The San Francisco Giants have taken a step to fill a need for help in the outfield. Denard Span was offered a contract pending a physical. Span was very good in all aspects of the game for the Washington Nationals prior to injury in 2015. In this case the physical will be important. In his years with the Nationals, Span spent most of his time in center field. Angel Pagan is the Giants center fielder and is in his last year of contract. Pagan has suffered his share of injuries over the last couple of years. If Span passes the physical it will be interesting to see how manager Bruce Bochy utilizes both players.
From a fan and bloggers perspective this is a smart move for the sake of finances and it is certainly possible Span's injuries are behind him. No one knows for sure, but one would guess given age and recent injuries that Pagan will retire at the end of the season. Angel has been a fan favorite since joining the club. He is a guy who hustles all the time and is a great teammate. As a Pagan fan it was tough to see him in discomfort struggling to make plays in center field that he used to make in his sleep while his bat went silent. Giants fans are as loyal to players as team ownership. We are all hoping he is healthy for the new season, but the Giants must be prepared if that is not the case. If Span's injuries are history it is possible he could take over in center field in 2017. All this is hypothetical. The Giants appear to be getting a good deal. Span is a bargain compared to other talented free agents available and waiting. This fan is still skeptical about the depth of the Giants outfield, especially with all the injuries incurred by Pence and Pagan last year. Gregor Blanco filled in doing an excellent job like he always does. Gregor has made some jaw dropping plays in the outfield. His bat is somewhat inconsistent, but his role as the fourth outfielder is a job most of us would love to have and he does it well.
I hope the Giants are not done with off season trades. However, I am guessing the Giants front office plans to tap their farm teams if plaguing injuries in the outfield are an issue in the new season. The thought of obtaining a star still on the market is exciting to fans. It's easy for us to say go for it since we may help with payroll by attending games, buying merchandise and watching the Giants on TV, but the Giants ownership must meet long term contract obligations. The signings of star pitchers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija were crucial in rebuilding the starting lineup. A huge contract for a star outfielder running for $100 million plus would make most clubs other than the Dodgers, Yankees or Padres hesitate. The Giants are giving pause and most fans don't blame them. Having the biggest payroll does not guarantee success in the playoffs or even getting into the playoffs. Just ask the clubs mentioned above
Only the Giants front office knows for sure what's up their sleeves. This fan will stay tuned and will be writing about any new developments as they occur. Go Giants!!!
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