San Francisco Giants: 5 keys to success in 2020

The season is just three weeks old, but it’s never too early to start looking ahead to the 2020 season and how the San Francisco Giants can better position themselves.

Going into the 2019 season, analysts and fans alike doubted the San Francisco Giants chances of contending. The last time they reached the postseason was 2016, and the two seasons since have been frustrating, to say the least.

With an 8-12 record and a minus-9 run differential, the team has more or less performed to expectations thus far. The bats have been ice cold for most of the season, undermining a pitching staff and defense that has been more than respectable.

According to the latest postseason odds from FanGraphs, the Giants have a slim 1.6 percent chance of reaching the playoffs.

With that in mind, the best thing the front office can do is to start positioning themselves for the future. They can do this by no fooling themselves into thinking they have a realistic shot in 2019, working to maintain their strengths while improving their weaknesses.

The front office will have to be careful not to call up exciting young prospects too quickly. At the same time, if the team feels they’re ready, giving them an extended look this season could prove valuable next year.

The biggest question will be how to improve the offense.

They proved three times this decade that you do not need an offensive juggernaut to win a championship, but the possibility of contending with their current lineup is slim to none.

Big picture, the Giants are really not that far off from contending.

If they are able to make some key additions and their young talent develops as hoped, there’s a chance they could turn things around by next season.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at five ways the Giants can improve for 2020.

Trades

If the Giants continue to hover below .500, will team president Farhan Zaidi consider trading off some of the team’s talented veterans in exchange for prospects and younger players?

There no reason to think he’d be reluctant to pull the trigger on trading free-agent-to-be Madison Bumgarner around the deadline if the team is struggling and a contender is willing to meet his asking price.

Others like Brandon Belt, Derek Holland and Joe Panik could find themselves on the trade block as well, though it remains to be seen if there will be a market for their services.

The most obvious trade chips on the roster are in the bullpen, where closer Will Smith and setup relievers Tony Watson, Sam Dyson, and Trevor Gott could all be of interest this summer when contenders around the league are looking to upgrade their relief corps.

Trades are going to be the best way for the Giants to improve their roster.

Attracting free agents has always been a struggle, so maximizing their trade chips to bolster the farm system will be key.

This is not a suggestion that Zaidi should burn the house down and start from scratch. He should be ready and willing to deal any veteran on the roster if the price is right, though.

Developing Homegrown Talent

The key to the Giants’ recent success has undoubtedly been the scouting and development of homegrown talent.

Buster Posey, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt, Pablo Sandoval… the list of homegrown stars who played a key role in the team’s success goes on and on.

Recent history says they are not going to be able to lure top-tier free agents to San Francisco. As such, it will take a revamped farm system to not only provide future faces of the franchise, but also to serve as trade fodder when it comes time to be buyers.

The Giants already have two intriguing potential stars in catcher Joey Bart and outfielder Heliot Ramos. It’s unclear whether either player will be ready for the majors by next year, especially with Bart’s recent injury, but there is no question they can become a big part of the Giants’ long-term plans if they continue to progress.

At the same time, they also need to be careful not to call them up to quickly or put too much pressure on their shoulders. Chris Shaw’s struggles last season speak to the issues a hasty call-up can cause when a prospect is not completely ready.

The Giants need more than just those two guys, though. They will need standout scouting and player development across the board, even with late-round picks. Remember, Sergio Romo was a 28th-round pick. Those are the kind of guys the team needs to hit on to build a strong core.

Pitching and Defense

Along with timely hitting, pitching and defense were the main ingredients in the Giants’ championship recipe.

The pitching staff has been solid this year and the defense has been stout. Going forward, they will need to ensure that they remain strengths.

Even if Bumgarner is traded, that’s still possible.

Johnny Cueto could return next season, though what kind of pitcher he’ll be is anyone’s guess. Even if he can be a serviceable middle-of-the-rotation arm, it would be a welcome addition to the Giants staff.

There are no jaw-dropping pitching prospects in the organization right now.

However, Tyler Beede showed some promise during spring training, Andrew Suarez is solid depth in Triple-A and Shaun Anderson has already shown flashes of building off his 2018 breakout.

At the MLB level, Dereck Rodriguez has looked at times like the ace of the future. The 2019 season will be huge for him as he looks to further develop into a top-of-the-rotation starter.

The defense is solid as well. The Giants could have five Gold Glove winners on the field at once, and the addition of Kevin Pillar has made the outfield one of the soundest defensively in the majors.

At some point, the Giants may have to sacrifice some defense in exchange for offense. They can’t forget that sound defense is a huge part of any championship team, though, and they need look no further than their own three championships.

A Good Replacement for Bochy

Whoever replaces the retiring Bruce Bochy will have some big shoes to fill.

Taking over for a man who led the team to three World Series titles is going to be a tall order for the Giants next bench boss.

Whoever the front office selects, that person should not try to be Bruce Bochy. They should be someone who is comfortable being themselves and who can cultivate that same laid-back championship culture that Bochy was able to craft so successfully.

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The demeanor of a coach can rub off on his players. Bochy’s ability to remain calm no matter the situation trickled down to the players, and that’s a big reason why the Giants were able to perform so well in high-stress postseason games during his tenure.

We’ve seen that work the opposite way with someone like Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers. His bombastic and dramatic nature rubbed off on his players who, to his credit, loved playing for him, but were also prone to displaying arrogance or taunting other players.

The next coach should have Bochy’s demeanor—laid-back and calm. Bochy didn’t have to get the team riled up when their backs were against the wall. That’s was the job of veteran leaders like Hunter Pence.

Maybe Pence would even be a good candidate to replace Bochy. Why not?

Looking ahead to 2020, if the Giants can focus on the five areas highlighted here, they stand a chance at contending, or at the very least improving.