To say that the Giants are a pure pitching team is an understatement; it’s like saying that our government could use a little debt relief or that the NBA lockout is bad for business.
The truth is that they may have the most complete staff in the majors, evidenced by the lowest batting average allowed (.232), second-fewest allowed earned runs (3.20) and arguably the worst lineup in baseball.
The team scored the second fewest runs (570) behind the second-lowest on-base percentage (.303) and fifth-lowest slugging percentage (.368), so there is so much room for improvement that no single player will balance the offensive equation.
Ballpark factors and financial considerations will have to be made, as expensive contracts to Barry Zito ($19 million in 2011), Aaron Rowand ($13.6 million) and Aubrey Huff ($10 million) are still on the books.
Here is a realistic look at some roster decisions that could help the Giants earn their way back to the World Series.