The Giants have been linked to just about every big name position player that is set to hit free agency, but when it comes to positional need, what’s the top priority?
Giants broadcaster Dave Flemming was posed that question on Tolbert & Copes on Wednesday, and said that while he believes their biggest need is at a particular position, it also has to be the right fit stylistically.
“They need much more production in the outfield, however they get that,” Flemming said. “It has to be offense and defense. It’s just not sustainable what they did last year defensively. You have to support your pitching staff better. So they have to do both things at once, and that’s where the list starts to get really narrow, when you limit it to that. When you say we’ve got to get a two-way kind of player.”
It just so happens that Aaron Judge, the top target on the free agent market, would happen to fit that need perfectly. He’s easily the best outfield hitter on the market, and also an excellent defensive player in right field, being named the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year at that position in 2019.
Others who would fit that mold are Brandon Nimmo, Joey Gallo and Kevin Kiermaier.
Interestingly, while Flemming believes the biggest need is in the outfield, he feels the notion that SF must add another shortstop is overblown.
“Everybody says shortstop. Brandon Crawford has had such a good Giants career, and this year he was banged up, did not play well. When he got healthier at the end of the year, he showed he had some left in the tank, he did. If they decide Brandon’s got another good year in him, I think that’s justifiable. Brandon played much better down the stretch.
“A lot of those high end position players do play shortstop, so if you can do something creative, keep Brandon around, get one of those guys in here, make it work for another year, maybe they can figure out a way to make that happen.”
Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson would be the top prospects at the shortstop position.
Listen to the full interview below. You can listen to every KNBR interview on our podcast page at knbr.com/podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Catch Tolbert & Copes weekdays from 2 – 6 p.m. on KNBR 104.5 / 680 and streaming live on KNBR.com.
