San Francisco Giants Will Spend More
San Francisco Giants have more money available.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Even in the light of the Tim Hudson signing, Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area notes the San Francisco Giants are willing to spend some more coin. The Giants do have a hole or two to fill.
With bringing Hudson into the fold, the Giants sport a starting rotation of Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum and Hudson. They will look to address filling the #5 starter spot, a spot that could mean bringing back Ryan Vogelsong. There are other options and the Giants have seemed to have soured a bit on Bronson Arroyo due to his reported demand of a Lincecum-type deal.
Josh Johnson is interested.
[RELATED: Josh Johnson Has Giants and Padres Atop His List]
2. Left field – Baggarly states the Giants front office isn’t particularly enamored with what the free-agent market is bearing. A trade is the most likely option to fill this void even if it means a platoon situation with Gregor Blanco is at hand. An interesting name Baggarly mentions: Nate McLouth.
If in the eyes of GM Brian Sabean, McLouth is the “best available”, the trade route might be preferred. Of course, that platoon situation could be created, but have a hard time imagining McLouth would go that route unless all others have been exhausted.
3. Bullpen – This is my own inclusion here. Lefty Javier Lopez has garnered interest from (at least) the Washington Nationals and New York Yankees. I’m sure other teams would attempt to secure his services as well. But there are other options available, but Lopez’s success as a Giant is undeniable.
Peter Gammons has a brief piece today about middle relievers. As the demand for middle relievers increases, so are their salaries. Lopez made $4.25MM last season. With the Yankees involved, one can only surmise the cost of keeping him in the Bay Area might be a bit more.
That might be a fallacy since the Pinstripes are looking to get below the $189MM luxury tax threshold.
The driving force behind this? Not making the postseason and seeing the rival Dodgers win the division. Nothing leaves a more bitter taste than seeing a rival succeed, even to the smallest degree.