San Francisco Giants 2012 Record: 76-86
Key In-Coming Players: OF Chris Heisey, INF Cesar Izturis, RP Craig Breslow, RP Neftali Feliz, RP Grant Balfour, RP Carlos Marmol, RP David Robertson
Key Players Departing: OF Andy Konruff, OF Sean Doolittle, OF John Bowker
2012 Pitching Leaders:
Innings Pitched: 229.2 - Tim Lincecum
Wins: 15 - Jeff Boulon
Earned Run Average: 2.90 - Tim Lincecum
Strike Outs: 287 - Tim Lincecum
Saves: 34 - Sergio Romo
WHIP: 1.11 - Tim Lincecum/Jeff Boulon
2012 Hitting Leaders:
Batting Average: .331 - Pablo Sandoval
Home Runs: 31 - Thomas Neal
Runs Batted In: 102 - Thomas Neal
On-Base Percentage: .418 - Thomas Neal
On-Base Percentage + Slugging: .966 - Thomas Neal
Stolen Bases: 24 - Juan Pierre
There is plenty of buzz around the San Francisco Bay area, and for good reason. The Giants were spiraling out of control after a disappointing 76 win season. After this off-season, the all too famous "This year is next year" signs have been placed on billboards around AT&T Park. Additions to a very lacking bullpen, and a compliment to their All-Star stud outfielder Thomas Neal, is all Giants general manager Scott Sanabria had to accomplish to get his team back into playoff shape. That name sounds familiar, doesn't it? That's because Scott shares the same father with Orioles Co-GM Thomas Sanabria, making him half Puerto Rican.
THE OFFENSE
Scoring runs was not the problem for the G-Men last year, as they were ranked 12th in the majors with 775 runs scored, and put up a .271 team batting average that was good enough for 5th best in the MLB. However, the Giants brass felt it wouldn't hurt to add to the furnace, scoring All Star outfielder Chris Heisey from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for top prospect Aaron Konruff and other minor prospects. The addition of Hiesey could definitely move the Giants into a position to have one of the top 10 offenses in the MLB, but was it necessarily worth it? The Giants also traded heavy hitting first base prospect Jim Harley to the New York Yankees for utility man Cesar Izturis. That deal goes under the list of fail for the Giants GM. Harley, a clear talented and just about polished prospect should not have been dealt for a guy who you could have easily signed out of the free agent pool, or even have traded a dump-type player for the services of Izturis type talent. This team's system was in bad shape to begin with. Now their best prospect is Tommy Joesph, a catcher far from major league ready, and you could say the same for almost anyone with value in their minors. This offense will definitely be a good one, but it may have come at the expense of the future of the organization.
THE PITCHING STAFF
Home Runs: 31 - Thomas Neal
Runs Batted In: 102 - Thomas Neal
On-Base Percentage: .418 - Thomas Neal
On-Base Percentage + Slugging: .966 - Thomas Neal
Stolen Bases: 24 - Juan Pierre
There is plenty of buzz around the San Francisco Bay area, and for good reason. The Giants were spiraling out of control after a disappointing 76 win season. After this off-season, the all too famous "This year is next year" signs have been placed on billboards around AT&T Park. Additions to a very lacking bullpen, and a compliment to their All-Star stud outfielder Thomas Neal, is all Giants general manager Scott Sanabria had to accomplish to get his team back into playoff shape. That name sounds familiar, doesn't it? That's because Scott shares the same father with Orioles Co-GM Thomas Sanabria, making him half Puerto Rican.
THE OFFENSE
Scoring runs was not the problem for the G-Men last year, as they were ranked 12th in the majors with 775 runs scored, and put up a .271 team batting average that was good enough for 5th best in the MLB. However, the Giants brass felt it wouldn't hurt to add to the furnace, scoring All Star outfielder Chris Heisey from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for top prospect Aaron Konruff and other minor prospects. The addition of Hiesey could definitely move the Giants into a position to have one of the top 10 offenses in the MLB, but was it necessarily worth it? The Giants also traded heavy hitting first base prospect Jim Harley to the New York Yankees for utility man Cesar Izturis. That deal goes under the list of fail for the Giants GM. Harley, a clear talented and just about polished prospect should not have been dealt for a guy who you could have easily signed out of the free agent pool, or even have traded a dump-type player for the services of Izturis type talent. This team's system was in bad shape to begin with. Now their best prospect is Tommy Joesph, a catcher far from major league ready, and you could say the same for almost anyone with value in their minors. This offense will definitely be a good one, but it may have come at the expense of the future of the organization.
THE PITCHING STAFF
This is where is all goes wrong. A pitching staff lead by one of the best, if not THE best pitchers in baseball, slumped to a horrid ranking of 21st in the league for team ERA. Both the Mariners' and Nationals' pitching staff were able to put up a better ERA than that of the Giants. Don't think that's relevant? Check out the difference in team records. The top 3 starters in the Giants staff also combined for 64 home runs allowed. It was the bullpen that was the prime cause of the Giants pitching woes, posting a 4.91 ERA in a combined 606.2 innings pitched. General manager S. Sanabria did all he could to fix those problems, going out and acquiring guys like Carlos Marmol, Neftali Feliz, and Craig Breslow, as well as signing flamethrowers Grant Balfour and David Robertson to a 4 year $12MM deal and a 7 year $35.7MM deal respectively. That deal for Robertson is something I and most general managers around the league have questions about. That long a deal for such a risky pitcher to gamble with, just doesn't make sense if you ask me. Come on Scott, you aren't that desperate, are you? Well while these acquisitions definitely improve the 'pen, I wonder how far these guys can go to hold down the fort in order for this team to be a force in October.
Overall, I think Scott did a considerable job to try and boost this San Francisco team's chances of a postseason run. Whether they can finally crack through the Dodgers and Rockies, we'll have to wait and see. Hopefully the 2012 Orange and Black can end their 9 year post season drought, giving the fans of San Francisco a reason to buy a ticket to AT&T Park on a regular basis this up coming year.
Off-Season Grade: B
Overall, I think Scott did a considerable job to try and boost this San Francisco team's chances of a postseason run. Whether they can finally crack through the Dodgers and Rockies, we'll have to wait and see. Hopefully the 2012 Orange and Black can end their 9 year post season drought, giving the fans of San Francisco a reason to buy a ticket to AT&T Park on a regular basis this up coming year.
Off-Season Grade: B
This is good, good luck having time to write one for all teams. I would be interested in seeing what you have to say about Pittsburgh.
ReplyDeleteI kind of disagree about the C+ I think the Giants are going to do good next year. The Dodgers are kind of on the decline to me, the Rockies should be the #1 team in the west next year followed by the Giants and then the Dodgers.
Also have to say, that's a beautiful picture. AT&T park is one of my fav baseball stadiums.
ReplyDeleteAwesome job. I still think I'll win the bet!
ReplyDelete