If you take a look at FanGraph's Roster Resource (an essential, go-to site) you'll see that the 2022 Giants lineup will look a lot like the 2021 Giants lineup. The team's starting rotation got a makeover after the departures of Kevin Gausman and Johnny Cueto but the bullpen stayed pretty much intact. In fact the team added significant pitching depth what with Alex Cobb, Carlos Rodon, Matthew Boyd, Jakob Junis, and Carlos Martinez all joining in the off-season.
The lineup's only new face is Joc Pederson. It's a bit underwhelming. The team has three LH OFs already, namely Mike Yastrzemski, Steven Duggar, and LaMonte Wade, Jr. One thing I've learned though is you can never have enough of something in baseball. Depth is good. I suppose I should note that Yaz has all his options remaining. And that Pederson will likely DH. This team is loaded with lefty hitters. The Giants can send up SEVEN left-handers against RH pitching: La Stella, Belt, BCraw, the three OFs, and Joc. The Giants will be OK against right-handers.
Will the Giants be OK against southpaws? The RHs are Darin Ruf, Evan Longoria, Wilmer Flores, Austin Slater, and the two catchers (Joey Bart and Curt Casali). Mauricio Dubon and Thairo Estrada are righties as are Jaylin Davis and Heliot Ramos. I expect to see a lot of Estrada, I'm not sure what to make of Dubon and Davis, and word is that Ramos is on the fast-track. Losing Buster Posey and Kris Bryant certainly took some thump out of the RH side of the attack.
Those things don't seem to bother Kap and FZ. They like their platooning/matchup style of roster construction. They believe they can get the production they need from what they have. Signing someone like Seiya Suzuki would have been nice but the team seemed more concerned about the rotation than the lineup. Run prevention is the key--improvements there pay off more than on the run-scoring side. Not to mention that the Dodgers will perhaps feature the best lineup in baseball so great pitching will be needed to keep them from running amok.
David Pinto at Baseball Musings posts a run-scoring projection for each team. The Dodgers are looking at a ridiculous 5.7 rpg. The Giants are looking at a more modest 4.9 rpg. Last season they scored 804 runs, just shy of five per game (4.96). That was good for sixth-best in MLB. It will be hard for this lineup to reach that same mark, but it should be a strong enough lineup to produce a winning record, especially considering the good pitching staff. I suspect the Giants will be active at the trade deadline and that some young hitters will get promoted quickly.
The 2021 Giants were the most interesting team I've ever followed. All those moving parts! It's going to be more of the same in 2022: a total team effort. On the Giants roster every spot matters. Every player contributes. Last year they were able to put an above-average major league hitter up to the plate in almost every spot. And they were able to put an above-average major league pitcher into almost every situation. They won by attrition, by grinding out every pitch, and by making each play count. I'm looking forward to another go-round.
--M.C.
3 comments:
39-year old Sergio Romo is still pitching. He signed a one-year $2M deal with Seattle.
A nice interview with Giants pitching prospect Kyle Harrison.
He's a lefty from De La Salle HS who was committed to UCLA but lured away by a big Giants bonus. He was the 85th pick (3rd round) of the 2020 draft. He pitched in Low A San Jose last year and they won the MiLB championship and the staff led all the minors in Ks.
Keep an eye on this kid. He turns 21 in August.
Giants pick up a RH IF/OF from the Phillies in a trade. They give up IF Will Toffey for Luke Williams. Toffey is a LH hitting 3B, 27, from Vandy, drafted by the A's, played in the Mets system, split time at AA/AAA last year.
Luke Williams turns 26 in August and was a 3rd round pick by the Phillies in 2015. He's from Dana Pt. He played all over the field in 2021, 58 G, 108 PA, .245/.315/.316, 0.1 bWAR.
I think Luke Williams might be Mauricio Dubon's chief competitor at this point as he had 11 starts in CF.
Williams has all his options. Dubon is out of options. NRI Alex Blandino is out of options but NRI Arquimedes Gamboa has two options left. I only mention those things as they often determine who gets cut and who gets kept. I really want Arquimedes Gamboa on my team. That's some serious All-Name Team stuff.
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