San Francisco Giants: 5 Takeaways from the 2017 Season

3 – The Team Needs More Pop

Speaking of a lineup in need, the Giants have to get more pop in the lineup.

It’s still difficult to hit home runs at AT&T Park. Even as home runs around baseball exploded, there were only 118 longballs hit in San Francisco, 36 fewer than in any other park in baseball. Giants’ pitchers allowed 70 home runs at home, the lowest total in the MLB. On the other side, their hitters only hit 48 out, by far the lowest total around the game (Pittsburgh was next at 73).

So while it’s not easy to conquer the yard, it’s not impossible either. Consider San Diego Padres’ slugger Wil Myers. In nine games at AT&T Park in 2017, he hit six home runs. The Giants, who were void of right-handed power all season, had two righties hit four home runs to lead the team (Hunter Pence, Nick Hundley).

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Brandon Belt led the team with 18 home runs despite missing the final two months with a concussion. Belt would have easily crossed the 20 home runs threshold if not for one badly-thrown curveball. Instead, the Giants were the only team in baseball without a 20-home run hitter in a season where 117 hitters hit at least 20.

The Giants need to add some threats to the lineup. Chris Shaw is the team’s best power threat in the system, and is knocking on the door after a strong showing in Triple-A. It would also help if opponents would stop throwing baseballs at Belt’s head, but the team still needs to provide more of a threat around him.