Same ol' players: Giants hope unchanged lineup leads to wins

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MLB lineups are changing at a rapid pace with free-agent signings and trades. Among the teams that have not dramatically changed their makeup: the defending NL West champion San Francisco Giants.

"One of the things that helped us win a couple World Series earlier in my career (2012 and 2014) was keeping the same guys around,’’ veteran shortstop Brandon Crawford said Tuesday. "I feel like we kind of knew what success looked like and we can build off that success from last year, with most of the group back, at least from the lineup standpoint.’’

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Crawford, 35, is coming off his fourth Gold Glove and third All-Star season, posting an .893 OPS, and .298 batting average, including 24 home runs as the Giants went 107-55 to end the Dodgers’ eight-year consecutive run of NL West Division titles.

"The more you play with guys, the more comfortable you’re going to be, whether it’s ground balls or shallow pop ups, you have a pretty good idea of where they are going to be,‘’ Crawford said.

Third baseman Evan Longoria said it's unusual to see how few people are new at spring training, which he said "can go a long way."

"You’re not feeling like you have to learn a ton of new people … you’re not having to build camaraderie. Camaraderie is a huge part, I think, of a winning team," Longoria said. "We had great relationships last year, everybody really meshed together, and I think that’s why we were able to be so good.’’

San Francisco Giants' Brandon Crawford takes the field during spring training baseball workouts, Tuesday, March 15, 2022, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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