Kontos predicts three Giants will hit at least 30 homers

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The Giants haven't had a player hit at least 30 home runs in a season since Barry Bonds did so in 2004. But with 58 home runs as a team through their first 42 games, which is tied for the second-most in MLB, could this be the season the drought ends?

NBC Sports Bay Area's George Kontos thinks that'll be the case -- in a big way.

"I think [the Giants] are going to have three 30-home run hitters this year," Kontos said Tuesday on "Giants Postgame Live." "You heard it right here first."

Who are the three players Kontos expects to accomplish the feat? Oh, just three of the four active players who have hit the most homers in a Giants uniform. (Hint: Pablo Sandoval is the other.)

Brandon Crawford hit his team-leading 10th home run of the season in the Giants' 4-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, while Buster Posey and Brandon Belt are tied for second on the team with eight apiece.

While it's still early, Crawford already has matched a Bonds feat this season. With Tuesday's homer, he became the first Giants player to reach 10 home runs in his first 36 games of a season since Bonds hit 11 in 2007. Bonds finished with 28 that season.

Crawford is on pace to finish well ahead of that total, and is averaging one homer every 11.3 at-bats. Posey (one every 11.8 at-bats) and Belt (one every 12.9 at-bats) aren't far behind that pace, and either might be currently be leading the team if not for fewer plate appearances.

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Crawford has never hit more than 21 home runs in a season, while Posey and Belt have never hit more than 24 and 18, respectively. So, in order for Kontos' prediction to be correct, all three long-time Giants are going to have to set career-highs in that category. 

That might seem unlikely, particularly given their age. But considering the way the ball has been jumping out of Oracle Park since the start of last season, perhaps it's time to recalibrate our expectations.

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