San Francisco Giants 2012: Who Will Be the Fifth Starter?

The starting rotation for the San Francisco Giants on Opening Day 2011 consisted of Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez, Matt Cain, Barry Zito and Madison Bumgarner.

As a result of the injuries to and ineffectiveness of Sanchez and Zito, along with the emergence of comeback sensation Ryan Vogelsong, the rotation is vastly different today as the season winds down to its final weeks.

Eric Surkamp, the left-hander recalled from the minor leagues to start on Tuesday night against the Padres in San Diego, picked up his first major league win and is in the mix to compete for a starting job come spring 2012.

With the Giants built around their pitching, a big question heading into 2012 is: Who will be the fifth starter?

Jonathan Sanchez

Jonathan Sanchez was amazing down the stretch for the Giants in 2010. In September of last season he went 3-1 with a 1.17 ERA. In 30.2 innings pitched that month, he gave up just 15 hits, and for a pitcher who has had several bouts of wildness in his career, Sanchez struck out 37 and walked 14.

Then, in October, he was the winner for San Francisco on the final day of the regular season when the Giants clinched the division title.

In the postseason, Sanchez tossed 7.1 masterful innings in Atlanta during a crucial Game 3 of the NLDS against the Braves. He gave up one run on two hits while striking out 11 and walking just one.

The Giants thought they were seeing Sanchez, who was supremely talented yet so prone to erratic stretches of inconsistency, finally turn the corner.

Unfortunately, 2011 has been a drastic regression for the lefty, who has gone 4-7 with a 4.26 ERA in an injury-shortened season.

Sanchez has also shown a tendency to take himself out of games mentally after things don't go his way, making mistakes such as not backing up home plate on an opponent's hit with runners in scoring position.

When it comes to the question of whether Sanchez will win a spot in the rotation for the 2012 Giants, the answer doesn't necessarily rely on whether he will be good on the mound.

It's really going to be more about whether he can convince Bruce Bochy and his staff that he's got his head on straight and will be able to remain focused enough to channel his sheer talent throughout the entire season.

Barry Zito

Despite showing flashes of his old self in fleeting moments, Barry Zito has been a huge disappointment for the San Francisco Giants ever since coming across the Bay from Oakland.

The Giants signed Zito to a seven-year, $126 million contract in 2007, but Zito has gone just 43-61 with a 4.52 ERA with San Francisco over the past five seasons. That after going 102-63 in seven seasons with the A's.

This season, Zito has been hobbled by a foot injury, but has nonetheless been ineffective, going 3-4 with a 5.62 ERA.

Bruce Bochy recently told mlb.com that he is uncertain about Zito's role next season, indicating that it may not be as a starter.

Zito has by far been the least reliable of any of San Francisco's starters this season, and it is very unlikely that he will ever have a starting role in a Giants uniform again.

Eric Surkamp

Eric Surkamp was very impressive for the Giants' Double-A affiliate in Richmond this season, going 10-4 with a 2.02 ERA, along with 165 strikeouts in 142.1 innings pitched.

Surkamp has held his own in two major league starts for San Francisco, earning his first big league win Tuesday night in San Diego.

With a good curve ball and the ability to keep hitters off-balance, Surkamp is San Francisco's number one pitching prospect and could very well find himself in the starting rotation come 2012 if he continues to impress.

So Who Will It Be?

Given all of the issues with Jonathan Sanchez and Barry Zito, both of whom have had remarkably similar difficulties with keeping their focus, Eric Surkamp will have the inside track to claiming the fifth rotation spot with the Giants in 2012.

While Zito's contract presents a huge barrier to trading him, Jonathan Sanchez may be part of a potential deal this offseason, as the Giants have several other needs to address before spring training.