San Francisco Giants: From Under the Radar to Big-Time Contender?

Brace yourself: The San Francisco Giants might sneak up and become a leading contender to win the National League.

Rumors late on New Year's night out of the Bay led fans and the media to believe. The San Francisco Chronicle and ESPN are reporting that the Giants are working towards the potential of adding free agent slugger Manny Ramirez to their outfield.

The Giants, who finished 2008 with a disappointing 72-90 record, had plenty to build around despite their mediocre record. Tim Lincecum, 24 until June, won the National League Cy Young Award after going 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA. He struck out 265 batters in 227 innings pitched.

Matt Cain, who will be 24 until October, also showed signs of promise, despite a losing record. His 3.76 ERA was respectable enough to deserve better than an 8-14 record.

While the Barry Zito signing still leaves a dirty shadow over the franchise, he will likely be their fourth or fifth starter. The Giants added future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson this offseason to bolster a rotation that has young depth with Lincecum, Cain, and Jonathan Sanchez.

The Giants have quietly addressed many of the issues that plagued them last year. Their bullpen was a joke; they added Jeremy Affeldt and Bob Howry out of free agency to set up Brian Wilson, who had a solid 2008. By adding Johnson, Affeldt, and Howry, the Giants have built a more-than-respectable pitching staff.

The offense, which disappeared in the wake of former left fielder Barry Bonds last year, could be astonishing if Ramirez came in to fill that void. Adding Ramirez would allow the team to move other players into positions in the batting order that are more naturally suited to their abilities.

Aaron Rowand is a nice complementary player; but a center fielder who drives in 70 runs isn't the prototype fifth hitter. Rowand batted fifth in an overwhelming majority of his at-bats in 2008.

Likewise, catcher Bengie Molina had a career season in 2008, driving in 95 runs. In his pre-Giant career, Molina rarely saw time above sixth in the batting order; eight of his 530 at-bats were somewhere other than clean-up in 2008.

The Giants have decent players in a number of positions. Rowand and Randy Winn are both serviceable outfielders. The addition of Edgar Renteria to replace Omar Vizquel at shortstop figures to add more offense to the team as well.

And there are still rumors that former White Sox third baseman Joe Crede will follow his friend Rowand west. Crede would allow the Giants to keep highly-touted prospect Pablo Sandoval, a switch hitter, at first base.

When assessing a batting order including Winn, Rowand, Renteria, Molina, and Sandoval surrounding Manny Ramirez, it appears to be one that could very easily compete in a weak National League West.

Consider the double-win the Giants would realize by signing Ramirez: They would not only be adding one of the best clutch bats of this generation, but they would be taking him away from the hated L.A. Dodgers.

Adam Dunn has left Arizona. Matt Holliday has been dealt out of Colorado. The Padres have already traded Khalil Greene away and might still be looking to unload Jake Peavy. And the Dodgers would stand to lose Ramirez off a roster that is losing a number of other veterans, including Jeff Kent, Brad Penny and Nomar Garciaparra.

By adding Ramirez, the Giants would not only make themselves the team to beat in a weak division but a serious threat to go deep into October. Any series that has the potential for Lincecum and Randy Johnson pitching twice each is a winnable proposition.

The only issue with the signing in most people's minds is the dollars. Consider this, though: The 2008 Giants had their lowest team payroll since 2001, almost a full $14 million less than 2007. Barry Zito's salary begins to escalate in 2009, going from $14.5 to $18.5 million. He is the only contract that will escalate significantly in 2009.

In fact, of the veterans under contract for 2009 with the Giants, they could have as much as $32 million of the $76 million due expiring after the 2009 season. Winn, Dave Roberts, and Molina have their long term deals with the Giants ending after 2009, while Randy Johnson and Howry signed only one-year contracts.

Giants GM Brian Sabean has a tendency to offer deals with escalating values already; the amount of money coming off the books for the Giants in the near future could make meeting Ramirez and Boras' demands of $60 million over three years attainable.