Overall pitching comments:
1. Giants pitchers gave up the fewest HRs in MLB last year.
2. Giants had the second best FIP (Fielding, independent Pitching; basically a measure of limiting HRs, HBPs, BBs and getting strikeouts) in the majors last year).
3. Giants pitchers had the 8th best SO/BB ratio in the majors.
4. In 2021, the Giants ranked 8th in fielding. In 2022, the Giants ranked 29th. It hugely affected pitching performance.
5. Giants had 2nd best ERA in 2021, but 13th best in 2022. Also had 17th best WHIP
Starting pitching: Losing Rodon sucks. We get DeSclefani back. Webb just keeps improving, Stripling was 10-4 with 3.01 ERA. Our first three will be very strong, I think. Cobb was about league average ERA/WHIP, he's fine at #4. Depends on which Manaea shows up. Manaea himself said his preparation for starts has been terrible, and he's going with the Giants because of the great coaching staff. Maybe he's the #5. If the 2021 Wood shows up, great for the Giants. If it's the 2022 Wood, he's a long reliever at best. Junis & Hjelle round it out. Who knows when Harrison arrives?
Relief pitching: 2021 pitching was much stronger. Almost every pitcher did better ERA/WHIP wise. Littell, Garcia, Leone were superb in 2021, marginal in 2022. Tyler and Taylor Rogers should be really strong. Cole Waites, Scott Alexander and Szapucki pitched well, they're still on the 40-man roster
Batting:
DH Pederson will do great as DH.
C Bart was anemic at .660 OPS, 112 Ks in 291 ABs. Bailey won the overall GG in the minors. Giants looking at Casali again (.696 OPS)
3B: Villar and Davis looked really strong, .787 and .857 OPS. Not a great fielder. Does Schmitt and his minor league Gold Glove make it this year? I don't think Longoria comes back.
SS: Crawford had 16 errors in 118 games and a .652 OPS. Ouch. Don't think Correa will end up with the Giants, not sure where he will end up.
1B: Flores, .710 OPS, Belt .676. No great FA options, maybe Duvall.
OF: Slater at .774 OPS was leader, Yaz at .697 OPS. Wade was .665, big dropoff from 2021. Conforto and Haniger would have to make significant comebacks. They were awesome in the past.
Overall batting comments: the Giants were 11th in runs scored and 12th in HRs out of 30 teams. They were 6th in most walks, but 5th in most strikeouts. Not horrible, but definitely room for improvement. They were the second oldest team last year, but 1st was Yankees, 3rd was Mets, 4th was Dodgers. So, not too worried about age.
Fielding breakdown by position, using rTot and Rdrs for pitchers (2021 rank in parentheses)
Pitching staff was ranked dead last of 30 teams in the majors (12)
Giants had 24th worst fielding catching staff of 30 MLB teams (1. No kidding, the Giants had the best catching staff in baseball in 2021, with Posey et al)
Giants outfielders collectively ranked 24th. By position, it was 26th in right field, 11th in center field, and 24th in LF.
Dead last at 1B (15)
29th at 2B (18)
28th at SS. BTW, the Twins, with Correa, were 18th. (11)
24th at 3B (16)
Conclusions:
1. Really hope the Giants work on fielding in spring training. They need it desperately.
2. Losing Posey really hurt.
3. I suspect losing Ron Wotus in 2022 really hurt, as he positioned the defense.
4. Losing Donnie Ecker, hitting coach in 2021 really hurt. All the starters had career years in 2021 except Longoria who had his second best year. The Rangers went from 28th in hitting to 11th after he joined them.
5. Losing Ethan Katz as pitching coach in 2021 hurt. White Sox went from 26th to 11th in runs allowed per game after he took over.
1. Giants pitchers gave up the fewest HRs in MLB last year.
2. Giants had the second best FIP (Fielding, independent Pitching; basically a measure of limiting HRs, HBPs, BBs and getting strikeouts) in the majors last year).
3. Giants pitchers had the 8th best SO/BB ratio in the majors.
4. In 2021, the Giants ranked 8th in fielding. In 2022, the Giants ranked 29th. It hugely affected pitching performance.
5. Giants had 2nd best ERA in 2021, but 13th best in 2022. Also had 17th best WHIP
Starting pitching: Losing Rodon sucks. We get DeSclefani back. Webb just keeps improving, Stripling was 10-4 with 3.01 ERA. Our first three will be very strong, I think. Cobb was about league average ERA/WHIP, he's fine at #4. Depends on which Manaea shows up. Manaea himself said his preparation for starts has been terrible, and he's going with the Giants because of the great coaching staff. Maybe he's the #5. If the 2021 Wood shows up, great for the Giants. If it's the 2022 Wood, he's a long reliever at best. Junis & Hjelle round it out. Who knows when Harrison arrives?
Relief pitching: 2021 pitching was much stronger. Almost every pitcher did better ERA/WHIP wise. Littell, Garcia, Leone were superb in 2021, marginal in 2022. Tyler and Taylor Rogers should be really strong. Cole Waites, Scott Alexander and Szapucki pitched well, they're still on the 40-man roster
Batting:
DH Pederson will do great as DH.
C Bart was anemic at .660 OPS, 112 Ks in 291 ABs. Bailey won the overall GG in the minors. Giants looking at Casali again (.696 OPS)
3B: Villar and Davis looked really strong, .787 and .857 OPS. Not a great fielder. Does Schmitt and his minor league Gold Glove make it this year? I don't think Longoria comes back.
SS: Crawford had 16 errors in 118 games and a .652 OPS. Ouch. Don't think Correa will end up with the Giants, not sure where he will end up.
1B: Flores, .710 OPS, Belt .676. No great FA options, maybe Duvall.
OF: Slater at .774 OPS was leader, Yaz at .697 OPS. Wade was .665, big dropoff from 2021. Conforto and Haniger would have to make significant comebacks. They were awesome in the past.
Overall batting comments: the Giants were 11th in runs scored and 12th in HRs out of 30 teams. They were 6th in most walks, but 5th in most strikeouts. Not horrible, but definitely room for improvement. They were the second oldest team last year, but 1st was Yankees, 3rd was Mets, 4th was Dodgers. So, not too worried about age.
Fielding breakdown by position, using rTot and Rdrs for pitchers (2021 rank in parentheses)
Pitching staff was ranked dead last of 30 teams in the majors (12)
Giants had 24th worst fielding catching staff of 30 MLB teams (1. No kidding, the Giants had the best catching staff in baseball in 2021, with Posey et al)
Giants outfielders collectively ranked 24th. By position, it was 26th in right field, 11th in center field, and 24th in LF.
Dead last at 1B (15)
29th at 2B (18)
28th at SS. BTW, the Twins, with Correa, were 18th. (11)
24th at 3B (16)
Conclusions:
1. Really hope the Giants work on fielding in spring training. They need it desperately.
2. Losing Posey really hurt.
3. I suspect losing Ron Wotus in 2022 really hurt, as he positioned the defense.
4. Losing Donnie Ecker, hitting coach in 2021 really hurt. All the starters had career years in 2021 except Longoria who had his second best year. The Rangers went from 28th in hitting to 11th after he joined them.
5. Losing Ethan Katz as pitching coach in 2021 hurt. White Sox went from 26th to 11th in runs allowed per game after he took over.
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