The Krueg Show is back!
With baseball season right around the corner, Larry Krueger and Cody Pasby welcomed legendary baseball writer Tim Kurkjian to the podcast, and picked his brain on a number of baseball topics.
At one point, Kurjian was asked to give his two cents on the Giants’ revamping of their roster this offseason. Interestingly, he said he agrees with San Francisco’s strategy to go out and sign big-name veterans, as opposed to blowing up what was a 98-loss team last season.
“They’re going to be way better than they were last year,” Kurkjian began. “They almost have to be. Thirty-four games under .500, 40 games out of first place. I like what they did in the offseason. Yes I understand the thinking that maybe it would’ve been more prudent to tear it down and start over, but these are the Giants. They fill the stadium every night, they’re in a market now with the Warriors, the 49ers are going really well. You’ve got to win if you’re in San Francisco.”
The Giants addressed holes at third base and in the outfield by signing two multiple-time All-Stars in Andrew McCutchen and Evan Longoria. Kurkjian believes that those moves alone will give the Giants at least a chance to compete next season.
“I think Evan Longoria is a huge upgrade at third base. I think Andrew McCutchen in an outfield spot — pick one — is going to be an upgrade for them. I really like what they’ve done so far. They still have a lot of work to do, it’s a very difficult division, but I think they’ll be demonstrably better this year than they were last year, especially now that Madison Bumgarner is healthy again.”
Listen to the full interview below. To hear Kurjian on the Giants, skip to 13:40.