This is the 24th installment in what will be a series of articles that will cover all 30 teams, going in alphabetical order.
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The easy statement to make is that it’s an odd-numbered year, so expect something dismal out of AT&T Park in 2015. That’s too simple, however. To whatever you want to attribute this franchise’s every-other-year execution, go right ahead. The San Francisco Giants have won three World Series titles in the last five years because of more than a mystical force which gathers behind them in even-numbered years, however.
San Francisco has dominated the scene of minor league contracts with an invitation to Spring Training. The names are memorable: Marco Scutaro, Travis Ishikawa, etc. Additionally, the Giants have had tremendous starting pitching carry them through those postseasons, Madison Bumgarner being the 2014 version.
San Francisco gets a third shot over the last five years to do something that it has already failed to do twice in that time frame: defend a World Series title. They face a mountain of obstacles, the least of which aren’t a still-competitive Los Angeles Dodgers squad and an improved San Diego Padres team in the National League’s West division. The potential crowd of wild card contenders is thick as well. In addition to the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates, there is an improved Miami Marlins team to face. The Giants also have troubles of their own.
Hunter Pence will begin the year on the disabled list, Michael Morse joined those Marlins and Pablo Sandoval is now a member of the Boston Red Sox. Those three accounted for nearly 20 percent of the runs batted in during the past three championship seasons. Pence is still with the team, but he obviously does San Francisco no good on the DL.
The starting rotation is full of question marks. Can Matt Cain become a solid No. 2? Can Tim Lincecum reach the status of dependable third starter? Will age take an excruciating toll on Jake Peavy and Tim Hudson? The bullpen appears to be the strength of this team on paper, as there are questions about the bench as well.
It seems that all the Giants have to do is reach the postseason, and good things happen. There has been a good amount of luck that has helped San Francisco along in its title runs.
Before Giants fans can start watching for the postseason magic to begin, San Francisco has to get there first. Getting to a wild card game will be tough this year, and there doesn’t appear to be any Ishikawas or Scutaros to emerge from the shadows. They can’t put Bumgarner on the mound in 1/3 of the innings, like they did last October, either.
While 2015 doesn’t look good, given recent history, this statement should be more exciting for Giants fans than for those of any other team: start thinking about 2016.
Up next: the Seattle Mariners. Interested in the San Diego Padres edition?
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