n ADD SOME THUMP: The Giants' 94 home runs were the fewest since the 1993 expansion Florida Marlins. They'll seek to trade for a right-handed hitter with pull power — something they've lacked with consistency since Jeff Kent high-tailed it after the 2002 season.
FIND RELIEF: They'll spend free-agent dollars on proven setup men to improve a bullpen that "was not up to par talent-wise and performance wise," Sabean said. Their own arbitration-eligible arms (Tyler Walker, Kevin Correia, Jack Taschner, Brad Hennessey) are candidates to be cut loose. RESIST TRADING CAIN: It's hard to consummate a trade when every club is focused on prying away Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum. The Giants have to generate interest in their other players to swing a deal. UNEARTH PITCHING DEPTH: There's always a veteran reclamation project or two worth exploring. Could Mark Mulder rejoin Barry Zito on the other side of the Bay? STRIKE A BALANCE: With Fred Lewis, Nate Schierholtz and Dave Roberts, the Giants are awfully left-handed in the outfield. Lewis and Schierholtz are out of minor league options, and because Lewis is recovering from foot surgery, Schierholtz is the more likely trade chip. MEET THE NEW BOSS: Brian Sabean said he's curious about how the group dynamics might change under Bill Neukom: "That's one of the reasons we've had the continuity we've had. You've got to spend time. You've got to be around your people. When you're having a cup of coffee and something comes into your mind, you can walk down to somebody's office. So I'm looking forward to seeing how all that gets settled." — Andrew Baggarly, MediaNews staff
Font Resize
