40 Days and Counting.....

The Holiday season has come and gone, which means Spring training is just around the corner. The Giants' official reporting date hasn't been announced, but pitchers and catchers are expected to be in Scottsdale on February 15th with the first full squad workout scheduled for February 20th. Brian Sabean has been MIA since the Aaron Rowand signing and there isn't much off-season left to upgrade the worst team in the division. There still are glaring holes that need to be addressed. They must decide what they are going to do at the corner infield spots and unless they have confidence in Jack Taschner and Randy Messenger miraculously turning into solid relievers, they have work to do with the bullpen as well. They also need another hitter in the middle of the lineup. If the season started right now, Bengie Molina would be the cleanup hitter by default, with Randy Winn and Aaron Rowand surrounding him. Not exactly the most intimidating 3-4-5 hitters out there. Actually, if the Giants decide to stand pat with this current squad, they could end up being the worst offensive team in all of baseball.

There aren't exactly a ton of options out there as far as young, offensively productive corner infielders, which is the Giants' biggest need at the moment. Bochy and Sabean have given a vote of confidence to Dan Ortmeier and it seems like they are willing to give him a shot at first base this year. I don't have a problem with that at all and I'd like them to also consider trying Nate Schierholtz at first base at some point this year. However, they are going to have to go outside the organization for a 3rd basemen. Kevin Frandsen and Rich Aurilia are the current in-house options but Frandsen is way better suited for second base and Aurilia can't be considered a full-time starter at this point in his career. Dallas McPherson, Joe Crede, Scott Rolen, Andy Marte, Edwin Encarnacion and of course Pedro Feliz are a few available 3rd baseman who have been linked to the Giants. I was hoping for some sort of Dave Roberts/Pat Misch for Joe Crede trade all offseason long, but it's doubtful the White Sox are still pursuing outfielders after acquiring Nick Swisher. Encarnacion would be the best of the bunch, but that's a long shot because the Reds are overvaluing him. McPhereson would be an interesting low risk, high reward type player that could fit nicely with this team. He could play first or third and even though he's been injured for much of the past 3 years, he still has upside at 26. I just hope Feliz's time in San Francisco has come to an end, no matter who they decide to replace him with. The team knows what they would get in Feliz, they don't know what they'd get in a healthy McPherson, Crede or Marte which is why I would much rather take a shot on one of them over rolling with Feliz again.