Five players & five plotlines

BY KERRY CROWLEY

MadisonBumgarner

The four-time All-Star authored one of the most memorable individual performances in postseason history, but the 2014 World Series is in the distant past for a player and club attempting to win back the trust of a fan base. Bumgarner’s April dirt bike crash wiped out half of his season and a significant portion of the goodwill he built up with the franchise, but he returned to action after the All-Star break and re-established himself at the top of the Giants’ rotation. If they hope to contend, they’ll need Bumgarner to return to form as one of baseball’s most feared pitchers and the tone-setter every fifth day. If the lefthander lives up to expectations, a postseason push and a dominant season could make the Giants

Trade Bait

Andrew McCutchen enters the season with high expectations, but if the Giants stumble out of the gates, he could be the first player on the trading block. His expiring contract would be easy to unload, and the Giants should land prospects in return. If all goes well, the Giants will be buyers at the trade deadline, but early struggles will have clubs checking on Jeff Samardzija and even Bumgarner.

inclined to lock up Bumgarner on a long-term deal that will keep him in San Francisco for years to come. On the flip side, with his team-friendly contract set to expire after 2019, a slow start to the year could land Bumgarner on the trade block and force the Giants to consider taking the first step toward a rebuild.

BrandonCrawford

Crawford entered the 2017 season as one of the top twoway shortstops in baseball, but a decline in production at the plate forced him toward the bottom of the Giants’ lineup. After collecting his third straight Gold Glove, Crawford remains an elite defender, and he should have the chance to bounce back with the bat thanks to the reinforcements the Giants added to the middle of the lineup.

MarkMelancon

Melancon owns one of the richest contracts for a reliever in baseball history, but three separate stints on the disabled list turned his inaugural season with the Giants into a massive disappointment. After undergoing surgery in September, Melancon must serve as both a lockdown closer and the leader of a bullpen that’s been an issue for the last two seasons.

BrandonBelt

Belt tied his career-high with 18 home runs last season but missed the final two months of the year after suffering his fourth concussion. Belt reported to spring training eager to prove he’s completely healthy, but the Giants will monitor him closely since they need him to deliver left-handed power from the middle of the order.

Hunter Pence

The oldest player on the oldest team in baseball, Pence, 35, is a grizzled veteran who’s agreed to switch from right field to left field to accommodate the addition of McCutchen. Pence is in great shape, but injuries have beaten him down over the last few seasons and two prospects, Austin Slater and Chris Shaw, expect to push him for playing time as the season evolves.