Giants 2022 Season Preview: Three Keys to a Successful Season

 As we know, lots of things can go wrong to ruin a season and lot of things have to go right for a fantastic season like 2021.  Here is my take on three key difference makers which will go a long way to determining whether the Giants have another season like last year or if they drop back to the pack and merely fight for a playoff spot.  

1.  Joey Bart C.  No pressure here or anything but the Giants do not have much of a back up plan if Joey Bart faceplants or suffers a major injury.  FZ said Bart was ready to take over the primary catching duties right after the Buster Posey retirement news dropped and he's never waivered from that.  Bart's spring performance is encouraging, but spring performances don't always carry over.  Bart does not have to dominate or win ROY to be a difference maker.  If he hits 20-25 HR's while handling at least half of the catching duties, that's probably enough, but what if he really is ready and lives up to his #2 overall draft pedigree?  That would erase all the fretting about righthanded bats and take pressure off several other bats.  Pressure nor not, ready or not, Joey Bart's season will go a long way to determining the Giants season.

2.  Jake McGee' LHP' s slider.  This one is a little less obvious.  Kap named Jake McGee the primary closer to start the season.  McGee has an overpowering fastball which he had success throwing 93% of the time last year, but in certain tight situations, hitters were able to sit on it.  This spring, he appeared to throw the slider more often and with more confidence.  He only needs to throw it a little more often but a realistic threat of a slider away to lefty batters and at the back foot of RH batters would make and already killer FB that much better.  It would turn McGee into to dominant closer he's always had the potential to become.  The ripple effect would take pressure off Camilo Doval RHP allowing him to be the primary 8'th inning guy and move Tyler Rogers RHP back to a 7'th or 6'th inning role.  

3.  Brandon Belt 1B's knee.  We saw what a difference maker Brandon Belt's bat in the lineup was last year.  I still believe the Giants would have won the World Series had Belt not been injured for the postseason.  Keeping his bat in the lineup, even if he has to DH most of the time will go a long way toward the Giants offense replicating last year's success.