Fantasy Baseball 2013: San Francisco Giants Season Preview

By Corey March
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

The World Series was won by the San Francisco Giants thanks to pitching and timely hitting. San Francisco had exactly the right formula to win in the post-season with dominant starting pitching and an efficient lineup that had a veteran, team-first mentality. The Giants will attempt to repeat as champions but the task will be difficult with a target squarely on their back. Luckily for San Francisco, they feature the same lineup and rotation that captured the dream in 2012. This team is made up of several intriguing offensive fantasy baseball players but is highlighted by their elite pitchers.

The name to begin the discussion with is reining National League MVP, Buster Posey. After a solid start, Posey exploded in the second-half, batting .385 with 14 homers and 60 RBIs after the all-star break. He was truly the spark that ignited San Francisco to leap from six games over .500 at the break to 26 games over the mark and an NL West title. Posey separated himself as the top fantasy catcher and projects as one of the top overall offensive players.

Pedro Sandoval put forth one of the greatest individual World Series performances by hitting three home runs and setting the tone for the series in game one. Sandoval battled through injuries and conditioning concerns throughout the season but showed up in a big way on the biggest stage. After a tremendous 2011 season, Sandoval’s average fell below the .300 mark and his home run total dropped to 12. The Giants have expressed issues over Sandoval’s weight again in camp. He will be a key bat in the middle of the lineup so his weight and its impact on his health are a major concern.

San Francisco managed to maintain several key players from their championship roster. Hunter Pence, Angel Pagan and World Series hero, Marco Scutaro will all be back at the top half of the lineup that ranked fifth in the league in average and 12th in runs. Only Pence is a worthwhile fantasy option to start the season, projecting as a number three outfielder.

Without the flashy lineup to stack up against many juggernaut offenses around the league, San Francisco relies heavily on their pitching to win ballgames. They are marked by home grown stars in Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum as well as diamond-in-the-rough Ryan Vogelsong. It is remarkable how well San Francisco recognizes and develops pitching talent. It would not be surprising to hear any or all of those four names discussed among Cy Young candidates at season’s end.

After distinguishing himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, Lincecum struggled mightily in 2012. He pitched to a 5.18 ERA and was relegated to the bullpen during the playoffs. He pitched well during their playoff run which is a positive sign but missing most of spring training with a blister causes him to remain an enigma to fantasy owners. He should have a bounce back season but expectations should be limited until he proves that he’s the Lincecum of old.

San Francisco’s top five fantasy hitters: 1. Buster Posey, 2. Pedro Sandoval, 3. Hunter Pence, 4. Brandon Belt, 5. Angel Pagan

San Francisco’s top three fantasy pitchers: 1. Matt Cain, 2. Madison Bumgarner, 3. Ryan Vogelsong.

San Francisco projected record: 83-79

Stay tuned over the next month while I preview one team each day in preparation for the 2013 baseball season.

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