X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

San Francisco Giants Starting Pitching Analysis: 2014 Fantasy Baseball

In a 2013 season that was chock full of injuries and surprising struggles, just one Giants starting pitcher was reliable-- Madison Bumgarner. Beyond that, the once-almost-unhittable rotation was unimpressive, and at times hard to watch. There’s no question that reaching two World Series in three years took a toll on many of the pitchers' arms, and the overall health of the team. The extra games and shorter offseasons weren’t without their ill effects, and the extra time the Giants had this offseason might make all the difference. With the departure of Barry Zito, the addition of MLB veteran Tim Hudson, and the returns of Ryan Vogelsong, Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum and Bumgarner, the Giants rotation will attempt to get back to the level of play that is capable of taking the team to the post-season.

 

2014 San Francisco Giants - Pitching Staff Preview

Madison Bumgarner

Madison Bumgarner San Francisco Giants MLB NewsHis 2.77 ERA in 2013 was eighth in the majors as Bumgarner quietly became the ace of the Giants staff. He had one of the best years of his career, but could do very little to boost a team that was being dragged down by the rest of the rotation. Bum finished with 13 wins, 199 strikeouts and a 1.033 WHIP. Unlike Lincecum, Bumgarner has proven to have incredible composure on and off the field, and he hasn’t shown any signs of losing focus. After three impressive seasons, there is no reason to believe Bumgarner will slow down anytime soon. He should be targeted as a low-risk first-tier starter.

Projected 2014 Stats: 15 W, 1.10 WHIP, 200 K, 2.90 ERA

 

Matt Cain

While 2013 certainly wasn’t his best year, Cain did a lot in the second half of the season to help ease the concerns of onlookers who had been confused by his rough start to the year. He still finished the season with a 4.0 ERA, 8-10 record, 1.156 WHIP and 158 strikeouts, despite losing some of his season to injury. His 2013 ERA was the worst of his career, but was skewed largely by a rough start that he corrected later in the year. Cain is still the talented workhorse he was two years ago and, like the rest of the staff, the longer offseason is key to Cain staying strong throughout the season. You should considered Cain to be top-25 starting pitcher in the 2014 draft.

Projected 2014 Stats: 13 W, 1.081 WHIP, 170 K, 3.30 ERA

 

Tim Lincecum

The roller coaster ride that has been Tim Lincecum’s career almost careened off the track after the 2012 season. Luckily, with the help of an emotional no-hitter in July 2013 and several other strong performances, he convinced the Giants not to give up on him yet. He finished the 2013 season with a 10-14 record, a 1.315 WHIP, 193 strikeouts and a 4.37 ERA, but he got much smarter about the game and focused more on preparation, realizing his raw talent was no longer enough. After a rough 2012, Lincecum was able to reacquire some control and command, while bringing his ERA and WHIP down. The addition of veteran Tim Hudson could help Lincecum continue to improve and mature. The Giants rotation has never featured such a talented veteran pitcher who is able to give Lincecum advice on maintaining composure and finding focus, something he has struggled with. I see Lincecum as a risky pick with a ton of upside who could end up having a surprisingly strong season.

Projected 2014 Stats: 12 W, 1.364 WHIP, 195 K, 3.81 ERA

 

Tim Hudson

Hudson broke his ankle in gruesome fashion last season with the Braves, and the biggest question heading into 2014 is whether or not he will be able to return to full strength. He was pitching well leading to his injury, and his 2013 ended with a 1.18 WHIP, 95 strikeouts, 8 wins, and a 3.97 ERA over 21 games. AT&T Park should be a welcome venue for Hudson, and his veteran status will help him make him the instant leader of a relatively young pitching staff. There are a lot of unknowns for Hudson in 2014 as he tries to come back from his injury and pitch on a new staff. Those unknowns, together with his age, make him hard to draft in standard leagues but worth keeping an eye on as the season starts. If he’s healthy and adjusts well to the orange and black, he could have a strong year.

Projected 2014 Stats: 11 W, 1.30 WHIP, 110 K, 3.90 ERA

 

Ryan Vogelsong

The Giants resident journeyman is coming off a tough year in which he pitched poorly and missed much of the season to a wrist injury. Over 19 games last season, he finished with a 4-6 record, a 5.73 ERA, 67 strikeouts and a 1.563 WHIP. The 36-year-old Vogelsong does not have age on his side as he tries to rebound in 2014, but he’s reportedly lost weight and got in better shape in the offseason. He’s clearly aware that his physical fitness could be the difference-maker in terms of both health and performance in 2014. He should benefit from a longer off-season than he’s had in recent years, and he could be a strong fifth starter for the Giants.  That said, you shouldn't be considering Vogelsong on draft day.

Projected 2014 Stats: 9 W, 1.40 WHIP, 125 K, 4.00 ERA

 

Sergio Romo

Since the departure of Brian Wilson, Sergio Romo has been the golden boy in the bullpen for the San Francisco Giants. In 2013, he recorded 38 saves in 43 opportunities with a 1.077 WHIP, 2.54 ERA, 5-8 record and 58 strikeouts. His numbers could get a boost in 2014 from more stability around him, especially if Jeremy Affeldt can stay healthy and the starting rotation can get back to their 2012 numbers. I expect a similar year in terms of performance from Romo, who is certainly worth drafting as a top-10 closer in one of the later rounds.

Projected 2014 Stats: 35 saves, 2.62 ERA, 60 K, 1.15 WHIP, 4 W




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

DeVonta Smith1 hour ago

Misses Another Practice
Cody Bellinger2 hours ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
Brandin Cooks2 hours ago

Preparing To Play In Week 12
CeeDee Lamb2 hours ago

Not Seen At Thursday's Practice
2 hours ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Aaron Rodgers3 hours ago

Jets Owner Suggested Benching Aaron Rodgers
Mike Evans4 hours ago

Practicing Again On Thursday
Chandler Stephenson5 hours ago

Registers Three Assists Versus Predators
Jason Robertson5 hours ago

Totals Three Points In Wednesday's Win
Nils Lundkvist6 hours ago

Exits Early With A Lower-Body Injury
Matthew Knies6 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury
Mikael Granlund6 hours ago

Exits Late With Injury Wednesday
Patrik Laine6 hours ago

Returns To Practice
Ausar Thompson6 hours ago

Listed As Doubtful For Thursday
Walker Kessler6 hours ago

Still Missing For Jazz
Jordan Clarkson6 hours ago

Questionable To Face Spurs
Devin Vassell7 hours ago

To Miss Third Consecutive Game
Chris Paul7 hours ago

Considered Probable For Thursday's Game
Khris Middleton7 hours ago

Medically Cleared To Play
Chris Sale17 hours ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal17 hours ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Paul George18 hours ago

Exits Game On Wednesday, Hyperextends Left Knee Again
Scoot Henderson18 hours ago

Leaves Game On Wednesday, Won't Return
Jalen Johnson19 hours ago

Active On Wednesday Night
Zach Collins19 hours ago

Uncertain To Play On Thursday
Austin Eckroat19 hours ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English19 hours ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin19 hours ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy19 hours ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Patrick Williams19 hours ago

Likely To Miss At Least One Week
Kyle Anderson19 hours ago

Available For Matchup With Hawks
Victor Wembanyama19 hours ago

Out Again On Thursday
Jusuf Nurkic19 hours ago

Available On Wednesday
Stephen Curry20 hours ago

Will Play Against Atlanta
De'Anthony Melton20 hours ago

To Undergo Season-Ending ACL Surgery
Tre Mann20 hours ago

Probable For Thursday Night Matchup Against Detroit
Mike Conley20 hours ago

Appears On Injury Report For Thursday With Toe Injury
Donte DiVincenzo20 hours ago

Questionable Heading Into Thursday
Josh Jacobs20 hours ago

Limited With Multiple Injuries
DeVonta Smith20 hours ago

Misses Practice On Wednesday
Isaiah Hartenstein20 hours ago

To Make Season Debut On Wednesday
Tyrese Maxey20 hours ago

Active On Wednesday
Seth Jones22 hours ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold22 hours ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Max Domi22 hours ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Jalen Hurts22 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Connor Ingram22 hours ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Jake Ferguson23 hours ago

Picks Up A DNP On Wednesday
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen23 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
CeeDee Lamb23 hours ago

Listed As Limited, Dealing With Two Injuries
Alex Tuch23 hours ago

Available Wednesday
Tage Thompson23 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta23 hours ago

Practicing In Full
Jordan Eberle23 hours ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
George Kittle23 hours ago

Will Play In Week 12
Ludvig Aberg23 hours ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Ladd McConkey23 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Si Woo Kim23 hours ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy23 hours ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole23 hours ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
San Francisco 49ers24 hours ago

Nick Bosa Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Christian McCaffrey24 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
George Kittle24 hours ago

Limited During Wednesday's Practice
Brock Purdy1 day ago

Limited On Wednesday
Alexander Mattison1 day ago

Zamir White Not Practicing On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta1 day ago

Trending Towards Playing In Week 12
Calvin Ridley1 day ago

Out Wednesday With Illness
Connor Bedard1 day ago

Ends Drought With Two Assists
Sam Reinhart1 day ago

Pushes Point Streak To 11 Games
Mark Scheifele1 day ago

Celebrates Ninth Career Hat Trick
Evan Bouchard1 day ago

Rocks Senators With Three-Point Period
Connor McDavid1 day ago

Nets Two Goals During Three-Point Night
TB1 day ago

Nicholas Paul Exits Early With Injury Tuesday
Zach Hyman1 day ago

Sits Out Third Period Versus Senators
2 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers2 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
Jonas Brodin2 days ago

Returns To Action
2 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri2 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
2 days ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
2 days ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
2 days ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
2 days ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil3 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes3 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer3 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
3 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
3 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
3 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler3 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva3 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy3 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
Nick Martinez4 days ago

Signs Qualifying Offer With Reds
4 days ago

Luis Severino Likely To Decline Qualifying Offer From Mets
James Llontop4 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig4 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal4 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic4 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones4 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP