We Hit Dingers: MLB Offseason Preview

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

San Francisco Giants

National League	West Division
87-75 4.0 GB of Division Lead	Lost in the NL Division Series, 3-1 to the Chicago Cubs
Manager: Bruce Bochy	GM: Bobby Evans
AAA Affiliate Sacramento River Cats	AA Affiliate Richmond Flying Squirrels

Buster Posey is the absolute leader of the Giants' offense and continued the consistency he has demonstrated at the plate throughout his career. He was even better behind the plate, creating 12 defensive runs saved, en route to his first Gold Glove Award. 2016 was actually Posey's worst offensive year in terms of value in a full season since his rookie year, yet he was still the team's best hitter. Perhaps craziest about Posey is that he has managed to receive MVP votes every year except 2011 when he only played in 45 games. I also have to pick starter Madison Bumgarner for this too, because he is their best starter, despite Johnny Cueto amassing more pitching value. At some point, Bumgarner has to win a Cy Young Award. He just doesn't stop pitching. He has thrown over 200 innings every year since he became a full time starter in 2011, has had a sub 3.00 ERA every season since 2013. and that doesn't even include his postseason numbers, where he might be the best pitcher of all-time. He actually seeemed to even get better this year, throwing a career high in innings, made the most starts in his career, had the lowest ERA, and struck out the most batters. He is so good.

Success - The Giants missed the playoffs last season after winning the World Series the previous year. They entered 2016 with expectations of returning to the playoffs and, since it was an even year, some expectations of winning the World Series again. for the fourth time in seven years. They have finally re-developed a deep and solid pitching rotation after Bumgarner, something they didn't have the last time they won the World Series in 2014. They further added to this depth by trading for starter Matt Moore, giving them four good pitchers. Their shortcomings occurred at the plate and in the bullpen, where they blew a league-leading 30 saves.

The Giants are going all-in to add talent to the back end of their bullpen to not repeat the struggles of 2016. They will almost assuredly come out of the offseason with one of Kenley Jansen, Mark Melancon, or Aroldis Chapman. I think that they also need to help their outfield situation and add some power to their lineup by either trading for J.D. Martinez of the Tigers or signing Mark Trumbo or Jose Bautista. They also need to do everything they can to start re-building their farm system, one that has just two prospects on MLB's Top 100 list. Trading away prospects for immediate success has been good for the Giants in recent years, considering it has translated into three championships, but now is the time for them to start re-tooling the system, as players get older and will eventually need replaced. I think the 2017 Giants should be a contender to win the NL West and possibly make the World Series, despite it being an odd year.

*All stats and information come from baseball-reference.com, fangraphs.com, rosterresource.com, baseballamerica.com, and spotrac.com