From: Sports Illustrated/SI.com

San Francisco Giants

PENDING FREE AGENTS: C Bengie Molina, SP Brad Penny, RP Bobby Howry, SP Randy Johnson, OF Randy Winn, IF Juan Uribe, IF Rich Aurilia, OF Dave Roberts, SP Noah Lowry.

PLAYERS WITH OPTIONS: None.

PROSPECTS ON THE VERGE: C Buster Posey, SP Madison Bumgarner, UT Matt Downs, 3B Jesus Guzman, 3B Ryan Rohlinger.

BUILDING FOR: Remaining in contention by consolidating gains.

BIGGEST HOLES: The offense around Pablo Sandoval.

TARGETS: LF Jason Bay, LF Matt Holliday, LF Johnny Damon, RF Jermaine Dye, UT Chone Figgins, OF Rick Ankiel, OF Andruw Jones, 3B Troy Glaus, OF/1B Xavier Nady.

BREAKDOWN: The Giants were surprise contenders this year thanks to the majors' second-best pitching staff (just a tick behind the Dodgers), and that staff will be even stronger in 2010 with the arrival of top prospect Bumgarner. However, the Giants' offensive attack was, well, offensive, ranking 26th in the majors. (If the 2009 Giants offense was a movie, it would have been Sandoval and the Seven Dwarfs.) The Giants just re-upped deadline acquisition Freddy Sanchez at second base and are locked into Edgar Renteria at shortstop and Aaron Rowand in center, but they have hot prospect Posey ready to succeed Molina behind the plate and no obligations at the four corners other than to play Sandoval at first or third. Bay and Holliday are obviously the belles of the ball, but Figgins would provide on-base ability and speed at the top of the order and play a strong third base, pushing Sandoval to first. Damon and Dye are defensively-challenged short-term solutions, but the Giants' options are so dismal in the outfield corners, and the pitching staff so adept at striking hitters out (a major league-best 8.1 K/9 in '09), that it would be worth sacrificing defense for their offense. Ankiel, Jones and Glaus are high-upside gambles similarly worth taking. Nady is a bit too much like Ryan Garko, but if there's a team he can help, it's this one.