This is part of a 30-article series looking at each team’s depth chart headed into spring training.
San Francisco Giants
Rotation
1. Tim Lincecum
2. Matt Cain
3. Barry Zito
4. Jonathan Sanchez
5. Madison Bumgarner
6. Joe Martinez
7. Kevin Pucetas
8. Henry Sosa
9. Clayton Tanner
10. Steve Johnson
11. Craig Clark
While the concept of Bumgarner in the rotation to begin the season is pretty exciting, I think the Giants need to go out and get themselves a fifth starter, simply because they have so little depth. Martinez is a borderline major leaguer as a swingman, and none of the prospects are great bets. Pucetas is the only Triple-A veteran who would seem to be an option, and he had a 5.04 ERA for Fresno last year.
Bullpen
1. Brian Wilson
2. Jeremy Affeldt
3. Sergio Romo
4. Dan Runzler
5. Brandon Medders
6. Waldis Joaquin
7. Joe Martinez
8. Santiago Casilla
9. Alex Hinshaw
10. Madison Bumgarner
11. Kevin Pucetas
12. Steve Johnson
13. Denny Bautista
14. Osiris Matos
15. Eric Hacker
16. Steve Edlefsen
The bullpen should have five locks, and Joaquin will be able to nail down a spot with a strong spring. I liked the Casilla signing, but he’ll be left out if the team carries a second lefty along with Affeldt. The idea of having Bumgarner pitch out of the pen initially hasn’t been dismissed.
Catcher
1. Bengie Molina
2. Eli Whiteside
3. Buster Posey
4. Steve Holm
First base
1. Aubrey Huff
2. Pablo Sandoval
3. Travis Ishikawa
4. John Bowker
5. Brett Pill
Second base
1. Freddy Sanchez
2. Juan Uribe
3. Eugenio Velez
4. Kevin Frandsen
5. Mark DeRosa
6. Emmanuel Burriss
7. Matt Downs
8. Ryan Rohlinger
Third base
1. Pablo Sandoval
2. Juan Uribe
3. Mark DeRosa
4. Matt Downs
5. Ryan Rohlinger
6. Kevin Frandsen
7. Conor Gillaspie
Shortstop
1. Edgar Renteria
2. Juan Uribe
3. Emmanuel Burriss
The Giants have 15 infielders (non-catchers) on the 40-man roster, if one counts DeRosa, Velez and Bowker. And now there’s talk of maybe giving Posey time at other positions.
It seems pretty clear that Frandsen, Downs and Rohlinger have no real future in the organization. The Giants, though, will probably keep one of them if Sanchez has to open the year on the DL.
Left field
1. Mark DeRosa
2. Andres Torres
3. Eugenio Velez
4. Fred Lewis
5. John Bowker
Center field
1. Aaron Rowand
2. Andres Torres
3. Eugenio Velez
4. Darren Ford
Right field
1. Nate Schierholtz
2. John Bowker
3. Fred Lewis
4. Andres Torres
5. Eugenio Velez
Right field is still a question mark. Schierholtz is supposed to be the favorite for the job. Bowker would likely outproduce him, but not by enough of a margin to make up for the difference in defense. Lewis could also factor in somehow, but I think he’ll end up as another team’s fourth outfielder by Opening Day.
Here’s my guess at the lineup and bench:
CF Rowand
2B Sanchez
3B Sandoval
1B Huff
LF DeRosa
C Molina
SS Renteria
RF Schierholtz
Uribe
Torres
Velez
Whiteside
Bowker
