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Had Posey not been injured on this play, just how different could the Giants' 2011 season have been?
Well, it looks like the 2011 NL West Champions will be the surprising and over-achieving Arizona Diamondbacks. I think that it would take a miracle for the Giants to repeat as NL West Champs and make the playoffs. If the Giants did repeat as NL West Champs, I honestly do not believe that they would get very far in the playoffs. I do think that the Giants ran out of miracles last year when they won the World Series. This is why it is so difficult to repeat as Champions. I would say that had the Giants not had so many injury problems in 2011 that they might have had an easier time trying to repeat this year. Of course, watching the Giants offense this year has become downright painful to watch, too.
Of course, I do think that injuries to key players such as Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez are not the only cause to blame for the Giants’ poor season. Players such as Andres Torres, Aubrey Huff and Aaron Rowand had poor offensive years in 2011. This is another clear indication of why it is so difficult to repeat as Champions from one year to the next.
One of my close friends, an astute baseball watcher, states that a good player will account for making the difference between winning or losing a baseball game during the season, at most, five times. I do think that there are more variables involved than he may be willing to admit– it does depend on the specific player, his skill set, and what position he plays.
The best example, for my purpose, would be Buster Posey. Although, I do admit that in fairness to using this example, that the Giants did win the World Series last year. I think that Posey made a huge difference last year, when he was brought up at the end of May to play first base. I do think that the Giants offense picked up when he started playing regularly with the major league club.
Posey’s move to first base prompted the Giants to have Aubrey Huff play right field to keep his productive bat in there, as well. When the Giants traded starting catcher Bengie Molina to the Texas Rangers it allowed the Giants to start Posey at catcher full time. This also allowed Huff to move to first base, and whoever was productive at the time would play right field. It was a matter, to manager Bruce Bochy, of plugging in the right pieces at the right time of the game, along with having great pitching.
The other factor for Buster Posey was his defense. Posey was smart and aggressive behind the plate with a strong arm. I think that Posey did have the ability to shut down an opposing teams’ running game. I am not trying to say that Eli Whiteside and Chris Stewart are not competent catchers; they are, but I think that Posey was the whole package at catcher, a solid offensive and defensive catcher, which are extremely rare. Clearly and obviously, Whiteside and Stewart are not able to match up with Posey’s offensive capabilities.
I also do feel that had Posey not been injured so early in the season that the Giants probably would not have traded for Mets right fielder Carlos Beltran. This definitely has not work out for the Giants. I do think that the Giants should have traded for a catcher to replace Posey rather than go with Whiteside and Chris Stewart. I am already starting to try to figure out what the Giants will do next year. I am looking at rookies on the way up and players on the way down.
I do have no problem with the Giants’ releasing Aaron Rowand and Miguel Tejada. Rowand was moderately productive in the time that he spent with the Giants, but his offensive numbers have clearly been on the decline, and Tejeda was basically never productive with the Giants. It is unfortunate that in professional sports you have to pay players for not playing. This doesn’t take place in the real world, generally. I think that the Giants and other teams should be more careful in offering free agent contracts to older players. They need to look at age and the injury history of players.
I am already thinking about what the Giants will do in 2012. Pitching should again be a strength of the Giants, but they do need to get some offense going. I do think that it does depend on which players are able to come back from their respective injuries– Posey from his broken leg and torn tendons, Sanchez from his dislocated shoulder, etc. etc. Will those players who slumped in 2011 return to form in 2012? This is one of the most difficult questions to answer. Will Brandon Belt develop into a solid offensive player at the major league level? Are other prospects ready for the majors?
Two players on the horizon are CF Gary Brown and SS Joe Panik. It just depends how far are they on the horizon. Will they be there in 2012 or 2013? And what free agents are available that they Giants have a chance of signing? Do I see the Giants re-signing Carlos Beltran? Actually, no, I don’t, but I could be wrong. If another team signs Carlos Beltran the Giants would get two 2012 draft picks– one from that team and a sandwich pick, a pick between the first and second rounds. The only way that there is a problem is if Beltran chooses to retire, which I don’t think that he will.
* Editor’s Note: Due to a contractual clause, Beltran actually may not be offered arbitration following the season. As such, the Giants (or any other team that had acquired him at the trade deadline) will not be able to collect draft picks should he sign as a free agent to play elsewhere in 2012 and beyond.
I do find it difficult to believe that it is now, September 2011, the Giants are coming off their first World Series Championship in San Francisco in 2010, and I am already looking towards 2012 without the play-offs having even started. Sometimes, that is just the way the ball bounces…. .I would like to thank Peter for allowing me to be on his podcast. I want to encourage people to contribute to the Jimmy Fund. If, in these difficult economic times, you are not able to donate to the Jimmy Fund or some other worthwhile charity, please either give your time or a pint of blood. I have been donating blood regularly since I was in college, over twenty five years ago. It is definitely worthwhile and definitely needed.
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