SF Giants: 5 biggest disappointments of 2022

The SF Giants have had a disappointing 2022. After a year in which they won 107 games, some regression was expected, but it seems they have fallen from the playoff race. What are the five biggest disappointments from an overall disappointing 2022 team?

SF Giants: 5 biggest disappointments of 2022

SF Giants fans know that a lot of things went right for the 2021 Giants. Everything clicked for a season and the result was a magical 107 win campaign that had the team in the playoffs for the first time in five years.

Going into 2022, not many were expecting a repeat of last year's success, especially after the departure of names like Buster Posey, Kevin Gausman, and Kris Bryant. But many were hoping for more than the abject mediocrity they have been presented with for much of 2022.

Where most things went right in 2021, a lot has gone wrong in 2022. From a bullpen that has struggled mightily, to a defense that has cost the team games, to a seemingly never-ending slew of injuries on a relatively old team, it has added up to a lot of struggles.

This article will highlight the biggest disappointments in terms of players on the 2022 SF Giants. Many of these players have had to deal with things beyond their control like injuries, but even when they have been on the field they have not been the same players they were in 2021.

Without further ado, let's examine five of the biggest disappointments on the 2022 SF Giants.

SF Giants: 5 biggest disappointments of 2022

No. 2: Brandon Crawford

Much like Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford enjoyed a resurgent year in 2021 at the plate which was a huge part of the team's success. He hit .298/.373/.522 with 24 homers and 90 RBI in what was his best season at the plate as a pro.

The story in 2022 has been much different. Crawford has thus far hit .226/.306/.345 with 7 home runs and 41 RBI. He has also seemed to struggle more on defense than we are used to seeing, which only adds more to his disappointing year.

Crawford has had to deal with more injuries than usual this season, a reflection of his age despite a remarkably healthy career.

Crawford will be under contract for the Giants in 2023, but the Giants are surely hoping to see more out of him next season. He has been a central pillar of this Giants team for the past decade, and depending on how things play out with Belt, he could be the last remnant of the championship years left on the team next year.

One can only hope he can rekindle some of his 2021 self next season, especially if that winds up being his swan song in San Francisco.

SF Giants: 5 biggest disappointments of 2022

No. 3: Mike Yastrzemski

One could argue that this is the second straight disappointing season for outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. Last season his average was well down, but he still put up very solid power numbers as he hit 25 home runs and 71 RBI.

This season, both the average and power numbers have been down. He is hitting only .203/.303/.361 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI. This is after starting off the season strongly. At the end of the May his average was at .302, but has dropped precipitously since then.

There have been times when we thought Yaz was about to turn things around, like when he blasted a memorable walk-off grand slam against Josh Hader in the last series of the first half. But flashes of the old Yaz have been fleeting thus far.

We will see if he can turn things around in the last month of the year, but going into 2023 it seems that his spot on the roster will be much less secure than it has been the past few years.

SF Giants: 5 biggest disappointments of 2022

No. 4: LaMonte Wade Jr.

LaMonte Wade Jr. seemed to be yet another Farhan Zaidi diamond-in-the-rough find in 2021. He came out of nowhere and became one of the Giants most reliable clutch bats by the end of the season. Many Giants fans were hoping they had found a corner-outfielder of the future.

2022 has been much tougher for Wade. He has dealt with numerous injuries throughout the year which has prevented him from finding a real rhythm at the plate. This has resulted in some pretty dismal numbers at the plate as he is hitting .177/.278/.388 with 8 home runs and 23 RBI.

Thankfully, Joc Pederson and Luis Gonzalez have been able to produce pretty nicely at the plate in Wade's absence. Yet, one cannot help but wonder how a healthy Wade building upon a breakout 2021 could have impacted the Giants.

Wade's struggles could also possibly be attributed to opposing teams figuring out weaknesses in his approach that they were largely unable to crack in 2021. Combine that with the injury woes and you get a disappointing year.

The Giants will have to decide if they think Wade will look more like the 2022 or 2021 version of himself going forward. After such a rough year, they will likely be evaluating where they stand at every position which makes Wade's future with the team somewhat uncertain.

Perhaps he can turn things around in the last month and give the team reason to believe that his struggles this year were a fluke.

SF Giants: 5 biggest disappointments of 2022

No. 5: Tyler Rogers

We can point to most of the bullpen as a major disappointment for the 2022 Giants, but if we had to identify one whose struggles have seemed to hurt the most, Tyler Rogers may top the list.

It may be unfair to single out one pitcher when the blame goes all around the bullpen, but Rogers had established himself as one of the, if not the, most reliable arm in the Giants bullpen the last few years. This year he has not lived up to those high expectations.

We all know Rogers has been unfortunate this year, what with softly hit balls evading the defense or defensive miscues resulting in runs. But despite this bad luck, he has clearly not been the exact same pitcher as the past few years.

He has surrendered 20 walks compared to 13 last year, and that is in over 20 fewer innings pitched. Rogers has always been known for his ability to throw strikes, but that has been more of a problem this season.

Like other players on this list, the front office will have to determine if they think Rogers can be the reliable pitcher he has been in the past again. Only time will tell.

In all, the 2022 season has been a disappointment for the Giants. While these five players are far from the only disappointments on the team, their rough years have been emblematic of the team's struggles. we can only hope 2023 will be better.