Fansided

One offseason move each MLB team needs to make

By Joshua Sadlock

MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 01: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the Miami Marlins during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Marlins Park on October 1, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Miami Marlins via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 01: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the Miami Marlins during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Marlins Park on October 1, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Miami Marlins via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 20: Mike Moustakas #8 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates after hitting a solo home run setting the club record with 37 in the sixth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 20, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 20: Mike Moustakas #8 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates after hitting a solo home run setting the club record with 37 in the sixth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 20, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

San Francisco Giants: Sign a big bat

The Giants are in way too deep to punt on the next few years with this current core. They have Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt and Joe Panik locked up to long-term contracts. Crawford, Belt and Panik might not be superstars, but they are all proven contributors on World Series champions.

For the Giants, the sum of the parts is always greater than the individual pieces in their championship years. They play well as a team and are able to win when the starting pitching comes through. It did not come through in 2017 and they lost 98 games. The Giants will have to hope Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto rebound in 2018 because they are not going anywhere. If that happens, the Giants have a chance to go back to the playoffs.

San Francisco has spent big on starting pitching while preferring to develop their position players through the farm system. That cupboard is bare now, and the Giants will have to rely on free agency to address some weaknesses around the diamond.

There are three big power bats on the open market this year (assuming Justin Upton opts out). The Giants must sign one of Upton, J.D. Martinez or Mike Moustakas if they want to have any chance of contending next year. That fearsome presence in the middle of the lineup was always missing, even when the Giants were winning the World Series. The new rules regarding compensation for lost free agents and the Giants high draft pick next year give them no reason not to sign a big slugger this winter.

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