The San Francisco Giants head into the 2013 off-season with 3 of their 5 starting rotation spots established.
We know Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, and the recently re-signed Tim Lincecum will form a stellar trio at the front of the rotation. However, the 4th and 5th spots are relatively unknown at this point.
Barry Zito will not return after the team used the $7 million buyout option on his contract earlier in the month. Ryan Vogelsong is also a free agent after his 2014 team option was declined.
Yusmeiro Petit is the most likely candidate to land one of the open slots after his solid second half performance, but there is no guarantee the team is committed to giving him that role without some prolonged run of success.
Other in-house options with MLB experience include a list of unspectacular names in Mike Kickham, Guillermo Moscoso, and Eric Surkamp. Moscoso is the only one to win a game in 2013.
The biggest pitching prospects in the organization - Kyle Crick, Clayton Blackburn, and Chris Stratton - are still in the lower levels of the minors and are not realistic options in 2014.
As you can see, the Giants don't have much to choose from internally unless they just decide to bring back Vogelsong after all, hand Petit the 5th spot and call it a day. For the sake of some free agent rumors, let's assume they won't take that route and instead decide to purchase an affordable starter or two to round out the rotation.
Here are a few veteran starters the Giants can look at to reinforce their rotation next year:
Bronson Arroyo (14-12, 3.79 ERA, 124 K's w/CIN) - The 36 year old Arroyo put up respectable numbers in 2013, especially considering he pitched in hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark. While he isn't going to blow anyone away, the Giants witnessed his potential for dominance back in the 2012 playoffs when he shut them down with a one-hit, shutout over 7 innings. His ability to handle a lineup without the strikeout is a definite plus when taking into consideration the drastic contrast between GAB and AT&T Park. He can realistically post a sub 3.50 ERA with the change in venue alone. Arroyo is also super-durable, having started at least 30 games every year since 2004. Although he stated he would prefer the East Coast, the Giants have to be an appealing exception to that criteria for the 15th year hurler.
Tim Hudson (8-7, 3.97 ERA, 95 K's w/ATL) - The former Oakland Athletic (has it really been almost 10 years since that trade?) hits the open market with some concerns, having started just 21 games in 2013 and going into his age 38 season (well past the time most pitchers begin to break down). However, it's valid to say he still has a few years left in the tank. Before suffering a fractured ankle that forced him out for the remainder of the season, Hudson was in the middle of a stretch in which he posted a 4-0 record with a 3.10 ERA in the month of July. The good news for Hudson is an ankle injury is about as opposite from an elbow injury as possible, so this shouldn't cause problems moving forward. If his ankle is healed, which it should be, there is little reason to doubt Hudson can pick up where he left off in mid-2013 and be a gem of a #4 starter.
Jason Hammel (7-8, 4.97 ERA, 96 K's w/BAL) - The 6'6 righty is a free agent for the first time in his career. Although Hammel has pretty much been the definition of mediocre through his first 6 seasons, he shows some flashes of greatness on occassion. Pairing him with pitching coach Dave Righetti, the Giants may be able to tap into that talent - a la Jonathan Sanchez - that has eluded his previous teams. Hammel is only a year removed from posting a 3.43 ERA in a tough AL East, so he has the ability to be successful. Pitching at AT&T Park would be a nice break for him as well, and he has a 2.35 ERA in 5 career starts there. Hammel may be a low-risk, high-reward signing that the Giants can stash in the #5 spot and hope they strike it rich.
Jason Vargas (9-8, 4.02 ERA, 109 K's w/LAA) - The 30 year old lefty is coming off a solid campaign after last off-season's trade sent him from Seattle to Los Angeles. Despite playing on a strong offensive team for the first time in his 8 year career, Vargas posted an underwhelming record in his only season with the Angels, considering his ERA was noticeably lower than his career 4.30 ERA. Vargas has been more name than game thus far in his career, but you can argue pitching 4 seasons on the light-hitting Mariners has hindered his ability to post more impressive win totals. While the Giants have been notorious for that exact problem several times in the last handful of years, a combination of pitching in a large park and on a winning team is something that Vargas has never had before. The rotation lacks left-handers beyond Bumgarner, and Vargas can be a #4 starter that gives Bochy the option to flip-flop righty and lefty starters each night.
The names on the pitching market are not sexy, but that's not what the Giants need. There are plenty of supporting arms out there that the team can land to help an already stacked rotation.
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