San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants: Why Fans Need to Get Over Brian Wilson

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Many San Francisco Giants fans were crushed when news broke out that former closer Brian Wilson had signed with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. Wilson was a hero for the Giants during their 2010 postseason run, but he was not a part of their 2012 World Series win.

He had Tommy John surgery in April 2012, and at the end of the season, the Giants didn’t tender him a contract. The Giants would’ve had to pay him about $6.5 million, which would’ve been a considerable amount given the uncertainty of his health after such a serious surgery.

Oct 11, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson walks off the field after defeating the Cincinnati Reds to win the 2012 NLDS at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

He hadn’t signed with another team in 2013, because he was rehabbing in Hawaii for a while. Also, many executives were more concerned about his “act” or attitude than if his arm would return to full strength.

After pitching in a private session with Dave Righetti and then in two open tryouts this past Thursday and Saturday, Wilson was hoping to sign with a contender for the remainder of the season, in order to try to sign a longer contract in the offseason.

By signing a contract for just six to eight weeks with the Dodgers, his “act” is less of a concern to executives. However, he probably enjoys being in the spotlight again. The added publicity he will get by joining his former team’s rival has got to please him too.

Instead of reliving the past and being mad at Wilson, Giants fans need to get over him. They need to move on from Wilson, not just because he didn’t re-sign with the Giants, but also because he’s not worth mourning over.

Yes, Wilson had some incredible performances for the Giants in 2010. He had a 1.81 ERA, 48 saves, and 93 strikeouts in 74.2 innings. In the postseason in 2010, he had a 0.00 ERA, 6 saves, and 16 strikeouts in 11.2 innings. Giants fans can commend him for his stellar performances in 2010, but they should get over him because of his personality and actions off the field.

It started with the beard. Wilson decided to grow out a beard during the 2010 season and said he wouldn’t shave it until the Giants won the World Series. He also was dyeing it, which made him look especially radical. This was the beginning of the media craze for Wilson.

Even today, Wilson continues to have the full-bodied, ridiculous beard. He can’t let go of the beard, and doesn’t want to let go of it, because he knows the beard is what distinguishes him from other baseball players and gives him more attention in the media. The beard was a funny, marketable “act” by Wilson in the past. Now, it’s just another example of how he wants to hold on to anything that will keep him in the spotlight and keep him relevant. It’s quite sad and idiotic, to be honest.

He also loved being on TV, of course, so he could showcase how cool he was. He had his own reality TV show called “Life of Brian,” which seemed very contrived. Big surprise.

It was clear that Wilson enjoyed the spotlight and would do anything to stay in it. For example, he also wore a sea captain costume on The George Lopez show. This was the point where his antics started becoming concerning, in the sense that he was clearly focused on chasing fame.

Then there was “The Machine.” On an episode of The Cheap Seats, Wilson had a man, called the “Machine,” walk behind him in leather fetish apparel. Not only was this bizarre and slightly creepy, it was just annoyingly dumb. Wilson was more focused on trying to be funny and getting attention than talking about baseball.

One of the last straws for his insanity was when he wore the famous spandex tuxedo to the 2011 ESPY Awards. His outfit went a little beyond the border of eccentric and into the territory of insanity. This was no longer a funny “act” for Wilson. He started living this selfish, media-hungry lifestyle, and this was the beginning of the end for Wilson and his credibility as a MLB closer.

Also in July 2011, he showed more than just an intensity, but, instead, a lack of anger management and professionalism. Wilson blew a save against the Detroit Tigers, and, once he got back to the dugout, he threw a Gatorade cooler in frustration. It didn’t stop there though. He then proceeded to take a bat and hit the cooler repeatedly and forcefully. Athletes are allowed to take their anger out while playing their respective sport, but reaching a destructive level is wildly unprofessional.

In another display of his unprofessionalism, Wilson lied to the team in 2012 when he injured his elbow. At the beginning of the 2012 season in a game against the Colorado Rockies, Wilson didn’t want to leave a game after he knew he injured his elbow, so, instead, he told the training staff that he turned his ankle and was fine.

Sep 28, 2011; San Francisco CA, USA; San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Brian Wilson (38) in the dugout during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at AT

Pitchers have lied before about their health so they can continue to contribute to their team, but, often, they become a detriment. Wilson chose to lie in order to protect his image and his place on the team. Sergio Romo had shown his dominance in a late-inning role, so Wilson had to protect his job and his potential loss of fame.

While rehabbing from surgery, he decided to stay with the team as much as possible. This wasn’t necessarily an act of consideration towards his teammates; it was an opportunity to get more of the spotlight. Even though he wasn’t pitching, the media loved showing him during games and how “hilarious” he was.

“That guy’s got one hell of an act, man,” Dennis Eckersley once said about Wilson.

Wilson has always been focused on himself and his “act.” At the beginning of this season, the Giants invited him to their World Series ring ceremony, but Wilson never responded to them. He clearly was still bitter about them not tendering his contract.

Besides that though, as an adult, he should’ve been able to put his childish feelings aside and celebrate with his ex-teammates. As an athlete, he should’ve respected the fans and their passion by showing up. On the other hand, the ring ceremony was celebrating what the Giants had accomplished in 2012, without him. Since the ceremony was not completely centered around him, it makes sense why he didn’t care to attend or even respond.

Wilson was most likely scripted while tweeting how grateful he was to the Giants fans after he signed with the Dodgers. He claims they made a significant impact on his life, yet, he hadn’t publicly acknowledged them in a long time. How ironic.

The Giants monitored his progress during this season, but there never seemed to be a great amount of interest in bringing him back. The scouts that attended his tryouts said he had fairly good command of his pitches, and he was topping out at 94 MPH. Given these positive comments, there must’ve been a reason why the Giants did not extend Wilson an offer. The Giants simply don’t need his drama.

On the field, he was incredible for the Giants in 2010. He will always be remembered as closing the game that brought the Giants their first World Series since 1954.

However, the Giants have moved on. It makes sense why the they would much rather have Buster Posey, a gracious and humble role model, representing them as the face of the franchise instead of Wilson, an egocentric maniac.

Now it’s time for Giants fans to move on too.

San Francisco Giants: Are Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean Given Too Much Credit?

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

After winning two World Series titles in the past three years, the San Francisco Giants are having a disappointing 2013 season. The Giants are seeing why it is so difficult for reigning World Series champions to win the World Series again the next year.

In 2011, the Giants had an excuse for why they weren’t able to repeat as champions. Buster Posey suffered a gruesome left ankle injury in May of 2011 and was out for the rest of the season.

This season though, the Giants have an almost identical roster as last season’s championship team. Yes, there have been some injuries to key players such as Angel Pagan and Ryan Vogelsong, but this isn’t the main reason why the Giants are struggling.

Jul 23, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Giants infield players watch as San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Sergio Romo (54) warms up during the eighth inning in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds at AT

The Giants have been inconsistent all season. Right now, they are consistently bad. They are a season-high 12 games below .500 and have a 46-58 record. They also are 10 games out of first place and fifth in the NL West.

So have Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean been given too much credit for constructing and developing this team that’s played so horrible this season?

The simple answer is no. Despite the team’s struggles this season, Bochy and Sabean have found the winning formula. The team just hasn’t displayed it this season.

The Giants have done so well in the past few seasons because they have followed the general formula for success in baseball: pitching wins championships. The Giants have had stellar starting pitching and relief pitching the past few seasons.

With quality pitching, it takes some pressure off the offense, because it allows hitters to play more naturally and not grind too hard to get hits. If the starting pitcher is struggling, players feel more pressure on defense too to limit the damage the starter caused.

The Giants haven’t been known for their high-powered offense in the past couple seasons, so their starting pitching carried them. If the Giants were only able to score a run or two, they knew they could still win the game behind a quality outing from their starter.

This hasn’t been the case for the Giants this season though. Bochy and Sabean brought back the same starting rotation from last season’s World Series run: Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito, and Vogelsong.

Cain has struggled with command all season, and he’s supposedly not dealing with any hidden injuries. Bumgarner has been the most consistent starter. Lincecum, despite throwing a no-hitter recently, has also been inconsistent, even though he has been pitching better in the past couple months. Zito has been good at home, but, on the road, he is a completely different pitcher with a sky-high ERA. Vogelsong has been out with a right hand injury since May, but he started to show improvements in his command in the start where he got injured.

There’s no way that Bochy and Sabean could’ve predicted these types of struggles. In fact, no one predicted that Cain would be as inconsistent as he’s been. Lincecum and Zito’s struggles might have been predictable, but Bochy and Sabean weren’t going to trade them or demote them after some incredible pitching performances in last season’s playoffs. Of course, Vogelsong’s injury couldn’t have been predicted either.

Because of the inconsistent starting pitching, the Giants’ offense has felt more pressure to score more runs, especially recently. In the month of July, the Giants are hitting .230, which ranks last in the NL. Posey has had a fantastic season so far, but as of now, he hasn’t gotten a hit in his last 18 at-bats.

Apr 27, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy (15) prior to the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Defensively, the Giants are one of the worst teams in the league, which probably can be connected to the team’s poor starting pitching, as mentioned before. The Giants have 76 errors so far this season, which ranks second-to-last in all of MLB.

Given all these problems, some fans have criticized Sabean for not being active enough at the trade deadline. Right now, with the Giants struggling as much as they are, they don’t even really have the option to be buyers. The Giants haven’t been playing well enough to be able to score a deal (other teams could be wary of the Giants’ struggles or raise the price due to their desperation).

Some fans say that the Giants need to be sellers at the trade deadline. This past homestand was a key part of the Giants’ schedule, and they went 3-7. This might be the time that Sabean should concede the season and starting building for next season.

With Lincecum and Zito becoming free agents at the end of this season (Vogelsong has a team option for next season), the Giants need to address their need for a starting pitcher soon. The Giants don’t have many starting pitching prospects in AAA, so perhaps they can start selling some players, such as Hunter Pence or Javier Lopez, in order to start re-building their starting pitching rotation.

Sabean has been questioned for some trades in the past, but in the past few years, he’s made several key trades that have allowed the Giants to be as successful as they have been. In 2010, he brought in players such as Aubrey Huff, Pat Burrell, Cody Ross, Andres Torres, Juan Uribe, and Lopez. Even though these players were outcasts and misfits, Bochy believed in them and put them in a position to succeed.

In 2012, Sabean brought in Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro. Bochy again made it possible for his players to succeed by putting them in new roles and constantly encouraging and believing in them. For example, he made Sergio Romo the closer, used Lincecum out of the bullpen, and stuck by his young players, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford, despite some struggles at the plate.

Even though the Giants have had a disappointing season, it does not mean that Bochy and Sabean have been given too much credit for this team’s past success. They were the two masterminds behind constructing teams who won two World Series titles. The Giants have won two World Series titles in three years for a reason, and both Bochy and Sabean have played key roles.

San Francisco Giants: The Evolution of Tim Lincecum

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

During his career with the San Francisco Giants, Tim Lincecum has experienced many highs and lows. Lincecum is a two-time Cy Young Award winner, a four-time All-Star, three-time NL strikeout champion and a two-time World Series champion. He’s certainly accomplished a lot since he made his major-league debut with the Giants in 2007.

(Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle)

However, despite his pure dominance during his first few years in the major leagues, Lincecum has struggled in the past couple years. He showed his first signs of struggling in August 2010 when he had a 7.82 ERA. In 2012, Lincecum struggled all year with his command and finished with a 5.18 ERA. However, in the postseason last year, he reverted back to his dominant ways as a reliever.

He came into this season with a new attitude and wanted a fresh start. He’s seemed more focused and has had to make several adjustments to his pitching, given his recent struggles.

The biggest adjustment Lincecum has had to make is becoming more of a cerebral pitcher, since he’s no longer the same power pitcher he used to be. He’s more of a complete pitcher now who can locate his pitches and pitch according to who he faces. He’s not just an incredible athlete anymore who can solely rely on his freaky delivery and pitches to get hitters out.

Back in his Cy Young Award days, Lincecum dominated using his fastball and his split, or his changeup. His mid-90s MPH fastball, his mid-80s MPH change-up and his freakish delivery were enough to confuse and baffle his opponents.

His fastball is now 89-92 MPH, and his change-up is about the same speed as it was before. Given this smaller speed differential, players are now able to hit his fastball more, which is one of the reasons why he struggled so much in 2012. Players had figured out his funky delivery, and he wasn’t as unpredictable and hard to hit.

Because of the adjustment that hitters have made against him, Lincecum now uses and executes four pitches: fastball, change-up, curveball, and slider. Lincecum has found a way to still dominate without the mid-90’s fastball he used to have, but his high strikeout totals still show signs of the power pitcher he used to be.

“I’m evolving as a pitcher,” Lincecum said. “…I’m not necessarily throwing fastball-split like I used to. I’m learning how to pitch with what I’ve got. That might mean more change-ups or sliders that day or curveballs. I think I’ve got to get back to trusting what I have that day and that’s been kind of a turning point to getting out of these bad innings. That’s the key. It’s a real mental, mental game.”


San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum stymied the Texas Rangers offense, giving up only one run over 8 innings to earn the win in Game 5 of the 2010 World Series. © Ron Vesely/MLB Photos

In order to become more of a cerebral pitcher, Lincecum has also learned more about the importance of situational pitching, scouting reports, and finding a rhythm with a catcher. Lincecum used to just throw the pitches that he trusted the most that night, not necessarily what pitch was right for the situation. He’s learned the importance of scouting reports and not just focusing on executing his pitches. He also knows to discuss this scouting report with his catcher so they can be on the same page throughout the game.

“I’ve been studying my hitters a little bit better,” Lincecum said. “That kind of alleviates any pressure to wonder if this is the pitch that they’re looking for. So I go out there with more of a clear mind and when you’re on the same page as your catcher, he kind of knows what you want to go to. So you’re not constantly wondering ‘is this what we want.’ You know that’s what you want and you’re just waiting for him to put it down.”

Lincecum has also struggled with his confidence over the years. In the early years of his career, he was confident with his pitches, his delivery, and his command.

His confidence looked shaken at several points during the 2012 season. Lincecum would start to fall apart in the fifth or sixth inning, partially due to him facing the opposing team’s lineup for the third time around, but also because he had trouble making adjustments to his approach. He hadn’t completed his conversion to more of a cerebral pitcher yet.

In 2013, he came into the season with a new attitude, and he’s looked much more confident in himself and more trusting of his pitches.

“I think you have to go back to trusting that those pitches are going to get outs, whether it’s your best pitch or not,” Lincecum said. “It’s just having that conviction in them alone helps turns a bad pitch into a better one. You finish it in your mind and not worry about the result.”

Through all of his struggles with his command and with his confidence, Lincecum has always maintained a good attitude. He’s never blamed his manager or teammates, and he’s always been grateful to the fans for believing in him.

“With the ups and downs, he’s had a good attitude,” Buster Posey said after Linecum’s no-hitter. “He’s continued to work hard. And this, I think, is a reward for it.”

This season, Lincecum had a horrendous May with a 6.37 ERA. However, he looked better in June, and, in the month of July, Lincecum has an impressive 2.53 ERA. Of course, he also threw a no-hitter on Saturday night against the Padres. Lincecum recorded 13 strikeouts, which is proof that he can still be a power pitcher at times.

(Photo: Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports)

He also threw 148 pitches in the no-hitter. Many MLB fans and analysts were baffled by how many pitches Lincecum had to throw, but if anyone could throw 148 pitches, it’s Lincecum. His athleticism allows him to throw high pitch counts. He’s called “The Freak” for a reason.

Bruce Bochy and Posey both said that Lincecum was so dominant in the no-hitter because he got stronger as the game went on, his delivery was getting better and he wasn’t trying to force his pitches to land in a certain spot. Instead, he let his pitches do the work. He also mixed his pitches well, and he had command of all of his pitches at different heights and on the corners.

After Lincecum pitched two times through the Padres lineup, every hitter except Carlos Quentin had struck out. He struck out six consecutive batters from the second to the fourth inning, which matched the longest streak of his career.

Lincecum induced 29 swings and misses, which tied Randy Johnson for the most in a no-hitter since 2000. He was able to keep hitters off balance, and he got batters to swing and miss on all of his pitches. This no-hitter was a special performance, given everything Lincecum has been through.

Lincecum is one of the greatest pitchers in Giants’ franchise history, and he’s certainly one of the most unique. He can still be unhittable at times, but not just because of his freaky delivery. Lincecum now has a different approach, and he’s truly evolved into a completely different type of dominant pitcher.

San Francisco Giants Midseason Grades: Offense, Defense and Pitching

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Jul 13, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum (55) celebrates with teammates after throwing a no hitter against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. The Giants won 9-0. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 season for the San Francisco Giants has certainly been a disappointment. After winning two World Series titles in three years, the Giants have looked tired this season and are now struggling just to get back to being a .500 team. Going into the All-Star break, the Giants have a 43-51 record, which puts them six and a half games back from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West standings.

One word to sum up the Giants’ season so far: inconsistent. Sometimes, this team looks unstoppable. When the Giants do what got them two World Series titles in the past three years, such as stellar starting pitching, perfect defense, and timely hitting, then they can win a lot of games.

Other times, this team’s effort is laughable. It all starts with the starting pitcher. If the starter gets off to a rough start and gives up some runs, it puts more pressure on the offense and defense, and many times, the Giants can’t recover.

The All-Star break couldn’t come soon enough for the Giants. They could use a break from the long road trips and the mental grind of the game.

Here are the Giants’ midseason grades:

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San Francisco Giants: Why Fans Need To Move On From the Carlos Beltran Trade

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Yesterday marked the first time the San Francisco Giants faced Zack Wheeler since the infamous Carlos Beltran trade, which occurred in 2011. Now two years later, many Giants fans are still showing bitterness over this trade, which is understandable given how much the Giants are struggling.

Jul 10, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at AT

Giants fans are still frustrated over this trade for several reasons. First of all, some fans are still bitter that Brian Sabean traded Wheeler in the first place, given that he was the Giants’ top pitching prospect at the time. Many of these fans were even more upset that Sabean gave up Wheeler for an aging Beltran, who’s dealt with many injuries throughout his career.

This is a valid reason to be frustrated given how weak the Giants’ farm system is, in terms of starting pitching. However, Sabean didn’t really have another choice, given the circumstances.

The Giants acquired Beltran to not just help them make a playoff run, but also to block the Phillies or Braves from getting him. Sabean probably wouldn’t have been able to pull this off unless he traded away a highly-touted prospect like Wheeler.

Second, some fans continue to blame Beltran for the Giants not making the playoffs in 2011. However, this is an unfair and unjustified accusation.

Beltran’s main job when he came here was to provide that middle-of-the-order spark the Giants were missing after Buster Posey went down with his ankle injury. It took him time to adjust to a new team dynamic, a new setting/fan base, a new ballpark, and new teammates. In Beltran’s first 45 at-bats with the Giants, he had 11 hits, which equates to a .244 average (which was still better than 12 of the Giants’ regular players’ averages throughout the season).

A couple weeks after being signed, Beltran strained his right hand and wrist, so he was placed on the DL. Getting injured is not a player’s fault. He cannot be blamed for the team going 5-8 while he was injured and losing several series against non-playoff teams, including Pittsburgh, Florida, and Houston. The period that Beltran was injured proved to be one stretch that severely dampened the Giants’ playoff hopes.

After his initial adjustment period to the team and his injury, Beltran hit .352 with seven home runs and 16 RBI’s. He finished the year with a .300 average, 22 home runs, 84 RBI’s, a .385 OBP, a .525 SLG, and a .910 OPS. Those are all fantastic numbers.

He provided that surge of energy that the Giants were asking for and desperately needed from him. He did everything he could, but with no Posey and inconsitent hitting from Jeff Keppinger, Pablo Sandoval, Aubrey Huff, and Cody Ross, the Giants weren’t able to make the playoffs behind just Beltran’s production.

September 9, 2011; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants outfielder Carlos Beltran (15) takes off his batting gloves after striking out against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning at AT

Third, some fans are frustrated now because, given the Giants’ recent struggles with pitching, the Giants really could’ve used Wheeler this season in their starting rotation.

This is a fair accusation, given how Wheeler’s first five starts have gone so far. In his first big-league start, Wheeler pitched six shutout innings and struck out seven, but, unfortunately, he gave up nine earned runs in his next two starts. However, in his next start, he only gave up one earned run.

“Possibly,” Wheeler said when asked if yesterday’s game was a good chance to show the Giants what they’re missing out on. “It would be nice to have a good outing there, let’s put it that way.”

He certainly did have a nice outing yesterday against the Giants. Wheeler pitched seven innings and allowed three hits and one earned run. He struck out five, walked three, and threw a total of 101 pitches (64 strikes).

The frustration from Giants fans over wishing Wheeler was pitching for the Giants right now shouldn’t be directed toward the Wheeler/Beltran trade though. It should be more general frustration that the Giants’ only legitimate starting pitching prospects are in Single-A San Jose.

If Clayton Blackburn or Kyle Crick, two of the Giants’ best pitching prospects right now, were major-league ready and in the Giants’ starting rotation right now, it doesn’t seem like Giants fans would even care how Wheeler was doing or wish he was still in the Giants organization.

Fans can’t start thinking “Where would the Giants be if Wheeler was pitching for them now?” because it’s irrelevant. That trade happened two years ago, and Giants fans need to move on.

San Francisco Giants: Should They Be Sellers at the Trade Deadline?

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Jun 17, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito (75) hands the ball to manager Bruce Bochy (15) after being taken against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning at AT

The San Francisco Giants are in a dangerous slump.

In the month of June, they had a 10-16 record. Since June 15th, the Giants have a 5-18 record. As of today, they are a season-high nine games below .500 with a record of 40-49.

They have been plagued by injuries, inconsistent pitching and poor situational hitting. All of these issues have caused fans to question if the Giants need to be active at the trade deadline.

If the Giants want to be buyers at the trade deadline, they could look to acquire a starting pitcher, a relief pitcher, and a veteran outfielder. However, the Giants haven’t been playing well enough to be able to score a deal (other teams could be wary of the Giants’ struggles or raise the price due to San Francisco’s desperation). In addition to that, the Giants are wary about giving up top prospects and getting just a rental player or a player who won’t make much impact on the team in return.

“We have to ride it out. The team has to play better for us to move forward,” Brian Sabean said. “If we don’t start playing better — the team at hand, especially the lineup itself — there’s not enough help in the world that’s going to turn us around from this.

The Giants also have a lot of areas to be addressed, and they can’t all be fixed via trade.

“You get a little leaky, and you can fill one hole, but if it gets to be too many, you’re asking too much there,” Bruce Bochy said. “It’s gonna come back to these guys getting back to the players they are and executing.”

Hank Schulman, the Giants beat writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, suggests that if the Giants have a bad homestand, they should concede the season now and be sellers, in order to at least acquire prospects for the future. If the Giants do well on this homestand, then he believes that the Giants should become buyers and make a serious run to win the NL West.

He also suggests that if the Giants decide to be sellers, they should try to trade Javier Lopez, Hunter Pence or Tim Lincecum, because they will all be free agents after this season. Also, the Giants could possibly get some quality prospects in return, especially from Lopez and Pence.

So, should the Giants be sellers at the trade deadline? Should they essentially try to acquire talent for the future?

The simple answer is no. First of all, there’s still a lot of baseball to be played. The Giants have 73 games left, and a lot of things can change in 73 games. The All-Star break is in a week, and it might be just the physical and mental break the Giants need.

Second, the Giants have shown that they like being underestimated and and are able to come back from adversity. In 2010, the Giants were trailing the San Diego Padres in the NL West for much of the season, and they didn’t clinch the NL West title until the very last day of the season. In 2012, the Giants were on the brink of elimination in two straight series, and they ultimately won the World Series.

The Giants have been in tough situations before, and they’ve shown time and time again that they can always come back. The Giants have won two World Series titles in three years for a reason.

“This is a club that’s always been resilient,” Bochy said. “They’ve had the ability to bounce back from tough losses, streaks. They’ve been down before. They find a way to get it done. I don’t think that they’re doubting themselves that it will happen.”

Oct 28, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Members of the San Francisco Giants celebrate on the field after game four of the 2012 World Series against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. The Giants won 4-3 to sweep the series. Mandatory Credit: H. Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports

Third, the Giants are a loyal organization. They’re going to stick by their players, win or lose. This is essentially, minus a few injured players, the same team that won the World Series last season. The Giants organization believes in this group of guys.

“These are our guys, though,” Bochy said. “These guys have done a lot of good things here. You know [the slump] feels like it’s been forever, but it’s been maybe three weeks. It’s getting long, but still, they are our guys and we’re going to stay behind them.”

Lastly, the team still believes in each other, it’s still as confident as ever, and it’s still working hard. The players believe as much today as they did at the beginning of the season that they can win another World Series this year. That seems like a tough task now, but it can still be done.

“They’re fighting. I know when you go through something like this and you don’t score a lot of runs, you look flat,” Bochy said. “But they’re doing the work, they’re doing all we’re asking. It’s all we can do, just keep coming out here every day and keep believing that you’re going to come out of this thing.”

If the right deal presents itself, Sabean has said that he’s not afraid to make a deal. He’s not going to make a trade just to make a trade, though. He has had success in the past bringing in players at the trade deadline that make a difference in the second half of the season.

In 2010, Sabean signed Pat Burrell to a minor league deal, acquired Cody Ross off of waivers and traded for Lopez and Ramon Ramirez. In 2012, Sabean traded for Pence and Marco Scutaro.

Will he decide to sell instead of buy this season, though?

“You know, who knows,” Sabean said about the Giants possibly selling at the trade deadline. “I think you’re going to have an open mind going forward to whatever’s in best interests of the organization, the present and future.”

The Giants should not be sellers at the trade deadline. Even though they’re in a potentially disastrous downward spiral right now, they shouldn’t sell some of their most valuable assets, in order to acquire talent for the future.

The season is far from over. A comeback at this point might be tough, but the Giants are reigning World Champions for a reason.