01-05-2007, 02:27 PM
what are your expectations? strenghts? weaknesses? what's on the horizon?
For the Giants, it's all gonna be about the starting pitching. Will Zito do what he's always done, will cain continue to improve, and will morris and lowry stay healthy? If those guys stay consistent, they could combine to win 55-65 games, even with the poor hitting. Speaking of the hitting, that and the bullpen are our 2 glaring weaknesses. There are a few good hitters, but will Bonds and Durham stay healthy and hit like last year? i say no. As for the Pen, we have a 2-3 good young arms in correia, wilson and sanchez (if he isn't the 5th starter). Correia has the best breaking stuff of the 3 and is the most far along. I would make him the closer, but i don't see it happening. I just have no clue as to where sanchez will be and what kind of workload wilson can/will take on. I'd like to see the top of the lineup (roberts, vizquel) set the table for the "big guys," but will aurilia be our glaring hole in the 3rd spot? probably, as will that awful signing, ryan klesko.
Within a year we have only one top notch prospect who could see the big leagues, tim lincecum. If he doesn't make it up in september, (or earlier because of injuries) expect to see him starting in 2008. Also, this season the Giants have an important draft. Last year was the first year in awhile where we've had a 1st rd. pick, this year sabean has something like 4 of them, so it'll be important to be smart and draft pitching. Also, we have a lot of expiring contracts, so if ownership doesn't want to sign a big name at the end of the season, i'm hoping they'll save the money or the 2008 offseason when miguel cabrera becomes available.
As for my predicitions; i could honestly see us winning the division, but with the weakness of the NL and the West division, i expect us to be battling the rest of the mediocrity for the division and the wild card at the same time. I'm hoping for at least 85 wins.
For the Giants, it's all gonna be about the starting pitching. Will Zito do what he's always done, will cain continue to improve, and will morris and lowry stay healthy? If those guys stay consistent, they could combine to win 55-65 games, even with the poor hitting. Speaking of the hitting, that and the bullpen are our 2 glaring weaknesses. There are a few good hitters, but will Bonds and Durham stay healthy and hit like last year? i say no. As for the Pen, we have a 2-3 good young arms in correia, wilson and sanchez (if he isn't the 5th starter). Correia has the best breaking stuff of the 3 and is the most far along. I would make him the closer, but i don't see it happening. I just have no clue as to where sanchez will be and what kind of workload wilson can/will take on. I'd like to see the top of the lineup (roberts, vizquel) set the table for the "big guys," but will aurilia be our glaring hole in the 3rd spot? probably, as will that awful signing, ryan klesko.
Within a year we have only one top notch prospect who could see the big leagues, tim lincecum. If he doesn't make it up in september, (or earlier because of injuries) expect to see him starting in 2008. Also, this season the Giants have an important draft. Last year was the first year in awhile where we've had a 1st rd. pick, this year sabean has something like 4 of them, so it'll be important to be smart and draft pitching. Also, we have a lot of expiring contracts, so if ownership doesn't want to sign a big name at the end of the season, i'm hoping they'll save the money or the 2008 offseason when miguel cabrera becomes available.
As for my predicitions; i could honestly see us winning the division, but with the weakness of the NL and the West division, i expect us to be battling the rest of the mediocrity for the division and the wild card at the same time. I'm hoping for at least 85 wins.