Well folks, the 2015 MLB season is finally upon us, and the Giants have set their opening day roster with their first game vs. Arizona just moments from getting started. Here is there projected lineup (including Pence, with player predictions) along with the starting rotation and bullpen and bench (with player predictions for the starting rotation only).
Lineup:
CF Nori Aoki: .294 avg, 7 HR, 44 RBI, 89 Runs, 13 3B, 21 SB, .727 OPS
2B Joe Panik: .267, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 74 R, 28 2B, .695 OPS
CF Angel Pagan: .281, 10 HR, 64 RBI, 72 R, 18 SB, .741 OPS
C Buster Posey: .318, 24 HR, 95 RBI, 78 R, 35 2B, .929 OPS
RF Hunter Pence: .276, 26 HR, 85 RBI, 72 R, 19 SB, .858 OPS
1B Brandon Belt: .286, 23 HR, 80 RBI, 69 R, 13 SB, .804 OPS
3B Casey McGehee: .285, 10 HR, 73 RBI, 61 R, 36 2B, .727 OPS
SS Brandon Crawford: .253, 12 HR, 58 RBI, 56 R, 29 2B, .688 OPS
Rotation:
LHP Madison Bumgarner: 219 IP, 3.02 ERA, 211/46 K:BB ratio, 1.07 WHIP
RHP Tim Hudson: 185 IP, 3.87 ERA, 123/42 K:BB, 1.22 WHIP
RHP Matt Cain*: 165 IP, 4.14 ERA, 147/68 K:BB, 1.18 WHIP
RHP Jake Peavy*: 178 IP, 4.02 ERA, 159/49 K:BB, 1.29 WHIP
RHP Tim Lincecum: 157 IP, 4.54 ERA, 160/76 K:BB, 1.34 WHIP
*Cain/Peavy will start year on 15-day DL or miss at least their first starts of the year but Peavy avoided the DL and Cain is expected back before end of April.
Bullpen:
RHP Ryan Vogelsong
RHP Yusmiero Petit
RHP George Kontos
RHP Jean Machi
LHP Jeremy Affeldt
LHP Javier Lopez
RHP Sergio Romo
RHP Santiago Casilla
Bench:
C Hector Sanchez
IF Matt Duffy
IF Joaquin Arias
OF Justin Maxwell
OF Gregor Blanco* (will be in lineup until Pence is back at which time I expect Kontos to be sent down)
So there you have it! Your 2015 San Francisco Giants and the 25 guys they're set to defend their tittle with. Obviously there's some major question marks all over with this club, mainly in the starting staff, an area which has been pretty well locked down over the last 6-7 years. Huddy and Peavy are both battling aging/in-effectiveness issues that bit them hard in October, but the real concern here and the guy they really need to be himself is Matt Cain. There is a major scare with the right-hander right now with his opening start on Wednesday up for question as he's experiencing tightness in his forearm. Apparently he's having some symptoms that have previously led to Tommy John Surgery for many pitchers, so all we can really do as fans is cross our fingers and just hope it's some cramping or some slight strain or something. With Vogey and Petit waiting in the wings, the Giants will have options, but if Matt Cain needs Tommy John, it's going to be a major, major blow to this team.
Then there are the offensive question marks, where the Giants have very little power, and not a single player who hit over .300 last season. Now, they've proven able to win without having huge thumpers up and down their lineup, but they've always had more power than they do with this team so I have a feeling Sabes is going to do all in his power to find that big offensive bat in July if need be. On the positive side, a full year out of Brandon Belt could yield some very fruitful results, and could help make up some of the lost run production from Pablo and Michael Morse. They also will have a second basemen for the full season and are expecting both he and Crawford to improve further at the plate. So they do have some guys who are still improving, but for the most part, they just need everyone to stay on the field in order for them to have any hope at retaining their spot atop the baseball world.
Lineup:
CF Nori Aoki: .294 avg, 7 HR, 44 RBI, 89 Runs, 13 3B, 21 SB, .727 OPS
2B Joe Panik: .267, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 74 R, 28 2B, .695 OPS
CF Angel Pagan: .281, 10 HR, 64 RBI, 72 R, 18 SB, .741 OPS
C Buster Posey: .318, 24 HR, 95 RBI, 78 R, 35 2B, .929 OPS
RF Hunter Pence: .276, 26 HR, 85 RBI, 72 R, 19 SB, .858 OPS
1B Brandon Belt: .286, 23 HR, 80 RBI, 69 R, 13 SB, .804 OPS
3B Casey McGehee: .285, 10 HR, 73 RBI, 61 R, 36 2B, .727 OPS
SS Brandon Crawford: .253, 12 HR, 58 RBI, 56 R, 29 2B, .688 OPS
Rotation:
LHP Madison Bumgarner: 219 IP, 3.02 ERA, 211/46 K:BB ratio, 1.07 WHIP
RHP Tim Hudson: 185 IP, 3.87 ERA, 123/42 K:BB, 1.22 WHIP
RHP Matt Cain*: 165 IP, 4.14 ERA, 147/68 K:BB, 1.18 WHIP
RHP Jake Peavy*: 178 IP, 4.02 ERA, 159/49 K:BB, 1.29 WHIP
RHP Tim Lincecum: 157 IP, 4.54 ERA, 160/76 K:BB, 1.34 WHIP
*Cain/Peavy will start year on 15-day DL or miss at least their first starts of the year but Peavy avoided the DL and Cain is expected back before end of April.
Bullpen:
RHP Ryan Vogelsong
RHP Yusmiero Petit
RHP George Kontos
RHP Jean Machi
LHP Jeremy Affeldt
LHP Javier Lopez
RHP Sergio Romo
RHP Santiago Casilla
Bench:
C Hector Sanchez
IF Matt Duffy
IF Joaquin Arias
OF Justin Maxwell
OF Gregor Blanco* (will be in lineup until Pence is back at which time I expect Kontos to be sent down)
So there you have it! Your 2015 San Francisco Giants and the 25 guys they're set to defend their tittle with. Obviously there's some major question marks all over with this club, mainly in the starting staff, an area which has been pretty well locked down over the last 6-7 years. Huddy and Peavy are both battling aging/in-effectiveness issues that bit them hard in October, but the real concern here and the guy they really need to be himself is Matt Cain. There is a major scare with the right-hander right now with his opening start on Wednesday up for question as he's experiencing tightness in his forearm. Apparently he's having some symptoms that have previously led to Tommy John Surgery for many pitchers, so all we can really do as fans is cross our fingers and just hope it's some cramping or some slight strain or something. With Vogey and Petit waiting in the wings, the Giants will have options, but if Matt Cain needs Tommy John, it's going to be a major, major blow to this team.
Then there are the offensive question marks, where the Giants have very little power, and not a single player who hit over .300 last season. Now, they've proven able to win without having huge thumpers up and down their lineup, but they've always had more power than they do with this team so I have a feeling Sabes is going to do all in his power to find that big offensive bat in July if need be. On the positive side, a full year out of Brandon Belt could yield some very fruitful results, and could help make up some of the lost run production from Pablo and Michael Morse. They also will have a second basemen for the full season and are expecting both he and Crawford to improve further at the plate. So they do have some guys who are still improving, but for the most part, they just need everyone to stay on the field in order for them to have any hope at retaining their spot atop the baseball world.
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