With the new year just around the corner, this will be our last post of 2011, (wow how time flies) and we figured we'd just go with a basic State-of-the-Giants post and provide who currently holds or is most likely to hold one of their 25-man roster spots come opening day in April.
I know we're still 4 months away from games counting, but spring training is just 6 weeks out, and unless the Giants have something up their sleeve (yeah, I'm talkin about you Cespedes), it doesn't look like they're going to do much before pitchers and catchers report in mid-February. Speaking of Cespedes though, it's funny to mention his name because it almost seems like the market has disappeared for the
Cuban slugger? I don't know what the deal is but I thought he'd had signed by now and gotten a decent deal. He'd be great in right field at AT&T and make fans forget Beltran in an instant. But enough about him, I talked about him at length in our Christmas Wish list post, so no need to keep beating a dead horse. Just thought it was peculiar that he hasn't signed on, nor has there even been much talk about 26 year-old Cuba Home Run record holder. Anyway, back to the Giants, where instead of home run record holders, they have guys who can run, hopefully pick it, and then they're really hoping that 2010 happens all over again for a lot of guys, Freddy Sanchez, Aubrey Huff and Angel Pagan in particular. I'd say Posey, but he was doing just fine before he took on that unnecessary collision with a man who doesn't deserve to have his name written on this blog. Anyhow, unless lightening strikes, and the Giants make a move for a position player who will actually upgrade the team, this is how the 25-man roster figures to make out come April:
Catchers (3): Buster Posey, Hector Sanchez, Chris Stewart
(I think they carry 3 catchers to start the year because of Posey's injury. Sanchez provides some offense while Stewart is the late-inning defensive guy.)
Infielders (7): Aubrey Huff, Freddy Sanchez*, Brandon Crawford, Pablo Sandoval, Mike Fontenot, Brandon Belt, Manny Burris
(Sanchez could end up starting the year on the DL, which I hope would open the door for Pill. I think Pill needs to play 2nd in spring to make this team somehow. Burris has leg up cause he can play short and Sabean and Boch are backing him.)
Outfielders (4): Angel Pagan, Melky Cabrera, Nate Schierholtz, Justin Christian
(Only need 4 outfielders really, just because Pagan and Cabrera can play all over, and Schierholtz can play the corners as good as anyone in baseball. Also, Huff, Belt and Manny can play left, though it would be ideal to upgrade over Christian with someone like a Cody Ross who's still out there!)
Pitchers (11): Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Ryan Vogelsong, Barry Zito, Guillermo Mota, Javier Lopez, Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Cassilla, Sergio Romo, Brian Wilson
(Pitchers will probably go 11 to start things off, just cause Mota and Affeldt each have stamina to go back-to-back and give more than an inning, though they'll need to keep rotating fresh arms in if they decide to roll with 11, which I think is case until Buster's 100% and catching daily.)
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I know we're still 4 months away from games counting, but spring training is just 6 weeks out, and unless the Giants have something up their sleeve (yeah, I'm talkin about you Cespedes), it doesn't look like they're going to do much before pitchers and catchers report in mid-February. Speaking of Cespedes though, it's funny to mention his name because it almost seems like the market has disappeared for the
Cuban slugger? I don't know what the deal is but I thought he'd had signed by now and gotten a decent deal. He'd be great in right field at AT&T and make fans forget Beltran in an instant. But enough about him, I talked about him at length in our Christmas Wish list post, so no need to keep beating a dead horse. Just thought it was peculiar that he hasn't signed on, nor has there even been much talk about 26 year-old Cuba Home Run record holder. Anyway, back to the Giants, where instead of home run record holders, they have guys who can run, hopefully pick it, and then they're really hoping that 2010 happens all over again for a lot of guys, Freddy Sanchez, Aubrey Huff and Angel Pagan in particular. I'd say Posey, but he was doing just fine before he took on that unnecessary collision with a man who doesn't deserve to have his name written on this blog. Anyhow, unless lightening strikes, and the Giants make a move for a position player who will actually upgrade the team, this is how the 25-man roster figures to make out come April:Catchers (3): Buster Posey, Hector Sanchez, Chris Stewart
(I think they carry 3 catchers to start the year because of Posey's injury. Sanchez provides some offense while Stewart is the late-inning defensive guy.)
Infielders (7): Aubrey Huff, Freddy Sanchez*, Brandon Crawford, Pablo Sandoval, Mike Fontenot, Brandon Belt, Manny Burris
(Sanchez could end up starting the year on the DL, which I hope would open the door for Pill. I think Pill needs to play 2nd in spring to make this team somehow. Burris has leg up cause he can play short and Sabean and Boch are backing him.)
Outfielders (4): Angel Pagan, Melky Cabrera, Nate Schierholtz, Justin Christian
(Only need 4 outfielders really, just because Pagan and Cabrera can play all over, and Schierholtz can play the corners as good as anyone in baseball. Also, Huff, Belt and Manny can play left, though it would be ideal to upgrade over Christian with someone like a Cody Ross who's still out there!)
Pitchers (11): Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Ryan Vogelsong, Barry Zito, Guillermo Mota, Javier Lopez, Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Cassilla, Sergio Romo, Brian Wilson
(Pitchers will probably go 11 to start things off, just cause Mota and Affeldt each have stamina to go back-to-back and give more than an inning, though they'll need to keep rotating fresh arms in if they decide to roll with 11, which I think is case until Buster's 100% and catching daily.)
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I just wanted to take a space to wish everyone a happy New Year, hopefully 2012 brings peace and joy to everyone who need and seeks it. We'll be back, and hopefully better than ever in 2012, when we have a promo going on in January and some other fun things coming up! May not post on New Years day, but certainly back to work Monday!
New GiantsCast up @ UnifySports.tv!
New GiantsCast up @ UnifySports.tv!
Comments
Giants didn't do enough.
He would have been perfect in Left or Right, as he's right-handed and would have no problem hitting his 35 homers at AT&T. That's the kind of player they really needed, and the ChiSox let him go for relatively cheap... Where are you Sabean!?