MLB San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants Need Help In Left Field For Christmas

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By @real_johnshea

Ryan Ludwick

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco  Giants have seemingly adopted a stopgap approach to the 2015 season because, you know, it’s an odd year. The Giants have suffered the inevitable demise of World Series hangover on two occasions, and appear primed to do it a third time. Even though the orange and black have won three championships in five years, no NL team has won back-to-back titles since the Cincinnati Reds in 1975-1976.

On paper, the Giants aren’t as flashy as the arch-rival Los Angeles Dodgers or headline-snaring San Diego Padres, but that doesn’t mean San Francisco isn’t equally as capable (if not more) of claiming a playoff spot over one or both division foes in 2015. The Giants have remained stagnant in free agency, but not for a lack of trying.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Giants are having the worst offseason in the big leagues, but that short-sighted sentiment basically alludes to a lack of media buzz, and statistical evidence proves that hype doesn’t result in championships. Just ask the Dodgers.

The Giants have done what they needed to this offseason. They solidified their bullpen, which remains one of the best in baseball, with the re-addition of Sergio Romo, who signed a two-year, $15-million deal earlier this week. They also capped their rotation with fiery right-hander Jake Peavy, who excelled with the Giants down the stretch, posting a 6-4 record with a 2.17 ERA in 12 starts.

The Giants have also mitigated the loss of Pablo Sandoval to some degree, acquiring 2014 NL Comeback Player of the Year Casey McGehee from the Miami Marlins in exchange for a pair of minor league pitchers. The Giants remain less than complete, but have the opportunity to enter the ’15 season with greater depth than they had in 2014.

Bolstering the outfield now becomes GM Brian Sabean‘s top priority. At the moment, Gregor Blanco is slotted as the everyday left fielder. For defensive purposes, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the Giants can improve simply by adding a low-key free agent bat like Ryan Ludwick.

The addition of Ludwick wouldn’t send shockwaves around the league, but the 36-year-old veteran is capable of supplying the Giants with offense off the bench. He’s also an above-average fielder. Ludwick slashed a .244/.308/.375 batting line with 29 extra-base hits and 45 RBIs in 400 plate appearances for the Reds in 2014.

He’s a solid outfield option despite flying under the radar; and this potential move has Sabean written all over it.

John Shea is an MLB writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @real_johnshea. Like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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