Doesn’t make sense to give up on Giants

Do you realize that the Giants’ method of winning — to the tune of three world titles in five years — has been declared extinct?

If not, good. You’re way ahead of the game. If you think the Giants have the talent to contend next year without completely dismantling the roster, even better.

In a climate suffocated by statistics and misleading analysis, people can’t wait to identify a revolution, and be the first to say so. Certain trends are indeed revolutionary:

the cut fastball, the predominance of defensive shifts, the increasing reliance on deep, velocityrich bullpens. But don’t believe anyone who claims the Giants have lost touch with some sort of “new reality.” As bleak as their season has been, remember this above all: Intelligent, fundamental baseball will never go out of style.

As long as this game is played, championships will be won by teams with the best pitching and defense. Scoring runs, preferably with the long ball? That goes without saying, and Giants fans can only be envious of the potent lineups being fielded by the Dodgers, Astros and Nationals. But don’t tell Brian Sabean or Bruce Bochy to stack the San Francisco lineup with players who either crack the long ball or strike out, nothing in between. That’s summerof-’17 stuff. And if you watch those high-powered teams, there’s a lot of smart, situational hitting in the mix. It’s not as if we’re watching some new, radical style of baseball.

It’s a known and depressing fact that the Giants, over a 162-game period dating to last season’s All-Star break, lost 98 games. That’s the number, and the team fared poorly on the eye tests, as well. But please: As recently as last October, the Giants were winning a wild-card playoff game in New York and playing the eventual world champion Cubs straight up, in the National League Division Series, before a pathetic bullpen display caused Game 4 to unravel. Less than a year later, with essentially the same team, they’re suddenly completely out of touch?

There’s no need to run down all of the unforeseen disasters that plunged San Francisco to the depths. Two of them in particular — the injuries to ace starter Madison Bumgarner and expected closer Mark Melancon — were especially damaging. This has also been the first Giants team in memory, or at least since Bochy took over the reins, that plays with so little fire and energy. But that’s what happens when you look at the standings and see “25 games out,” or worse. In the most unpredictable sport of them all, things happen that cannot be logically explained — like the Cubs, decidedly disappointing in the season’s first half, or the high-IQ Cardinals making a mess of things. While you’re at it, toss in the Miracle Mets, Mark (the Bird) Fidrych, and Dock Ellis throwing a no-hitter on acid.

The Giants winning three titles with superior pitching, wondrous defense and clutch hitting? Sorry, there’s nothing mysterious about that. It sounds like the history of the game — and the future.

Without question, the Giants need an influx of power in their punchless lineup. And they do need significant change. But they can get right back into contention next season — perhaps not winning it all, but right in the mix — without destroying the blueprint. From what I’ve heard, here’s how some of their key players are viewed by

management: Johnny Cueto: With this season heading nowhere, Cueto’s blister issues might work to the Giants’ favor. Nobody wants a diminished Cueto as a late-season rental, and there is talk he might consider abandoning those free-agent plans. That would be terrific. Cueto is a Luis Tiant-like magician when he’s right, and he looks as if he could pitch big games for years. Jeff Samardzija: He might be offered in trade, but not because the club wants to unload him. Samardzija is one of the greatest competitors and teammates in the game, someone any club would welcome as a back-end rotation starter. He’s not symbolic of anything that’s gone wrong. Matt Moore: A constant and often maddening project for pitching coach Dave Righetti, Moore finally adjusted his mechanics last week, with encouraging results. His history suggests he’s not nearly as bad as his 2017 numbers, and a bounceback season is entirely within reason. Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford: As you have undoubtedly heard, untouchable. As it should be. Joe Panik might be made available, but no problem if he stays; he’s a big-league second baseman in every respect.

Brandon Belt: You’re not the only one suffering through Belt’s unwatchable slumps, especially as he whiffs so often on fastballs around the chest.. With a nod to his defense and occasional power, the Giants would consider a change at first base. It’s time. Considering that Belt is signed through 2021, with his value at an all-time low, a productive trade seems very unlikely. Hunter Pence: The pitch is dirt-low and a foot outside, but Pence is chasing, either missing it entirely or lurching awkwardly to tap a little dribbler to the infield. Then comes a high fastball, once the stuff of his dreams, and he can’t catch up. What happened to this guy? I actually heard “he’s gotta go” from a source close to the team. That sounds unreasonably cruel for one of the most beloved, influential Giants of the championship era, but it seems his countless injuries — many of which he gamely plays through, without excuses — have taken a toll. The entire Giants outfield needs an overhaul; fresh looks all around. With Pence under contract for just one more season, a trade will at least be explored here. Worth mentioning: Earlier this season, Cueto lamented the lack of Latin American ballplayers on the roster. The Giants were pioneers in this

department when they moved to San Francisco, particularly as it regarded the Dominican Republic, and consider the multicultural nature of their championship teams: Renteria, Uribe, Sandoval, Molina, Pagan, Casilla, Blanco, Torres, Sanchez, Arias, Perez, Adrianza and more. If the Giants’ landscape looks a bit vacant these days, it’s not by design. But this is an element that leads to winning, quite likely with flair and exuberance. It’s an endearing staple of today’s game, and teams are unwise to lag behind.

One imagines that there’s plenty of change ahead, on many fronts, but here’s something the stats-minded folks don’t understand: Championship executives don’t flip players around like trading cards. There’s an emotional attachment — ideally, not too sentimental — to the ones responsible for those downtown parades. Discard them at your peril. Let’s see how the Giants balance patience with transition before we cast them as fools.