Brandon Belt has been a lightning rod for Giants fans ever since he first arrived in the big leagues a few years ago. After destroying every level of the minor leagues in one season, fans were expecting him to be the second coming of Will Clark from the start. But he struggled to adjust to the majors, and it took him a few years to find his footing before becoming a key contributor on two World Series championship teams.
And now, two years away from free agency and arbitration eligible, Belt stands to cost the Giants a pretty good chunk of change over the next few years. Would it be smart for the Giants to try and sign him to a long term extension, like they just did with Brandon Crawford? Or should they wait and see before committing big money and lots of years to their first baseman? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of signing Belt to an extension:
Pro: Belt is good
This is pretty important when discussing whether or not a team should sign a player to a long term extension, probably. Belt is the best first baseman the Giants have produced since Clark, and his bat is an important piece in the middle of the order. He’s also a plus defender and part of the best defensive Giants’ infield they’ve had in a long time. Quite simply, the Giants are a better team when Belt is in the lineup. He strikes out a lot, he’s streaky, and chances are he’ll never hit 35-plus homers like many expected him to. But his strengths more than make up for his shortfalls and he’s capable of carrying the entire offense for weeks at a time. Guys like that are hard to come by, and the Giants should lock him up while they can.
Con: He’s injury-prone
Is it fair to call a guy injury-prone when said injuries have occurred in the most random ways possible? He’s missed big parts of the last two seasons because of concussions, but they occurred when he was hit by an errant throw during batting practice and after being kneed in the head at second base. He was hit by a pitch, broke a bone, and missed a few months because of it. So it’s not like he’s prone to pulling a hamstring just from running the bases. Still, there are serious concerns about his susceptibility to concussions, and the symptoms from his most recent one are still lingering in the offseason. The Giants may not want to commit money and years to a player who hasn’t played a full season in over two years.
Pro: Belt could cost a lot more in a couple years
He’ll be 28 next year, and was on his way to having a breakout offensive season before injuries took their toll. Belt is fully capable of having a couple of monster years at the plate before he hits free agency, and a 30-year-old lefty first baseman with power and speed would likely fetch quite a bit on the open market. The Giants can avoid paying through the nose by signing him to a reasonable, team-friendly deal now like they did with Crawford and lock in another piece of their core for the foreseeable future.
Con: Belt is blocking Buster Posey
It’s no secret that the Giants would like to shift their franchise player to first base sometime in the next few years, and the numbers show that Posey is an even better hitter when he’s at first base. Belt isn’t very good in the outfield, and a big part of his value is the defense he brings at first. So if the plan is to eventually shift Posey 90 feet down the line, there likely won’t be anywhere for Belt in the lineup. Trading him now would likely net the Giants the starting pitcher they desperately need and would clear the way for Posey to switch positions.
Which way will the Giants go with Belt? Chances are they want to wait until he’s fully recovered from his concussion symptoms before making any decision, but when that happens they could go either way. It would make sense to lock him up long term, and it would also make sense to move him if it can strengthen the rotation. The next few months will tell the story.
