The San Francisco Giants started life in 1883 as the New York Gothams and then became the New York Giants in 1886. They claimed 5 World Series titles as the New York Giants, as well as 17 National League Pennants. It was as they were looking for a new home to replace the crumbling Polo Grounds that the mayor of San Francisco approached them, and in 1957 they joined the Dodgers in trading New York for California.
The newly minted San Francisco Giants didn't have much luck out west. It took them 5 years to claim another NL Pennant and then they had a 27-year drought before returning to the World Series in 1989 only to lose. They had to wait until 2010 to finally lift a World Series title in San Francisco, and as ever once the drought ended the dam truly broke. They claimed another title in 2012 and again in 2014 to take their tally to 8.
Since that 2014 triumph the Giants have only been to the playoffs once as key members of that championship side aged out and left town. Can you take over and bring the Giants back up the standings and claim a 9th World Series?
Team Rating
Unlike most sports games, MLB The Show 19 doesn't provide a single OVR for teams. Instead, you get a ranking of where they sit within the league. This makes it easier to tell how good or bad a team is, but it dosn't show you the gulf in quality between the 10th ranked team and the 15th ranked as well as an OVR would.
The San Francisco Giants come into The Show 19 ranked 18th overall in the Majors. This is just below the middle of MLB, and is based on their strength in pitching (9th) and defense (9th). However, the Giants do have some holes in their game. They rank dead last in speed (30th) and nearly last in power (29th) with their contact skill sitting at 18th.
What they do have is financial might. Their team budget of $192.5 million puts them very close to the top of the National League. They do have some big contracts on their books, but soon they will end and the Giants will be able to throw their weight around in free agency while retaining key players from their current roster. Who are the players you'll be looking to build around?
Will Smith, Closing Pitcher (90 OVR)
Age: 29
Throws/Bats: L/R
Contract: 1 year/$4.2 million
Pitches: 4-Seam Fastball, Slider, Curveball, Changeup
Best Stats: Break (99), K/9 (93), H/9 (88), Clutch (79), HR/9 (78), Control (75)
Will Smith was a seventh-round pick for the Los Angeles Angels in 2008 but was traded to Kansas City in 2010 and got his MLB debut there in 2012 as a starter, pitching in 16 games with a 5.32 ERA. The next year the Royals moved him to the bullpen and saw an immediate improvement to 3.24 ERA. The Royals then traded him to Milwaukee, where he spent 2 and a half seasons as a setup man before he was traded San Francisco in the summer of 2016. Smith missed the 2017 season through injury and then began to pick up saves in 2018.
In The Show 19 Smith is a strong option at closer. He has elite break (99) and good control (75), making him a strikeout artist (93). He is good in the clutch (79) and can limit hits (88) and home runs against (78). His velocity (66) is not great, but with his break and both a slider and curveball in his arsenal he can shut down teams.
Madison Bumgarner, Starting Pitcher (87 OVR)
Age: 29
Throws/Bats: L/R
Contract: 1 year/$7 million
Pitches: Cutter, 2-Seam Fastball, Curveball, Changeup
Best Stats: Stamina (93), Break (89), H/9 (76), BB/9 (75), Clutch (73), K/9 (69), Velocity (68)
Madison Bumgarner was a first-round pick in 2007 by San Francisco and got his MLB debut in 2009 at just 19 years old. In 2010 he made 18 starts with a 3.00 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 111 innings and made the playoffs starting rotation. In 2011 he logged his first of six-consecutive 200+ inning seasons and established himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball. Bumgarner got his first All-Star appearance in 2013 and gained serious Cy Young consideration in 2014 when he topped 200 strikeouts for the first time. He also claimed World Series MVP in 2014 and posted a ridiculous 1.03 ERA in 6 postseason starts.
In The Show 19 Bumgarner has fallen off a little. His stamina (93) is superb and his break is great (89). He has ok control (64) and velocity (68), and does well in clutch (73) situations. He does well in limiting hits (76) and walks (75). Bumgarner is in the last year of his contract, so you'll either need to trade him quickly or find a way to get him to ink a new deal.
Buster Posey, Catcher (87 OVR)
Age: 32
Throws/Bats: R/R
Contract:
Secondary Position: 1B
Hitter Tendency: Pull Hitter
Best Stats: Contact vs L (91), Vision (88), Fielding (88), Clutch (86), Blocking (85), Reaction (78), Discipline (76), Arm Accuracy (75), Arm Strength (73), Contract vs R (73)
Buster Posey was a first-round pick for the Giants in 2008 and got his MLB debut in 2009. In 2010 he played over 100 games with a .305 average, 18 homers and good defense to win the NL Rookie of the Year. In 2012 Posey got his first All-Star appearance and led MLB with a .336 average along with 24 homers, 103 RBI, and good enough defense that he claimed the NL MVP award. Posey never hit that many homers again but he has been a life-time .304 hitter for San Francisco and played very well behind the plate and at first base.
In The Show 19 Posey has great contact skill (73/91) and is superb behind the plate (fielding 88, blocking 85). He doesn't have much power (35/55) but his vision (88) and discipline (76) is strong and he's good in the clutch (86) too. Posey's durability (60) is poor, so be sure to rotate him out from catcher to first base.
San Francisco Giants MLB Roster
There can be some minor fluctuation in player OVR within MLB The Show 19, however the underlying stats are always consistent. We'll start our look at the San Francisco Giants MLB roster with the position players and then the pitchers.
Player | OVR | Age | Position | Bat Hand | Best Contact | Best Power | Fielding | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buster Posey | 87 | 32 | C | R | 91 (L) | 55 (L) | 88 | 15 |
Brandon Belt | 83 | 30 | 1B | L | 78 (R) | 72 (R) | 85 | 31 |
Brandon Crawford | 81 | 32 | SS | L | 70 (L) | 48 (R) | 84 | 35 |
Evan Longoria | 79 | 33 | 3B | R | 74 (L) | 66 (L) | 68 | 48 |
Cameron Maybin | 74 | 31 | CF | R | 67 (L) | 44 (R) | 68 | 73 |
Joe Panik | 74 | 38 | 2B | L | 70 (R) | 45 (R) | 65 | 26 |
Gerardo Parra | 73 | 31 | RF | L | 78 (R) | 46 (R) | 70 | 42 |
Stephen Vogt | 69 | 34 | C | L | 57 (R) | 63 (R) | 49 | 26 |
Aramis Garcia | 68 | 26 | C | R | 48 (L) | 53 (L) | 70 | 32 |
Alen Hanson | 68 | 26 | 2B | S | 58 (R) | 48 (R) | 55 | 70 |
Rene Rivera | 68 | 35 | C | R | 43 (L) | 53 (R) | 67 | 9 |
Chris Shaw | 68 | 25 | LF | L | 61 (R) | 68 (R) | 53 | 31 |
Mac Williamson | 64 | 28 | LF | R | 44 (R) | 50 (L) | 72 | 67 |
Player | OVR | Age | Position | Throw Hand | Stamina | Control | Velocity | Break |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Will Smith | 90 | 29 | CP | L | 23 | 75 | 66 | 99 |
Mark Melancon | 88 | 34 | RP | R | 24 | 79 | 69 | 82 |
Madison Bumgarner | 87 | 29 | SP | L | 93 | 64 | 68 | 89 |
Johnny Cueto | 87 | 33 | SP | R | 91 | 63 | 58 | 82 |
Dereck Rodriguez | 83 | 26 | SP | R | 82 | 63 | 66 | 86 |
Reyes Moronta | 81 | 26 | RP | R | 24 | 47 | 88 | 99 |
Jeff Samardzija | 80 | 34 | SP | R | 82 | 55 | 73 | 66 |
Trevor Gott | 79 | 26 | RP | R | 25 | 63 | 80 | 79 |
Tony Watson | 79 | 33 | RP | L | 24 | 81 | 75 | 91 |
Sam Dyson | 78 | 30 | RP | R | 24 | 60 | 79 | 75 |
Derek Law | 75 | 28 | RP | R | 24 | 56 | 82 | 61 |
Andrew Suarez | 75 | 26 | SP | L | 80 | 64 | 63 | 50 |
The Giants MLB roster consists of 13 position players and 12 pitchers. That is made up of your 8-man starting lineup and a 5-man bench, and your 5-man starting rotation and a 7-man bullpen, including your closer. The roster make up is perhaps the most unique of any MLB team with 4 catchers on the MLB roster.
The bulk of the giants offense will come from Buster Posey (contact L 91, vision 88), Brandon Belt (contact R 78, power R 72), and Evan Longoria (contact L 74, power L 66). They are supported by Gerardo Parra (contact vs R 78, contact L 71), Brandon Crawford (contact L 70, contact R 66), and Cameron Maybin (contact L 67, contact R 65). The giants roster does not possess much power, but there is decent contact skill up and down the lineup.
In the field the giants are strong. Posey (fielding 88), Belt (fielding 85), and Brandon Crawford (fielding 84) are stars. Around them Mac Williamson (fielding 72), Gerardo Parra (fielding 70), can get it done too.
The starting rotation is led by the strong 1-2 combination of Madison Bumgarner (stamina 93, break 89) and Johnny Cueto (stamina 91, break 82). The #3 spot is held by Dereck Rodriguez (break 86, stamina 82) and veteran Jeff Samardzija (stamina 82, velocity 73) is in #4 with Andrew Suarez (stamina 80, control 64) as the final man. Suarez is very much the weak link, but with Bumgarner approaching free agency you can't afford to go trade-happy and bring in a big-ticket pitcher to take his slot.
The Giants bullpen is anchored by Will Smith (break 99, control 75) and Mark Melancon (break 82, velocity 79), with Reyes Moronta (break 99, velocity 88) and Tony Watson (break 91, control 81) providing excellent support. Sam Dyson (velocity 79, clutch 78) and Derek Law (velocity 82, BB/9 76) are able to eat some innings if the starter struggles, and Trevor Gott (HR/9 84, velocity 80) is your last man. The bullpen does lack a true long man in case of injury to a starter.
Lineups
MLB The Show 19 gives you 4 lineups to set. These are against right-handed starters with and without the DH and against left-handed starters with and without the DH. As the Giants are in the National League the majority of their games will be without the DH.
The game will give you some preset lineups. Against righties without the DH it puts CF Cameron Maybin at the top of the order with RF Gerardo Parra and 1B Brandon Belt next. LF Chris Shaw hits #4 followed by 3B Evan Longoria, C Buster Posey, and 2B Joe Panik while SS Brandon Crawford hits #8. With the DH Alen Hanson will come into the lineup at #9.
Against lefties without the DH the lineup is very similar but with Posey ahead of Longoria and Crawford ahead of Panik. With the DH Hanson again comes in at #9.
These lineups are ok but we can maximize the offense far more.
Against righties we have promoted Gerardo Parra to the #1 spot and Buster Posey to the #2. Brandon Belt, Chris Shaw, and Evan Longoria stay in the #3-#5 spots, with Cameron Maybin falling to #6, followed by Joe Panik and Brandon Crawford. With the DH Stephen Vogt will play catcher and hit #7 as Posey takes the DH spot.
Against lefties Parra and Posey stay at the top but Longoria comes up to #3 and Crawford to #4. Belt hits #5 followed by Maybin, Shaw falls to #7 followed by Panik. With the DH Aramis Garcia comes in at catcher for Posey to play DH.
Farm System
The farm system in MLB The Show 19 can be frustrating. The changes in OVR can also occur in potential, and that can seriously effect the quality of a prospect. There is also a lack of some real life prospects which means you can't just google a list of the best prospects and go trade for them. However, there are still some useful players in the Giants farm system that could develop into MLB players.
Steven Duggar, Center Field (61 OVR)
Age: 25
Potential: A
Throws/Bats: R/L
Secondary Position: LF, RF
Hitter Tendency: Whole Field
Best Stats: Speed (78), Durability (78), Reaction (70), Fielding (69), Arm Accuracy (66), Arm Strength (57), Contact vs L (51)
Steven Duggar was a sixth-round pick for San Francisco in 2015 and got his MLB debut in 2018, playing in 41 games and getting 152 plate appearances. He hit 11 doubles and two homers, stole 5 bases, and finished the year with a slashline of .255/.303/.390.
In The Show 19 Duggar brings good speed (78) to a lineup, along with the durability (78) to play regularly. He is solid in the field (69) too. Duggar is not MLB-ready at the plate though, he has poor contact skill (45/51) and a total lack of power (36/38). He also lacks vision (41) and discipline (46), but with the Giants being such a slow team if he can develop some hitting skill Duggar will be a big benefit to the Major League club.
Tyler Beede, Starting Pitcher (59 OVR)
Age: 25
Potential: A
Throws/Bats: R/R
Pitches: 4-Seam Fastball, Changeup, Sinker, Curveball, Cutter
Best Stats: Stamina (77), Velocity (73), Break (61), Arm Strength (56), H/9 (54), Fielding (53)
Tyler Beede was a first-round pick for the Giants in 2014 and got his MLB debut in 2018, making two starts. His first was a steady 4 innings against the Diamondbacks in which he allowed 3 hits, 5 walks, and 2 runs with three strikeouts, but his second was a poor away game against the Padres in which he lasted 3.2 innings and allowed 5 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks, though he did tally 9 strikeouts in his 7.2 total innings.
In The Show 19 Beede has solid stamina (77) and velocity (73). His break (61) is ok but his control (49) needs work and he is not good in the clutch (42). Beede has a nice 5-pitch arsenal with a sinker, curveball, and cutter all complimenting his fastball & changeup.
Greg Duke, Starting Pitcher (58 OVR)
Age: 22
Potential: B
Throws/Bats: L/L
Pitches: 2-Seam Fastball, Splitter, Changeup, Slider
Best Stats: Break (87), Stamina (84), Arm Strength (68), Arm Accuracy (68), H/9 (66), Velocity (63)
Greg Duke is only 22 but he already has MLB-ready break (87) and stamina (84). His control (42) is poor and he is frustratingly prone to giving up walks (33) and struggles to register strikeouts (27). His velocity (63) is ok, but there is a lot of room to grow for Duke. You don't need to rush him to the Majors, but keep an eye on his development as he could soon be a fixture in the rotation.