San Francisco Giants: 5 Signs That Carlos Beltran May Not Have Been Enough

Carlos Beltran was supposedly the spark in the lineup the Giants needed. He was going to be that offensive upgrade San Francisco so desperately desired. He was the big bat they craved.

Then, 11 games later, he's injured.

Now, the Giants are back to where they started: needing offense, hoping for one run. However, even with Beltran, the Giants needed something more. They were not just weak in one area.

The past few weeks have shown that San Francisco needs more than just Carlos Beltran.

Last Night’s 1-0 Loss Against the Braves

San Francisco couldn’t bring one run home in last night’s game against the Atlanta Braves.

You can’t win a game—even with Tim Lincecum’s phenomenal pitching—without scoring. The offensive woes of the Giants have been a season-long issue. Now, it’s just about September, and the problem hasn’t changed.

San Francisco doesn’t need just one bat; they need several. Or maybe at least two.

Offensive Woes in General

29th, 27th, 29th, 27th—these are how the Giants are ranking in runs, batting average, OBP and slugging percentage, respectively.

Carlos Beltran couldn’t have been the answer to all the Giants’ offensive problems.

Beltran Injury

When Carlos Beltran came to San Francisco, the Giants organization and fans alike hoped they had reached a turning point in the season.

Unfortunately, there was no turning whatsoever. It took less than two weeks for Beltran to get injured, and he is on the disabled list until at least August 22.

He’s helping no one on the bench, and the Giants’ offense is flailing.

Catching Issues

Another long-standing issue for the Giants has been the catching position. Eli Whiteside and Chris Stewart have performed admirably, but neither has been able to aptly fill the role of starting catcher.

Making the trade for Carlos Beltran was a big deal, but it also overshadowed other trade possibilities for the position that the Giants need to fill. Giving up such a prized prospect also took a toll on just how much management was willing to give up for a catcher.

Names like Ramon Hernandez and Geovany Soto had been thrown around. No trade was made though, and San Francisco is still doing the best they can with two backup backstops.

Lack of Speed on the Bases

If you’ve seen a few Giants games, there’s a good chance you’ve seen their speed…or lack thereof.

Aubrey Huff has to stop to catch his breath after running around the bases or chasing down a ball in the outfield. The older players are not nearly as fast as they used to be.

Carlos Beltran didn’t bring much speed to the lineup. He’s great for a bat, but San Francisco needs to bring the fast guys back to the lineup however they can.

When a team scores as little as the Giants do, they need to start relying on bunts, steals, hit-and-runs—anything that can advance the runner and bring even one run home.