Giants not fretting over HR drought.
SAN FRANCISCO — With catcher Buster Posey and outfielder Hunter Pence curtailed by injuries, the Giants had a hard time keeping up with the league’s big boppers in 2016.
Opponents out-homered them, 158-130, and only two National League teams hit fewer home runs during the regular season (the Miami Marlins hit 128 and the Atlanta Braves hit 122).
Will the Giants look to add a power bat in the offseason?
Maybe, Brian Sabean said. The team’s executive vice president for baseball operations said Thursday that the Giants actually felt OK about their lineup potency whenever they were at full strength. Also, Sabean expects the team’s fresher faces to develop more power as they mature.
“A lot of these guys are still young players,’’ he said. “They’re not the back of the baseball card yet.”
The biggest factor: The Giants, who play in pitcherfriendly AT&T Park, won’t fret over the long ball so long as they’re still finding other ways to produce runs. San Francisco still outscored opponents 715-631 during the regular season. Sabean said that in the National League, the “magic number is 4” — that is, the total the team needs to score per game.
The Giants were 63-24 when they scored four or more runs this season and 24-51 when they didn’t.
“I think our strength is the links of the chain. We have to have all of the links, ‘’ Sabean said. “It doesn’t have to be artistic with a home run. I know Manager Bruce (Bochy) would love a three-run homer. ... But it just doesn’t work that way.”
General Manager Bobby Evans agreed, especially on the point about younger players. He pointed to the career path of Adam Duvall, a former Giants farmhand who finally blossomed in Cincinnati this season with 33 homers at age 27.
“We project both (Mac) Williamson and (Jarrett) Parker to have more power,’’ Evans said. “Yes, we’re at a different ballpark and a different role. But we feel like both guys have a chance of helping us next year.”
Brandon Belt led the Giants this season with 17 home runs, tied for 56th in the N.L.
Posey, who was hampered by a bad thumb and a bad back, hit only 14 homers. Pence, who missed two months because of a hamstring injury, hit 13.