Scutaro, Belt Possibilities in San Francisco Giants Outfield Following Melky Cabrera Suspension

Melky Cabrera will not be with the team following his 50-game suspension, and with it comes offensive uncertainty in the San Francisco Giants’ lineup.

            On Wednesday, manager Bruce Bochy replaced Cabrera in the lineup with Gregor Blanco.

            However, that could very well change as the season progresses and the playoff race heats up.

The Giants now have some decisions to make pertaining to their roster.

            Bochy hinted at the fact that Blanco could get the majority of the starts in the outfield, but there is also the topic of a lack of power in the lineup now that they do not have Cabrera batting third.

            Substituting his bat with the weaker bat of Blanco is simply a downgrade for a team still in dire need of offense any given night.

            So the idea of moving players from the infield into the outfield creeped into the postgame press conference room after Wednesday’s loss to the Nationals.

            The two names mentioned were Brandon Belt and Marco Scutaro.

            Bochy did not rule either of them out.

            “Marco has played some left field.  We have discussed that a little bit,” Bochy said.  “It’s been awhile since he’s been over there.”

            While the option of moving Scutaro from the utility-player role to a possible starting spot in the outfield seemed to be on Bochy’s mind prior to the press conference, moving Belt from first base back to the outfield seemed a little less likely.

            “Is it a possibility? Sure,” Bochy said.  “I think we are going to keep all our options open.  It’s probably not going to happen, but I’m not going to say it won’t happen.”

            Belt has seemed more comfortable at the plate in recent games.

            He is 9-for-16 with three home runs in the last four games.