Current Roster

[calsnowskier]

Here is how I see the 25-man, only using current players (Belt is not eligible since he is not on the 40-man)...

C - Posey
1B - Huff
2B - Sanchez
SS - Fontenot (yikes!!)
3B - Sandoval
RF - Ross
CF - Torres
LF - DeRosa

SP - Lincecum
SP - Cain
SP - Bumgarner
SP - Sanchez
SP - Zito
CL - Wilson

C - Whiteside
1B - Ishikawa
OF - Rowand
OF - Shierholtz
Inf - Rohlinger

LHP - Affeldt
LHP - Runzler
LHP - Lopez
RHP - Ramirez
RHP - Casilla
RHP - Romo


Needs

SS is the major need. A 3B option outside of Panda would be nice, but starting the season with him and DeRosa is not horrible. Resigning Burrell would be nice, just to allow DeRosa to move to 3B if needed and to allow the hot hand to be played in the OF.

Pitching staff seems set, even with some depth (Ray probably being let go, Hinshaw, Sosa, Tanner all competing for time throughout the season).

I can see Fonze and Ray non-tendered and Uribe resigned to fill the SS gap. Ramirez may be non-tendered as well due to our depth on the mound. Belt may make the club closer to the beginning of the season than we expect which will add to the OF depth (either himself or Huff). Neal may be a late-season factor in the OF depth.

Other 40-men

I think Ford has jumped AU on the depth chart, and I will be surprised to see AU still with the org come ST. I had been stating that I expect Pill to take Ishi's job this year, but that obviously will not happen now that he has been DFA'd. Ishi's job appears safe for at least one more year. Gillaspie has re-emerged as a prospect, and I believe this is his last option year (correct me if I am wrong) so I expect him to be on the Fresno-shuttle much of the year, which might make Rohlinger expendable. Burris, Adrianza, Peguero, and Casilla I suspect will not be players in SF this season. Burriss MAY be an emergency option at SS if everything falls apart, but I would not be surprised to see the org go with Crawford instead, in that situation. Edlefsen, Tanner, Sosa and Hinshaw are all potential Fresno-Express users, along with Gillaspie.

 

[SFGRTB]

I want to see the Casilla brothers both in the pen lol!

This just shows that it's really important that we re-sign Uribe, or aquire Hardy. BTW, our rotation is sexy.

 

[SFGRTB]

The thing we still lack is legit speed off the bench, but hey it didn't burn us last year.

 

[calsnowskier]

The thing we still lack is legit speed off the bench, but hey it didn't burn us last year.

I agree, but where do we put it? RoRo's spot is the optimum spot to put Ford, but that ain't happenin'. Maybe Burriss in place of Rohlinger? Maybe, but do we want to burn our util inf on a PR situation? Besides, Rohlinger's bat potential is too high not to give him an opportunity.

We just do not have the roster space for speed, unfortunately.

 

[msgkings322]

I want to see the Casilla brothers both in the pen lol!

This just shows that it's really important that we re-sign Uribe, or aquire Hardy. BTW, our rotation is sexy.

Agreed, but a little lefty-heavy.

Even though Lincecum and Cain are aces 1A and 1B, you probably pitch Cain third so it's not 3 Ls in a row. Also creates some good matchups as our co-#1 faces their #3.

And hellz yeah we need to lockdown SS. Uribe and his agent know this so if we do sign him expect another high side deal like Huff's.

 

[msgkings322]

I agree, but where do we put it? RoRo's spot is the optimum spot to put Ford, but that ain't happenin'. Maybe Burriss in place of Rohlinger? Maybe, but do we want to burn our util inf on a PR situation? Besides, Rohlinger's bat potential is too high not to give him an opportunity.

We just do not have the roster space for speed, unfortunately.

But this one baseball genius named Speedo or Cheeto or something told me that speed is the key to winning the World Series....

 

[SFGRTB]

Agreed, but a little lefty-heavy.

Even though Lincecum and Cain are aces 1A and 1B, you probably pitch Cain third so it's not 3 Ls in a row. Also creates some good matchups as our co-#1 faces their #3.

And hellz yeah we need to lockdown SS. Uribe and his agent know this so if we do sign him expect another high side deal like Huff's.

So who do you go with?

A) Lincecum-Sanchez-Cain...
B) Lincecum-Bumgarner-Cain...
C) Lincecum-Zito-Cain...

 

[SFGRTB]

But this one baseball genius named Speedo or Cheeto or something told me that speed is the key to winning the World Series....

Was that the same guy that said that AU would bring us to the promise land? I guess he really meant that he'd drive or something??

 

[calsnowskier]

So who do you go with?

A) Lincecum-Sanchez-Cain...
B) Lincecum-Bumgarner-Cain...
C) Lincecum-Zito-Cain...

I personally like Timmeh - Bum - Cain - Durty - Zeets. I think Bum has ice-water in his veins and can handle the pressure of being the "#2" better than Durty can.

 

[msgkings322]

I personally like Timmeh - Bum - Cain - Durty - Zeets. I think Bum has ice-water in his veins and can handle the pressure of being the "#2" better than Durty can.

Agreed. I'd go that way too. And think of the matchups there too, Sanchez vs their #4...mmmm good.

 

[msgkings322]

Was that the same guy that said that AU would bring us to the promise land? I guess he really meant that he'd drive or something??

Yeah that guy was pretty smart. He even blew the lid off the big scandal....you remember, the one where MLB put in the fix and gave the Series to the Giants!

 

[SFAnthem]

I want to see the Casilla brothers both in the pen lol!

This just shows that it's really important that we re-sign Uribe, or aquire Hardy. BTW, our rotation is sexy.

What's the early projections on guys like Zach Wheeler?

I hope Affedlt has a bounce back year and Romo can learn to spot his fastball better. A lockdown rotation and pen is a beautiful thing

 

[SFGRTB]

What's the early projections on guys like Zach Wheeler?

I hope Affedlt has a bounce back year and Romo can learn to spot his fastball better. A lockdown rotation and pen is a beautiful thing

When I think of Zach Wheeler, I think of Matt Cain, but the fastball is more of a sinker than a 'riding' fastball. Both big, thick bodies, built to pitch innings. I really haven't heard of any comparisons yet though, that's just what I think of him.

Timmeh-MadBum-Cainer-Dirty-Wheeler is just comical (if all goes right).

 

[calsnowskier]

In 20 years, how will we remember this rotation? How will they all go down in the minds of baseball fans?

Ultimately, I think it will be something like this...

Timmeh
Bum
Cain
Wheeler
Sanchez

I think Bum is going to be something REAL special. A guy with his mental makeup is scary. He could, ultimately, push Timmeh as the best of the staff, looking back.

 

[Heathbar012]

In 20 years, how will we remember this rotation? How will they all go down in the minds of baseball fans?

Ultimately, I think it will be something like this...

Timmeh
Bum
Cain
Wheeler
Sanchez

I think Bum is going to be something REAL special. A guy with his mental makeup is scary. He could, ultimately, push Timmeh as the best of the staff, looking back.

Good take. I would go one crazier and say that Wheeler could end up being the best of the five. Timmy's frame still scares me long term, and Cainer's lack of run support early in his career hurts the final numbers. I think Wheeler is going to be playing on some great Giants' teams at the back of an amazing rotation with the build, stuff and determination to be incredible.

Of course, this is all premature, but the question was posed, and after seeing a highlight reel and a couple innings at various levels of this kid, color me impressed. The only things that could hinder his greatness are injury and getting Cy Youngs jacked from him by the other guys in the rotation with him. In fact, they all might be affected by that. Remember when Geena Davis and Susan Surandon canceled each other out for the best supporting actress Oscar? Yeah, me neither, but something like that could happen. (Side bar: My girl friend recently watched Thelma and Louise for the first time, and proclaimed it to be "awful." I've rarely been so proud.)

 

[tzill]

Agreed. I'd go that way too. And think of the matchups there too, Sanchez vs their #4...mmmm good.

Sanchez would only be facing the other teams #4 for the first two weeks of the season, after that matchups are pretty random.

 

[tzill]

What's the early projections on guys like Zach Wheeler?

I hope Affedlt has a bounce back year and Romo can learn to spot his fastball better. A lockdown rotation and pen is a beautiful thing

Wheeler projects to a middle to top of the rotation starter. He'll likely be up in June 2012

 

[SFGRTB]

In 20 years, how will we remember this rotation? How will they all go down in the minds of baseball fans?

Ultimately, I think it will be something like this...

Timmeh
Bum
Cain
Wheeler
Sanchez

I think Bum is going to be something REAL special. A guy with his mental makeup is scary. He could, ultimately, push Timmeh as the best of the staff, looking back.

Cainer may not end up with the best numbers, but he could be the most remembered just because of his hard-luck, though hopefully it doesn't continue. But how could it not be Timmeh, 2 Cy Youngs and a WS ring in 3 full seasons and Sanchez has the no-no on his resume, no one else on our staff can say that.

And we havn't even seen Wheeler yet!

 

[TidrowThePitchingMaster]

When I think of Zach Wheeler, I think of Matt Cain, but the fastball is more of a sinker than a 'riding' fastball. Both big, thick bodies, built to pitch innings. I really haven't heard of any comparisons yet though, that's just what I think of him.

Timmeh-MadBum-Cainer-Dirty-Wheeler is just comical (if all goes right).

The bold is where the similarities end. Wheeler is going to be a groundball machine with a 92-95 2-seam riding fastball, whereas Cain is an extreme flyball pitcher.

I hope Wheeler will be in San Jose this year so I can go check him out.

 

[SFGRTB]

The bold is where the similarities end. Wheeler is going to be a groundball machine with a 92-95 2-seam riding fastball, whereas Cain is an extreme flyball pitcher.

I hope Wheeler will be in San Jose this year so I can go check him out.

I just was thinking about body types. From what I've heard, he could be Brandon Webb-like... Pretty high praise if you ask me.