Kuzul

Suddenly, the San Francisco Giants have a panda-sized hole to fill.

As expected, the Giants made a spirited run at re-signing free-agent third baseman Pablo Sandoval. But the rumor mill had him leaning in the direction of the Boston Red Sox, and Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported Monday morning that Sandoval and Boston had finally agreed to something in the neighborhood of five years and $100 million.

It took a while for Kung Fu Panda’s departure to be confirmed. But for those who still have doubts about his signing with the Red Sox being a reality, the Giants’ fare-thee-well note should clear things up:

For most Giants fans, here’s guessing that Sandoval’s exit hurts more than the garden-variety free-agent departure.

Beyond it marking a change of pace from general manager Brian Sabean’s usual post-championship M.O. of keeping the band together, the Giants are losing a guy who’s been a postseason hero in two of the club’s three championship runs since 2010 and who’s been widely liked ever since taking over at the hot corner in 2008.

“He’s been such an important part and integral part of this organization for a long time,” Giants assistant general manager Bobby Evans told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, adding: “All that he’s accomplished here, it was a terrific story that he wrote while he was here.”

If for no other reason than simple familiarity, Sandoval will be missed in the Giants’ clubhouse. He may be missed even more by the club’s marketing branch, as it’s not easy to replace fan favorites who have fan-friendly nicknames.

What the Giants must make sure of, however, is that they don’t miss Sandoval on the field.

He hasn’t been a great player over the last two seasons, hitting .279 with a modest .748 OPS, but he’s been a good one—particularly in 2014, when Sandoval’s solid offense and defense gave him a decent 3.0 WAR by FanGraphs’ reckoning. A team that won only 88 games in the regular season can’t afford to lose that kind of production without replacing it.

To that end, let’s discuss four solutions the Giants could pursue, beginning with a long shot and ending with the most practical solution.

Move Buster Posey to Third Base and Go with Catcher Platoon

This probably isn’t happening. But since it’s a fascinating idea with a shred of a chance of happening, let’s talk about it.

It was in 2013 when the idea of the Giants one day moving Buster Posey to third base found its way onto the table. This was partially because skipper Bruce Bochy told Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area that he thought his superstar catcher could be a “really good third baseman.”

He certainly could be. Posey’s a solid athlete for a catcher, with the kind of arm strength he’d need for the hot corner. And as a .300 hitter with 20-25-homer power, Posey definitely has the bat for third base.

And it’s not like the Giants are without excuses to move Posey to third. It would be a good way to keep him healthy throughout the life of his nine-year contract, and they have Hector Sanchez and Andrew Susac standing by to form a solid platoon behind the dish.

It’s no wonder that, according to Eno Sarris of FanGraphs, moving Posey to third base has supporters in the Giants front office. Nevertheless, this tweet from the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Henry Schulman indicates pretty strongly that it’s a down-the-line idea rather than a 2015 idea:

Well, nuts. It would be a solid way for the Giants to fill Sandoval’s shoes without sacrificing too much, but it sounds like the Giants have other ideas in mind.

Such as…

Take Sandoval’s Money and Sign a Hitter

Just because the Giants couldn’t re-sign Sandoval doesn’t mean they couldn’t afford him. Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe says they offered him $95 million over five years and were willing to go higher.

Logical conclusion: If the Giants were willing to spend that much on Sandoval, maybe they’ll be willing to spend it on someone else.

To this end, pickings are slim now that the Red Sox have also signed Hanley Ramirez. But one name the Giants have been linked to is Cuban slugger Yasmany Tomas, whom Heyman characterized as something of a Plan B in case the Giants whiffed on Sandoval.

If you don’t know about him already, here’s Ben Badler of Baseball America with the book on Tomas:

A righthanded-hitting corner outfielder, Tomas can hit towering home runs thanks to the strength from his thickly-built 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame. Tomas has 70 raw power on the 20-80 scale. … He has some experience in center field and is a decent runner for his size, but his speed is still below-average and he’s going to be a corner outfielder in pro ball.

That Tomas profiles as a corner outfielder means the Giants could stick him in left field. But since he has some experience at third base and the arm for the position, he could go there instead.

But it must be said that the Giants would be taking a bigger risk than most with a big contract for Tomas. As I outlined last week, AT&T Park is a deterrent for the Giants to invest big on a power-only player. And since they’re in win-now mode, they’re not an ideal fit for a 24-year-old project player like Tomas.

Since he’s really the only free-agent hitter still out there in line for a Sandoval-sized contract, the Giants will be better off if they…

Take Sandoval’s Money and Sign a Pitcher

If you can’t add run production, just go ahead and add run prevention, am I right?

It’s not the worst idea in the world. This according to both myself and apparently the Giants as well. Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com says the club has interest in free-agent left-hander Jon Lester:

Lester’s left-handed stylings would be a bit redundant next to those of Madison Bumgarner, but that wouldn’t keep the two of them from being a dangerous duo. And yes, with Tim Hudson old, Matt Cain broken and Tim Lincecum a shell of his former self, the Giants rotation could use such a duo.

Aside from Lester, Max Scherzer’s probably a bit outside the Giants’ price range. But the same doesn’t go for James Shields. He’s likely to be the cheapest of the three and would fit well at AT&T Park after pitching at Kauffman Stadium for two years.

But while the Giants using the money they had set aside for Sandoval on a stud pitcher would work, there’s no rule that says they have to spend that money all on one player. Arguably, the best idea of all would be to…

Take Sandoval’s Money and Spread It Around

Had the Giants spent roughly $20 million per year on Sandoval, they would have filled one hole and left themselves with little money to fill the others. That would have been a dilemma, as they need help in left field and in their rotation.

Now that Sandoval is gone, that potential dilemma has been erased and replaced with a very doable project: spend $20 million to shore up third base, left field and the starting rotation.

The Giants could make a play for Chase Headley at third base and target an affordable left fielder and starting pitcher. They could make a play for Colby Rasmus or old friend Melky Cabrera in left field and target an affordable third baseman and starting pitcher. Or they could target Francisco Liriano, Ervin Santana or Brandon McCarthy and target an affordable left fielder and third baseman.

Based on how they’ve operated in recent years, this is more of a typical Giants way of doing things. Sabean has crafted three championship teams in five years not by luring big-name free agents, but by looking for solid bargain buys and using them to give Bochy a deep roster to work with.

It would have been hard to give Bochy a deep roster if the Giants had committed big bucks to Sandoval. Since the Red Sox barred them from doing so, the Giants must look at what comes next as an opportunity rather than a curse.

Note: Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted/linked.  

If you want to talk baseball, hit me up on Twitter.

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Pablo Sandoval cashed in on another strong postseason, as he will reportedly sign a contract with the Boston Red Sox. The agreement brings an end to a successful seven-year stay with the San Francisco Giants.

Continue for updates.

Tuesday, Nov. 25

Red Sox Confirm Sandoval Deal, Third Baseman Speaks on Move

The Boston Red Sox confirmed their agreement with Pablo Sandoval via their Twitter account:

Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal passed along the corresponding roster move:

Sandoval was later announced at a press conference, with the Red Sox showing off his locker beforehand:

The former Giants star also commented on his decision to move east to Boston, via USA Today MLB and Major League Baseball:

Sandoval also discussed his nickname, via Alex Pavlovic of the Mercury News:

Monday, Nov. 24

Sandoval Signs in Boston

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports that the third baseman’s agent has confirmed the deal:

Rosenthal also noted free-agent shortstop Hanley Ramirez will be joining Sandoval in Boston:

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that Sandoval’s pact will be worth close to $100 million over five years. Heyman also reports that Sandoval has informed his former club of his decision:

Heyman also reported the final details of the deal Tuesday:

John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reported the Giants’ final offer to Sandoval, which the two-time MLB All-Star turned down:

The Giants released a statement on Sandoval, via Alex Pavlovic of the Mercury News:

According to Mike Lynch of WCVB-TV in Boston, Sandoval isn’t happy with the Giants:

Sandoval was an interesting case heading into the offseason as a free agent.

His regular-season numbers don’t jump off the page. He hit a shade under .280 for the second straight season, hasn’t reached the 20-homer mark since 2011 and his .739 OPS ranked a modest 77th among all qualified hitters.

However, something always seems to click once the MLB playoffs get underway. The “Kung Fu Panda” was once again a driving force as the Giants collected their third World Series title in the past five years.

In the Giants’ last two postseason runs, Sandoval has tallied 50 hits, scored 21 runs and posted a batting average over .360. Furthermore, ESPN Stats & Info notes his 26 hits this year set a new record:

So the question was what type of contract he deserved: one based on his performance in the regular season or one that included his playoff success.

For his part, the third baseman told Jorge L. Ortiz of USA Today that he was hoping to stay in San Francisco, but he didn’t rule out any possibilities.

“I’m happy to be with my teammates, with the team. They gave me a great opportunity. That means a lot,” Sandoval said. “They taught me how to respect the game, to show love for the game. That’s really valuable. They opened a lot of doors for me in 2008, and now I’m demonstrating to them that I want to be with them.”

It left the Giants in a tough situation, as they clearly wanted to keep the 28-year-old but would have to out-bid competing teams like the Red Sox, who were prepared to make big offers.

Inside the clubhouse, Sandoval’s teammates gave him their support. Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe provided remarks from veteran starter Jake Peavy, who said Sandoval reminded him of another slugger:

That was one of the several different factors in play.

Ultimately, the Giants decided they were better off spending their resources elsewhere and watched Sandoval make his exit. While it’s an understandable decision, it’s going to be very difficult to replace him and his postseason production.

As for Sandoval, the pressure is now on his shoulders to bring some of that playoff magic to the regular season.

Expectations will be high, as they almost always are for marquee free-agent signings, and he must respond with a big 2015 campaign in Boston.

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There’s always that dark-horse team that gets in the way of your MLB free agency predictions.

Don’t worry; it happens to everybody.

But staying informed on the hottest free-agent rumors makes it easier to decipher which teams will be players for which free agents. Of course, you’ll always have those situations like when the Seattle Mariners shocked the entire universe and outbid the New York Yankees for Robinson Cano.

But that doesn’t happen often.

The next month or so is crucial for the outlook of the MLB offseason. Winter meetings will be upon us in a few weeks, and that’s usually when the first of the big deals go down.

Read on to find out which big names could find new homes in the near future, as well as predictions for where those homes will be.

David Robertson

David Robertson stepped up to the challenge of replacing Mariano Rivera last season, saving 39 of 44 games for the New York Yankees. That doesn’t mean he’s a lock to return, though, as he rejected the team’s qualifying offer and is seeking a lucrative contract.

Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports that there’s at least one team out there ready to talk turkey with the 29-year-old: “The Astros have communicated with Robertson’s agent Scott Leventhal to express their interest in the Yankees’ closer, an industry source said.”

Houston’s bullpen prevented the team from reaching .500 last season, making Robertson a logical fit for the organization. Davidoff writes, “Their relievers tallied a woeful 4.80 ERA, and they converted just 54.39 percent (31-for-57) of their save opportunities, worst in the AL.”

If there’s one team on the market desperate for late-inning help, it’s Houston. It has a problem.

Of course, it’s truly impossible to rule out the Yankees. Uncertainties surrounded the closer role prior to last year, and Robertson stepped up. Does the team want to go with a first-time closer yet again in 2015? It’d likely be Dellin Betances tasked with shutting the door. He might not be the most reliable option.

The question for the Yankees comes down to just how highly they value Robertson—not as a member of the organization, but as a piece toward building a larger puzzle. ESPN’s David Schoenfield broke down how Robertson stacked up to other relievers in 2014:

Robertson is coming off a 3.08 ERA — that’s nothing special these days for a reliever. Sixty-nine relievers who threw at least 50 innings had a lower ERA in 2014. He saved 39 games in 44 opportunities. That’s a save percentage of 88.6. Sounds good, but again, it’s nothing special; 13 closers with at least 20 opportunities had a higher percentage in 2014. Robertson also allowed seven home runs in 2014, six to right-handed batters.

Does that sound like a pitcher deserving of a contract in the ballpark of $50 million?

The Astros’ desperation makes them more likely to pay the type of money Robertson seeks. The Yanks will make a push, but there are other arms in the organization capable of taking over, ultimately ending their pursuit.

Prediction: Astros

Pablo Sandoval

Pablo Sandoval is widely considered to be the offensive crown jewel of the offseason, making his list of suitors quite a lengthy one. It seems as if he’s already done some deliberating, however, as ESPN reports that he is nearing a decision:

Free-agent third baseman Pablo Sandoval is expected to make a decision about his baseball future this week, according to his brother and co-agent.

Michael Sandoval did not specify which teams are in the running, but he told ESPNBoston.com’s Gordon Edes on Saturday that Pablo Sandoval has received contract offers from all of the teams under consideration and will take the weekend to weigh his options.

Multiple teams have been linked heavily to the 28-year-old. The Boston Red Sox are known to have major interest, as are the San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres, notes ESPN.

Sandoval is a hero in the Bay Area, so it would be a shock to see him move on. He was a catalyst for the Giants in the World Series, recording 12 hits and almost single-handedly keeping his team from allowing the Kansas City Royals to build significant momentum. He has won three rings in his seven-year career.

Of course, it would be hard for the third baseman to turn down a lucrative offer from another team. His agent would be wise to convince him to take the money, as questions surrounding his weight will surely inhibit him from making money the next time he hits the open market.

A player on the wrong side of 30 with his build (5’11”, 245 pounds) certainly won’t make top dollar. Now he can.

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman tweeted that the Sox had inked Sandoval, but his agent, Gustavo Vasquez, denied reports, via Alex Speier of 93.7 WEEI: “We have offers, [but] no deal.”

Something’s cooking, however, and it appears imminent that Sandoval will join Boston.

Prediction: Red Sox

Jon Lester

Jon Lester more than likely won’t return to the Oakland Athletics, meaning he’s gearing up to change addresses this winter for the second time since July. Where he’ll go is anybody’s guess, and Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that “at least six [teams] are interested.”

That doesn’t count the Yankees, though, and Rosenthal makes a point to say that the Yankees’ stance on Lester could change in an instant given their propensity to quickly decide whether or not they want to outbid other teams for a top star.

Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe described the team’s strategy when courting players: “[Brian] Cashman is one of the best at not showing his hand. He will downplay every possible move the Yankees should or could make, and when it comes down to doing it, the Yankees pounce swiftly.”

Cashman is well aware of the holes his team has, and it’s probably overwhelming to figure out which hole to fill first. The Yankees have a ton of pitching, but Cashman is admittedly concerned with the health of his staff, via Cafardo: “I think we have good pitching, but there’s obviously some volatility in it because of the health status and health histories of some of them.”

Will that lead the Bombers to Lester?

Cashman did admit that “ownership has always been very beneficial with the resources to put the team on the field,” so he certainly can’t rule out a big-ticket acquisition.

The Yankees’ insistence on not dishing out big contracts to aging players has preoccupied much of their thinking. CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez haven’t panned out particularly well in recent memory.

But look what happened when the team had them all going strong early in their deals in 2009. The Yankees won the World Series.

Winning the Fall Classic is worth suffering through a few tough years when the contracts are close to expiring. If Cashman wants to truly improve his team, then he’ll go hard after Lester in hopes of recapturing the same magic he had prior to the team’s last championship.

Given the resources at his disposal, Cashman can make it happen.

Prediction: Yankees

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

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The hot-stove season is less than a month underway, but the Boston Red Sox have wasted no time stealing plenty of headlines.

The Sox figured to be active players in the market this year, and the early rumors surrounding the team haven’t disappointed. They’ve been linked to many of the most prominent free agents and players available on the trade market and seem serious about rebuilding for 2015.

Keep in mind that the offseason rumor mill is an industry unto itself, and that many of the rumors you hear will be contradicted by additional reports just hours after they hit Twitter, MLBTradeRumors.com or whatever resource you use. That being said, reports as to what the Red Sox have been up to so far are instructive in terms of letting us know what the team is planning and how they operate under Ben Cherington.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the three biggest rumors associated with the Red Sox over the past few days and weigh the pros and cons of each deal being considered.

Red Sox Offer Six-Year, $110-120 Million to Jon Lester

According to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, the Red Sox are legitimately pursuing Lester, offering the type of six-year contract that should at least bring the left-hander back to the table. Given that the Sox offered Lester a four-year, $70 million extension last spring, the team is clearly willing to spend more now to land its former ace.

Pros

The pros here are pretty obvious: The Red Sox need a top-of-the-rotation starter, and many fans and analysts alike are united in the belief that Lester should represent Boston’s top free-agent target.

Yes, $19-20 million a year is expensive, but that’s what pitchers of Lester’s caliber cost nowadays, and that’s on the low end of the spectrum. While investing in any pitcher is a scary proposition, Lester has the track record of health, performance and character you want to bet on.

According to Jeff Moore of Baseball Prospectus (subscription required), Lester projects as a top-end starter for the next three-to-four seasons. The Red Sox can live with whatever comes on the back end of the deal if Lester is truly that dominant through 2018.

Cons

The only real con here is the overall poor track record for long deals for pitchers in their 30s. Plus, adding Lester for $20-plus million per season will take a nice chunk out of the financial flexibility the Sox have built for themselves.

But assuming that acquiring Lester would indeed be a good thing, the real “con” associated with this offer is that it probably won’t be enough. ESPN Insider Jim Bowden (subscription required) predicted that Lester will receive offers in the six-year, $138 million range, and CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman even threw out a possible $189 million asking price for Lester.

That last number seems a bit crazy, and it’s hard to see a team truly going to those lengths for Lester. There’s no doubt that $110-120 million seems a bit low, though, and if that’s the Red Sox’s final offer, it would be surprising to see a Lester reunion this winter.

The good news, per WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford, is that the Red Sox are apparently willing to continue to negotiate. Plus, Lester’s agent, Sam Levinson, told WEEI.com that the Sox “showed great respect” to Lester through their recent offer.

Red Sox Make (or Prepare to Make) Offer to Pablo Sandoval

This situation is a bit less clear than Lester’s, as we’ve seen conflicting reports as to weather Sandoval has actually received an offer from the Red Sox to this point. Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com maintained early yesterday that the Sox were still waiting to get an offer out to Sandoval, while Cafardo stated that an offer’s already been made.

Either way, Sandoval was in Boston on Tuesday, and the Red Sox’s interest appears to be quite legitimate.

Pros

Sandoval would represent a massive upgrade over anything the Red Sox have had at third base for the past two seasons. He’s a good defender at this point in his career, brings a contact-heavy approach that the Red Sox lack and is an obscene postseason performer.

Adding Sandoval’s switch-hitting bat to, say, the fifth or sixth spot in the lineup would break up Boston’s litany of right-handed pitchers and would add depth and reliability to an offense that’s likely going to rely on four unproven players: Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Rusney Castillo and Christian Vazquez.

There are legitimate reasons to be concerned about giving Sandoval a long-term deal, but there’s no way to argue that he wouldn’t make the 2015 Red Sox much better.

Cons

ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reported that Sandoval had discussed deals in the five-year, $90 million range with both the Red Sox and Giants. The money involved is fairly reasonable at that level, but it’s understandable why some won’t want to give Sandoval a five-year deal.

On Wednesday, the Providence Journal’s Brian MacPherson gave a phenomenal breakdown of the assumptions many make about Sandoval, and his conclusions give reason for pause when you think about Sandoval in, say, 2018 and beyond.

Most notably, MacPherson shows that if Sandoval has to move to DH in a few years, he’ll actually be a below-average offensive player. Further, he notes that Sandoval is really better as a down-the-order bat than a true middle-of-the-order impact hitter.

Still, MacPherson also rejects the notion that Sandoval’s weight is destined to hurt his career later on, and cites a five-year, $90 million deal as reasonable in today’s economic climate.

Red Sox Among Favorites for Yoan Moncada

On Tuesday, Baseball America’s Ben Badler broke down the market for Moncada, a star Cuban infielder/outfielder who could be cleared to sign with a major league organization fairly soon. Badler included the Red Sox among the eight teams he listed as most likely to make a play for the 19-year-old’s services, though the details as to when Moncada will even be allowed to sign are sketchy.

Pros

What’s not to like about a 19-year-old stud prospect who Badler writes has more upside than Castillo or Yasmani Tomas? Moncada would be a prospect more in the Jorge Soler mold in that he’d need some MiLB seasoning before making it to the majors. But the Cubs should be pretty happy with Soler right now, and if Moncada can also play the infield, it would add tremendously to his value.

Plus, as Badler notes, because the Red Sox have already blown past their international spending allowance by grabbing Anderson Espinoza and Christopher Acosta, they’re really not further penalized by doubling down and making a play for Moncada too.

Don’t worry about where Moncada would play or who at the MLB level could potentially block him; too much talent is never a bad thing. It would be great for the Red Sox to acquire Moncada and figure out where he fits in their long-term plans later.

Cons

None, really. The biggest con I can think of is that Moncada isn’t a No. 1 MLB starter who’s ready to pitch right now, as that’s Boston’s biggest need. But given that the Sox can’t be penalized more and can always use more prospects, signing Moncada would be a coup.

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Entering the offseason, general manager Brian Sabean and the San Francisco Giants front office faced a question regarding free agent Pablo Sandoval that seemingly had no correct answer.

On the one hand, Kung Fu Panda has been unquantifiably crucial to the Giants’ three World Series runs in the last five years. But on the other, he was expected to be in line for a major payday. Not only did he once again rake in the postseason, but his brother/agent recently talked about seeking respect.

“The good part of this is he’ll get a chance to explore his value on the market, see who can really appreciate him and his work,” said Michael Sandoval, via the Boston Herald‘s Michael Silverman.

Translation: Brother is going to get paid. Like, nine-figures paid.

But the Giants’ once impossible decision (Sandoval has been a San Francisco hero over the past half-decade, but do his numbers really command a bloated contract?) may have just gotten a little easier, so long as this rumor from ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick is accurate:

There’s no question that $90 million seems like a lot, until you realize Russell Martin was just given $82 million over five years, as reported by ESPN.com. That’s not meant as a slight to Martin—he’s one of the best two-way catchers in the league—but it’s a testament to the kind of contracts that are given out when there is no salary cap.

And in that kind of environment, Sandoval is a no-brainer for $90 million over five years.

Panda hit .279/.324/.415 with 16 home runs and 73 RBI last season, numbers that are a little lower than his career averages. He also provided solid defense at the hot corner, finishing with four defensive runs saved, per FanGraphs.com.

He’s not spectacular. But he has solid pop, hardly ever strikes out (third among third basemen in K percentage last year), provides consistent defense at an important position and has a knack for coming up big in clutch situations.

Sandoval had an OPS of .808 with runners in scoring position last year. That was actually well below his career average but still seventh among all qualified third basemen. He also hit a scorching .366/.423/.465 in the postseason, setting a major league record in the process:

Throw in the fact that a five-year deal would only keep him under contract until he’s 33, and there’s little reason not to like a contract of this nature.

It sounds as though the Boston Red Sox are going to be aggressive, so the price could very well increase. But if the price remains this reasonable, the Giants have no choice but to match the offer and hope Panda returns home.

He’s simply too important to let walk for that kind of contract.

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The Boston Red Sox figure to be active players in the free-agent market, and they’ll need to be if they hope to compete once more in 2015.

The Red Sox need to add significant pieces to their starting rotation. They need to shore up their bullpen. And they must seriously considering pursuing upgrades at the hot corner and at backup catcher, too.

With a glut of young talent, live arms and outfielders, the Red Sox can fill some of these holes by turning to the trade market. Yet more are likely to be filled through free agency, as the Red Sox have plenty of cash to work with.

In fact, by WEEI.com’s Alex Speier‘s estimates, the Red Sox had about $52 million to spend this offseason. They’ve already spent $9 million of that retaining Koji Uehara, but that leaves plenty of cash left for one or two major acquisitions and some minor moves, too.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at five free-agent “dream acquisitions” for the Red Sox. Keep in mind that these perfect deals exist independent of one another, and that they certainly represent best-case scenarios for the Red Sox.

Begin Slideshow

The San Francisco Giants‘ 2014 regular season is winding down and has just over four weeks remaining.

As the Giants scratch and claw to make the playoffs, general manager Brian Sabean must also begin planning for the future. Sabean will have several critical decisions to make, as he builds the roster for the 2015 season.

The Giants have five key free agents about whom they must make decisions. These include Pablo Sandoval, Michael Morse, Jake Peavy, Ryan Vogelsong and Sergio Romo. 

At approximately $150 million, the Giants have one of the top payrolls in Major League Baseball, according to baseballprospectus.com. It remains to be seen how much, if anything, the Giants ownership group will allow Sabean to increase this number for the 2015 season.

Sabean will need to bolster the pitching staff and try to bring in more consistent bats this winter. If he does not get the buy-in from ownership to increase the payroll, this task will be almost impossible.

Let’s take a look at some of the potential moves Sabean and the Giants could make prior to the 2015 season. The final outcome will be largely based on the money.

All stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com.

All contract and free agency data courtesy of baseballprospectus.com.

Begin Slideshow

San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval hit a solo home run in the sixth inning of Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals to extend his RBI streak to nine games. Per Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News, no Giant has pieced together an RBI streak that long since Barry Bonds also knocked in a run in nine consecutive games during the 2000 season.

Sandoval’s streak is no fluke full of sacrifice flies and RBI groundouts, as he’s been a dominant force at the plate over the last nine games. During the streak, he has five home runs and a .419 batting average, with eight runs and a whopping 14 RBI.

Known to many as “Kung-Fu Panda,” Sandoval created quite a bit of buzz before the season when it was discovered that he’d lost a significant amount of weight. Known for his large frame as much as his free-swinging approach, he was hoping that his improved fitness would play off in a contract year.

He then got off to a surprisingly terrible start, finishing April with just two home runs and a .177/.262/.302 slash line. That line actually fell to .173/.250/.276 by May 10, before Sandoval turned things around with a three-hit game against the Los Angeles Dodgers May 11. He’s now recorded a hit in 18 of his last 19 games, and six of his eight home runs this season have come in the last 11 contests.

As awful as he was earlier this season, Sandoval heads into Friday’s game against the Cardinals carrying a respectable .247/.300/.428 slash line. While the torrid pace obviously can’t continue for long, Sandoval owns a .294/.347/.473 line for his career, so his numbers should only continue to go up from here.

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As weird as it may sound, lucky cowboy boots could help explain how the San Francisco Giants‘ Pablo Sandoval has turned things around this season.

Sandoval was below the Mendoza line through the early part of May, but he has bumped that average up substantially recently. He has hit .429 with four home runs and 11 RBI during his current six-game hitting streak.

The hot streak could be linked to cowboy boots. Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner gave the third baseman two pairs of boots—one for the dugout to bring good luck and one to wear. 

Check out “Cowboy Panda”:

Sandoval went 2-for-4 on both Sunday and Monday, so he should take good care of the boots to keep the luck going.

At 32-19, the Giants own the best record in Major League Baseball. San Francisco fans have to be hoping that the boots turn into something as special as the beards the Boston Red Sox sported on their way to the World Series title last season.

[Mercury News, h/t FOX Sports]

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With Opening Day just around the corner, the San Francisco Giants are looking to redeem themselves after a 76-86 record in 2013.

The Giants have won two out of the last four World Series, but there are some serious question marks about their 2014 club.

Can their starting pitching return to old form? Will Pablo Sandoval have a productive season? Can their defense improve?

Here are five bold predictions for the Giants in 2014. 

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