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San Francisco Giants: 4 Bold Predictions for the 2017 Season

By Sean Bialaszek

Oct 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Mark Melancon (43) celebrates after their win against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 5-2.Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Mark Melancon (43) celebrates after their win against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 5-2.Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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San Francisco Giants
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Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto, and Matt Moore All Get Cy Young Votes

The top three guys in San Francisco’s rotation are all going to get Cy Young votes, something that all three have done in the past. Bumgarner has gotten votes five times, including each of the last four seasons in a row. Cueto earned votes three times, finishing runner-up in 2014 and sixth last year in his first season with the Giants. Moore was ninth in AL voting in 2013, when he finished 17-4 with a 3.29 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 150.1 innings with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Bumgarner continues to establish himself as one of baseball’s best. In 2016, he finished the season with 200-plus innings pitched and a sub-three ERA for the fourth straight year, the longest active streak in baseball. He also set the Giants’ franchise record for a lefty, striking out 251 batters. Now at 27 years old, is entering the age range that is generally considered a pitcher’s prime. Maybe, as hard as it is to believe, the best is yet to come for Bumgarner.

Cueto immediately became immensely popular among the Giants’ fanbase, and that was only partially due to his fantastic season on the mound. His joviality and overall enjoyment of the game made him so well-liked, but his pitching earned him a sixth-place finish in Cy Young voting. He finished fifth in the MLB with a 2.79 ERA and led the NL with five complete games. He should be able to shimmy his way on to voter’s ballots again in 2017.

Moore became a big acquisition for the Giants, making some huge starts down the stretch and in the postseason for the team. His overall numbers with San Francisco (4.08 ERA, 1.332 WHIP) aren’t great, but he did strike out more than a batter per inning, and ended his regular season with two great starts, including one against the Dodgers in the final game of the season to secure a playoff spot.

Moore now has an entire Spring Training to work more with catcher Buster Posey and pitching coach Dave Righetti, and he’s not yet 28 years old. There’s still a lot of room to improve. Don’t be surprised if Moore has a stellar year in 2017.

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