Although Giants fans all over the world get to relish in this World Series Championship all winter long, it's time for the Giants management to start shifting their focus towards 2013.
Now, before I start putting this season in the rear view mirror, I just wanted to talk a little bit more about this World Series victory and the incredible parade we all got on Wednesday. Again, we'll be doing season reviews in the coming month, rating how each unit of the team did this year, from starting pitching to the
bench guys and everyone in between. There just isn't a lot to be said about the 2012 Giants that hasn't been eluded to a number of times. I would be lying if I told you I had the World Series on my mind after this team lost it's star closer and then their top hitter midway through the season while also getting pedestrian numbers out of the guy they were hoping would help carry the offense in Hunter Pence. But that's further testament to how well this team played as a group and how each player picked up the other guy when they had to. Pence's presence showed up more than just in the box score. Blanco made Melky an afterthought in October and we all know the job Romo did.
This season really had three team MVP's if you ask me, and those guys were Sergio Romo, Buster Posey and Marco Scutaro. While the starting pitching wavered some down the stretch and early in October, these guys constantly answered the bell and came up with the clutch hit or the clutch save whenever they were called upon. The starting pitching found it's legs in time for the World Series, and showed us just how dominant they can still be, but what inspired me this year was the way the offense and defense came together when all odds were against them. That wraps up my thoughts on the guys I thought were the real keys to this championship drive, but don't get me wrong, they weren't the only ones. Just about everyone of those 25 guys on that roster for October pitched in somehow and this was the epitome of a team effort on behalf of the Giants, and that's what made this one so sweet.
Now, with 2 tittles in the last 3 seasons, the world Dynasty is starting to get tossed out there, and believe it or not, the Giants are in great position to possibly reel off another couple of these things with their core players just starting to hit their prime. That being said, the Giants already, less than a week after their World Series
victory have already begun assessing their roster for the upcoming 2013 campaign, and they have some tough decisions to make. They made the first move of the winter my declining Aubrey Huff's 2013 option, a move that came as a surprise to nobody, but they'll have much more challenging obstacles in the next couple weeks. There are two real key guys on their roster up for free agency, and one wild card. The two keys obviously are Scutaro and Pagan, the team's one-two punch at the top of the lineup that was as good as any in the second half of the season and in October. Then, of course, there's the guy that missed out on all of this and has to be kicking himself right now wherever he is, and that's Melky Cabrera.
Other than that, the Giants don't have any impending free agents that will be priorities to bring back. With Huff off the books, Freddy Sanchez's contract expiring and even that horrendous Aaron Rowand deal finally out the window (not to mention the extra royalties this team reeled in from this postseason run) the Giants will have some money to play with. The only piece of news I've heard regarding team free agents is that Pagan's camp could be looking to cash in after this big 2012, to the tune of 4 years and 12M+ per season. Maybe the Giants could get those numbers down a bit, cause I know Angel would love to stay in this city... Either way, it's a really exciting time to be a Giants fan right now. Fresh off the 'Series win and with some free agent dollars to play with. This team could certainly be on their way to becoming the class of the NL, if not the entire MLB, for years to come.
Now, before I start putting this season in the rear view mirror, I just wanted to talk a little bit more about this World Series victory and the incredible parade we all got on Wednesday. Again, we'll be doing season reviews in the coming month, rating how each unit of the team did this year, from starting pitching to the
bench guys and everyone in between. There just isn't a lot to be said about the 2012 Giants that hasn't been eluded to a number of times. I would be lying if I told you I had the World Series on my mind after this team lost it's star closer and then their top hitter midway through the season while also getting pedestrian numbers out of the guy they were hoping would help carry the offense in Hunter Pence. But that's further testament to how well this team played as a group and how each player picked up the other guy when they had to. Pence's presence showed up more than just in the box score. Blanco made Melky an afterthought in October and we all know the job Romo did.This season really had three team MVP's if you ask me, and those guys were Sergio Romo, Buster Posey and Marco Scutaro. While the starting pitching wavered some down the stretch and early in October, these guys constantly answered the bell and came up with the clutch hit or the clutch save whenever they were called upon. The starting pitching found it's legs in time for the World Series, and showed us just how dominant they can still be, but what inspired me this year was the way the offense and defense came together when all odds were against them. That wraps up my thoughts on the guys I thought were the real keys to this championship drive, but don't get me wrong, they weren't the only ones. Just about everyone of those 25 guys on that roster for October pitched in somehow and this was the epitome of a team effort on behalf of the Giants, and that's what made this one so sweet.
Now, with 2 tittles in the last 3 seasons, the world Dynasty is starting to get tossed out there, and believe it or not, the Giants are in great position to possibly reel off another couple of these things with their core players just starting to hit their prime. That being said, the Giants already, less than a week after their World Series
victory have already begun assessing their roster for the upcoming 2013 campaign, and they have some tough decisions to make. They made the first move of the winter my declining Aubrey Huff's 2013 option, a move that came as a surprise to nobody, but they'll have much more challenging obstacles in the next couple weeks. There are two real key guys on their roster up for free agency, and one wild card. The two keys obviously are Scutaro and Pagan, the team's one-two punch at the top of the lineup that was as good as any in the second half of the season and in October. Then, of course, there's the guy that missed out on all of this and has to be kicking himself right now wherever he is, and that's Melky Cabrera.Other than that, the Giants don't have any impending free agents that will be priorities to bring back. With Huff off the books, Freddy Sanchez's contract expiring and even that horrendous Aaron Rowand deal finally out the window (not to mention the extra royalties this team reeled in from this postseason run) the Giants will have some money to play with. The only piece of news I've heard regarding team free agents is that Pagan's camp could be looking to cash in after this big 2012, to the tune of 4 years and 12M+ per season. Maybe the Giants could get those numbers down a bit, cause I know Angel would love to stay in this city... Either way, it's a really exciting time to be a Giants fan right now. Fresh off the 'Series win and with some free agent dollars to play with. This team could certainly be on their way to becoming the class of the NL, if not the entire MLB, for years to come.
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