Roster advice for Brian Sabean

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How do you spell relief? Try S-A-B-E-A-N. Giants GM Brian Sabean knows a thing or two about fortifying a bullpen midseason -- see 2010, when he made the under-the-radar but critical additions of Javier Lopez and Ramon Ramirez. And Im guessing that is once again at the forefront of Sabeans attention, as the non-waiver trade deadline approaches.This year is different than the last two. The Giants arent desperate for a big bat to rescue an anemic offense. To be clear, theyre still far from a juggernaut (12th in NL in runs scored, last in home runs). But as we all as know, with that pitching staff, they dont have to be. And hey, their .261 batting average is tied for fourth in the league. More importantly, the lineup just feels more adequate than it has the last couple of seasons.Could it use more thump? Of course. But theyd likely settle for a reasonably-cheap, reasonably-productive, reasonably-right-handed bat. Im talking Chris Denorfia. Or Jonny Gomes. Not Carlos Beltran. That aint happenin this time aroundRELATED: Should Giants acquire a closer?
Adding the right piece to the 'pen, however, could be of critical importance for the stretch run. This team plays a whole lot of one-run games, and Bruce Bochy loves him some bullpen fun. He will channel his inner La Russa all summer long, and playing the matchups works a whole lot better when you have a stable of reliable options at your disposal.Let me be clear: I am not suggesting the Giants need a new closer. Not exactly. I think Santiago Casilla will be just fine. I know hes gone through a rough patch recently, but not many closers dont during the course of a long season. And while its easy to peruse the recent numbers and dwell on those four blown saves in six chances, lets not forget that in two of those games Casilla was pitching through blister problems, and in another he fanned the would-be final out -- only to have the batter reach base and the tying run score from second on a play you might never see again.That said, heres my advice to the man who doesnt need my advice: Hedge your bet. Go get a quality reliever who can close if need be, but wont cost anywhere near as much as a bona fide stopper. There are plenty of those guys out there -- Houstons Brandon Lyon, Minnesotas Jared Burton, Baltimores Luis Ayala, to name a few. All having really nice seasons, all with at least some closing experience. And none of whom will cost anything close to a top prospect.Is the bullpen the Giants biggest weakness? Clearly not. On the contrary, you could argue its their biggest strength. Doesnt mean its not a priority for the guy in charge of making a good team better. Like World Series better. Kinda like two years ago.

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