5 Things the SF Giants Still Need to Do Before the Start of Spring Training

Buster Posey has dedicated himself to a more rigorous winter training program.
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The San Francisco Giants finished the 2013 season with a record of 76-86, tied for third place in the NL West. For a team that ended the year 10 games under .500, the Giants' roster is fairly set as we look forward to spring training.

The Giants were able to re-sign their own players they wanted to keep, including Hunter Pence, Tim Lincecum, Javier Lopez and Ryan Vogelsong. In addition, they brought in Tim Hudson and Michael Morse via the free-agent market.

With their starting infield and outfield all set, plus their top backups also in place, there really is only room for a couple of reserve spots among the position players. 

The starting five is also in place, as are the Giants' core relievers. Realistically, only one or two relief jobs are up for competition in the entire pitching staff.

When this winter is complete, general manager Brian Sabean will have increased the Giants' payroll by roughly $20 million over the 2013 level. Look for the Giants to open the season with a payroll in the $155 million range.

There is still work to be done as the Giants prepare for spring training. Some of the work involves tweaking the roster, and there is also the need to make sure the current players are healthy and ready to go in the spring.

Let's take a look at five things that the Giants need to focus on before the onset of spring training.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.