"Giants general manager Brian Sabean was not lying when he said that keeping the pitching staff intact was his highest priority. In his first two player moves of the offseason, Sabean has made an expensive investment to preserve the left side of the bullpen.

He signed lefty specialist Javier Lopez to a two-year, $8.5 million contract and exercised Jeremy Affeldt's $5 million option. Lopez will earn $4.25 million in 2012 and 2013, which means this offense-starved team has allotted $9.25 million for next season on two relievers."