Albert Pujols and the SF Giants: What It Would Mean and How it Could Work

After a disappointing 2011 season where the San Francisco Giants failed to make the postseason, they will look to respond in 2012 with hopes of regaining the championship title that they secured only a year ago.

The Giants scored the least amount of runs in the National League with 570 and were 161 runs behind the NL West division champion Arizona Diamondbacks. On the bright side, they allowed the second-least amount of runs with 578, begging the question of how good could the Giants be if they could actually score runs.

Although Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez will hopefully return from injury, that won't be enough offense to skyrocket the Giants into an upper-echelon team. However, adding a player like Albert Pujols just might do that.

What It Would Mean for Aubrey Huff

Back to the bench.

There aren't many Giants fans who still want Huff on the roster, let alone want him as their starting first baseman after his poor 2011 season.

With Albert Pujols in the clubhouse, Huff would probably be his primary backup, as well as the backup to whomever manager Bruce Bochy decides to put in the outfield.

What It Would Mean for Brandon Belt

Brandon Belt has been awesome at times while playing first base for the Giants, and he's been less than spectacular at other times.

There's no denying he would have had similar, if not better numbers than Huff if he had played the entire season at first base. Belt does have a quirky swing that could use some work, but he's still young and would probably still be considered as the Giants' future first baseman.

How long in the future is a separate question. Adding Pujols to the roster would push him back on the depth chart for another five years or so, although he may be the primary backup very soon if Huff can't get his act together.

It's pretty clear Bochy understands Belt still needs to be given playing time, and he would most likely get it as a right-fielder.

What It Would Mean for the Giants

Albert Pujols finished the 2011 season with 105 runs, 35 home runs, 99 RBIs and a .299 batting average.

It's safe to say Pujols alone adds about 50 runs of offense to the Giants total, and with Posey and Sanchez coming back to the lineup, the Giants would be close to 75 runs better than they were this season.

Adding 75 runs to their 2011 total would produce a new total of 645 runs, which would put the Giants as the ninth-best scoring team in the National League. Going from worst to ninth is truly amazing and would almost certainly put the Giants as the favorites to win the NL West in 2012.

How the Transaction Would Work

Albert Pujols declined the St. Louis Cardinals offer of $22 million per year for nine years, so it's safe to assume the Giants would offer him similar numbers for fewer years.

How about three years, $25 million?

How It Would Work for Carlos Beltran

Bye-bye, Beltran.

Carlos Beltran would no longer be a Giant, so think carefully, Giants fans, before bum-rushing the idea to sign Pujols.

That would mean no Beltran, no Cody Ross, no other free-agent signings. Pujols would be the only player the Giants get in the offseason.

I still say TAKE IT!

The Giants with Albert Pujols would be a great thing. Even if they can snag him for three years, it's definitely worth it for the fans and the team.