Why didn't the Giants re-sign Carlos Beltran?

The question continues to be asked. The outfielder said he liked his brief time in San Francisco late last season, and he certainly was the cheapest among the top free agent hitters.

"We had sincere interest in Carlos," Sabean said. "Whether it was him or anybody else, we didn't want to be cut short. We weren't going to wait out that market. We ran that risk."

In other words, the Giants anticipated Beltran waiting a while before choosing a team, and that's exactly what happened. He got two years and $26 million from the Cardinals. Sabean said the Giants preferred two years but not at that price.

In the meantime, Sabean wanted to keep the pitching intact and re-signed left-handed relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Javier...