This is going to hurt. But the Band-Aid needs to be ripped off. It’s time for the Giants to take a step back so that they can take a larger step forward in the future.



Last year, it made sense to try to push the aging roster a little bit further, and the veterans they acquired for 2018 probably did not cost them young players who would be foundational pieces for the next run. They stayed under the luxury tax threshold and added only one long-term contract.



Last year didn’t hurt them too much in the long term, but it was also instructional: It wasn’t good enough, particularly if they aren’t going to spend past the luxury tax. This core is probably not going to be the core of their next great run. So it’s time to build toward the new core.



Because there’s still pressure to fill the seats in a legendary ballpark, and because the team still has plenty of resources, the focus, when it comes to acquiring players, should be on...