After acquiring Evan Longoria from the Tampa Bay Rays and Andrew McCutchen from the Pittsburgh Pirates, the San Francisco Giants are positioned to improve from their last-place finish in the National League West.
According to ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian, general manager Bobby Evans still has work to do in order to reverse the team’s fortunes following a dismal 98-loss season. With Longoria and McCutchen poised to impact the team’s lineup, Kurkjian told Gary & Larry on Wednesday the Giants would be well-served to add a defensive-minded center fielder, a back end of the rotation starter, and another durable arm for the team’s bullpen.
“Are they good enough with another move, let’s say, to get back into the Wild Card race in the National League?” Kurkjian said. “They had to do something about third base and they did. They had to do something about left field or center field or both and they did for one of them with McCutchen moving to right field. Now they have to add another outfielder.”
While Evans has indicated prospect Steven Duggar could begin the season as the Giants’ center fielder, manager Bruce Bochy suggested Gorkys Hernandez is still an option if Duggar needs more time in the Minor Leagues. According to Kurkjian, the Giants should consider external candidates like Reds’ center fielder Billy Hamilton or free agent Lorenzo Cain.
“I would get Billy Hamilton to play center field as long as the cost is not prohibitive and I think it might be given where the Reds are and what the Reds need and what the Reds are going to ask,” Kurkjian said. “The Giants need a great defensive center fielder. Everyone out there saw what happens in a big ballpark like that when you don’t catch the ball in the outfield, especially in the middle of the field. It affects the entire team, especially your pitching staff. So I would try to get Billy Hamilton first but Jarrod Dyson can really go get it in the field also. Lorenzo Cain would be the perfect choice, but the cost there is going to be pretty high assuming people still like him as much as I do.”
Kurkjian said that center field isn’t the Giants’ only need left to address this offseason. After trading Matt Moore to the Texas Rangers and surrendering Kyle Crick in the deal for McCutchen, Kurkjian thinks San Francisco should work to acquire another starting pitcher and a reliever who can ease the pressure on Hunter Strickland, Sam Dyson and Mark Melancon.
“They have to go get another pitcher for the rotation and they have to make sure they’re set for the back end of that bullpen,” Kurkjian said. “That’s a lot of work to do, but there’s a lot of work to do when you’re 40 games out of first place, you got outscored by 137 runs, you’re 34 under .500 and you don’t even hit 130 homers. There’s a lot of work still to be done, but I cannot be critical with the Giants for going for it. We blast teams when they rebuild and now we’re blasting the Giants for going for it and I think they should go for it even though logically, it’s not the smartest thing to do.”
To listen to Kurkjian’s full interview with Gary & Larry, click the podcast link below. To hear Kurkjian’s comments on the Giants’ team needs, listen to the first five minutes of the episode.