The Giants Baseball Blog

We're getting ready to close the chapter on 2012 and with just 7 weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Scottsdale, the Giants appear to have their 2013 roster nearly complete.   The Giants have been relatively quiet in terms of free agency, but they did manage to take care of their priorities and get all the key components from the 2012 championship team back on the roster for 2013 and now appear content with what they have heading into the new year. They do however still have a few roster spots that are yet to be determined at this point, and I'd still like to see them aggressively trying to improve the team rather than sitting on their hands. One of the big spots that I'd like to see them address most is finding another right-handed bat in the outfield. They did bring back Andres Torres earlier this month to add depth to the outfield, but if they could manage to find a right-hander with some punch, that would really round out this roster in my opinion. The ...

After doing most of their heavy lifting this offseason by re-signing Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro, the Giants made the first move towards filling out their roster by bringing Andres Torres back on a one-year deal. This is a solid move to add some depth to the bench and get more speed onto the roster, and it's one I saw coming from a mile away. Torres was non-tendered by New York last month and became a free agent at a time when the Giants had only Hunter Pence and Gregor Blanco assured to return, so I'm sure the discussions with Torres have been ongoing for a while now. He really hasn't done much since his breakout year in 2010 when he was a catalyst during the Giants' first World Series run, but he also hasn't been fully healthy for much of the past two seasons. I was hoping the Giants would find that right-handed, power hitting corner outfielder they were looking for, but apparently in this market, even guys like Scott Hairston are out of their price range. Tha...

After wondering for weeks whether the team would be able to bring back either Marco Scutaro or Angel Pagan, Giants fans have to be pleased that both will be returning to San Francisco for 2013. On back-to-back days, the Giants were able to re-sign their leadoff man and center fielder, then their number 2 guy and second basemen, pretty much wrapping up Brian Sabean's work in free agency. I have to say, I do like both deals, even though both were a year longer than I was hoping for. Pagan did get his four year deal that he was seeking, but the Giants were able to get him for roughly $10M per season, which doesn't look bad at all considering what Torii Hunter, Shane Victorino and B.J. Upton just got. Heading into this offseason, I thought the best deal for the Giants in terms of Pagan would have been a 3 year, $30 million deal with an option for a fourth. Based on that, I have to say this deal looks like a win for the Giants seeing that they only had to go an extra year. Plus, ...

With the calendar ready to flip to December, MLB Free Agency has started picking up as expected. B.J. Upton has been the biggest name to switch teams thus far, and his deal may set the market for the rest of the outfielders. Upton landed a huge, 5 year, $75 million deal with the Atlanta Braves, signaling their moving on from Michael Bourn, and really setting a precedent for outfielders in this free agent market. I mean, Upton is a nice player with some upside who is entering his prime, but $15M/per for a guy who hits .240 and doesn't carry an OPS over .800? Granted, he's a skilled defender in center, and does have 20+ home run power, but he was hitting in a live yard in Tampa and never really developed like everyone expected he would. With Hunter getting $13M a year earlier this month from Detroit, and now Upton getting this deal, it certainly helps out Angel Pagan's status. Maybe he will find that 4 year/$50M deal he's been reportedly seeking after all. He doesn'...

The Giants made a few moves since they won the 'Series last month, but since the Affeldt signing and assuring Pence a contract for 2012, things have been pretty quiet. Well, you can expect that to change in the coming week as MLB's free agency appears to be picking up, and there has been a lot of talk about the Champion San Francisco Giants. Most of the talk, to nobodies surprise, has been of Angel Pagan, and the chances the Giants have of signing the second-half machine. As I've suspected all along though, I just don't see him coming back, as some other team is destined to overpay for him for what he did from August 3rd-on. Friday, it was leaked that the Giants and Pagan's party seem to be a ways apart on a new deal and both will look towards other avenues in the next few days. I don't know the details of what's holding up negotiations for certain, but it's likely coming down to years. Most likely, the Giants won't go more than 3, and won't pa...

I know free agency is starting to heat up, but with Buster Posey winning the NL MVP Thursday, I wanted to take a quick look back down on the farm and see who the next big stars are that will be heading our way. We'll be right back into the free agent frenzy this weekend, by which time it wouldn't surprise me if the Giants make another move, but until then, I wanted to look at some of the standouts from the minors this year. First off, we'll start down in Low-A Augusta, where the name of the game down their for the Giants was their starting pitching, particularly in the form of their two brightest young arms in Kyle Crick and Clayton Blackburn. The 19 year-olds each had their way with the the SAL's hitters, as Blackburn piled up an 8-4 record, 2.54 ERA and an astounding 143:18 K/BB ratio over 133 innings of work. Crick was equally impressive, firing off a 7-6 record, 2.51 ERA and 128 K's in 111 IP. He didn't show the command Blackburn did, but got stronger ...

Fresh off their 2nd World Series tittle in 3 seasons, Brian Sabean has gotten right back to work and has already made multiple roster decisions regarding the 2013 team. After declaring that the Giants will be tendering Hunter Pence arbitration last week, the Giants have apparently agreed on a new three-year deal with Jeremy Affeldt. The internet was buzzing Tuesday with news that the Giants and reliever Jeremy Affeldt were enclosing on a new three-year that would pay the lefty upwards of 18 million dollars during it's span. It's now become official, and that goes to show you the market for quality left-handed mid-relievers, cause that's a pretty large deal for one about to hit his mid-30's. Now, don't get me wrong, Affeldt has been huge for the Giants since he put on their uniform, but you hardly see relief pitchers that aren't closers or elite set-up men get three-plus years in a contract. That being said Affeldt is one of the best left-handed relievers in t...