If as expected Fred Lewis and Nate Schierholtz are two pieces of the future Giant puzzle, the team has a problem. It may not be a whale of a problem, but unless said youngsters learn to hit major-league left-handed pitching consistently, it's going to be a platoon problem and a power problem.
Let's assume that Barry Bonds is gone in 2008. Barring trades, the Giants will have Dave Roberts, Randy Winn, Lewis and Schierholtz in their outfield rotation. Roberts has proven over his career he can't hit lefties. So what chances do you give Winn, Schierholtz and Lewis against Jeff Francis, Doug Davis, Randy Johnson, et al?
What the Giants need next year is right-handed power; not Pedro Feliz power, whose 20 home runs a year are about as meaningful as Vladimir Putin's commitment to democracy, but a couple legitimate everyday threats. Said threats are not about to emerge full-grown, Venus-like, from the clamshell of the Giants farm system. Unless Eddie Martinez-Esteve gets healthy and moves up the ladder fast, the nearest-term hope is Dan Ortmeier. Yep.
Here are a few options to fill the gaps between now and Angel Villalona:
1) Break the bank and sign Alex Rodriguez when he opts out of his contract. This will require at least $20 million a year for five years, perhaps more. A-Rod would move back to shortstop for a couple years, and when he slows down, to third or even first base. He would earn his keep, but between their commitments to A-Rod and Zito, would the Giants have any money left over to mow the outfield grass?
2) Get Troy Glaus. He has health problems. But he's only 30, he has a reasonable contract ($12.75 M in '08, $11.25 M player option in '09), and if he stays relatively healthy he'll hit 30+ home runs and get on base a lot. He's a third baseman but he can move to first to protect his back. His health is enough of a question mark, and the Jays are hungry enough for pitching, that the Giants might be able to dangle a non-Cain/Lincecum/Sanchez package. Unfortunately he has a full no-trade clause. Would he waive it to come back to the West Coast?
3) Buy low and hope for improvement. With his injuries and his poor strike-zone judgment, Rocco Baldelli may never pan out. But he also may be available for lesser talent. Without trading a top pitcher, could the Giants pry him loose from Tampa Bay? He's currently on the DL, where he seemingly has spent most of his career. But he'll be 26 in September, young enough and talented enough to risk a promising prospect or two. Baldelli for Kevin Correia: Is it a pipe dream? Would you do it? Would the Rays want more? (Along these lines, the Mets also might be willing to part with Lastings Milledge for deadline pitching help. With his injuries, his attitude, and his ho’riffic rap career, Milledge is currently in the "buy low" camp.)
4) Bite the bullet and trade a pitching stud. To get a player the caliber of Alex Rios, Miguel Cabrera, Jhonny Peralta, or another young star, the Giants would likely have to cough up Cain or Lincecum.
I don't recommend #4, but at a certain point something must be done. The Giants can be patient, but they cannot wait forever for their farm system to produce real hitters. You may squawk at the idea of going after injury-plagued or expensive veterans, but imagine this lineup on Opening Day 2008:
CF Roberts
LF Lewis
RF Winn
2B Durham
C Molina
SS Aurilia
1B Niekro
3B Frandsen
P Zito
You think the offense is hard to watch now? As they used to say in Brooklyn: wait until next year.
