No. 2 Royals | No. 4 Mets | Nos. 10-1
San Francisco Giants
Last Season: 84-78
Projected record: 85-77 (second in NL West)
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The Giants are committed to being competitive every (other) year, and that's not just lip service -- they're once again sporting a top-five payroll after buying two high-priced pitchers in the free-agent market this offseason. Add to that a knack for developing useful infielders such as Brandon Crawford and Matt Duffy, and you have a recipe for lasting success. Early in this run, the team used starting pitching dominance to roll to titles, but the 2014 edition had a new recipe: good hitting, and Madison Bumgarner, the ace of all aces. Adaptable, good at developing players, and busy in free agency: That's how the Giants have created a dynasty.
Led by Bumgarner, the Giants have a veteran pitching staff with lots of career wins. Can they do more of the same in 2016? -- ESPN.com (graphic by Dan Szymborski)
A healthy infield may make a big difference for the Giants, who lost Joe Panik and Brandon Belt for long stretches in 2015. But the team didn't sit back and hope for better health -- they went out and got two of the five most expensive starters -- Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija -- in an effort to improve a starting rotation that was among baseball's bottom 10 in WAR last year. That could make all the difference.
Cueto is coming off the worst season in his past five, and he is now 30 years old. Samardzija led the league in hits and runs allowed last year. The Giants had the oldest pitching staff in baseball last year and don't have many young pitchers coming. The injuries to Panik (back) and Belt (concussion) are concerning. This isn't the youngest team, and it could have problems keeping everyone on the field.
No. 2 Royals | No. 4 Mets | Nos. 10-1
