By Jonathan Lee

Carlos Beltran has landed in San Francisco reportedly in exchange for prospect Zach Wheeler.  Beltran immediately bolsters a lineup that is in desperate need of an infusion of power.  His presence sends either Cody Ross or Nate Schierholtz to the bench, and gives manager Bruce Bochy a bit of a logjam in the outfield.  Beltran and Andres Torres will play every day leaving one spot for a mix of Ross, Schierholtz, Aaron Rowand, and possibly Aubrey Huff.

AccuScore forecasts actually don’t show a substantial improvement for the Giants after the trade.  They were already the significant favorites to win the National League West at over 80 percent.  With Beltran the Giants only improved their chances at the playoffs by 0.1 percent according to simulations.  That doesn’t mean Beltran doesn’t help the team as he represents a significant upgrade offensively in either corner outfield position.  San Francisco was already in a strong position to win the West, and Beltran’s bat in the middle of the order should help immensely in a short series in the playoffs.

Bochy actually could have more impact on the Giants offense than this trade.  The best lineup for San Francisco probably has rookie Brandon Belt playing first relegating Huff to the bench.  However, Huff’s veteran status and hefty contract appear to be blocking the way of what is best for the team as a whole.