In the current vernacular, the phrase “keeping it 100” can take on various meanings. The general synthesis is equivalent to “keep it real, keep it right, be truthful, be honest, be straightforward.” With the 2017 San Francisco Giants, “100” could take on a completely different meaning but that number should signify a level of honesty that cannot be avoided.
The Giants have played baseball since 1883. In 134 seasons they have lost 100 games exactly ONE time (1985). To act as if losing 100 games just requires some ”minor adjustments” or “tweaks” or “it was just an off year” is absurd. The current bromide has become that this edition of the Giants weren’t really as bad as their record. Ummmm, yes they are.
Understanding the level of failure is absolutely needed to understand “100” and act accordingly. Irma was not a summer rain shower. The 2017 Giants were a collapse of a previous year playoff team heading into the season with a top-five payroll that failed at every level. The reality of this pratfall has to be acknowledged and dealt with dramatically. Or it will happen again.
Major League Baseball just set the record for the most home runs ever hit in a season. The sport will finish with over 6,000 jacks for 2017. Essentially 130 players will hit 20 or more home runs. And the San Francisco Giants will have NONE of these players. Not a single player to hit 20 home runs. But this is not new, Brandon Belt led the team last season with 18. Having a team bereft of power in this era of baseball is inexcusable.
The flawed version of winning with pitching and defense only may have worked previously. The very engaging “torture” of Giants’ previous seasons was a code for this team has zero offense. Watching the 2017 Giants offensively was close to actual baseball torture. 29th in runs scored, 29th in on base percentage, 30th in slugging percentage. For a top-five payroll team? And it was just a rare “off year”. Come on, let’s deal in a little reality.
Half the Giants’ starting lineup cannot return in 2018. Posey, Belt, Panik and Crawford are all very good players that have been involved in a lot of winning. Bumgarner, Cueto, Samardjzia, Moore, Blach, Stratton give you plenty of arms to form a starting rotation. Mark Melancon should be okay after surgery based on previous results. Will Smith will be back as well. The franchise has usually found a way to cobble together a productive bullpen.
But there are gaping holes at third base, left field, center field, right field. And there absolutely needs to be four new Giants players in those spots next year.
None of those players are in the Giants’ farm system. 2017 featured a zillion callups at nearly every position. None of those players looked ready to play regularly on a good team. Christian Arroyo may have been the exception briefly but his wrist injury and lost season leaves too much unanswered for him to be the starting third baseman next season.
Fortunately, fixing the Giants only costs MONEY. Something the Giants have in absolute abundance. They own AT&T Park, they have an incredible monied fan base, they are a top-four revenue team in the sport. They have paid off the $20 million annual mortgage on the ballpark. There is NO salary cap in baseball. This self imposed “budget” trotted out by the Giants yearly better be put on hiatus this off season. “100” will do that to you.
In previous years the Giants starting rotation fell apart with misspent money and belief in Barry Zito, Tim Lincecum and the aging of Matt Cain. That was addressed with the signings of Jonny Cueto, Jeff Samardzjia and the acquisition of Matt Moore. Management sprung into action after a full realization they did not have a starting staff and there wasn’t anything ready in the minor league system.
This winter demands the same alarm bell response. The core group of the Giants has a window to win NOW. Posey, Bumgarner and Crawford are in their prime. You can’t waste their best years with a prospect/suspect rebuild. And you have financial commitments that have this team locked into a win now mode.
The shopping list is obvious-
Third Base- Mike Moustakas/ Todd Frazier
Left Field- Giancarlo Stanton/ Yoenis Cespedes
Center Field- Lorenzo Cain
Right Field- JD Martinez
Four new starters, players that can hit for power. Someone that can finally hit 20 home runs. And the follow on improvement of Panik, Crawford, Posey and Belt will be obvious when they actually have real hitters surrounding them in the lineup.
Hunter Pence/Denard Span can be a fourth outfielder, able to pinch hit or play the corner spots on occasion. The other must be moved on for spending purposes.
The second worst Giants season in history requires they “keep it 100” moving forward. 100 losses should be the reminder that demands significant structural improvement. Hopefully, the 2017 offseason will be much more entertaining than the previous six months of actual baseball.