The Wright Choice: Why David fits in San Francisco

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By Zack Farmer

The Giants run production has definitely been a pleasant surprise so far this season and even though it has struggled the past few nights, few are concerned that trend will continue.

But that doesn't mean that there still isn't room for improvement. There are a few spots that have unresolved battles.

First base is still not solidified. Neither is the third outfield spot after Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera.

There is one guy that could solve these problems: David Wright.

Wright is that type of guy that could change the entire look of a team and a lineup.

The middle of the lineup right now has Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey, and Aubrey Huff. Most would agree that third guy is not ideal.

Picture the 3-4-5 hitters for the Giants being: Pablo Sandoval, Wright, Buster Posey. Or how about Posey, Wright, and Sandoval?

Yes, I had Sandoval and Wright in the same lineup. Move Wright to first base or move Panda there, for all I care.

If performance continues to slip, Giants should look to trade Lincecum

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By Zack Farmer

It has become clear the Giants are serious about keeping its core pieces in San Francisco.

Pablo Sandoval is locked up through 2014. Matt Cain got his new five-year extension just before the season. And then there's Madison Bumgarner's new deal.

Buster Posey is locked up in arbitration for a while and is not an immediate concern.

With Tim Lincecum's third straight bad start, it's about time to consider whether he is a part of that core.

And if he isn't, there need to be serious talks about trading the two-time Cy Young winner.

Lincecum has two more seasons left on his current deal, which will take him to his free agent years, and he will most likely command $25 million-plus per season. In his first season past that free agent year, he will turn 30.

Neither of these facts are that concerning. I mean Cain will be the same age.

But Lincecum's velocity has steadily decreased over the past three years. In his start in Colorado, he was topping out at 90 mph and was consistently at 89.

He has three straight seasons where his walks per nine innings has gone up. He also has four straight seasons where his strikeouts per nine has gone down.

Last year's strikeout-to-walk ratio was the worst it has been since his rookie season.

By the numbers, Lincecum looks to be on a steady decline. The eye test says he is on a steady decline.

All of this makes this season a crucial one for Lincecum's future in San Francisco. If he fixes the control problems, he stays.

If Lincecum's velocity continues to decline and his control does not improve this season, it will be time to be serious about trading him.

If Lincecum is not part of the core or the foreseeable future, they will need to move him this coming winter.

The Giants can't go into next season knowing they will not be keeping Lincecum and trade him midseason. If this team expects to contend, it can't wait until the trade deadline next year to do something with Lincecum.

The team will be able to find a better deal in the offseason.

Trading him could also result in getting that ever-elusive bat. It could result in getting his heir on the mound.

It would be a big change but if his performance doesn't improve this season, it will be a necessary change.

Follow Zack Farmer: @ZFarmerExaminer

If Wilson's season is over, his time in SF is also over

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By Zack Farmer

Comcast SportsNet reported Bruce Bochy told the media on Saturday that Wilson had a MRI on Friday night that revealed "structural issues" in his throwing elbow and that surgery is likely.

[CSNBayArea.com: Brian Wilson 'likely' to have surgery]

It even has the potential to be season-ending surgery. Who know, that one called Tommy John.

If it is Tommy John and Wilson's season is over, it is also probably the end of Wilson in a Giants uniform.

The writing was already on the wall for the free agent-to-be.

The Giants had already locked up Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum past this season, the guys they were most concerned about.

Heath Hembree, who looks to be the Wilson's heir to the closer role, is nearly ready for the big leagues.

And the market for established closers is somewhere in the range of $10-15 million per season.

That is not a figure I would be comfortable paying for an increasingly injury-prone pitcher.