjoyed success, hitting .293 with 38 home runs and 302 RBI's.

With the Giants last year, Sanchez held his own by hitting .258 in just 31 plate appearances.

A switch hitter, Sanchez doesn't possess raw power but he has demonstrated some pop in his bat. He can drive the ball in the gap from both sides of the plate, and his skills could certainly be utilized when Bruce Bochy choose to play Posey at first base.

Sanchez will have to battle Eli Whiteside and Chris Stewart in spring training for a spot on the Giants' 25-man roster. The likelihood of making the roster in the spring may be slim, but that doesn't mean the ability of the young catcher should be discounted.

Look for Sanchez to make some noise with both his bat and his glove in 2012 for the Giants.

Aubrey Huff

Following a subpar 2011, Giants fans grew restless of Huff and his .246 batting average. Entering 2012, many of these same fans are calling for young talents Brandon Belt and Brett Pill to get the majority of the playing time.

Amidst all the hype surrounding Belt and Pill, Huff is flying under the radar as we approach spring training. Despite his below-average totals in 2011, don't be surprised if the 35-year-old experiences a return to his 2010 to give a boost to a punchless Giants offense.

Huff's career numbers show a tendency for him to bounce back following poor seasons, much like he did in 2010 following a disastrous 2009 campaign in Tampa Bay.

Huff is also in a contract year and will surely make a concerted effort to impress potential suitors that could come calling after the season ends.

Even though he will hear the footsteps of Belt and Pill, who are waiting in the wings, Huff's offseason work will pay dividends come April and the veteran should be able to piece together one more successful season in San Francisco.

The Shortstop Position

In 2011, four players shared the shortstop duties: Mike Fontenot, Orlando Cabrera, Miguel Tejada and Brandon Crawford. This quartet managed just a measly .226 batting average to go with 12 total home runs on the season.

In 2012, Tejada and Cabrera are gone but the Giants signed Ryan Theriot to compete with Crawford and Fontenot in the battle for earning the shortstop duties.

The production the Giants received from this position in 2011 was nothing short of embarrassing. Entering this season, few fans are expecting great things from the shortstop position, but when it's all said and done, Theriot, Fontenot and Crawford could end up surprising some of the doubters.

Known primarily for his defensive prowess, Crawford struggled mightily at the plate in 2011. However, the young shortstop showed improvement in the Arizona Fall League, finishing with a .276 batting average.

Crawford still only managed a .130 average against lefties compared to a .346 average against righties, which is a sign of concern for Bochy and the Giants.

Enter Ryan Theriot.

Theriot spent 2011 in St. Louis, winning a World Series with the Cardinals. The Baton Rouge, La. native and former college teammate of Giants infielder Mike Fontenot brings his steady right-handed bat to the Bay Area. A lifetime .282 hitter, Theriot hits lefties particularly well at a lifetime clip of .301.

This could open the door for Bochy to rotate Crawford and Theriot based on whether a lefty or righty is on the mound.

We shouldn't forget about Fontenot, whose versatility paired with his timely hitting could go a long way in 2012.

The bottom line is the Giants received nearly no production from their shortstops in 2011. Don't count on the numbers will skyrocketing in 2012, but with the addition of Theriot, you can bet on a definite increase in overall production.

Xavier Nady

Nady is the lone player on this list who is not currently a member of the San Francisco Giants, though that may not be the case for long.

According to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants and Xavier Nady have both expressed interest in working out a deal before the start of spring training.

After losing Andres Torres, Carlos Beltran and Cody Ross in the offseason, the Giants could use another outfielder to complement Angel Pagan, Melky Cabrera and Nate Schierholtz.

Nady didn't have the best season in 2011, hitting only .248 in 82 games for Arizona, but he is still a lifetime .275 outfielder who has the ability to play both corner outfield positions as well as first base.

Nady hasn't been the same since undergoing Tommy John Surgery in 2009, but it's possible that a return to the Bay Area where he played his college ball could rejuvenate his career.

The former California Golden Bear likely would only fill the role of fourth or fifth outfielder on the Giants roster, but that doesn't mean he couldn't make an impact as a reserve.

Nady has proved effective as a platoon player in his previous stops, and the Giants can expect this trend to continue should GM Brian Sabean pull the trigger on the signing.