San Francisco Giants

SAN FRANCISCO — One night after Madison Bumgarner lit up AT&T Park by taking a perfect game into the eighth inning, Tim Hudson was electric. Stretch-run energy buzzed through the Giants clubhouse in that old, familiar way.

The San Francisco Giants' 2014 regular season is winding down and has just over four weeks remaining.

As the Giants scratch and claw to make the playoffs, general manager Brian Sabean must also begin planning for the future. Sabean will have several critical decisions to make, as he builds the roster for the 2015 season.

As the 2014 season begins to wind down, the San Francisco Giants are battling for a playoff berth. 

In the NL West, the Giants currently trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by 3.5 games but only two in the all-important loss column.

The Giants are also in the hunt for a wild-card spot, along with St. Louis, Atlanta and Pittsburgh. 

There are two ways to look at the San Francisco Giants in 2014.

No. 1: Entering play Tuesday, the Giants trail the hated Los Angeles Dodgers by just 3.5 games in the National League West, and they lead the Atlanta Braves by one game for the second wild-card slot. They're in it, in other words.

No. 2: After building a 9.5-game lead over the Dodgers on June 8, the Giants have imploded, and their chances of being a factor have diminished with each gut-wrenching defeat.

When a ridiculous amount of criticism—whether in good and harmless fun or something different—is hurled an athlete's way, it can be used as motivation or just laughed at altogether. Hunter Pence is doing the latter.

The San Francisco Giants have this special trick that they like to perform on seemingly over-the-hill veterans that involves turning them into, well, not over-the-hill veterans.

And now Jake Peavy could be next.

A year ago, Jake Peavy was shipped to the Boston Red Sox and subsequently helped his new team win the World Series. The San Francisco Giants will be hoping he can make a similar impact in 2014. The team confirmed the news on Saturday:

The Giants face their NL West division rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, at home Friday. I spoke with Aaron Boone, 12-year MLB veteran and current analyst for ESPN's Baseball Tonight, to preview the important three-game series. 

Tim Lincecum has taken fans on a roller-coaster ride during the last three years, and it's finally reached its peak.

On June 8, the Giants were a Major League best 42-21 with a 9.5 game lead over their rival Dodgers. It appeared the Giants would just run away with another NL West title.

My oh my how the tables have turned.