Lifeless Giants: Who will stay and who will go?

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When you’re on a train with no apparent destination — with the possible exception of nowhere — there are no easy answers. So it goes with the Giants, where “tear it down” and “stay the course” are equally unappealing options.

Putting false hope aside, the Cincinnati series last weekend defined this year’s Giants. They needed to make bold proclamations, against a desultory team in a mostly empty stadium, and they did nothing at all. They find themselves trailing three more youthful, star-driven teams in the NL West, and on most days the wild-card standings don’t even include San Francisco.

It has reached the point where the team’s blueprint confusion runs straight to the top. Some are wondering about the future of executive vice president Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy, both of whom have expiring contracts next year. You won’t get any stern condemnation from here; these are two future Hall of Famers who revived San Francisco’s reputation as a thriving baseball town. But even the most ill-based speculation illustrates a widespread malaise.

Because no one can accurately forecast management’s plans, aside from the fact that any type of “rebuild” will be gradual and not comprehensive, let’s address the key players and how they stand:

Buster Posey: His impending hip surgery puts the team in a difficult position. Posey is admirably strong-willed and most likely wants to continue catching. If the operation diminishes his physical prowess, it’s hard to imagine him catching full-time, if at all. And if that’s the case, with Posey moving to first base, the Giants would feel compelled to trade Brandon Belt (they wouldn’t have any interest in making Belt a part-time outfielder). In any case, the notion of Posey as a power hitter is something of a myth; he hasn’t hit 20-plus homers since 2014, and a shift to first base isn’t going to turn him into Paul Goldschmidt. Posey’s value is more spiritual, and he still has plenty to offer as a smart, .300-range hitter who does invaluable work with the pitching staff. Meanwhile, the minor-league progress of catcher Joey Bart, by all measures one of the better prospects in the game, now comes under even greater scrutiny.

Brandon Belt: So many of the Giants’ contractual issues recall the song “We Stayed Too Long at the Fair.” In Belt’s case, it’s three more seasons (signed through 2021) and a major roadblock to progress. Everyone knows what Belt has meant to the team: the big hits, the tremendous defense, the winner’s mentality. But that’s yesterday. Belt has just 11 extra-base hits over his past 50 games (seven of them doubles), and there’s a depressing quality to his slumps and body language. Finding a willing trade partner for the high-priced first baseman won’t be easy, but when you talk about the Giants needing a “new look,” this is a glaring example.

Madison Bumgarner: He’ll be 30 a year from now. He remains an elite-level pitcher but not quite the same, his velocity down and his command at times fleeting. It’s hard to imagine a Giants team without him, but whenever the Giants return to prominence — at least two years down the road — he’s not likely to be a component. Holding a team option for 2019, the last year on his contract, they at least need to see what other teams might be willing to offer in trade.

BRANDON CRAWFORD San Francisco Giants' Brandon Crawford waits to hit during batting practice before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) BRANDON CRAWFORD San Francisco Giants' Brandon Crawford waits to hit during batting practice before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, June 13, 2018, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Photo: Lynne Sladky / Associated Press Photo: Lynne Sladky / Associated Press Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Lifeless Giants: Who will stay and who will go? 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Brandon Crawford: Unquestionably one of the best shortstops in the game, and also holding a full no-trade clause. An absolute lock to stay, for which fans should say, “Thank goodness.”

Andrew McCutchen: Reports suggest he might not last the week in a San Francisco uniform, and that’s a terrible shame. He’s not the vintage, Pirates-style McCutchen, but he still has his legs and a quick bat, and on a team with serious outfield questions, he’d fit in nicely next season. The reality: He can help a contender down the stretch, and he’s up for a multiyear deal as a free agent. Too bad we barely got to know him.

Evan Longoria: He turns 33 in October, and he’s signed through 2022. Not a golden set of circumstances. It’s not that Longoria has let down the team; he’s a classy professional with an exceptional track record. It’s just that the Giants are crying out for power, all over the diamond. Glance around the division — Justin Turner, Nolan Arenado, a healthy Jake Lamb — or even across the bay (Matt Chapman), and you realize the high standards at this position.

The outfield: Is it possible to have an outfield with no legitimate power? Before you address the beauty of Steven Duggar’s defense or Austin Slater’s gift for the off-field hit, this larger question must be asked. The home runs certainly won’t be coming from Gorkys Hernandez or Hunter Pence (at the end of his contract), and Mac Williamson’s concussion-plagued season leaves his fiture in doubt. Leave Duggar in center field, absolutely; he might blossom as a big-league hitter. Beyond that, the Giants can’t be even remotely satisfied with what they have.

The bullpen: This is a first-rate unit, even with Mark Melancon nowhere near his old form. On a high-scoring team, these guys would be finishing off games with a flourish. Retain as many of them as possible.

The rotation: This is an especially discouraging time with Dereck Rodriguez on the disabled list and Andrew Suarez perhaps reaching a stage of exhaustion. Still, where we once isolated Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija as keys to the rotation, it’s more about the impressions Rodriguez and Suarez have made. Because no one forecast their remarkable ascent, it leaves hope that the Giants can continue to develop a young, competitive rotation. If Cueto lives up to his reputation, perhaps he comes back strong from Tommy John surgery. The Giants haven’t given up on Samardzija, a great competitor on the downslide; his next few starts will determine his trade value or future with the club. But the notion of a sturdy Giants rotation led by established pitchers — that’s long gone.

The market: With emerging superstars dazzling fans across the landscape and teams blasting home runs as a matter of course, the Giants are stuck. They have no power, only one star in his prime (Crawford) and no one, not even Bumgarner, who truly captures national attention. They need to make a big splash in the offseason, with an obvious target in Washington outfielder Bryce Harper. The team, the climate, the ballpark’s daunting dimensions — it sounds terribly far-fetched for Harper or any available power hitter. But the good memories linger; the Giants haven’t lost their status as a formidable organization. They just need some help. And perhaps a prayer or two, along the way.

Bruce Jenkins is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: bjenkins@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Bruce_Jenkins1