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San Francisco Giants 2015 MLB Season Preview and Predictions

By Jeff Weisinger

Mar 22, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) pitches against the Los Angeles Angels at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) pitches against the Los Angeles Angels at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 13, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Casey McGehee (14) swings at a pitch against the Texas Rangers at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Casey McGehee (14) swings at a pitch against the Texas Rangers at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

Key additions/subtractions

There’s no way anyone (not even us) can talk about the 2015 San Francisco Giants without mentioning the departure of All-Star third baseman Pablo Sandoval.  The Panda hit .279 with 16 home runs and 73 RBI in a career-high 157 games for the Giants in 2014, including hitting .429 (6-for-28) in the World Series.  Pablo was also solid defensively for San Francisco, leaving the Giants with a big (pun intended) gap to fill during the winter.

Enter Casey McGehee.  The Giants acquired McGehee as Sandoval’s replacement this winter after original top target Chase Headley decided to return to the Yankees.

McGehee (who’s hit a solid .382 for the Giants during spring training so far) comes to the Giants after one of the best seasons in his career with the Marlins, hitting .287 with four homers and 76 RBI in 160 games.

He joins a Giants lineup that brings back just about everyone from the 2014 World Series team – a lineup that was fourth in batting average in the National League last year (.255), seventh in home runs (132), and fifth in runs scored (665).

On the mound, the biggest Giants additions were Giants to begin with.  They re-signed Ryan Vogelsong and Jake Peavy along with reliever Sergio Romo to keep a sense of consistency within the pitching staff.  Vogelsong will start the season in the bullpen along with Yusmeiro Petit while Romo is projected to be the eighth-inning arm while Santiago Casilla stays as the closer.  Peavy is expected to be the No. 4 starter behind (in order) Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Tim Hudson.  Tim Lincecum, one of two double-digit winners (Bumgarner) last year is the No. 5 starter and on the bubble to go back to the pen with Vogelsong and Petit waiting.

Next: Three players to watch

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