Who will and who won’t make the San Francisco Giants’ postseason roster?

Okay, yeah I know, the San Francisco Giants actually have to make it into the postseason first, so this is entirely hypothetical, obviously. However, it isn’t too soon to think about who will and who won’t make the Giants’ postseason roster. Believe it or not, Bruce Bochy will genuinely have some tough decisions to make. Unbeknownst to me, we legitimately have depth. Something I was entirely oblivious of until, well last night, when my new hero Matt Duffy ripped a game-winning, bases-loaded, two-run single.

All season long I’ve complained about the lack of depth the Giants organization had. I mean, it wasn’t hard to be frustrated when we were suffering seemingly endlessly injuries, stayed pat on the trade deadline, and watched guys like Juan Perez and Joaquin Arias taking at bats just to get out. It was annoying. I was angry. A month down the road, Arias has become an extra-base-hit machine – Arias has become a machine, period – as aforementioned, Duffy is my new hero, Gregor Blanco has been good and Joe Panik is everyone’s hero. If Panik is not your hero, you are wrong, okay.

For all the bad times, for all the slumps and for all the poor performances we have endured this year, it’s pretty crazy to think that we are on the verge of securing our postseason spot. After Duffman gave us the win last night, we sit only two games back of those Los Angeles Dodgers in the West, with a three game set still to play against them. What’s more, we are leading the way in the losers competition: The National League wild card. All considered, without jinxing it, I’d say we are looking good to play in October. Thus, allow me to break down who will, and who won’t make the Giants’ postseason roster.

This is who I’m carrying in, in terms of position players: Buster Posey, Andrew Susac, Brandon Belt, Joe Panik, Brandon Crawford, Pablo Sandoval, Matt Duffy, Joaquin Arias, Travis Ishikawa, Angel Pagan, Hunter Pence, Michael Morse and Gregor Blanco. And the pitchers: Madison Bumgarner, Tim Hudson, Jake Peavy, Ryan Vogelsong, Yusmeiro Petit, Sergio Romo, Santiago Casilla, Javier Lopez, Jeremy Affeldt, Jean Machi, Hunter Strickland and Tim Lincecum.

I’m only taking four outfielders for several reasons: Pence is not aware of what fatigue is, hence, it would be sacrilege should he not play every inning of every game. I’m assuming that Belt will play some left field. I’m hoping Belt will play some left field. I think it makes more sense, because, well, he is surely a better defender than Morse, right? He has to be. Morse is the worst defensive player in all of baseball, so Belt is better, I don’t care what you say. And lastly, I seriously couldn’t pick between Ishikawa and Arias, and no, not because they are both equally as bad. I like them both. I never thought I’d say that – but yeah, I want them both on my roster. Duffy has to go because he is my new hero, because he has amazing bats, and well, he is in the only middle infielder, and that’s kind-of important, too.

Pitchers? It pained me to put Lincecum on that list. He doesn’t really deserve to be there, and I don’t really see what he can contribute for us in the postseason. But it’s a classic; best of a bad bunch, type scenario. I don’t want Juan Gutierrez any where near the postseason, please Bochy, for the sake of the Giants do not allow him anywhere near October. Unless he is sitting on his sofa at home, watching the game on the television. Sorry, that’s harsh, but honest. Someone had to say it, we were all thinking it. George Kontos is solid, but he ‘ain’t an October pitcher. On the other hand, Strickland is. And I think Boch likes him, too. Hunter has already been placed in several tough situations, and he has come through for us. He’s also got a really, really, fast fastball, which is super fun.

I guess the underlying theme in this roster is faith in rookies. I’d give rookies like Panik, Strickland and Duffy the chance to make history. They’ve all proven themselves thus far, and in my eyes earned the right to prove themselves further in October. It’s a surprisingly strong roster if you ask me, because, well, answer me this: Who else has a two-time Cy-Young award winner, who has pitched a no-hitter this year in their bullpen? That’s right, just us. Furthermore, who else has a pitcher who has retired 46 batters in a row in their career, yeah. Just us, again. We also have two MVP calibre players in Posey and Pence, and above all; we have experience. We’ve been there, done that, got the ring, and there’s nothing to say we won’t win another. By another, I mean third in five years.