PITTSBURGH — Upon acquiring outfielder Andrew McCutchen in January, 2018, the Giants’ ownership group and front office attempted to sell its fans on a vision.
The Giants believed a 98-loss season in 2017 was nothing more than an aberration and felt that surrounding their core players with proven assets like McCutchen and Evan Longoria would spark an immediate resurgence.
By the end of August, McCutchen was playing the outfield for the New York Yankees and the Giants were headed for an 89-loss season.
It did not require a magnifying glass to spot the flaws on the team’s 2018 roster, but the Giants promoted the vision of fielding a contending club anyway.