San Francisco Giants: Best Case Scenario for Each Position Entering 2012

The 2012 version of the San Francisco Giants will have an excellent opportunity to fight for the NL West crown once again despite their 2011 offensive woes.  Keeping the pitching staff as intact as possible is a priority and with the return of Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez, Brian Sabean will have an opportunity to significantly strengthen the team without having to spend Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder money. 

Here are the Giants' best case scenarios for each position going into Spring Training 2012.

Catcher: Buster Posey and Hector Sanchez

This is most likely a no brainer at first glimpse.  I fully expect that Buster Posey will be ready to return and hit come opening day.  The Giants will have a need to employ a better backup catcher going forward, especially in 2012.  Bruce Bochy will certainly employ his tactic of moving players around and I would be surprised if that didn't include Buster Posey.

It isn't out of the realm of possibility to see someone other than Posey behind the plate two or maybe even three times a week, especially at first as Posey gets his legs under him.

Hector Sanchez is still pretty raw and one can make a pretty good argument that he should play a full year at AAA.  Sanchez showed significant improvement from his initial call up in 2011, especially behind the plate and he has a much better bat than Eli Whiteside and Chris Stewart combined, right now.

I can't imagine Whiteside or Stewart will return and I can see GM Brian Sabean "kicking the tires" on free-agent backup catchers, but he certainly will consider Sanchez if there isn't a deal out there to be made that he likes.

First Base: Brandon Belt and Brett Pill

There certainly is something to the sentiment that Aubrey Huff has been fairly consistent during his career to the one good year, one bad year trend and so he is due for a good year in 2012.  It is also his contract year so the possibility does exist that he will bounce back. 

One of the obstacles that the 2011 Giants' never were able to overcome was the black hole that was Aubrey Huff's at bats.  In fact, one could make a good argument that had Huff approached his 2010 production, the Giants could have endured the Posey and Freddy Sanchez injuries.

The Giants need to hand first base over to the future and that is at least a platoon of Brandon Belt and Brett Pill, but more likely just Brandon Belt.

Belt has the potential to play gold glove caliber defense at first base and I believe that his 2011 season was an education for him.  I also believe that his bouncing around between the big leagues and AAA, as well as first base and the outfield really hurt his confidence. 

Bruce Bochy should hand him the first base job at the beginning of spring training and see how he handles it.  Brett Pill showed enough to be a good bench/role player and he can fill in at first base when matchups dictate.

Second Base: Freddy Sanchez and Michael Cuddyer

Freddy Sanchez' season ending injury 19 days after Buster Posey's was as disappointing as Posey's but was somewhat obscured by the emotions that surrounded the catcher's injury.  Sanchez was playing for a Gold Glove and was the team's best hitter, setting the table for what pop the team had coming up behind him.

Sanchez will be returning from his separated throwing shoulder and subsequent surgery and will be entering the final year of his current contract in 2012.  If Sanchez is able to fully recover, and that is a big "if" given the injury he suffered, the Giants will benefit significantly from his bat and his glove in the lineup.

The Giants should push very hard to sign Michael Cuddyer from the Minnesota Twins.  He can play the outfield and gives the Giants another option at second base if Sanchez cannot return fully or at all.

Shortstop: Jimmy Rollins

Shortstop is a problem for the Giants and really has been for quite some time.  Brandon Crawford proved that he can certainly play defense at the big league level but his bat remains a serious concern.  Crawford needs to work on his hitting at AAA for a full season and try to bring his hitting closer to his caliber of defense.

Jimmy Rollins will be a free agent this offseason and if the Phillies are not going to bring him back, the Giants should jump at the opportunity to land him on a four-year deal at the most.  As everyone knows, Rollins is from the Bay Area, so it wouldn't be to outrageous to think he'd entertain playing for the Giants.

Rollins would instantly give the Giants a shortstop and leadoff hitter, both of which are sorely needed in the Orange and Black.

Third Base: Pablo Sandoval

This one is obvious.  If the Giants get the 2009 and 2011 Pablo Sandoval in 2012, nothing else needs to be said.  Fans should be watching his offseason routine as closely as the Giants front office is.  I believe that he has turned a page in his career and 2010 will not ever be a factor again.

Left Field: Michael Cuddyer

The Giants played Brandon Belt among many others in left field in 2011 and will need to figure out a more consistent situation out there for 2012.  Michael Cuddyer is one player that the Giants should strongly consider once free agency opens after the World Series.

Cuddyer hit .284/.346/.459/.805 which is pretty close to his career numbers of .272/.343/.451/.794.  The Giants will have competition for Cuddyer but would do well to have him in left field in 2012 and going forward.

Centerfield: Grady Sizemore

I fully realize that Grady Sizemore is a shell of what he once was due to serious knee injuries, but he sure was good.  If the Giants feel that he is actually healthy enough to play center field on a one-year, incentive laden contract, they should jump at the opportunity to let him earn another contract by his play in 2012.

Center field is an abyss for the Giants and top prospect Gary Brown is still ideally a year away from playing in San Francisco.  Sizemore will be looking for an opportunity to prove he can still play, why not let him play with that chip on his shoulder for the Giants?

Right Field: Nate Schierholtz

Nate Schierholtz proved in 2011 that he can perform consistently at the big league level and hit in the clutch.  Schierholtz has a deadly accurate throwing arm and plays right field at AT&T Park better than anyone who played there before him.

Schierholtz, like Belt, should be given right field at the start of spring training and be allowed to play without looking over his shoulder.  His value has significantly increased in right field because of how well he plays defense.