The Core Four: A Retrospective

The San Francisco Giants have won three World Series since moving to the city in 1958. Each and every championship included four relief pitchers better known as “The Core Four.” Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo, Santiago Casilla and Javier Lopez. With Affeldt’s retirement at the end of the 2015 season and the pending free agency of Romo, Casilla and Lopez, we may have seen the last of the strongest bullpen in Giants history.



Since the 2010 trade deadline, when the San Francisco Giants acquired Lopez from the Pittsburgh Pirates, these four pitchers have been literal Giants. They have been the core of a bullpen that consistently stopped some of the best lineups in baseball. Affeldt’s scoreless inning streak of 23 innings was recently passed by starter Madison Bumgarner. Only future Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera has a longer streak than Bumgarner.

Romo, Casilla and Lopez all had scoreless inning streaks heading into the 2016 post-season as well. When it came to Bruce Bochy‘s bullpen, it seemed he could always count on these four men in October. Many fans became frustrated with the group in the last two seasons, and it was understandable.

When the expectation is dominance and you have seen these pitchers perform at an elite level for so long, you take it for granted how hard it is to replicate. The Giants have made a Wall of Fame outside AT&T Park, and soon all four members of “The Core Four” will have their own plaque. As the years pass, fans will remember more fondly with how strong the group was and how rare it really is for a team to have so much talent in one bullpen.

With the current post-season showcasing relief pitchers being used in the middle innings, we can see that Major League bullpens are being redefined before our eyes. Pitchers such as American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Andrew Miller of the Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen and the Chicago Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman, pitchers are being asked to pitch in the innings with the highest stress instead of just save situations. The Baltimore Orioles Zach Britton was infamously left out of the American League wild card game that went extra innings because the Orioles never put their team in the position to have a save situation. Meanwhile, the best groundball pitcher in the game wasn’t used in situations that needed a double play from their best relief pitcher.



However, this phenomenon isn’t new in San Francisco. The Giants have been doing this for the last seven seasons. Even though they have used a traditional closer, they have always known spending on their bullpen was vital. Keeping each member of their core when other teams would have used the money elsewhere allowed for them to have great pitchers for those high stress middle innings. They never had to overuse just one pitcher when they had four.

When the Giants needed an out in the middle innings, Affeldt and Casilla were often used to get out both right handed and left handed batters. When the team needed to get out an elite right handed bat, Romo was often called. And if the team needed to take the bat out of the hands of a team’s best left handed batters, Javier Lopez was the “LOOGY” that was called upon.

Lopez was used in so many key moments in 2010 to get out powerful left handed hitters like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Josh Hamilton. In 2012, Romo struck out one of the best right handed hitters in the game in Miguel Cabrera. It was easy to overlook how important these core members were when they were so consistent but would be used in such short bursts.



It’s so much easier for fans to remember Pablo Sandoval hitting three home runs in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series or a Bumgarner complete game shutout. But without “The Core Four,” there might not be any championships in San Francisco.

Looking back on what the Giants had from 2010 to 2016, it was clear that the Giants had pitchers with closer “stuff” they could use in those high stress situations. Affeldt famously pitched in the second inning of Game seven of the World Series in 2014, and he became the first pitcher in baseball history to be brought in from the second through the ninth inning in the post-season during his career.



2016 was rough for the remaining members of the core four and there might be thought that the legacy of the group might even be impacted with the way the season ended for Romo, Casilla and Lopez. However, if you look at the entirety of the last seven seasons, it it clear that the success outweighs the failures.

Why the Cubs Should be Scared of the Giants and Why They Should Not

The San Francisco Giants have had two seasons in 2016. The 1st half was borderline dominant with elite pitching, superb defense and timely hitting. The Giants finished off the first half with the best record in baseball and had me declaring they were the best team in baseball.

As the Giants headed into the second half of the season, the playoffs seemed a certainty.

Then came the second half of the season, and after being swept in San Diego, the roller coaster never seemed to stop going down. After a 26-42 record in the 2nd half, the Giants needed to win four straight to make the second wild card game. After starting the season 57-33, nobody anticipated having to scratch and claw for 30 more wins.

But the Giants are in the dance, which is what they have been preaching the entire second half. "If we can just get in, we can make some noise." That has been the mantra. But, by losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, they are now forced to face the New York Mets in New York for the right to play beyond a one game playoff.

So why should the Cubs be scared of this Giants team? Well, it always starts with pitching. Pitching and defense has been the Giants calling card since their 2010 World Series run and it is no different this year. Both Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto will get Cy Young votes and deservedly so. They have both been aces for a team that has lost multiple aces to injury and performance since 2010. With Tim Lincecum gone and Matt Cain struggling to stay healthy, the Giants have rallied around Bumgarner and free agent acquisition Cueto to lead this team. The additions of Jeff Samardzija and Matt Moore have also given the Giants innings eaters with strikeout stuff to lead them into the post-season. The Giants have proven in their previous playoff runs that powerful lineups like the Cubs have can become nearly obsolete by elite pitching. The Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers and others found that out in recent Octobers.

So why should the Cubs remain confident? Well it starts with the rest of the Giants pitching. The Giants blew more leads than any team in baseball and their bullpen was at the heart of their problems all season. Santiago Casilla is now their former closer after blowing nine saves himself. Former closer, Sergio Romo has returned to the ninth inning and performed well, but the majority of the Giants bullpen has struggled. Veterans Javier Lopez, Casilla and Romo have had their ups and downs and young pitchers like Derek Law, Hunter Strickland and Josh Osich have shown their inexperience at times.

Winning or losing in the National League Divisional Series will come down to pitching and who throws the ball better. Can Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and Jake Arrieta outpitch the Giants staff, and will Aroldis Chapman be the difference in the late innings? October is all about pitching and the Giants will scare any team in baseball if their pitching at a championship level.

#SFGiantsMadness down to the Sweet 16

Jeremy Affeldt & Ryan Vogelsong are both still alive in #SFGiantsMadness

After a week of voting on Twitter, we are down to the Sweet 16, and this year we had some incredible upsets. Top seeds went down as fans clearly voted for this current group of Giants over past legends. Last year, the voting was pretty consistent and many top seeds advanced. There were some upsets last year as well, as fan favorites such as Mike Krukow and Hunter Pence made it to the sweet 16 last year. This year, they were joined by some other unlikely winners.

#SFGiantsMadness Dominican Dandy Bracket: 1. RT for Juan Marichal 16. FAV for @JeremyAffeldt #ThanksAffeldt pic.twitter.com/x3ABoL8msN

— Candlestick Will (@CandlestickWill) October 15, 2015

#SFGiantsMadness Dominican Dandy Bracket: 2. RT for @OrlandoCepeda30 15. FAV for Ryan Vogelsong pic.twitter.com/v7SS7OZm72

— Candlestick Will (@CandlestickWill) October 15, 2015

#16 seed Jeremy Affeldt and #2 seed Ryan Vogelsong took out Hall of Famers Juan Marichal and Orlando Cepeda respectively. Affeldt announced his retirement this season, and Vogelsong may have also thrown his last pitch in orange and black, so fans certainly wanted to show these men some love in the voting. However, it is still a shocker to see them dethrone legends like Marichal and Cepeda. Not only are they Hall of Famers, but they also are well known to the fan base as the Giants consistently have them be a part of every ceremony and championship parade and event. Current fans know who these legends are, even if they were too young to see them play. It just goes to show that voting is always going to be based on fan preference and sometimes that means upsets happen.

Also in the 2nd round, Sergio Romo defeated Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry in a #10 vs #2 matchup. Romo took an early lead and never relinquished it, despite a last ditch effort by fans to send more votes to Perry.

2nd Round #SFGiantsMadness Stretch Bracket: 2. RT for Gaylord Perry 10. FAV for @SergioRomo54 PC: @bradmangin pic.twitter.com/TNc5lStjIO

— Candlestick Will (@CandlestickWill) October 16, 2015

In 2014, Krukow and Pence won in the 1st round despite being #11 and #14 seeds. Only Pence made it to the 2nd round, however, because they just so happen to be in the same bracket.

2nd Round 2014 #SFGiantsMadness The GOAT Bracket 11. RT for Mike Krukow 14. FAV for @hunterpence pic.twitter.com/jTaI8EMB8m

— Candlestick Will (@CandlestickWill) December 26, 2014

This season, both were #11 seeds and both are cruising into the Sweet 16 with 2nd round victories. Krukow taking down former teammate Robby Thompson and Pence taking down Matt Williams.

Round 2 #SFGiantsMadness Say Hey Kid Bracket: 3. RT for Robby Thompson 11. FAV for Mike Krukow pic.twitter.com/pJso8fDiN7

— Candlestick Will (@CandlestickWill) October 19, 2015

Round 2 #SFGiantsMadness Barry! Barry! Bracket: 3. RT for Matt Williams 11. FAV for @hunterpence pic.twitter.com/YD1rNP93IS

— Candlestick Will (@CandlestickWill) October 19, 2015

Three #1 seeds remain, with Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Barry Bonds. Only two #2 seeds remain, with Will Clark and Buster Posey. Matt Cain is also the only #3 seed left standing, as #6 seed J.T. Snow took down Bobby Bonds, along with Krukow and Pence.

The champion may still end up being the defending champion Mays, and it's possible that 7 of the 8 winners in round 3 could be a top 3 seed. However, if the previous two rounds are any indication, this is going to be madness.

The 2015 San Francisco Giants have reported!

Today really should be a holiday. The day that all of baseball is reporting to work. Not just pitchers and catchers, but second baseman and right fielders too. On this glorious day, let's take a look at the defending champs, the San Francisco Giants, and their chances at a return trip to October baseball in 2015.

The Lineup:
CF Angel Pagan
2B Joe Panik
1B Brandon Belt
C Buster Posey
RF Hunter Pence
3B Casey McGehee
LF Nori Aoki
SS Brandon Crawford

If everyone stays healthy, this could very well be the 2015 Opening Day lineup April 6 in Arizona, and it would almost certainly be the lineup at the Oakland A's new training complex March 3 for the Spring Training opener.

The top three in the order will all come into 2015 with one specific question mark that will get asked over and over again.

1. Can Angel Pagan stay healthy?
2. What can Joe Panik do in his 1st full season?
3. Can Brandon Belt hit 25-30 home runs?

There are other questions for those three, like any baseball player, but the conversations over the next month will start and end there.  Ultimately, if Pagan can stay healthy, Panik can be productive all season, and Belt can hit for power, this is a team that can play October baseball. 

The 4-5 hitters don't come into 2015 with question marks. Buster Posey and Hunter Pence have been the most consistent performers in the Giants lineup since their arrival in 2010 and 2012 respectively. Their abilities as two way players and their leadership on and off the field make them nearly immune to scrutiny during batting slumps.

Fans will continue to push for Posey to play first base more to take pressure off his legs during the season. However, those same fans want more production from Brandon Belt. Hard for both to happen since only one can play first at a time.

Hunter Pence has become such a cult hero in San Francisco from his speeches, to his effort, to his signs across baseball that he really doesn't get criticized much at all in the Bay Area. For a game that sees players only have success 3 out of 10 times, that is pretty remarkable.

The bottom three in the order also come into the 2015 seasons with specific questions on their performance.

6. Can Casey McGehee earn the 3B job and keep it throughout the season?
7. Can Nori Aoki earn the LF job and keep it throughout the season?
8. Can Brandon Crawford improve his defense and become the elite shortstop we all know he can be?

McGehee (pronounced Mah-Gee) and Aoki come in with the same question because they are both new to the team. This is the generic question for anybody brought in to start for any team.  Aoki isn't as crucial because Gregor Blanco has proven he can start in spurts as well. McGehee doesn't have any real competition at this point at third base in the organization, so there is more pressure for him to succeed. 

Crawford has improved as a hitter each season he has been in the big leagues, so whether he struggles at the plate or improves again isn't as important as his defense. His defense is what got him to the big leagues in the first place, and the amount of errors he has committed over his career is much more than any elite shortstop should be committing. If he is able to cut down on the mistakes in the field, he will not only become a contender for a Gold Glove, but more importantly, the leader of a defense that has been a critical element to October success. To Crawford's credit, he has always performed better at shortstop in October than any other month in his career.


The Rotation
Madison Bumgarner
Matt Cain
Jake Peavy
Tim Hudson
Tim Lincecum

Ryan Vogelsong
Yusmerio Petit

Madison Bumgarner will be fine. Throwing 270 innings last season has been talked about all off-season, but Bumgarner is 25, stronger than most his age, and clearly is Paul Bunyan. If you don't believe me, here's proof:

ICYMI: #MadBum was looking like a BOSS in the parking lot yesterday. http://t.co/zEjyg60vDl #BusterPosey #FaceOfMLB
— #BusterPosey (@SFGiants) February 24, 2015

The rest of the rotation is loaded with question marks. It starts with the most consistent pitcher the Giants have had in their organization since Juan Marichal, Matt Cain.  Cain hasn't been himself since the 2013 All-Star break, and it's because of bone chips he's had in his elbow for the last 10 years. For eight of those years, Cain pitched with them without much problem at all, becoming one of the greatest pitchers in the organization's history.  Now that he has had surgery to remove the bone chips, Cain has come into 2015 with a renewed sense of health.  Cain was quoted as saying he felt "18 again" and was looking forward to a "new beginning" in 2015. This doesn't stop fans from being pessimistic, but it certainly allows be to be optimistic.

Peavy, like Panik, has never played a full season for the Giants, but unlike Panik, he is 33 and has pitched 12 seasons in the major leagues. There is some hope that he can repeat the regular season success he had in San Francisco last year. There is also some concern that he might repeat the post season performances he had in October that weren't as good. There is also the obvious worry that his struggles with Boston were severe enough for the Red Sox to trade him to San Francisco in the first place last year and that those performances could return. His presence in the locker room and his attitude on the mound are both big pluses for most Giants fans, and that will minimize some of the concern as well

Hudson had an All-Star appearance in 2014 for his tremendous performance in the first half of the season. He also was pulled in the 2nd inning of Game 7 of the World Series because his 2nd half was not nearly as productive. The tale of two seasons is the story line for Hudson in 2015. Will we see more of his 2014 1st half or 2014 second half?

Lincecum will get the first shot at the fifth starter spot, and if the reports are accurate, Lincecum enters 2015 with a "chip on his shoulder" and something to prove. He went back to his father, Chris Lincecum to work on his mechanics and feels he has found something that has been missing the last three seasons. If that is true, Lincecum could end up being one of the main pieces of the rotation instead of it's fifth starter. If Lincecum doesn't show improvement, the team has two capable starters on the roster already in Vogelsong and Petit.

The Bullpen

Bullpens always have turnover, but what has kept the Giants successful over the last five seasons is the consistency they have had at the back end of the bullpen. Despite many changes in their roles, the "core four" of Jeremy Affeldt, Javy Lopez, Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla have made the Giants bullpen one of the strongest in baseball.

Casilla will enter 2015 as the closer, and that should allow Romo and Lopez to continue to thrive in their previous roles as matchup guys in the late innings. Affeldt, like Casilla, has shown the ability to pitch late as well as pitch multiple innings, and that versatility to what makes the bullpen so effective.

2015 Expectations
Despite all the question marks, there are two things that make the 2015 season look promising.

First is the financial flexibility the team will have in 2016 that could allow the organization to make moves at the trade deadline if anyone gets hurt or struggles through July or August. 

Second, the combination of Brian Sabean, Bruce Bochy, Posey, Bumgarner and Pence are hard to match with any team in the game. Other teams may even have a better top three players on their team, but no team has the combination of an elite, general manager, elite manager and three elite players at key positions.

Even though it's an odd year, the Giants have set themselves up to compete again for some October baseball.

Top 10 Reasons the Giants are a Dynasty

Top 10 Reasons the Giants are a Dynasty
By Michael Saltzman
On Twitter @CandlestickWill

So many players, coaches, front office people and members of the ownership group have had their hand in the three championships the San Francisco Giants have won over the last five years. But who is the most responsible. Nothing like a top 10 list to debate who had the biggest impact and who is the biggest reason the Giants are being referred to as a dynasty.

Honorable Mentioned:

The 6 Castoffs & Misfits: Andres Torres, Freddy Sanchez, Aubrey Huff, Pat Burrell, Juan Uribe and Cody Ross


The Giants had never won a World Series in San Francisco until these 6 men became Giants. All 6 had important roles in a Giants patchwork lineup that out hit the Braves, Phillies and Rangers in 2010. What makes these men unique in this historic run of the Giants is that none of them were able to do much for the Giants outside of 2010. Torres, Sanchez and Uribe were members of the Giants in 2009, but played smaller roles. Huff, Burrell and Ross had terrific numbers as Giants in 2010.

Wins Above Replacement in 2010:
Aubrey Huff (5.7)
Andres Torres (5.3)
Pat Burrell (2.1)
Freddy Sanchez (1.8)
Juan Uribe (1.5)

Cody Ross, who only played a month for the Giants before the post-season, made up for it in October, hitting .294 with 15 hits, 10 runs batted in and 5 home runs or a 1.076 OPS. Andres Torres highest WAR after 2010 was a 1.4 he had for the Mets in 2012.

Without these 6 men, the Giants don't win in 2010. Without winning it all in 2010, is there any talk of a dynasty?

Marco Scutaro:
What the misfits were to 2010, Scutaro was to 2012. Injuries plagued his 2013 season that he tried to play through and ultimately his back wouldn't let him play in 2014. He was recently designated for assignment by the Giants. However, his impact on the Giants in 2012 was enormous. He had a 2.1 WAR despite only 268 at bats. He hit .500 in the NLCS alone with 14 hits and a 1.140 OPS. His patience at the plate and his influence in the locker room helped the entire roster play smarter and more efficient. While he doesn't make my top 10, he certainly is one of the most influential figures in this dynasty for the Giants.



The Top 10

#10: Ownership Group
I'm not going to pretend to know all the interworkings of the front office to know who among the group approved the salary raises for our homegrown players or told Brian Sabean he could make a certain trade or sign a certain player.

According to Baseball Prospectus the Giants went from a payroll of $95M at the end of 2009 to a current payroll of $179M in 2014. That kind of financial commitment has as much to do with the success of the franchise as any other factor.

The combination of re-signing homegrown talent and trading or signing players to free agent contracts, wouldn't be possible without the support of the ownership group.

#9: Coaching Staff
Again, it's hard to designate one member of the staff as head and shoulders above the others. Dave Righetti, the team's pitching coach, has been tremendous in preparing the staff over the years and specifically during the playoff rounds where the Giants have out pitched some great staffs. But How can we say that his impact on the staff is more valuable than bullpen coach Mark Gardner or bullpen catcher Bill Hayes.  What Henry "Bam Bam" Muelens has done as the hitting coach has been vastly underrated. What Roberto Kelly and Tim Flannery have done at 1st and 3rd base respectively, has been incredible. If you don't think what they've done is valuable, go through the twitter response to Flannery announcing his retirement. And maybe the most influential part of the staff is bench coach Ron Wotus. Kelly and Wotus were in charge of the infield and outfield positioning. But Wotus was also the right hand man of Bruce Bochy. Bochy has said repeatedly how valuable his staff has been and how much responsibility he has given them. Wotus, for example, has been in charge of Spring Training camp for years now.

#8. Pablo Sandoval
Fans owe the Panda a standing ovation the next time Boston comes to San Francisco. For any animosity they may have over him choosing to leave the Bay Area, needs to be trumped by the three championships he was a part of. As the MVP of the World Series in 2012, he became a instant legend with three home runs in Game 1, joining the likes of Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson. However, it's his overall playoff performances that are truly outstanding.

In 2010, 2012 and 2014 he slashed a .344/.389/.545/.935 postseason line.  Sandoval also has the 2nd highest WAR among hitters since 2010 among Giants.

For all the weight issues, contract disputes, and slumps, Sandoval was most productive when it mattered most. That can't ever be forgotten. 

#7. Hunter Pence
Despite only being a part of two of the three championships, it's hard not to rank Pence even higher than 7th for what he means to the team on and off the field. He is the heartbeat of the Giants and the team is always better with him in the lineup. The effort Pence gives on ground out to 2nd base is why he leads the Giants every season in infield hits. The passion Pence plays with is why the team always seems to find ways to win.

His speech in Cincinnati with the Giants on the brink of elimination was the stuff of legends, and the fact that it led to winning six elimination games that post-season is tremendous.

His speech to the fans at the end of the 2014 regular season will forever make him a San Francisco icon.  Do the fans believe in value of Hunter Pence? YES! YES! YES!

#6. Core 4

The Giants have looked very different over the years and from the castoffs to Hunter Pence and Angel Pagan to Andres Torres and Gregor Blanco, the team has continually brought in new faces. One of the constants has been the pitching staff, and specifically the bullpen. Javy Lopez, Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo have each won three World Series as a member of the Giants. While their roles have changed throughout the run, their effectiveness hasn't.

In 2010, Brian Wilson was the closer, while the Core 4 were all used as setup men depending on the matchups.

In 2012, Sergio Romo was the closer, with the Affeldt, Casilla and Lopez each playing critical setup roles again.

In 2014, it was Santiago Casilla's turn to pitch the 9th inning, but again, all four were lights out throughout the playoffs.

The value of Casilla, Romo, Affeldt and Lopez has been one of the most underrated elements of the Giants dynasty. That is why they deserve such a high ranking. That is also why they are all still members of the best bullpen in baseball.

#5. Tim Lincecum & Matt Cain
It's never been easy for me to decide between the value of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain and which pitcher has been more valuable during this dynasty.  Instead of ranking them separately, I've decided to put them together because this team doesn't win championships without both.

Lincecum had won back to back Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009, but his 2010 might be the best year of his career when you combine his regular and post-season.  From his 1st ever post-season appearance in 2010 of 8 scoreless innings and 14 strikeouts vs the Braves to his last post-season appearance of 8 innings of 1 run ball and 10 strikeouts vs the Rangers.

Cain had some great seasons as a Giant, but his 2012 was his best. He started the All-Star game, and led the Giants staff by pitching the clinching game of each round of the post-season. When the season was on the line, the Giants went to Cain.

Cain was injured in 2014, and Lincecum was limited to 1.2 innings pitched in the 2014 World Series. However their impact on the pitching staff and their success in 2010 and 2012 was astronomical. The Giants did outhit their opponents in their post-season series, but that was mostly due to the lack of hitting from the other teams. One of the main reasons for that was the starting staff that was led by Lincecum and Cain in 2010 and 2012.

#4. Madison Bumgarner
If 2010 & 2012 were dominated by Lincecum and Cain, 2014 was dominated by Madison Bumgarner. Bumgarner is the only starting pitcher over the last three post-seasons that has had a dominating performance in all three World Series.

His 2014 post-season was one of the greatest we have ever seen. It was so good that he was awarded the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, despite not being the best pitcher during the regular season.

It wasn't just 2014 that makes Bumgarner ranked so highly on this list. It was his 8 shutout innings in Game 4 of the 2010 World Series as a 20 year old. It was his 7 shutout innings in Game 2 of the 2012 World Series. And that, combined with his otherworldly 2014 performance, and Bumgarner may go down as the best post-season pitcher of his generation.

Scariest part is he is 25 years old.

If you aren't convinced that Bumgarner is the best pitcher on this staff over the last five years, let's use his bat as the tie breaker.

 
#3. Brian Sabean, Bobby Evans, Dick Tidrow and John Barr
Everyone in baseball knows Brian Sabean, but few realize the all-star front office he has put together. Bobby Evans, the assistant general manager has taken over for Ned Colletti and the transition has been seamless. His ability to work out contracts with the roster and work with the agents and other teams has been masterful. Dick Tidrow is the team's scouting director and the homegrown talent he has amassed over the years is staggering. John Barr has overseen the amateur and international scouting for the team among other responsibilities. These four men have led the Giants from a good organization to an elite one.

Fans are always quick to remember a front office's worst moves. Sabean and his team have had their share of moves that fans have criticized. From re-signing guys like Huff, Lincecum, Scutaro, or from trades like Carlos Beltran for Zach Wheeler or from not signing guys like Jose Abreu, Rusney Castillo, or Yasmany Tomas.

However, when you look at some of the best moves Sabean has made, it's pretty special.

• Hunter Pence for Tommy Joseph and Nate Shierholtz
• Marco Scutaro for Charlie Culberson
• Angel Pagan for Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez (who both came back to the Giants)
• Pat Burrell for the league minimum
• Cody Ross for nothing
• Aubrey Huff for $3M
• Freddy Sanchez for Tim Alderson
• Juan Uribe, Torres and Gregor Blanco as a spring training invite
• Extensions for Madison Bumgarner, Pablo Sandoval, etc...
• Drafting Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Bumgarner, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, Joe Panik, etc...

Sabean was always hamstrung in the Bonds years because they were always looking to replace young talent with veterans. Now that he has the backing of the ownership group, has brought in a tremendous coaching staff and has the personnel around him in Evans, Tidrow, Barr and others, he has been able to blend young homegrown talent with shrewd trades and signings. This has allowed the Giants to have the best front office in baseball.

#2. Bruce Bochy
Bochy will go down as the greatest manager in San Francisco history when he retires. Not because of what he may still do, but with what he has already done. Three championship rings is three more than any other manager. Bochy has always been known as a players manager, but what makes Bochy stand out among other managers in the game today is his ability to get the most out of the entire 25 man roster by playing all 25 guys on the team.

This isn't commonplace around the league, as some guys may go weeks without seeing the field. For all the frustration fans may have with unproductive guys getting playing time, Bochy will always let a guy on his roster earn what he gets. The guys at the end of the bench or the guys at the end of the bullpen will play. They will play and if they perform, they will continue to play. If they don't perform, they will eventually be replaced. Fans may want guys sent away sooner sometimes, but it is clear that there is a method to Bochy's approach. He wants guys to know they were given a chance to succeed and that gets Bochy's teams to play up to their potential.

Other managers have had more talent in each playoff run, but the 9 straight playoff series wins is not by accident. Being the underdog in nearly every series is because the other teams have usually had more talent on paper. However, winning each and every series is because of Bochy as much as nearly everyone in the organization.

#1. Buster Posey
When all is said in done, Posey might be on the Mount Rushmore of Catchers. Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra are the top tier of catchers in baseball history. Both are hall of famers as much because of their numbers on the field as the World Series trophies they helped win.  Posey now has 3 World Series trophies he has helped win in his four healthy seasons.

Posey has a 23.3 WAR since his debut in 2010, by far the most for any hitter since that first championship season.

His ability to catch the incredible staff the Giants have had throughout the run is another reason he has shown to be the most valuable player in the last five years.

Posey has a Rookie of the Year trophy, Comeback Player of the Year, Most Valuable Player, as well as a batting title, two Silver Slugger awards, The Hank Aaron award, the Willie Mac award and a two time All-Star.

The scary part is that he is only 27 and so he is just entering his prime.

Giant Points on the 2015 Off-Season

Photo Courtesy of @Buelna37 on Twitter

• Tim Flannery is the biggest loss of the off-season
• Pablo didn't want to come back.
• Michael Morse wanted to live in Florida where he's from with his wife and newborn baby.
• Jon Lester would not have cost us a 1st round pick in June draft.
• James Shields & Max Sherzer would have cost us our 1st round pick.
• Jon Lester took richest offer. 
• Casey McGehee and Nori Aoki are 1 year options that create depth & flexibility
• If we need to upgrade during the season, McGehee & Aoki could be great bench options too.
• Gregor Blanco and Juan Perez having better competition than Gary Brown is a good thing.
• Adam Duvall and Chris Dominguez having more competition to make team is good too.
• Jake Peavy for an entire year will be great for our staff off the field as well as on.
• Bringing back a motivated Sergio Romo could make him elite vs RH again.
• Tim Lincecum motivated to earn another contract can be a great thing.
• Tim Hudson needs Derek Jeter treatment from the fanbase in final year.
• That's $30M we can move around and add players with in 2016.
• Marco Scutaro wants to play, and if he somehow gets healthy, what a bat off the bench.
• Angel Pagan and Matt Cain coming back is huge.
• Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford are still getting better.
• Having Andrew Susac and Hector Sanchez could mean more time at 1st for Buster Posey.
• Our bullpen will still have Jeremy Affeldt, Javy Lopez and Santiago Casilla
• We will be getting a full season of Joe Panik
• We still have Hunter Pence
• And we still have Madison Bumgarner
• And we still have Bruce Bochy
• And we still have Brian Sabean, Bobby Evans, Dick Tidrow and John Barr
• Oh, and we are the defending Champs! "I know, because I won" ~ Barack Obama

The Life of a Giant Bobblehead

The Life of a Giant Bobblehead
by Will Candlestick

1st 40,000 fans receive an...autographed...Buster Posey...handmade...Garlic Fry...paper bowl.  The suspense got lost there sometime after Posey.  As the San Francisco Giants promotional schedule came out yesterday, I noticed some fantastic things on there for this year. April 10th, for example, is a Farewell to the 'Stick stadium replica. The team also has the 60th anniversary of the 1954 World Championship team with the fans getting a replica ring, bobblehead nights of Duane Kuiper (commemorating his 1 and only home run,) Hunter Pence, Brandon Crawford OR Brandon Belt and Angel Pagan and even Sergio Romo socks.

All of these giveaways got me to thinking about what are some other giveaways that would make me want to buy tickets immediately after hearing about them.

What about a Aubrey Huff commemorative Rally Thong?  Maybe not.

A can of Bud Light autographed by Pat Burrell?  Maybe more inappropriate. And also, maybe too soon for 2010 memorabilia.

1. Commemorative Mike Krukow action figure. Or better yet...Magic 8 ball. It could answer you with "Grab some Pine Meat!"  "Atta Babe!"  "Gamer Babe"  and of course his signature horse laugh.

2. Hunter Pence Scooters for everyone.  Can't just be to the first 10,000 kids, because, hey, if Hunter can ride one, I want one.

3. Kirk Rueter Woody Doll. It might be a little creepy if they use his likeness on a doll, but what fan wouldn't want one, and I'm positive it would find a great place in "The Shed."

4.  Angel Pagan Lion Mane Wigs. What better way to celebrate a Giants win, than letting your Pagan Wig fly?

5. Brandon Crawford mini Vacuum Cleaners. Maybe he needs a gold glove 1st. Of course, then I would suggest Gold Crawford Gloves.

6. Panda Blow-Up-and-Back-Down-Again-Dolls.  The toy that adjusts as Pablo does.

7. Ryan Vogelsong Gameday Chicken Enchiladas.  Actually, instead of a giveaway, they should serve chicken enchiladas at Orlando Cepeda's booth on games he starts.

8. Madison Bumgarner Snot Rockets...ok, I know that wouldn't go over well, or how that would even look, but at least had to throw it out there just for fun.

9. Buster Posey American Flags. Because we believe in truth, justice and the Posey way.

10. Bruce Bochy grunt button. Perfect for a desk at work. "How are you feeling today Will?"  "mmmgrrrphhhgmm"  "Oh, sorry, didn't realize the Giants were tied 1-1 in the 15th."

What's your favorite promotional idea?  What can we add to the list?

28 Reasons we love Buster Posey

28 Reasons We Love Buster Posey

by Will Candlestick
 
1. Buster Posey was drafted in the 50th round out of high school in 2005 as a P/SS by the Anaheim Angels.

2. Buster Posey has had a swagger since college.

 

"I ain't havin' it. I ain't having it."

3. Buster Posey played all 9 positions in a game while at Florida St. ... just to prove he could.

"It's a clear indication of the talent of Buster Posey," FSU Coach Mike Martin said, "because we've had a lot of great players but they just were not talented enough to play all nine [positions]. And I'll be honest with you -- I was never concerned wherever he was."

4. Buster Posey was drafted in 2008 by the San Francisco Giants in part because they hired John Barr, who the previous year was working for the Dodgers. 

"When I was with the Dodgers in 2007, going into his junior year at Florida State, I told him that if there was any way, we'd get him. Now it's a year later, I'm just starting out with the Giants, and I had this feeling it was meant to be. I even told Buster before the Draft that this might be the way it's supposed to happen."

5. Buster Posey is the best player to come out of the 2008 draft

6. Buster Posey rocketed through the farm system in less than 2 full seasons. After being drafted in June of 2008, Buster was through San Jose and Fresno and called up to the big club in May of 2010.

7. Buster Posey had 3 hits and 4 RBI's in his Major League debut at AT&T Park vs the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 12-1 rout.

8. Buster Posey made a publicly awkward parting with the Giants and Bengi Molina much smoother
by producing on the field.

9. which led to more team success on the field.

10. Buster Posey homered in game 162 vs the San Diego Padres to help with the National League West in 2010.

11. ...which led to the 1st official #BusterHug

12. ...and a 2nd #BusterHug

13. ...and a 3rd #BusterHug to Win the World Series for the 1st time in 52 years!

(BONUS: Renteria's 3 run home run  "It Is GAAAAHHHHHHOOOONNNN!")

14. Buster Posey won Rookie of the Year in 2010 in which he was 'humbled' to receive.

15. Matt Cain's perfect game caught by Buster Posey led to a 4th official #BusterHug

(BONUS: Gregor Blanco's Perfect Catch!)

16. Buster Posey earned his 1st All-Star game selection in 2012, only 1 year removed from a broken leg suffered in 2011. He was the highest vote getter at 7,621,370 votes.

17. Buster Posey earned the team's Willie Mac Award in 2012, a prelude to many more awards he would receive that year.

"It was a no-brainer that he won," Giants special instructor Shawon Dunston said. "What he went through? We knew he was going to win this. I hope he gets the big award. I hope he wins MVP. I hope he wins Comeback Player of the Year. Tell him to win them all ... well-deserved and a good young man."

18. ...and because a healthy Buster Posey meant the Giants won the NL West for the 2nd time in 3 years.

19. ...and led to what Ashkon called an 'MVP Slam' to help clinch the NLDS vs the Cincinnati Reds. (Love the catchers reaction!!)

20. ...and like all MVP's, Buster Posey was at the heart of the biggest moments, with this Buster Posey World Series Home Run in Game 4.

21. ...which led to the 2nd World Series Championship in 3 years, and of course, a 5th #BusterHug

22. ...which led to off-season awards, starting with the 2012 NL Comeback Player of the Year, the Silver Slugger, The Hank Aaron Award and the NL Batting Title.

23. ...and the 2012 NL MVP award.

24. Winning 2 World Series in 3 years leads to popularity which leads to commercial endorsements like this:

"It's a video game, you moron."

25. ...and this one.

"That was his favorite shirt"

26. Buster Posey started his 2nd straight All-Star game in 2013. 

27. ...and caught Tim Lincecum's 148 pitch No Hitter vs the San Diego Padres, leading to the 6th #BusterHug in Buster Posey history...which leads to fantastic blog post like this.

(BONUS Hunter Pence awkwardly beautiful catch helps save the No Hitter!)

 

28. Buster Posey is signed through 2021 with a team option for 2022. With all the uncertainty that comes with baseball, knowing our franchise player will be a Giant for the next 8 seasons is comforting.

San Francisco Giants Financial Planning

Breaking Down the Master Financial Plan of the San Francisco Giants
by The Will Candlestick

As we head into a very uncertain 2014 for the San Francisco Giants, one thing is clear. The Giants have a plan. It might not bring a 3rd championship in five years, or even another championship in the next five years, but it will keep the team competitive each and every year. Before I talk about the plan, let's 1st take a look back at where this plan came from.

1. The Aaron Rowand Rule

While many fans assume this should be named the Barry Zito rule for the contract he signed in 2007, but as Henry Schulman and Susan Slusser wrote then, the rationale to sign Zito was different.

"We view Zito as a franchise player, and we'll certainly need one when Bonds goes," said a Giants source at the time.

When they said 'Franchise Player,' what they meant was 'Star Power.'  They felt Zito would be the perfect replacement for Barry Bonds because of his familiarity to the fans coming from Oakland and his Cy Young worthy curveball that would play well at AT&T Park.

The Aaron Rowand rule is based off of the large oversized contract he signed in 2008.  Rowand was brought in for his "warrior spirit" and what he would bring to the locker room. The problem was that by signing him in free agency instead of through trade or the draft, he cost over $12 million a year for the next 5 years. And as we saw 4 years later, the Giants weren't willing to even let him last that long, waiving him in 2011.

That's the difference between the 2 bloated free agent contracts.  Zito's was talent based, which despite the results, is always a reason to sign someone to large sums of money.  Rowand's was for intangibles.  The same intangibles Juan Uribe and Marco Scutaro used to propel the team to titles in 2010 and 2012 respectively and for far less money.  Uribe wasn't even offered a major league contract in 2010 until after Spring Training and Scutaro was a mid-season trade. That is where you find intangibles. A player with talent, who is being overlooked and out to prove something.  When you give a player like that $60 million, they have nothing left to prove, and while Rowand worked tirelessly in the cages to be good, his intangibles weren't worth the contract.

So, as a result:

The First Rule of Giants Baseball is: You Do Not Offer 5+ Year Deals To Free Agents from Other Teams.

The Second Rule of Giants Baseball is: You Do Not....ok you get the reference.

2. The Matt Cain Rule.

The next step in the plan is to protect yourself from yourself. If you cannot sign other teams players to massive contracts, the massive contracts should go to the players you already trust. The players whose medical histories you've written yourself and whose coaches know all of their flaws and all of their quirks. Bottom line: If you are going to win or lose, you are going to know who you are going to win or lose with.

'Growing' your Own:
Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval are all home grown products that have been labeled as part of the present and future of the organization. All were given their 1st extension with the Giants well before their 4th year of arbitration, or in other words, 6th year in the Major Leagues. Matt Cain signed his extension in 2012, just before winning his 2nd World Series with the club, as did Buster Posey, signing his extension just before the start of the 2013 season.  This sets a baseline for all future contracts.

Before, agents for Cain and Lincecum could say to the organization: "If Zito is making $20 million a year, my client needs to be making at least $21 million"

Now, with Cain making the most money and Bumgarner locked in for 5 years, agents are limited in their leverage because the two best pitchers for the Giants aren't going anywhere and the Giants aren't looking for an 'Ace of the Staff.'

3. The Hunter Pence Rule
 

Earning your Money:
Angel Pagan, Marco Scutaro, Hunter Pence, Javier Lopez, Jeremy Affeldt, Ryan Vogelsong and Santiago Casilla, are all guys who have earned their 1st free agent contracts they signed with the Giants by playing with the Giants.  Because of what they did in a Giants uniform, they were given high priced contracts.

4. The Brandon Belt Effect.

Now let's fast forward to the end of the 2014 season. The Giants have just won their 3rd World Series...(ok sorry, just got excited.)

What the Giants have done is set themselves up for every future meeting with every future agency that comes into AT&T Park. Cain and Posey are your faces of the franchise. Bumgarner is locked in. Pence is now set up long term. Just with those Mt. Rushmore type pieces alone, you have leverage on every future starting pitcher and power bat. You can tell an agent that if their client wants to get more money than they are worth, they will need to find another club willing to pay it. 

So, if you are Brandon Belt, and you have struggled to find consistency at the plate throughout your 1st 2+ seasons and you see the way this organization is spending their money, here is what you can see.

A. The Giants have no issues at all spending money
B. The Giants are extremely reluctant to spend big money on a player they've never coached before.
C. The Giants will work with players who are inconsistent if they believe they are a part of their core.
D. 2013 proved that Brandon Belt is now officially a part of that core.
E. Core players don't leave.

So, whether it's Tim Lincecum re-signing for two years, despite 2 full seasons of ups and downs (more downs than ups)

Or, whether it's Sandoval or Belt not being traded the second they become tradeable/expendable (The Billy Beane Model)

If you are Sandoval, Belt, Sergio Romo or Brandon Crawford, you can see the light at the end of your contract, and you see that your next Major League contract will be with the San Francisco Giants.