Biggest Winners and Losers from the San Francisco Giants' Offseason
The San Francisco Giants won the 2014 World Series in a thrilling battle with the Kansas City Royals. The Giants have now won three world championships in the past five years.
The victory parade down the streets of San Francisco was another epic celebration, but alas, the business of baseball has now replaced all the euphoria.
General manager Brian Sabean has made some moves, but not nearly as many as Giants fans would have hoped. The Giants are still in need of another top-quality starting pitcher and a left fielder. However, with spring training right around the corner, it's highly questionable if we will see any major moves at this point.
Let's take a look at some of the biggest winners and losers for the Giants this winter. We have isolated seven players in the winner category and three in the loser category.
All stats are courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. Salary information courtesy of Baseball Prospectus.
Winner No. 7: Andrew Susac
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In 2014, Andrew Susac opened the season in Fresno, the Giants' Triple-A affiliate. When the Giants needed a backup catcher after Hector Sanchez was injured, Susac got the call.
Susac joined the Giants in late July and appeared in 35 games. He did a solid job behind the plate and was better defensively than Sanchez. Susac also appeared to quickly learn the pitchers and earn their trust.
Susac also held his own at the plate. In 88 at-bats, Susac hit .273 with three home runs and 19 RBI. His OBP was .326 to go along with an OPS of .792. By comparison, Sanchez's OPS was .538.
Susac has moved ahead of Sanchez and has emerged as the favorite to back up Buster Posey in 2015.
Susac is a young player other teams should be very interested in acquiring via trade, as argued by Grant Brisbee of the McCovey Chronicles. The fact that he has not been traded shows how much the Giants value him.
Winner No. 6: Michael Morse
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Michael Morse parlayed a decent season into a two-year, $16 million deal with the Miami Marlins. He also will get a World Series ring for his one season in San Francisco.
After enduring a tough year in 2013 in which he battled injuries, Morse was a key contributor for the Giants' World Series team. He got off to a big start and helped to carry the offense in the first couple of months.
Injuries once again caught up with Morse, and he missed the majority of August and September. Morse got well enough to get some key hits in the postseason against the Nationals, Cardinals and Royals.
For the year, Morse played in 131 games, with 438 at-bats. He hit .279 with an OBP of .336 and OPS of .811. Morse hit 16 home runs and drove in 61 runs.
Due to his lack of mobility, Morse was a defensive liability in left field. Manager Bruce Bochy would typically replace Morse in the late innings for defense. However, when Brandon Belt was injured, Morse moved to first base, and his defense was solid.
Prior to the 2014 season, the Giants signed Morse to a one-year, $6 million contract. Based on his production and how well he fit into the team chemistry, it was a tremendous acquisition.
It's understandable why the Giants did not want to offer Morse a deal similar to what he got in Miami. His injury history and his weak defense in the outfield made it too big of a risk to bring him back for two more years at that high of a salary.
Morse was well-liked by his teammates and the fans of San Francisco. The feeling was mutual, as Morse thoroughly enjoyed his time in San Francisco, as evidenced by his tweets to fans, according to CSNBayArea.com.
Loser No. 3: Ryan Vogelsong
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Ryan Vogelsong had a tremendous four-year run with the Giants. After four years out of the majors he resurrected his career, won two world championships and was an All-Star in 2011.
Alas, all good things must come to an end.
Vogelsong, who is 37 years of age, has not been signed for the 2015 season, and it does not look like he will return to the Giants.
In 2014, Vogelsong started 32 games and threw 184.2 innings. He allowed 178 hits and 58 walks, striking out 151. His ERA was 4.00, and his WHIP 1.278.
Although Vogelsong finished the year with a record of 8-13, he did eat up valuable innings. Over the past four years, Vogelsong won 39 games against 35 defeats.
With five starters already signed for 2015, along with swingman Yusmeiro Petit, there simply is not enough room to keep Vogelsong at this point. His professionalism and determination will be missed in San Francisco.
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Winner No. 5: Steven Okert
4 of 10Left-handed relief pitcher Steven Okert has opened some eyes with his performance in 2014 and in the Arizona Fall League.
Okert, who is only 23, opened the 2014 season with the Giants' High-A affiliate in San Jose. He was promoted to Double-A in the middle of the season, where he pitched for the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
His combined totals were very impressive. Okert threw a total of 68.1 innings, allowed 57 hits and 22 walks and struck out 92. His ERA was 2.11 to go along with a WHIP of 1.156. He also earned 24 saves.
Okert was outstanding this past autumn, pitching in the Arizona Fall League against other top prospects. He appeared in 10 games and worked 12 innings, allowing only five hits and a walk while striking out 17.
Okert held opposing hitters to a .119 batting average and finished with an ERA of 0.75 and WHIP of 0.500.
The Giants will have two potential spots in the bullpen open, and Okert will compete for a job with Hunter Strickland, Jean Machi, George Kontos, Erik Cordier and Juan Gutierrez.
Manager Bruce Bochy has, in the past, utilized a bullpen with three lefties. He already has Jeremy Affeldt and Javier Lopez and if Okert makes the team, he will be the third.
As a minimum, Okert is now prominently on the Giants radar screen and could be called up at some point, even if he does not make the 25-man roster out of spring training.
In addition, Affeldt will be a free agent after the 2015 season. Okert could be the heir apparent if the Giants do not bring Affeldt back.
Winner No. 4: Gregor Blanco
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Gregor Blanco began the 2014 season as the Giants' fourth outfielder. His primary role was to act as a late-inning defensive replacement for Michael Morse in left field. He was also to get an occasional start in center and left field.
However, it turned out that Blanco played much more than originally expected. Due to injuries to Angel Pagan and Morse, Blanco got into a career-high 146 games.
Blanco is an excellent defensive player but is limited offensively. In 393 at-bats, Blanco hit .260, with an OBP of .333 and OPS of .707. He had five home runs, 38 RBI and 16 stolen bases. As a player with good speed but not a lot of power, it would be ideal if Blanco could raise his OBP significantly.
The Giants have been in the market for a starting outfielder, but until now have come up empty. If Sabean is unable to find an upgrade, Blanco will open the season as the Giants' starting left fielder.
Even if Sabean is able to add someone to play left field, Blanco will still get plenty of playing time. The very fragile Pagan is almost certain to spend time on the DL, and probably more than once.
Loser No. 2: Hector Sanchez
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2014 was largely a wasted year for Hector Sanchez. He opened the season as Buster Posey's backup and struggled. Then it got worse.
Sanchez played in only 66 games for the Giants, as multiple concussions ended his season prematurely.
In 163 at-bats, Sanchez hit just .196 with an OBP of .237 and OPS of .538. He did have three home runs, and the lone bright spot was that he had 28 RBI. Sanchez did come through with some clutch hits, even though his overall offensive performance was poor.
Due to the concussions, Sanchez was replaced by Andrew Susac, who has now moved ahead of him. Susac played well and looks to have a bright future.
Sanchez will need to have a big year and stay healthy in order to polish the star that once shined brightly.
Winner No. 3: Travis Ishikawa
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With one swing of the bat, Travis Ishikawa will forever be remembered in Giants lore. It was the ninth inning of Game 5 of the National League Championship Series between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
With two runners on, Ishikawa blasted a Michael Wacha pitch over the wall in right-center field, driving the fans at AT&T Park delirious with joy. The Giants were headed back to the World Series, and Ishikawa was a major factor in their postseason success.
Madison Bumgarner was named the MVP of the NLCS, but it easily could have been Ishikawa. In 13 at-bats, he had five hits, including two doubles and that epic home run. Ishikawa hit .385 with an OBP of .429 and OPS of 1.198. His seven RBI against the Cardinals led the team.
What makes this story so unique is that Ishikawa almost quit baseball earlier in the year. He began the year with the Pittsburgh Pirates but was released less than a month into the season.
Ishikawa signed a minor league contract with the Giants and was eventually called up to San Francisco in late July for his unlikely journey to stardom, as recounted by Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle.
A first baseman by trade, Ishikawa proved he could be an adequate left fielder, which increased his value. Ishikawa had never played left field in the majors until Bochy gave him a shot. He did surprisingly well and did not embarrass himself or his team.
In addition to being able to play first base and left field, Ishikawa is a very competent pinch hitter. He was rewarded for his heroics with a one-year, $1.1 million contract to remain with the Giants.
Winner No. 2: Sergio Romo
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Sergio Romo was a key member of all three of the Giants' world championship teams. He entered the 2014 season as the closer but after a good start fell upon hard times.
The season can be broken down in three segments. From the beginning of the year up to June 12, Romo was very reliable. He had an ERA of 2.89 with 20 saves in 28 innings of work.
Romo suddenly lost command of his signature slider, as the pitch lost its bite and hung in the strike zone. Opposing hitters teed off on Romo, and from June 13 through July 19, he was quite ineffective (monthly splits courtesy of ESPN.com).
In 10.2 innings over that span, Romo allowed 13 runs for an ERA of 11.47. His confidence was shaken, and Bochy was forced to remove him as the Giants closer. After a brief closer-by-committee approach, Santiago Casilla stepped in and took over the job.
Amazingly, Romo suddenly found his slider, and the pitch had it's typical bite and downward action.
From July 22 through the end of the season, Romo once again performed very well. In 19.1 innings over that span, Romo allowed only two earned runs. His hot streak included 14 consecutive outings without allowing a run.
Romo continued to pitch well in the postseason. In seven innings of work over the course of nine outings, Romo allowed only six hits and did not walk anybody. He struck out seven. Romo had an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.857 over that time frame.
Romo finished the year with 23 saves, but he will once again be the setup man for Casilla, when the season begins. Bochy will typically have Romo pitch in the seventh or eighth inning depending on the opposing hitters.
Loser No. 1: Pablo Sandoval
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It's hard to call anyone who just signed a five-year, $95 million contract a "loser." Certainly, Sandoval is not a loser from the standpoint of the huge contract, but he will need to perform extremely well in order to keep Red Sox fans and the Boston media happy.
In 2014, Sandoval played in 157 games, a career high. In 588 at-bats, Sandoval hit .279, with an OBP of .324 and OPS of .739. Sandoval hit 16 home runs with 73 RBI. In Boston, Sandoval will be expected to do a lot more in 2015.
Sandoval had an outstanding postseason, collecting 26 hits in 71 at-bats, good for a .366 batting average.
His performance in the World Series, with the eyes of the nation on him, was tremendous. In 28 at-bats against the Royals, Sandoval hit .429, with an OBP of .467 and OPS of 1.002. Sandoval also had four RBI.
Sandoval opted to leave San Francisco and sign with the Red Sox, even though the money was similar. As reported by Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News, Sandoval wanted a new challenge.
Over the course of five years, Sandoval is likely to have several ups and downs. He was loved by the fans of San Francisco, who would be very patient with him when he was injured or not producing.
Sandoval will not find the same patience in Boston. As players like Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford found out, Boston can be very harsh if you're not producing up to expectations.
Crawford and Gonzalez were happy to leave Boston, as reported by Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe.
This is shaping up to be a classic case of "be careful what you wish for." Sandoval had it good in San Francisco and will likely never find a place that adores him more.
To expect Sandoval to be healthy and highly productive over the next five years is a tall order. In addition, now having the large, five-year deal, Sandoval's weight could become an issue at some point. We have already seen how when his weight balloons up, his production falls and he becomes more injury-prone.
Sandoval's move to Boston has the potential to be a huge disappointment for both parties.
Winner No. 1: Jake Peavy
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2014 was a dream year for Jake Peavy. He started the season with the Boston Red Sox and was horrible. He had a record of 1-10 and an ERA of 4.72. It looked like his career was nearing an end. By the trade deadline, the Red Sox had fallen out of playoff contention, and Peavy had become expendable.
Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Matt Cain's elbow was acting up, and he ultimately needed season-ending surgery.
The Giants were in the market for a quality starting pitcher, and with the likes of Jeff Samardzija, Jon Lester, Justin Masterson, John Lackey, Jason Hammel and David Price being shopped, it looked like the Giants would deal for one of them.
Instead, Sabean traded for Peavy, who had a lot of success in San Diego under Bochy. However, that was many years ago.
Peavy joined the Giants, and it was like a rebirth for him. He pitched very well down the stretch; if it were not for him, the Giants would not have even made the playoffs.
Peavy made 12 starts for the Giants to round out the regular season. He went 6-4, with an ERA of 2.17 and a WHIP of 1.042. In 78.2 innings of work, Peavy allowed 65 hits and 17 walks while striking out 58.
Peavy quickly became a fan favorite with his intense, emotional displays on the mound. It was clear to the fans of San Francisco that he desperately wanted to win. Peavy also fit in well with his teammates, so it was like a match made in heaven.
The Giants rewarded Peavy with a two-year, $24 million deal. Peavy, who will turn 34 in late May, still has some fuel left in the tank and will help the Giants over the next two years.
Even if he doesn't, nothing can take away from his remarkable 2014 performance for the Giants.
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