Last season, The San Francisco Giants took advantage of a late-season collapse by the San Diego Padres to win the National League West with a record of 92-70. San Francisco carried that momentum all the way to the World Series, where they beat the Texas Ranges.
With a top level pitching staff secured for year to come, San Francisco is no doubt a threat to not only repeat in the NL West, but to return to the World Series this year.
Here is a look at the Giants 2011 starting lineup and rotation, plus our MLB predictions on where they will finish the year in the NL West.
Starting Lineup
Everything just seemed to come together at the right time for San Francisco last season, and it didn’t matter who they stuck on the field, they found a way to produce.
What everyone wants to know is, can this lineup build off last year, or will they fall back after such a remarkable run in 2010? Either way, the Giants offense doesn’t figure to need a ton of runs with the starting rotation they have behind them.
The player that really seemed to to get this team going was catcher Buster Posey, who hit .305 with 18 home runs and 67 RBIs after getting called up in July. Posey has the making of a future MVP winner, and if he builds off off last season, he could end up taking home the award this year
As good as Posey was down the stretch, veterans Aubrey Huff, Pat Burrell, and Cody Ross all played a huge roll in the Giants making it all the way to the World Series, as they seemed to find new life in a Giants uniform. Whether or not they can build off that success is up in the air.
Another player the Giants are hoping will continue to grow this year is center fielder Andres Torres, who has a great mix of speed and power, as he hit 16 home runs and stole 26 bases last season.
The Giants are hoping that second baseman Freddy Sanchez will be ready to go from shoulder surgery this offseason. If he is healthy, look for backup Mike Fontenot to start the season in his place.
One player who really disappointed in 2010 was third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who went from .330 with 25 home runs in 2009, to just .268 with 13 home runs in 2010. The Giants have demanded he show up in better shape, and if does as they say and returns to his previous form, San Francisco will really benefit offensively.
Starting Rotation
If there is any team that can come close to the starting four of the Philadelphia Phillies, it would have to be the Giant’s starting four of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, and Madison Bumgarner.
There might not be a better pitcher in the game than Lincecum, and while he didn’t succeed in winning his third straight Cy Young award, he was dominant in the postseason.
Cain really shined in the playoffs, not giving up a single run in three starts, and we like his chances of improving on his 13-11 regular-season record from last season.
Sanchez went 13-9 last year with a career-best 3.07 ERA, while Bumgarner went 7-6 with a 3.00 ERA. While we expect Sanchez to really come on strong in 2011, we aren’t so sure on Bumgarner, who lacks experience and a full season workload.
The final spot in the rotation will belong to Barry Zito, who can look like an ace in one start, and then look like he doesn’t even belong in the rotation in the next. He’s still a solid No. 5 starter, and anything positive they get out of him is a plus.
2011 Projections: 1st Place NL West
After their improbable end to last season, and a pitching staff that can match up with any team in the National League, the Giants are the favorites to win the NL West again this year. Whether or not they get the job done will depend on the health of the team, and an offense that really overachieved last season. The Giants MLB odds to win the NL West this season are currently listed at +160
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