Kuzul

The San Francisco Giants have been one of the most active teams since the 2013 season ended. GM Brian Sabean has aggressively moved to restock the Giants roster, bringing back several familiar faces and adding two new free agents.

The Giants finished this past season in third place in the NL West, with a 76-86 mark. Sabean and the Giants are hoping to recapture the glory of their 2010 and 2012 World Series titles. Fortifying their roster is the first step towards that goal.

In addition, with the Los Angeles Dodgers spending freely with their endless vault of money, the Giants needed an upgrade in talent and have increased their spending. Failing to improve the roster would have likely doomed the Giants to another dismal finish in the NL West.

Let’s take a closer look at the moves the Giants have made, both the additions and the players they have decided to let go. Grades will also be provided.

All stats are courtesy of baseball-reference.com.  All contract details are courtesy of Cot’s Baseball Contracts at baseballprospectus.com.

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The San Francisco Giants, for the first time in a long time, are going to make splashy moves in the offseason.

San Francisco already dished out lofty amounts of money to retain Hunter Pence and Tim Lincecum, but    there is still more to do. Left field needs to be upgraded, the pitching staff needs to be filled out and the bench needs improvement.

What should the Giants do this offseason?

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The San Francisco Giants finished the 2013 season with a disappointing record of 76-86, 16 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

The work to rebuild the roster has already begun for the Giants and GM Brian Sabean.

First, the Giants signed outfielder Hunter Pence to a five-year, $90 million contract. Pence played in every game for the Giants and was their top overall offensive weapon this past season.

Pence led the Giants with 27 home runs, 99 RBI and 22 steals. He also hit .283, with an OBP of .339 and OPS of .822. Pence’s all-out hustle made him a fan favorite, and he made no secret about his desire to remain a Giant.

Following the Pence signing, Sabean locked in starting pitcher Tim Lincecum with a two-year deal for $35 million. Although the Giants may have overpaid Lincecum somewhat, the value he brings to the team is more than just on the field.

Lincecum finished his second consecutive down year, although 2013 was definitely an improvement over 2012, when he finished with an ERA of 5.18 and WHIP of 1.468. 

This past season, Lincecum tossed 197.2 innings, allowing 184 hits and 76 walks, while striking out 193. He is learning how to get outs without the same velocity he had earlier in his career.

At the age of 29, Sabean and the Giants are counting on Lincecum having at least two more solid years in a Giants uniform.

With Pence and Lincecum in the fold, there are five critical areas that remain for the Giants. How the Giants address these needs will be a major factor in their success in 2014.

Let’s take a definitive look at the five remaining moves the Giants need to make to give them the best chance of recapturing the glory they found in their world championship seasons of 2010 and 2012.

All stats are courtesy of baseball-reference.com.

All contract information is courtesy of baseballprospectus.com.

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Just in case you’ve hibernated for the past two years, let me update you on the Giants‘ pitching.

Jonathan Sanchez is no longer a Giant. Ryan Vogelsong has stepped in and pitched very well. Barry Zito is playing well. Brian Wilson has a beard, Sergio Romo does too, and Javier Lopez was traded to the Giants and he has played very well.

Oh, and there’s also this other guy named Madison Bumgarner, and he’s pretty good.

Bumgarner stepped in during June 2010, and he played well throughout the regular season. He was good enough to earn a starting spot in the playoffs, where he went 2-0 and pitched in four games (all won by the Giants).

In 2011, he was great, and in 2012, he’s played well too. Although he is only 6-4, his ERA is just above 3.00, and he has anchored San Francisco’s staff. With San Francisco’s offense improving, so should Bumgarner’s stats.

Bumgarner isn’t even in his prime yet, which is a scary thought for opposing hitters. He has great stuff, and he is developing into one of the game’s best pitchers. However, I think he’s already in that class.

Here are four reasons why Bumgarner is one of the MLB‘s best pitchers.

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Words can’t describe this moment, a team with no real star beating the two-time NL champion. Throughout the playoffs the Giants have been the dark horse to reach the World Series, and now they are here.

Do they have a shot against the Rangers’ high octane offense? Yes. You can never write the Giants off. With that, here is why the Giants have a real shot at winning the 2010 World Series.

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Some of the biggest difference makers come the playoffs did not start the year with that team. Just think about last years World Series when Cliff Lee mowed down the Yankees in game one. 

In 2010, with many teams on the brink of the playoffs, everyone was looking to improve their team.

Here are the top five deals made at the trade deadline.

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There is an old saying that goes something like this: “Some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you, and some days it doesn’t pay to go into the woods.”

Those words could be used to describe all of the pitchers in this article. Most of these guys are not bums or “tomato cans”. Most are decent pitchers while some are even very good.

When things go badly, they tend to bundle up on you. Ask any of these men and I am sure they will concur.

Not all of them completed the inning. They do have much in common however. They all surrendered at least eight hits, at least six earned runs, and they all faced at least 10 batters.

In some instances the “inning” consists of three outs, not necessarily in the same frame. However, that is what history reflects, one inning (or less).

With that as a background let us look at the 10 worst innings by active pitchers.

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