San Francisco Giants: Four free agents they must avoid

By Daniel Sperry

Oct 31, 2017

SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Carlos Gonzalez #5 of the Colorado Rockies can't make the catch on a double hit by Austin Hedges #18 of the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning of a baseball game at PETCO Park on September 23, 2017 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 29: Michael Saunders #21 of the Toronto Blue Jays grounds a ball in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 29, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

Michael Saunders

Saunders is another outfielder they need to avoid. It took him 9 seasons to hit his 6 years of MLB experience thanks to a lot of injuries. Saunders just doesn’t seem like the kind of guy that fits what the Giants are looking for.

Saunders, for one is incredibly inconsistent, and has been traded a multitude of times. After putting up a 126 wRC+ in 2014, he followed up with a 47 at the big league level. Granted his 2015 season was lost to injury. In 2016, he ended landed his 117 wRC+ and a contract for 2017 with the Phillies. Then he wasn’t that good and was released and re-signed by Toronto.

When he’s healthy, and can get more than 100 games in a season, he’s a halfway decent bat. But the injury issues sure have to put a damper on whether or not he’s worth it. Throw in the fact that the’s an average fielder with a weak arm, the Giants probably aren’t really excited about what he could bring to the table. He only has nine outfield assists IN HIS ENTIRE BIG LEAGUE CAREER!

For a team that was terrible defensively, and needs to have good outfield defense, the small prospect of his bat coming to life and being healthy is not a risk worth taking a leap on, especially for a club with as much pressure to get things right as the Giants have.