Baseball

San Francisco Giants: Who Will Be Their Fifth Starter?

August 20, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Ryan Vogelsong (32, left) and catcher Buster Posey (28, right) talk to pitching coach Dave Righetti (33, center) against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at AT

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

After signing Tim Hudson to a two-year, $23 million deal, the San Francisco Giants have four proven starters on their roster. Matt Cain is their workhorse, Madison Bumgarner is the young ace, and Tim Lincecum is a fan favorite. Hudson is the new face in the starting rotation, but he’s also a proven pitcher who will provide some valuable veteran leadership to the starting pitching staff and clubhouse.

So what are the Giants’ options for their fifth starter? First of all, they could look outside the organization. The Giants have been tied to Ricky Nolasco, Dan Haren, Josh Johnson, and Bronson Arroyo. However, Nolasco is basically out of the running, because he’s seeking a four-year deal, which the Giants aren’t willing to give. Johnson is also out of the mix, because he just signed with the San Diego Padres.

That leaves Haren and Arroyo. The Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers are both reportedly interested in signing Haren, who struggled in late June and early July because of a shoulder injury but was excellent after returning from the DL.

Arroyo would be a great addition to this Giants starting pitching staff. Arroyo finished the 2013 season with a 3.79 ERA, but at AT&T Park, he had a 0.00 ERA in nine innings and a 0.60 ERA against the Giants last season. Arroyo has publicly said that he’d love to pitch in San Francisco, but the Giants haven’t extended him an offer.

The Giants also can look within the organization or to some familiar faces to fill the fifth starter spot. Ryan Vogelsong is one option. The Giants declined his $6.5 million option for the 2014 season, but according to numerous sources, both the Giants and Vogelsong’s agent are interested in discussing a deal to bring Vogelsong back. Vogelsong was a fan favorite and a beloved Giant, so Giants fans would love to see him back.

Vogelsong struggled for much of the beginning of the 2013 season, and then he suffered an unfortunate injury to his right hand right when he was starting to find his groove again. After returning from injury, he had issues with his velocity, his confidence, and his rhythm. However, he appeared to be close to re-gaining his dominant form later in the season.

Another option for the Giants is re-signing Chad Gaudin. Initially, the Giants brought on Gaudin last season to be their long reliever. When Vogelsong went down with his injury, Gaudin stepped into the starting rotation and proved to be a serviceable starter. In his 12 starts last season, he had a 3.53 ERA. Gaudin also served as a mentor to Lincecum and helped him transform into more of a cerebral pitcher. Gaudin was a great veteran to have in the clubhouse, so he’s a great option for the Giants.

One more option for the Giants within the organization is Yusmeiro Petit, who came within one strike of a perfect game last season. Petit started seven games for the Giants near the end of last season, and he finished with a 3.59 ERA and struck out 40 in 42.2 innings. Petit certainly made his case for why he deserves to start for the Giants this upcoming season.

The Giants also still have to find a left fielder or a first basemen, which would lead to moving Brandon Belt to left field. The Giants still have many areas to address in the offseason and many decisions to make on how they want to allocate their money towards addressing those needs.

Obviously, if the Giants want to save some money, it’d be easier to go with Vogelsong, Gaudin, or Petit. Brian Sabean has said that they are willing to spend extra money if they truly believe a free agent is worth the higher cost. Since it appears as if money is no issue, Haren and Arroyo must still be in the mix too. The Giants have many options for filling that last spot in the starting pitching rotation, so it’ll be interesting to see which option they choose.

Who Will Be the Starting Left Fielder for the San Francisco Giants in 2014?

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

After failing to make the playoffs just a year after winning the World Series, the San Francisco Giants have several areas that need to be addressed in the offseason. Most importantly, the Giants need to find a serviceable starting left fielder for next season.

Jun 14, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; San Francisco Giants left fielder Gregor Blanco (7) is greeted at the dugout by team mate left fielder Andres Torres (56) after a lead off home run against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants entered this season with a left-field platoon of Gregor Blanco and Andres Torres. When Angel Pagan got injured, these two players, who aren’t everyday players, were expected to start in both center field and left field. The Giants’ offense struggled in Pagan’s absence and they saw why they need to acquire a player who can play in left field every day.

Now that the Giants’ 2013 season is over and they’re officially in the offseason, which left fielders should they pursue in free agency? Who are some candidates for the starting left fielder for the Giants in the 2014 season?

Some players in the Giants organization that could start in left field are Blanco (who is eligible for arbitration), Juan Perez, Francisco Peguero and Roger Kieschnick. As mentioned before, the Giants saw that Blanco can’t hit consistently enough to be an everyday left fielder, but he will certainly earn some spot starts next season and could come into games as a defensive replacement.

Peguero and Kieschnick didn’t show enough this season to prove to the Giants that they can hit consistently at the major league level and Blanco is superior to both of them in terms of defense. Therefore, these two players don’t make much sense to start in left field. That leaves Perez. He has the greatest chance out of anyone in the Giants organization of becoming the starting left fielder.

Perez is extremely talented defensively. He can play all three outfield spots, and he has great range because of his speed. He also has a strong arm and can throw out anyone on the basepaths.

Jun. 9, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA: San Francisco Giants outfielder Juan Perez hits an RBI single in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Offensively, he struggled when he was called up the first time by the Giants, but he started to improve near the end of the season. In September, he hit .277 with one home run and five RBIs. Overall, he hit .333 with runners in scoring position, and he hit .333 against right-handed pitchers. If Perez continues to improve his hitting and has a strong spring training, he could possibly be the starting left fielder for the Giants.

One other possibility within the Giants organization is Brandon Belt. The Giants are one of many teams that are considering signing seven-time All-Star catcher Brian McCann. The Giants have discussed moving Buster Posey to first base for a long time, in order to preserve his health. By signing McCann, the Giants would officially move Posey to first base and move Belt to left field. Belt, defensively, is an elite first baseman and, if he gets moved to left field, hopefully his stellar defense would translate.

Outside of the Giants organization, here are some left fielders, or outfielders in general, the Giants could pursue in free agency, but who would probably come at a higher price than some others.

One possibility is Shin-Soo Choo, who is coming off of a fantastic 2013 season with the Cincinnati Reds when he hit .285 and had 21 home runs, 54 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, a .423 OBP and a .462 slugging percentage. He would be a great addition to this Giants team because he’s fast and he’d provide the Giants with a much-needed left-handed power bat. The 31-year-old might come at too high of a price though. His agent, Scott Boras, thinks Choo could command a multi-year deal worth $90 million to $100 million. The asking price might not be quite that high, but, regardless, Choo might be out of the Giants’ price range.

Sep 3, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds center fielder Shin-Soo Choo (17) prepares to bat during the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

Another outfielder the Giants could pursue, who might be a pricey signing, is Curtis Granderson. The 32-year-old has played center field for the majority of his career, but he will most likely move to a corner outfield spot in the coming seasons because of his age and recent troubles with injuries. He was injured for much of this past season and only played in 61 games. Like Choo, Granderson would also provide the Giants with a left-handed power bat. He had consecutive 40-plus home run seasons for the New York Yankees in 2011-12. Even if he did miss most of this past season, he will still probably command a large contract because of his serious power.

Here are a couple players the Giants could sign in a lower price range. The first option is David Murphy. Last season with the Texas Rangers, he hit .220, had 13 home runs, 45 RBI, had a .282 OBP and a .374 slugging percentage. However, he hit .291 in 2010, he hit .275 in 2011, and he hit .304 in 2012. He didn’t exactly have a compelling stat line in 2013, but he could be a great fit for the Giants. The 32-year-old could provide some speed and left-handed power and he’s an excellent left fielder defensively. In addition, he would come at a lower price than the two other previously mentioned free agents because he’s coming off a poor season.

Oct 8, 2013; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays left fielder David DeJesus (7) hits a RBI single during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox of game four of the American League divisional series at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Another option is David DeJesus. The 33-year-old is a versatile outfielder who can play all three outfield positions well. Last season, he played for the Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals and the Tampa Bay Rays and he hit .251, had eight home runs, 38 RBI, five stolen bases had a .327 OBP, and a .402 slugging percentage. His stat line isn’t super flashy, but he does a lot of things well. He’s versatile, he’s solid defensively, he can provide some speed and some power, he can hit for average, and he finds ways to get on base. He would be a great addition to the Giants.

The Giants have many options to find their starting left fielder for the 2014 season. They can look within the organization, whether that means starting Juan Perez or moving Belt to left field after signing someone like Brian McCann. They can also look at the free agent market and go for a big-name, high-price signing, such as Choo or Granderson. They could also sign a free agent at a lower cost, which would be more of a low risk move with the potential for a high reward. It’ll be interesting to see how the Giants decide to address this.

San Francisco Giants: Should They Sign Brian McCann?

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Buster Posey is the leader of the San Francisco Giants. He’s the face of the franchise and he’s their best position player. At 26, he is a two-time World Series champion, a two-time All-Star, the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year, the 2012 NL batting champion, and the 2012 NL MVP. Defensively, he’s caught a perfect game by Matt Cain, he’s caught a no-hitter by Tim Lincecum, and he’s been the catcher for an elite pitching staff that has helped the Giants win two World Series in the past three seasons.

Aug 13, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann (16) smiles during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports

According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports, the Giants are one of many teams considering signing seven-time All-Star Brian McCann this offseason. Of course, this report is purely speculative. This doesn’t mean the Giants will actually sign McCann, but Heyman mentions that the Giants will at least explore the idea.

So, why would the Giants even consider signing another catcher, when they have a superstar catcher in Posey? Well, there might be some sense to this craziness.

There are a few reasons why the Giants should sign McCann. First of all, McCann could provide the Giants with exactly what they’re missing. The Giants need a left-handed bat with power, which will be a hot commodity among many MLB teams this offseason. Last season, McCann hit .256 with 20 home runs and 57 RBI in 102 games. Belt’s emergence this season as a legitimate power threat is certainly helpful to the Giants, but having more left-handed power in addition to Belt’s power could be quite advantageous to the Giants.

Second, having McCann behind the plate would ensure Posey’s health and stability. By signing McCann, the Giants would have to move Posey to first base and Brandon Belt to left field. Would this be a smart move though?

Let’s start by examining Posey’s move to first base. Posey is one of the best catchers in all of MLB, but Bruce Bochy sometimes starts him at first base in order to preserve his health. Catcher is a physically grueling position to play, and since Posey suffered a serious injury to his ankle only a couple years ago, Bochy wanted to ensure Posey’s safety and health for the entirety of a season. The Giants have even discussed moving Posey to first base permanently later on in his career.

Jul 19, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28) throws out Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero (not pictured) during the fourth inning at AT

Posey has said publicly that he understands why it makes sense for the team and for himself to start at first base occassionally but that he wants to remain an everyday catcher in the future. He loves how cerebral the catcher position is, and, given how intelligent and thoughtful Posey is about baseball, it seems like the perfect position for him. However, the Giants might ultimately decide that Posey’s health is more important than his desire to catch.

Now let’s examine what moving Brandon Belt to left field would mean for the Giants. Belt is smart on defense and has great instincts, so he could play left field adequately but maybe not as effortlessly as he does at first base. Defensively, Belt is one of the best first basemen in the NL. It’s unclear if he could play left field as effectively as he plays first base over the course of a whole season.

McCann is an elite catcher, offensively and defensively. Not many teams would say no to a catcher of McCann’s caliber … but maybe the Giants should.

Moving Posey to first base or even third base eventually would make sense for Posey and the Giants. However, he’s still young and wants to catch. The Giants don’t want to upset their best player and the leader of their franchise. Not only does he want to catch, but he should catch. He’s an elite catcher, and he knows the pitching staff better than anyone. The pitching staff trusts him and knows that Posey will do whatever he can to help a pitcher and his team win. Posey is also a student of the game. He’s diligent in his scouting of the Giants’ opponents. Also, he’s fundamentally sound in his catching.

In addition, Belt is an elite first baseman, defensively. Belt is only 25, and he’ll certainly win many Gold Gloves in his career…if he stays at first base. Belt has already made several adjustments to his swing, which have propelled him towards reaching the immense amount of potential that he’s always had. The Giants shouldn’t force him to play a position where he’s not as comfortable, especially since he is just starting to become a complete player.

McCann is an incredible player. There are several arguments for why the Giants should sign him and for why the Giants shouldn’t sign him. Who knows if the Giants will actually pursue him, but the Giants will have to face some tough decisions if they think he’s worth signing.

Should the San Francisco Giants Sign Jose Abreu?
Jose Abreu # 79 of Cuba hits a solo home run in the fourth inning during the World Baseball Classic Second Round Pool 1 game between Cuba and the Netherlands at Tokyo Dome on March 11, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan. (March 10, 2013 - Source: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images AsiaPac)

Jose Abreu # 79 of Cuba hits a solo home run in the fourth inning during the World Baseball Classic Second Round Pool 1 game between Cuba and the Netherlands at Tokyo Dome on March 11, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan. (March 10, 2013 – Source: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images AsiaPac)

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Cuban first baseman Jose Abreu is considered one of the top international talents in baseball right now, and his power-hitting has drawn interest from many MLB teams. Abreu has officially been cleared to sign with a MLB team, and, apparently, the San Francisco Giants are the favorites to sign him.

Giants GM Brian Sabean and special assistant Felipe Alou scouted him in Dominican Republic, so they’re clearly interested in Abreu. The Giants are certainly intrigued by his power-hitting. In the Cuban National Series league, Abreu established himself as a 30-homer hitter, and he even flirted with a couple Triple Crowns.

During the World Baseball Classic in March, Abreu hit .360 with three homers and nine RBI’s in six games. The Giants could use his power bat in the middle of their lineup, especially since they finished second-to-last in the NL with total home runs in the 2013 season with 107.

Abreu’s strongest asset is his power. Defensively, he’s a little below average, he doesn’t have much speed, and he’s not known to be very patient at the plate. Abreu has also shown weaknesses in hitting inside pitches and hitting breaking balls.

He’s 6-foot-2 and 258 pounds and not super athletic. Scouts have said he’s trimmed down recently and has started to condition more though. However, since he’s not very athletic naturally, it’s unlike that he could be moved to third base or a corner outfield spot. This is especially troubling since that’s most likely the move the Giants would want to make if they signed him.

Brandon Belt had a breakout year this past season. He hit .289, and he had 17 home runs, 67 RBI’s, a .360 OBP, .481 slugging percentage, and a .841 OPS (ranked fourth among NL first basemen behind Paul Goldschmidt, Joey Votto, and Freddie Freeman). After making some adjustments to his swing, Belt started to live up to his immense potential.

Defensively, Belt is one of the best first basemen in the NL. He will win many Gold Gloves in his career…if he stays at first base. If the Giants signed Abreu, that would mean Belt would have to move to left field.

Belt is smart on defense and has great instincts, so he could play left field adequately but maybe not as effortlessly as he does at first base. It’s unclear if he could effectively play left field over the course of a whole season, and, as mentioned before, Abreu can pretty much only play at first base.

Abreu is just adequate defensively, so it would make more sense for the Giants to keep Belt at first base. Unfortunately, this means that the Giants probably can’t find a place for Abreu on their roster.

It might make the most sense for the Giants to stay away from Abreu for a few reasons. First of all, even though the Giants could use more power, they don’t necessarily need another right-handed, middle-of-the-order bat, especially after re-signing Hunter Pence.

Second, signing Abreu is going to require a hefty contract. Abreu will most likely command a larger deal than Yasiel Puig’s seven-year $42 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Some scouts have said that he could even land a $60 million deal, and he could possibly make $10 million per year. The Giants don’t need to add any more large contracts to their payroll, especially one for a player who might not fit in, defensively, with this team.

“I like him fine, but I wouldn’t sell the ranch to get him,” a scout with international expertise said. “The problem is, Cespedes and Puig can go 0-for-4 and they can still win you a game because they can run and throw. Abreu isn’t that guy. He’s more an Edgar Martinez-type. He has to hit or you’ve got nothing. He’s all bat.”

Third, although his power-hitting is intriguing, he still has plenty to work on, as mentioned before. He could become more diligent with his work habits and conditioning. Thankfully, he doesn’t have the same diva personality that Puig does. In fact, scouts say Abreu is more grounded and genuine.

There are many pros and cons to trying to sign Abreu. The Giants have to decide whether or not they’re comfortable with Belt moving to left field, and that will help clarify if they should sign Abreu or not. Abreu has an extremely high ceiling, but it could cost the Giants defensively if they decide to sign him.

San Francisco Giants: 2013 Season in Review

Sep 29, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28) thanks the fans after the final game of the season at AT

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

The San Francisco Giants had a rough season. Even though they brought back a very similar roster to the one that won the World Series last year, they failed to replicate another winning, successful season.

There are several reasons why the Giants had such a poor season. First of all, they were inconsistent. The starting pitching started off horribly, so the offense had to carry the team. Then, Angel Pagan went down with his hamstring injury, so the offense started struggling. By the time the team started playing good, all-around baseball again, it was too late. The Dodgers were winning so many games that they were almost unstoppable, and the Giants had dug themselves into too large of a hole in the standings.

Another reason why the Giants failed to make the playoffs was injuries. As mentioned before, Pagan’s injury significantly affected the Giants’ chances. Although Gregor Blanco had a couple solid months earlier in the season, he wasn’t able to make the impact the Giants needed at the leadoff spot. Neither did Andres Torres. Neither of these players were expected to either, given the fact that they came into the season forming a left-field platoon.

Ryan Vogelsong was also out for a significant amount of time with a broken hand. Vogelsong struggled to start out the season. He was starting to re-gain his form in a start against the Nationals on May 20th, and then he dislocated a joint in his pinky on his pitching hand when he was hit by a pitch.

Marco Scutaro has also dealt with a couple injuries throughout the season. He sustained tendon damage to his left pinkie finger on June 11th, and he has also dealt with a sore back and hip all season. Brandon Crawford, Buster Posey, and Pablo Sandoval have dealt with injuries too.

After making deep postseason runs in two of the past three seasons, it make sense why the Giants had so many injuries. Overly fatigued bodies are more susceptible to injury, so this must have been the reason why this Giants team had unfortunate luck in terms of injuries. In fact, Bruce Bochy pointed out that almost all of the Giants players who participated in the World Baseball Classic were injured at some point this season.

Injuries weren’t the only reason why the Giants struggled this season though. They lacked clutch hitting at times, they struggled on defense, and they had very little production from the leadoff spot. However, many of these things come back to the Giants’ team chemistry.

Jun 8, 2013; Phoenix AZ, USA; The San Francisco Giants base runner Hunter Pence (8) and team celebrate after Pence scored in the fourth inning against The Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Hilderbrand-USA TODAY Sports Images

They have some of the best team chemistry in all of MLB. This was evident when they won the World Series last season. When one person is doing well, many other players do well too. They feed off of each other’s energy, and they truly play for each other.

Unfortunately, the opposite is true too. When one player is slumping, whether it be on offense or on defense, other players end up struggling too. When the whole team is slumping, they start pressing. Each player wants to become the player who will break the team out of their slump. Then they put too much pressure on themselves, and their game starts to suffer even more. It becomes a vicious cycle, and it happened this season for the Giants. Their clutch hitting, defense, and consistency suffered because of this.

The San Francisco Giants finished the 2013 season with a record of 76-86. They tied for third place in the NL West, and they failed to make the playoffs after winning two World Series titles in the past three seasons.

Although this sounds like a disappointing season, the Giants actually finished off the season on a great note. The Giants won 10 of their last 15 games, and since August 24th, they went 20-14 to end the season.

The Giants had essentially been out of the playoff hunt since July or August, so this run doesn’t technically mean anything in terms of standings. However, this run is definitely significant.

The Giants will now have a longer offseason than they’re used to, which will give the whole team some much needed rest going into next season. Even though they’re facing a longer offseason, they will be able to carry some of the momentum they had during that run into next season. This is significant, because the Giants can go into the 2014 season with some confidence, instead of going into next season disappointed with the results of the 2013 season.

“This game was a great way to go into the offseason,” Hunter Pence said after he led the Giants to a walkoff win in the last game of the season. “One of the goals during the rough times was to dig a little deeper and find a way to get momentum again. I think we did that.”

After witnessing the Giants impressive run the end the season, it’s hard not to think about what could have been. How much did the Giants really miss Pagan? How much did Pagan’s absence really affect the Giants?

Apr 27, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants center fielder Angel Pagan (16) reacts after scoring during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

“He changes our club, no question about it,” Bochy said. “I think we’d be in a better situation than where we are.”

On the field, Pagan provides speed on the basepaths, he’s an effective leadoff hitter, he finds ways to get on base, he has some power, he’s an excellent hitter at AT&T Park, and he’s pretty good defensively. The Giants lacked some depth in the outfield this season, and they clearly missed his presence at the leadoff spot.

Off the field, Pagan is not just their leadoff hitter, but he is their sparkplug. He is the energy and the passion of this team. He could’ve potentially re-fueled the Giants on and off the field when they were collectively slumping.

Pagan injured himself after his inside-the-park home run on May 25th. The Giants truly started struggling in June and July, and they couldn’t recover from that. The Giants couldn’t have stopped the Dodgers’ incredible run, but it would’ve been interesting to see what the Giants could’ve accomplished if Pagan hadn’t gotten injured.

“We can all see right now that we’re a good team, a championship team,” Pagan said. “This year happened to be a tough one but that happens to every team. I think the most important thing is to reflect on the year and use it as motivation and look at what is happening now.”

There’s always next year for the Giants. In fact, they like winning championships in even-numbered years. Maybe 2014 is their year to get back to their winning ways.

A Giants’ Fan’s Perspective on the Dodgers Winning the Division

June 25, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp (27) speaks to San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28) following the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

The rivalry between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers is one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports. I came out of the womb as a Giants fan, so, from a young age, I’ve strongly disliked the Dodgers. Over the years, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly that comes with a rivalry like this.

This season’s rivalry with the Dodgers was bound to be a competitive one. The Giants entered this season having won two World Series titles in the past three years. Meanwhile, the Dodgers were off spending tons of money of any remotely talented player they could find, because that’s the only way they could try to win a World Series title. They couldn’t compete with the Giants’ chemistry, so they had to use their checkbook instead.

Before this season started, Brandon Belt was asked about the Dodgers’ big spending, and he responded in a way that caused a little bit of controversy.

“All I can say is, you can’t buy chemistry,” Belt said.

Matt Kemp of the Dodgers responded to Belt’s comments and fueled the rivalry even more.

“We really don’t care about what people say or how they feel…” Kemp said. “We’re going to be good. We just have to go out there and do our thing. So let them go out there and say what they want.”

This back-and-forth banter was actually quite ironic because the Giants have had a poor season, and the Dodgers won the NL West. It’s also ironic that the thing that made the Giants so successful these past few years and what Belt was referring to was one of the reasons why they struggled this year.

Besides fatigue, the Giants struggled this year because of their chemistry. They play for each other, and when one of them started struggling, others started struggling. Then when it became a team-wide slump, every single player wanted to be the one with the big hit with runners in scoring position, the one to make the big defensive play, or the one with a strong pitching performance that would turn things around for the team. Unfortunately, that never happened.

The Dodgers won the NL West not because of team chemistry, but because they have the largest payroll in MLB. They have the same philosophy that the New York Yankees and Miami Heat have. All of these teams spend the big bucks to get superstars or whatever big-name players are available, because they believe that it will lead to championships.

Although this philosophy works at times, it’s not the respectable way to win. The Giants won because of their team chemistry. That’s the right way to win.

Not only do the teams have different philosophies, they play different styles. The Giants play as a team and for the love of the game, and the Dodgers play for the spotlight and the fame. For example, they signed Brian Wilson, who’s the poster boy for chasing fame. Many Giants fans were crushed when news broke out that he had signed with the Dodgers.

Sep 24, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Brian Wilson (00) pitches the ball against the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning at AT

However, he’s not worth mourning over. Yes, he was a big part of the 2010 World Series team, but that’s in the past. He needs to be forgotten. The Giants don’t need that egocentric maniac.

To add even more fuel to the fire, when the Dodgers clinched the NL West at Chase Field, they decided to jump into the pool out in center field to “claim their territory” or for some other dumb reason. Thankfully, the fans had already left, so there weren’t any witnesses…besides several camera crews.

They knew that this incident would be played on SportsCenter and other sports shows, and this gesture showed who they really are. The Dodgers always want to be the center of attention. They’re a bunch of drama queens who feel entitled to fame. Just look at Yasiel Puig and all his drama and theatrics. That’s also exactly why Wilson immediately fit in.

At the end of the day, this incident isn’t really that significant. However, it was disrespectful, and it proved how cocky and arrogant the Dodgers really are. Again, this just shows a different team philosophy.

The Dodgers deserved to win the NL West, because even if it’s painfully obvious to say if your a Giants fan, they were the best team in the division. The Giants dealt with injuries and struggled all season, the San Diego Padres played like the Padres normally do, the Colorado Rockies started off strong but faded, and the Arizona Diamondbacks were never better than just mediocre.

With that being said, that doesn’t mean the Dodgers will win the World Series this year. They don’t play like a World Series team, and there are other teams in the National League that have more experience and are more suited for a championship run, like the St. Louis Cardinals, for example.

This also doesn’t mean that the Dodgers will win the NL West next year. The Padres certainly won’t be in contention, because they are still in re-building mode. The Rockies are so dependent on everyone being healthy, but their star players, such as Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, are injury-prone. The Diamondbacks could contend for the NL West title but most likely won’t win.

Next season’s NL West title will come down to the Giants and Dodgers. The rivalry will be better than ever, because both teams will have something to prove. The Dodgers will want to show why they’re reigning NL West champions. The Giants will want to prove that their World Series titles weren’t flukes, and that they are prepared to get back to the playoffs and win another World Series.

The Dodgers might have won the NL West this year, but I’m just going to sit here and enjoy my team’s two World Series titles in the past three years.