As we head into next season, we'll look at middle-tier impact players and/or sleepers on each team's roster.  Some of these names are poised to make big jumps in value next season.  Some of the players are just safer decisions, which will give your team a solid return.  We examined the Atlanta Braves yesterday and today we look at the San Francisco Giants.

After trailing the Padres in the National League West standings for most of the season last year, the Giants went on to clinch the division during the final week of play.  The Giants would go on to win the World Series after timely hitting and excellent pitching propelled them throughout the playoffs.  Despite names such as Buster Posey, Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, here is a look at other players who will help San Francisco defend their title during the upcoming season.

Madison Bumgarner - SP (7-6 W-L, 111 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 3.31 SO/BB)
The 21-year-old lefty had a bumpy ride to start the 2010 season, but was a pivotal part of the Giants' success down the road.  The nice part about Bumgarner for fantasy owners is the fact that he's overshadowed by the aforementioned Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain.  Along with Lincecum and Cain, Madison also sits on the depth chart behind Jonathan Sanchez. However, due to the fact that Bumgarner had a terrific post-season (2-0, 2.18 ERA) - his sleeper title may be removed come draft day. Regardless, Bumgarner offers owners a decent return on strikeouts (7.0 strikeouts per nine innings) along with a respectable ERA.  In order to see his value rise, Bumgarner will need to work on his control, as he walked just over two-batters per nine innings last year.  On draft day, Madison will be a nice addition for owners as a fourth or fifth starter and will be available at a decent price.  

Sergio Romo - RP (5-3 W-L, 62 IP, 2.18 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 22 Holds, 5.0 SO/BB)
For most fantasy owners, holds are probably not a category used by most leagues, and if they are, well then you probably hate them.  Regardless, if you don't decide to the "punt" the holds category, Romo makes for a nice addition. With 22 holds last season, Romo ranked among the top ten in the category among all relievers.  Closer Brian Wilson isn't going anywhere, but if he does suffer a setback due to an injury, Romo could also sneak a few save opportunities in along with Jeremy Affeldt.  Romo doesn't have one single pitch that blows hitters away, but is still able to rack up strikeout numbers, as he's posted over ten strikeouts per nine innings during the past two seasons.  While Romo is likely to go un-drafted by owners, he makes for a nice addition to the back end of fantasy bullpens, especially for those who play in leagues that count holds.

Brandon Belt - 1B/OF (595 PA, .352/.455/.620, 1.075 OPS, 23 HR, 112 RBI, 22 SB*) - *A/AA/AAA combined
Although the Baseball America Top 10 Prospects list for the Giants won't be released until the 26th of January, you can bet that Brandon Belt will be atop the list.  Belt, 22, was drafted back in 2009 from the University of Texas and spent last season destroying minor league pitching.  After finishing with a combined OPS of 1.075 over 136 games games across three levels, Belt went off to the Arizona Fall League to continue his dominance, by hitting .372/.427/.616 with an OPS of 1.043.  Not only does Belt have a solid approach while at the plate, but the 6'5'' first baseman can also steal bases, as he tallied 22 total last season.  Although Belt has proven he can swing the bat and play good defense, finding a spot for him is another story.  With Aubrey Huff re-singing this off-season and with Pat Burrell, Mark DeRosa, and Travis Ishikawa all looking for playing time, having Belt find a solid number of at-bats seems unlikely.  On the bright side, Chris Haft of MLB.com is reporting that Belt will be "given every shot to land a starting role during spring training" and that "first base and left field are winnable positions open to competition."  It seems reasonable that Belt will open the 2011 season at the Triple-A level, but reaching the big leagues for Belt could be just a few months down the road.  He's a solid defender at first base, but has also been working at the corner outfield positions in order to increase his chances of finding solid at-bats at the big league level.