[Mick]

If you were wondering whether the Giants would sign Tim Anderson, Enrique (Kike) Hernandez or Brandon Crawford to back up Marco Luciano at shortstop, the answer is (d) None of the Above. They went with former Diamondbacks shortstop, Gold Glove winner Nick Ahmed.

San Francisco Giants Sign Longtime Arizona Diamondbacks Defensive Specialist (msn.com)

His batting results last year were basically identical to Brandon Crawford. His fielding results were +1 Rtot (Crawford was -8 Rtot), so that hasn't departed him yet. Crawford was -1.3 WAR, Ahmed was -0.1 WAR. Uninspiring, to say the least. He made $10.375 mms. last season. Hopefully somewhat less than that this season after his 2023 53 OPS+ (100 is league average).

[Mick]

If you were wondering whether the Giants would sign Tim Anderson, Enrique (Kike) Hernandez or Brandon Crawford to back up Marco Luciano at shortstop, the answer is (d) None of the Above. They went with former Diamondbacks shortstop, Gold Glove winner Nick Ahmed.

San Francisco Giants Sign Longtime Arizona Diamondbacks Defensive Specialist (msn.com)

His batting results last year were basically identical to Brandon Crawford. His fielding results were +1 Rtot (Crawford was -8 Rtot), so that hasn't departed him yet. Crawford was -1.3 WAR, Ahmed was -0.1 WAR. Uninspiring, to say the least. He made $10.375 mms. last season. Hopefully somewhat less than that this season after his 2023 53 OPS+ (100 is league average).

[Mick]

Speaking of Crawford, if he makes the Cardinals roster and sticks throughout the year, he will still get to retire at home. The Cardinals' 162nd game next season is on the road at Oracle Park on September 29, traditionally Fan Appreciation Day.

[Mick]

Speaking of Crawford, if he makes the Cardinals roster and sticks throughout the year, he will still get to retire at home. The Cardinals' 162nd game next season is on the road at Oracle Park on September 29, traditionally Fan Appreciation Day.

[lex24]

Speaking of Crawford, if he makes the Cardinals roster and sticks throughout the year, he will still get to retire at home. The Cardinals' 162nd game next season is on the road at Oracle Park on September 29, traditionally Fan Appreciation Day.

That is interesting.  Would be great to see.

[lex24]

Speaking of Crawford, if he makes the Cardinals roster and sticks throughout the year, he will still get to retire at home. The Cardinals' 162nd game next season is on the road at Oracle Park on September 29, traditionally Fan Appreciation Day.

That is interesting.  Would be great to see.

[Mick]

Two of the Giants' five putative starters, Stanford's Tristan Beck (hand) and Keaton Winn (elbow nerve issue) are dealing with medical issues. Cobb won't be back until May or June. Robbie Ray, not until after the all-star break. Next man up, Mason Black, got shelled yesterday, giving up two runs in two innings.

Giants RHP undergoing testing for hand injury

BTW, I only saw two innings yesterday, but a few observations:

1) Joey Bart has a really strong arm, and had two Angels runners dead to rights (one stealing second, one returning to second), but both throws were inaccurate. Bart, however, had two hits and a walk in three plate appearances. Maybe he figures it out this year.

2) Didn't see him pitch, but I'd heard good things about Mason Black. He got raked.

3) Three weeks ago, the Giants paid cash for a reliever from Milwaukee named Ethan Small. I did see him pitch...he struck out four in two innings, gave up one hit, no runs, no walks and he was missing bats by a comical amount. I realize this is spring training and he was pitching against (probably) backups, but they couldn't come close to touching him. Remember his name...he had two, short forgettable seasons with the Brewers, but he could always strike guys out...his problem was finding the plate and giving up hits. He gave up 10 walks and 17 hits in 10 1/3rd MLB innings in the last two years. Yesterday, he gave up one bunt single and no walks to the Angels. And frankly, the bunt single should have been an out. Small deferred to Villar who couldn't throw accurately to 1B.

BTW, Villar is 2 for 6 with a double, a triple and a walk this spring.

4) Tyler Fitzgerald (hit .219 last year with the big club) had a grand slam home run to tie the game.

Melvin expressed confidence in Heliot Ramos after he took Hicks deep in batting practice. As I understand it, Melvin has been a revelation: "While Melvin does not lack in joy or lightheartedness, there’s clearly much more seriousness this time around. Melvin has been quick to criticize sloppy mistakes, mental errors, and a lack of focus and discipline. The preseason-opener loss was not met with the standard “it’s just nice to be back out here” tropes, but rather disappointment at how unprepared the team was." Hope that carries over.

Giants are still $24 mms. south of the tax threshold. Maybe there's some additional injured pitchers that Farhan has overlooked...on the other hand, I suspect that part of the pre-Farhan extension conversation between Johnson and Zaidi revolved around Farhan's belief in his hand-selected draftees and how they're going to be SO much better than Bobby Evans' draft selections. Evans' last draft (Bart, Walker, Hjelle, Winn, Villar) actually looks better than Farhan's first draft (Bishop, Fitzgerald, Waites -- although Nick Avila went 14-0 with a 3.00 ERA at Sacramento last year).

The Giants are 0-2-1. There are 15 teams in the Cactus League...all have a win except for the Giants. Still, the Giants had a losing Cactus League record when they won 107 games.

Going to be a great year.

[Mick]

Two of the Giants' five putative starters, Stanford's Tristan Beck (hand) and Keaton Winn (elbow nerve issue) are dealing with medical issues. Cobb won't be back until May or June. Robbie Ray, not until after the all-star break. Next man up, Mason Black, got shelled yesterday, giving up two runs in two innings.

Giants RHP undergoing testing for hand injury

BTW, I only saw two innings yesterday, but a few observations:

1) Joey Bart has a really strong arm, and had two Angels runners dead to rights (one stealing second, one returning to second), but both throws were inaccurate. Bart, however, had two hits and a walk in three plate appearances. Maybe he figures it out this year.

2) Didn't see him pitch, but I'd heard good things about Mason Black. He got raked.

3) Three weeks ago, the Giants paid cash for a reliever from Milwaukee named Ethan Small. I did see him pitch...he struck out four in two innings, gave up one hit, no runs, no walks and he was missing bats by a comical amount. I realize this is spring training and he was pitching against (probably) backups, but they couldn't come close to touching him. Remember his name...he had two, short forgettable seasons with the Brewers, but he could always strike guys out...his problem was finding the plate and giving up hits. He gave up 10 walks and 17 hits in 10 1/3rd MLB innings in the last two years. Yesterday, he gave up one bunt single and no walks to the Angels. And frankly, the bunt single should have been an out. Small deferred to Villar who couldn't throw accurately to 1B.

BTW, Villar is 2 for 6 with a double, a triple and a walk this spring.

4) Tyler Fitzgerald (hit .219 last year with the big club) had a grand slam home run to tie the game.

Melvin expressed confidence in Heliot Ramos after he took Hicks deep in batting practice. As I understand it, Melvin has been a revelation: "While Melvin does not lack in joy or lightheartedness, there’s clearly much more seriousness this time around. Melvin has been quick to criticize sloppy mistakes, mental errors, and a lack of focus and discipline. The preseason-opener loss was not met with the standard “it’s just nice to be back out here” tropes, but rather disappointment at how unprepared the team was." Hope that carries over.

Giants are still $24 mms. south of the tax threshold. Maybe there's some additional injured pitchers that Farhan has overlooked...on the other hand, I suspect that part of the pre-Farhan extension conversation between Johnson and Zaidi revolved around Farhan's belief in his hand-selected draftees and how they're going to be SO much better than Bobby Evans' draft selections. Evans' last draft (Bart, Walker, Hjelle, Winn, Villar) actually looks better than Farhan's first draft (Bishop, Fitzgerald, Waites -- although Nick Avila went 14-0 with a 3.00 ERA at Sacramento last year).

The Giants are 0-2-1. There are 15 teams in the Cactus League...all have a win except for the Giants. Still, the Giants had a losing Cactus League record when they won 107 games.

Going to be a great year.

[Mick]

Giants fans would be frickin' lucky to snag Melvin. LUCKY. Indeed, Bo-Mel in SF puts me in a seat at Oracle. Where I haven't been since the GWB Administration. I'll still pass on the garlic fries, however.  https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giant...397438.php

Giants now the only team in all of baseball that are winless in spring training. They have two ties and three losses. Every team in both the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues have won at least once. 

Giants finished 18th in MLB last year with .488 winning percentage. ESPN currently ranks them as #22 in their preseason power standings, and that's after clearing out deadwood like Haniger, Crawford, DeSclafani, Pederson, Alexander, Brebbia, and Junis (and unhappy Sean Manaea) and replacing them with exciting new CF Jung Hoo Lee, slugger Jorge Soler, new backup catcher Murphy, pitching-after-the-all-star-break Robbie Ray, converted reliever Jordan Hicks, backup SS Nick Ahmed (definition of good field, no hit), and The Panda.

Current Giants spring training stats with actual number and by rank among all 30 MLB teams, with 2023's season final numbers and rank:

Slugging %, .389 (16th) / .383 (27th)
On-base % (.333), T17th / .312 (24th)
Runs, 27 (18th) / 674 (24th)
Batting average, .240 (21st) / .235 (28th)
WHIP, 1.55 (23rd) / 1.25 (11th) 
Batting % against, .279, (24th) / .253 (23rd)
ERA, 6.55 (29th) / 4.02 (11th)
Fielding .983  / .981 (30th)

Of note:
1. Please keep in mind that Cactus League stats are typically inflated. 
2. Ex-Stanford Cardinal Austin Slater has had two plate appearances, walked both times.
3. Giants have three errors in five games, which corresponds to the rate of the first half of last season -- before it fell off to 0.96 errors per game in the second half.
4. Former Stanford pitcher Tristan Beck has an arm aneurysm and will be out at least several months. He was expected to be the fifth starter.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/stats/_/na...S/dir/desc
https://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/ta...g/dir/desc

[Mick]

Giants fans would be frickin' lucky to snag Melvin. LUCKY. Indeed, Bo-Mel in SF puts me in a seat at Oracle. Where I haven't been since the GWB Administration. I'll still pass on the garlic fries, however.  https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giant...397438.php

Giants now the only team in all of baseball that are winless in spring training. They have two ties and three losses. Every team in both the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues have won at least once. 

Giants finished 18th in MLB last year with .488 winning percentage. ESPN currently ranks them as #22 in their preseason power standings, and that's after clearing out deadwood like Haniger, Crawford, DeSclafani, Pederson, Alexander, Brebbia, and Junis (and unhappy Sean Manaea) and replacing them with exciting new CF Jung Hoo Lee, slugger Jorge Soler, new backup catcher Murphy, pitching-after-the-all-star-break Robbie Ray, converted reliever Jordan Hicks, backup SS Nick Ahmed (definition of good field, no hit), and The Panda.

Current Giants spring training stats with actual number and by rank among all 30 MLB teams, with 2023's season final numbers and rank:

Slugging %, .389 (16th) / .383 (27th)
On-base % (.333), T17th / .312 (24th)
Runs, 27 (18th) / 674 (24th)
Batting average, .240 (21st) / .235 (28th)
WHIP, 1.55 (23rd) / 1.25 (11th) 
Batting % against, .279, (24th) / .253 (23rd)
ERA, 6.55 (29th) / 4.02 (11th)
Fielding .983  / .981 (30th)

Of note:
1. Please keep in mind that Cactus League stats are typically inflated. 
2. Ex-Stanford Cardinal Austin Slater has had two plate appearances, walked both times.
3. Giants have three errors in five games, which corresponds to the rate of the first half of last season -- before it fell off to 0.96 errors per game in the second half.
4. Former Stanford pitcher Tristan Beck has an arm aneurysm and will be out at least several months. He was expected to be the fifth starter.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/stats/_/na...S/dir/desc
https://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/ta...g/dir/desc

[Giants]

1709223889[/url]']

1696110036[/url]']
Giants fans would be frickin' lucky to snag Melvin. LUCKY. Indeed, Bo-Mel in SF puts me in a seat at Oracle. Where I haven't been since the GWB Administration. I'll still pass on the garlic fries, however.  https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giant...397438.php

Giants now the only team in all of baseball that are winless in spring training. They have two ties and three losses. Every team in both the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues have won at least once. 

Giants finished 18th in MLB last year with .488 winning percentage. ESPN currently ranks them as #22 in their preseason power standings, and that's after clearing out deadwood like Haniger, Crawford, DeSclafani, Pederson, Alexander, Brebbia, and Junis (and unhappy Sean Manaea) and replacing them with exciting new CF Jung Hoo Lee, slugger Jorge Soler, new backup catcher Murphy, pitching-after-the-all-star-break Robbie Ray, converted reliever Jordan Hicks, backup SS Nick Ahmed (definition of good field, no hit), and The Panda.

Current Giants spring training stats with actual number and by rank among all 30 MLB teams, with 2023's season final numbers and rank:

Slugging %, .389 (16th) / .383 (27th)
On-base % (.333), T17th / .312 (24th)
Runs, 27 (18th) / 674 (24th)
Batting average, .240 (21st) / .235 (28th)
WHIP, 1.55 (23rd) / 1.25 (11th) 
Batting % against, .279, (24th) / .253 (23rd)
ERA, 6.55 (29th) / 4.02 (11th)
Fielding .983  / .981 (30th)

Of note:
1. Please keep in mind that Cactus League stats are typically inflated. 
2. Ex-Stanford Cardinal Austin Slater has had two plate appearances, walked both times.
3. Giants have three errors in five games, which corresponds to the rate of the first half of last season -- before it fell off to 0.96 errors per game in the second half.
4. Former Stanford pitcher Tristan Beck has an arm aneurysm and will be out at least several months. He was expected to be the fifth starter.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/stats/_/na...S/dir/desc
https://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/ta...g/dir/desc

If Beck needs a surgical procedure, he will probably be out a couple months.  SF is down to a Cy Young candidate, a guy they are trying to convert to a starter, a kid with less than 100 innings of big league experience, a player who has already experienced arm trouble this spring and a bunch of 4A guys.  

Fans should just flip the calendar to 2025 when the reinforcements will be ready to graduate from the minors. 

Currently, things look very grim on the pitching front.

[Giants]

1709223889[/url]']

1696110036[/url]']
Giants fans would be frickin' lucky to snag Melvin. LUCKY. Indeed, Bo-Mel in SF puts me in a seat at Oracle. Where I haven't been since the GWB Administration. I'll still pass on the garlic fries, however.  https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giant...397438.php

Giants now the only team in all of baseball that are winless in spring training. They have two ties and three losses. Every team in both the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues have won at least once. 

Giants finished 18th in MLB last year with .488 winning percentage. ESPN currently ranks them as #22 in their preseason power standings, and that's after clearing out deadwood like Haniger, Crawford, DeSclafani, Pederson, Alexander, Brebbia, and Junis (and unhappy Sean Manaea) and replacing them with exciting new CF Jung Hoo Lee, slugger Jorge Soler, new backup catcher Murphy, pitching-after-the-all-star-break Robbie Ray, converted reliever Jordan Hicks, backup SS Nick Ahmed (definition of good field, no hit), and The Panda.

Current Giants spring training stats with actual number and by rank among all 30 MLB teams, with 2023's season final numbers and rank:

Slugging %, .389 (16th) / .383 (27th)
On-base % (.333), T17th / .312 (24th)
Runs, 27 (18th) / 674 (24th)
Batting average, .240 (21st) / .235 (28th)
WHIP, 1.55 (23rd) / 1.25 (11th) 
Batting % against, .279, (24th) / .253 (23rd)
ERA, 6.55 (29th) / 4.02 (11th)
Fielding .983  / .981 (30th)

Of note:
1. Please keep in mind that Cactus League stats are typically inflated. 
2. Ex-Stanford Cardinal Austin Slater has had two plate appearances, walked both times.
3. Giants have three errors in five games, which corresponds to the rate of the first half of last season -- before it fell off to 0.96 errors per game in the second half.
4. Former Stanford pitcher Tristan Beck has an arm aneurysm and will be out at least several months. He was expected to be the fifth starter.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/stats/_/na...S/dir/desc
https://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/ta...g/dir/desc

If Beck needs a surgical procedure, he will probably be out a couple months.  SF is down to a Cy Young candidate, a guy they are trying to convert to a starter, a kid with less than 100 innings of big league experience, a player who has already experienced arm trouble this spring and a bunch of 4A guys.  

Fans should just flip the calendar to 2025 when the reinforcements will be ready to graduate from the minors. 

Currently, things look very grim on the pitching front.

[Mick]

If Beck needs a surgical procedure, he will probably be out a couple months.  SF is down to a Cy Young candidate, a guy they are trying to convert to a starter, a kid with less than 100 innings of big league experience, a player who has already experienced arm trouble this spring and a bunch of 4A guys.  

Fans should just flip the calendar to 2025 when the reinforcements will be ready to graduate from the minors. 

Currently, things look very grim on the pitching front.

No sweat, it's doable. Here's the historical comparisons, to your points:

Cy Young candidate: Mike Mussina. Jack McDowell. Juan Marichal (never actually won it). Lincecum. Or Logan Webb.

Guy they are trying to convert to a starter: Wilbur Wood. 10 years in the bigs, 23 collective starts against well over 300 appearances before he became a full-time starter. Won 20+ games four times.

Kid with less than 100 innings of big league experience: Dwight Gooden. 0 innings MLB experience, went 17-9 as a 19 year old starter, then 24-4 the next year.

Player who has already experienced arm trouble this spring: David Wells, 53.5 bWAR post-surgery. I think the second best post-surgery bWAR is actually Tommy John...

Bunch of 4A guys. Hoyt Wilhelm. Seven minor league seasons, MLB debut at age 29. 143 MLB wins. Hall of Fame.

That's all we need. I'm pumped...

[Mick]

If Beck needs a surgical procedure, he will probably be out a couple months.  SF is down to a Cy Young candidate, a guy they are trying to convert to a starter, a kid with less than 100 innings of big league experience, a player who has already experienced arm trouble this spring and a bunch of 4A guys.  

Fans should just flip the calendar to 2025 when the reinforcements will be ready to graduate from the minors. 

Currently, things look very grim on the pitching front.

No sweat, it's doable. Here's the historical comparisons, to your points:

Cy Young candidate: Mike Mussina. Jack McDowell. Juan Marichal (never actually won it). Lincecum. Or Logan Webb.

Guy they are trying to convert to a starter: Wilbur Wood. 10 years in the bigs, 23 collective starts against well over 300 appearances before he became a full-time starter. Won 20+ games four times.

Kid with less than 100 innings of big league experience: Dwight Gooden. 0 innings MLB experience, went 17-9 as a 19 year old starter, then 24-4 the next year.

Player who has already experienced arm trouble this spring: David Wells, 53.5 bWAR post-surgery. I think the second best post-surgery bWAR is actually Tommy John...

Bunch of 4A guys. Hoyt Wilhelm. Seven minor league seasons, MLB debut at age 29. 143 MLB wins. Hall of Fame.

That's all we need. I'm pumped...

[lex24]

[quote="Giants" pid='409438' dateline='1709231300']
If Beck needs a surgical procedure, he will probably be out a couple months.  SF is down to a Cy Young candidate, a guy they are trying to convert to a starter, a kid with less than 100 innings of big league experience, a player who has already experienced arm trouble this spring and a bunch of 4A guys.  

Fans should just flip the calendar to 2025 when the reinforcements will be ready to graduate from the minors. 

Currently, things look very grim on the pitching front.

No sweat, it's doable. Here's the historical comparisons, to your points:

Cy Young candidate: Mike Mussina. Jack McDowell. Juan Marichal (never actually won it). Lincecum. Or Logan Webb.

Guy they are trying to convert to a starter: Wilbur Wood. 10 years in the bigs, 23 collective starts against well over 300 appearances before he became a full-time starter. Won 20+ games four times.

Kid with less than 100 innings of big league experience: Dwight Gooden. 0 innings MLB experience, went 17-9 as a 19 year old starter, then 24-4 the next year.

Player who has already experienced arm trouble this spring: David Wells, 53.5 bWAR post-surgery. I think the second best post-surgery bWAR is actually Tommy John...

Bunch of 4A guys. Hoyt Wilhelm. Seven minor league seasons, MLB debut at age 29. 143 MLB wins. Hall of Fame.

That's all we need. I'm pumped...
[/quote

Who is going to teach the knuckle ball to Hicks?  :)

[lex24]

[quote="Giants" pid='409438' dateline='1709231300']
If Beck needs a surgical procedure, he will probably be out a couple months.  SF is down to a Cy Young candidate, a guy they are trying to convert to a starter, a kid with less than 100 innings of big league experience, a player who has already experienced arm trouble this spring and a bunch of 4A guys.  

Fans should just flip the calendar to 2025 when the reinforcements will be ready to graduate from the minors. 

Currently, things look very grim on the pitching front.

No sweat, it's doable. Here's the historical comparisons, to your points:

Cy Young candidate: Mike Mussina. Jack McDowell. Juan Marichal (never actually won it). Lincecum. Or Logan Webb.

Guy they are trying to convert to a starter: Wilbur Wood. 10 years in the bigs, 23 collective starts against well over 300 appearances before he became a full-time starter. Won 20+ games four times.

Kid with less than 100 innings of big league experience: Dwight Gooden. 0 innings MLB experience, went 17-9 as a 19 year old starter, then 24-4 the next year.

Player who has already experienced arm trouble this spring: David Wells, 53.5 bWAR post-surgery. I think the second best post-surgery bWAR is actually Tommy John...

Bunch of 4A guys. Hoyt Wilhelm. Seven minor league seasons, MLB debut at age 29. 143 MLB wins. Hall of Fame.

That's all we need. I'm pumped...
[/quote

Who is going to teach the knuckle ball to Hicks?  :)

[Mick]

Who is going to teach the knuckle ball to Hicks?  :)

I've never seen a 97 mph knuckleball...

Giants loss to D'Backs, 2-1. Giants now 0-4-2. Only five teams left with just one loss.

Bright points: Jung Hoo Lee went 2/3 with a double and an HR. Villar had a hit, still batting .300. Joey Bart had a hit, hitting .500. Webb gave up one earned run, no other pitcher gave up an earned run. 

Not-so-bright side. They lost on an unearned run thanks to (again) an error. This time by Luciano. Giants hitters struck out 11 times, 5 hits, one walk. Sad.

[Mick]

Who is going to teach the knuckle ball to Hicks?  :)

I've never seen a 97 mph knuckleball...

Giants loss to D'Backs, 2-1. Giants now 0-4-2. Only five teams left with just one loss.

Bright points: Jung Hoo Lee went 2/3 with a double and an HR. Villar had a hit, still batting .300. Joey Bart had a hit, hitting .500. Webb gave up one earned run, no other pitcher gave up an earned run. 

Not-so-bright side. They lost on an unearned run thanks to (again) an error. This time by Luciano. Giants hitters struck out 11 times, 5 hits, one walk. Sad.

[lex24]

Andy Baggerly has an article on Crawfords departure.  Not favorable towards Zaidi.  Crawford told  Zaidi in Nov he wanted to come back, that he wanted to mentor the younger players, would play other positions, knew he’d be in backup role.

At the end of the day, after he got the Cardinals offer, he came back to see if there was an opportunity.  Zaidi offered a minor league contract and told him he could try and make the team. 

I understand why Crawford coming back could be a problem.  But just say sorry, we are committed to a different direction.  The minor league contact offer is a slap in the face.  Tone deaf as it comes.

He also spoke about the last couple years.  Mentioned they weren’t fun.  Injuries a big part. But he highlighted the lack of communication. “Not playing for three days without a word being said.” He enjoyed the players.  Bit not the environment. 

This on the heels of an SF Gate article by Alex Simon on the vets being happy Melvin is here.  One of the nuggets:  according to Webeck (SJ Merc beat writer, Kapler told him he prefers communicating by text, even when he’s in the same room….

Zaidi, fairly or not, has built a reputation of treating players like it’s an APBA game.  And it’s alienating a portion of the fan base.  

They have some work to do.

[lex24]

Andy Baggerly has an article on Crawfords departure.  Not favorable towards Zaidi.  Crawford told  Zaidi in Nov he wanted to come back, that he wanted to mentor the younger players, would play other positions, knew he’d be in backup role.

At the end of the day, after he got the Cardinals offer, he came back to see if there was an opportunity.  Zaidi offered a minor league contract and told him he could try and make the team. 

I understand why Crawford coming back could be a problem.  But just say sorry, we are committed to a different direction.  The minor league contact offer is a slap in the face.  Tone deaf as it comes.

He also spoke about the last couple years.  Mentioned they weren’t fun.  Injuries a big part. But he highlighted the lack of communication. “Not playing for three days without a word being said.” He enjoyed the players.  Bit not the environment. 

This on the heels of an SF Gate article by Alex Simon on the vets being happy Melvin is here.  One of the nuggets:  according to Webeck (SJ Merc beat writer, Kapler told him he prefers communicating by text, even when he’s in the same room….

Zaidi, fairly or not, has built a reputation of treating players like it’s an APBA game.  And it’s alienating a portion of the fan base.  

They have some work to do.

[cardcrimson]

Andy Baggerly has an article on Crawfords departure.  Not favorable towards Zaidi.  Crawford told  Zaidi in Nov he wanted to come back, that he wanted to mentor the younger players, would play other positions, knew he’d be in backup role.

At the end of the day, after he got the Cardinals offer, he came back to see if there was an opportunity.  Zaidi offered a minor league contract and told him he could try and make the team. 

I understand why Crawford coming back could be a problem.  But just say sorry, we are committed to a different direction.  The minor league contact offer is a slap in the face.  Tone deaf as it comes.

He also spoke about the last couple years.  Mentioned they weren’t fun.  Injuries a big part. But he highlighted the lack of communication. “Not playing for three days without a word being said.” He enjoyed the players.  Bit not the environment. 

This on the heels of an SF Gate article by Alex Simon on the vets being happy Melvin is here.  One of the nuggets:  according to Webeck (SJ Merc beat writer, Kapler told him he prefers communicating by text, even when he’s in the same room….

Zaidi, fairly or not, has built a reputation of treating players like it’s an APBA game.  And it’s alienating a portion of the fan base.  

They have some work to do.

Drove 45 minutes to and from a breakfast this morning and the KNBR guys were railing on Farhan, seemingly deservedly so. Definitely a slap in the face to one of the better Giants of the last decade or so.

[cardcrimson]

Andy Baggerly has an article on Crawfords departure.  Not favorable towards Zaidi.  Crawford told  Zaidi in Nov he wanted to come back, that he wanted to mentor the younger players, would play other positions, knew he’d be in backup role.

At the end of the day, after he got the Cardinals offer, he came back to see if there was an opportunity.  Zaidi offered a minor league contract and told him he could try and make the team. 

I understand why Crawford coming back could be a problem.  But just say sorry, we are committed to a different direction.  The minor league contact offer is a slap in the face.  Tone deaf as it comes.

He also spoke about the last couple years.  Mentioned they weren’t fun.  Injuries a big part. But he highlighted the lack of communication. “Not playing for three days without a word being said.” He enjoyed the players.  Bit not the environment. 

This on the heels of an SF Gate article by Alex Simon on the vets being happy Melvin is here.  One of the nuggets:  according to Webeck (SJ Merc beat writer, Kapler told him he prefers communicating by text, even when he’s in the same room….

Zaidi, fairly or not, has built a reputation of treating players like it’s an APBA game.  And it’s alienating a portion of the fan base.  

They have some work to do.

Drove 45 minutes to and from a breakfast this morning and the KNBR guys were railing on Farhan, seemingly deservedly so. Definitely a slap in the face to one of the better Giants of the last decade or so.

[Mick]

Andy Baggerly has an article on Crawfords departure.  Not favorable towards Zaidi.  Crawford told  Zaidi in Nov he wanted to come back, that he wanted to mentor the younger players, would play other positions, knew he’d be in backup role.

At the end of the day, after he got the Cardinals offer, he came back to see if there was an opportunity.  Zaidi offered a minor league contract and told him he could try and make the team. 

I understand why Crawford coming back could be a problem.  But just say sorry, we are committed to a different direction.  The minor league contact offer is a slap in the face.  Tone deaf as it comes.

He also spoke about the last couple years.  Mentioned they weren’t fun.  Injuries a big part. But he highlighted the lack of communication. “Not playing for three days without a word being said.” He enjoyed the players.  Bit not the environment. 

This on the heels of an SF Gate article by Alex Simon on the vets being happy Melvin is here.  One of the nuggets:  according to Webeck (SJ Merc beat writer, Kapler told him he prefers communicating by text, even when he’s in the same room….

Zaidi, fairly or not, has built a reputation of treating players like it’s an APBA game.  And it’s alienating a portion of the fan base.  

They have some work to do.

Drove 45 minutes to and from a breakfast this morning and the KNBR guys were railing on Farhan, seemingly deservedly so. Definitely a slap in the face to one of the better Giants of the last decade or so.

One of the least attractive traits of certain managers is their failure or inability -- or lack of desire -- to recognize prior greats and great efforts of ultimate team players. When I worked at Andersen, they had a new head of the office and practice who had arrived from a distant area. Shortly after his arrival, he gathered the team together for a kickoff meeting, and talked at length about his desired future, the steps he was talking, near-term future moves and the like. At no point did he recognize or acknowledge his predecessor, also in the room, for the years of sacrifice and successes that this individual had made at the behest of the firm. This was a man who left a substantial practice to create a team virtually from scratch and was successful in doing so, and was about to return to rebuild what had been a successful practice in a different city. 

But the new guy didn't say a word about him. Not one word. Fairly junior though I was, I asked the new leader after the meeting why he didn't say a word about the outgoing practice/office leader, and his response was memorable: "I celebrate when people arrive, not when they depart."

Cold and callous. It wasn't the last time I had that experience with him.

[Mick]

Andy Baggerly has an article on Crawfords departure.  Not favorable towards Zaidi.  Crawford told  Zaidi in Nov he wanted to come back, that he wanted to mentor the younger players, would play other positions, knew he’d be in backup role.

At the end of the day, after he got the Cardinals offer, he came back to see if there was an opportunity.  Zaidi offered a minor league contract and told him he could try and make the team. 

I understand why Crawford coming back could be a problem.  But just say sorry, we are committed to a different direction.  The minor league contact offer is a slap in the face.  Tone deaf as it comes.

He also spoke about the last couple years.  Mentioned they weren’t fun.  Injuries a big part. But he highlighted the lack of communication. “Not playing for three days without a word being said.” He enjoyed the players.  Bit not the environment. 

This on the heels of an SF Gate article by Alex Simon on the vets being happy Melvin is here.  One of the nuggets:  according to Webeck (SJ Merc beat writer, Kapler told him he prefers communicating by text, even when he’s in the same room….

Zaidi, fairly or not, has built a reputation of treating players like it’s an APBA game.  And it’s alienating a portion of the fan base.  

They have some work to do.

Drove 45 minutes to and from a breakfast this morning and the KNBR guys were railing on Farhan, seemingly deservedly so. Definitely a slap in the face to one of the better Giants of the last decade or so.

One of the least attractive traits of certain managers is their failure or inability -- or lack of desire -- to recognize prior greats and great efforts of ultimate team players. When I worked at Andersen, they had a new head of the office and practice who had arrived from a distant area. Shortly after his arrival, he gathered the team together for a kickoff meeting, and talked at length about his desired future, the steps he was talking, near-term future moves and the like. At no point did he recognize or acknowledge his predecessor, also in the room, for the years of sacrifice and successes that this individual had made at the behest of the firm. This was a man who left a substantial practice to create a team virtually from scratch and was successful in doing so, and was about to return to rebuild what had been a successful practice in a different city. 

But the new guy didn't say a word about him. Not one word. Fairly junior though I was, I asked the new leader after the meeting why he didn't say a word about the outgoing practice/office leader, and his response was memorable: "I celebrate when people arrive, not when they depart."

Cold and callous. It wasn't the last time I had that experience with him.

[Giants]

I read the same article.  After four years, Zaidi still doesn’t understand what made the franchise so popular during the “3 in 5 years“.  It was more than just winning championships, it was how the championships were won.  The fans connected with the team in a manner I had not experienced in all my years as a fan.  I wasn’t surprised just disappointed.  

To unceremoniously kick the last player from that era to the curb with a humiliating minor league offer tells us everything we need to know about the guy.  The sooner the Giants flop to a level where ownership pulls the plug on him, the better.  

It’s only March 1st and I am already finding it difficult to generate any enthusiasm about this year’s team.

[Giants]

I read the same article.  After four years, Zaidi still doesn’t understand what made the franchise so popular during the “3 in 5 years“.  It was more than just winning championships, it was how the championships were won.  The fans connected with the team in a manner I had not experienced in all my years as a fan.  I wasn’t surprised just disappointed.  

To unceremoniously kick the last player from that era to the curb with a humiliating minor league offer tells us everything we need to know about the guy.  The sooner the Giants flop to a level where ownership pulls the plug on him, the better.  

It’s only March 1st and I am already finding it difficult to generate any enthusiasm about this year’s team.

[Mick]

I read the same article.  After four years, Zaidi still doesn’t understand what made the franchise so popular during the “3 in 5 years“.  It was more than just winning championships, it was how the championships were won.  The fans connected with the team in a manner I had not experienced in all my years as a fan.  I wasn’t surprised just disappointed.  

To unceremoniously kick the last player from that era to the curb with a humiliating minor league offer tells us everything we need to know about the guy.  The sooner the Giants flop to a level where ownership pulls the plug on him, the better.  

It’s only March 1st and I am already finding it difficult to generate any enthusiasm about this year’s team.

I'd already said that in the absence of a somewhat dramatic roster upgrade, I won't be attending games in person for the first time in decades. I think this is going to be a historically bad team.

At least they're about to win their first spring training game...and the players that they need to succeed are looking good. Giants are ahead 11-4 in the bottom of the 8th. Jung Hoo Lee is 1 for 3, hitting .444, 1.333 OPS. Soler is 2 for 3, hitting .500, 1.000 OPS. Conforto is 2 for 3, reversing some poor earlier results. JD Davis is 2 for 2 with an HR, hitting .444 overall with three RBIs. New backup shortstop Nick Ahmed hit a homer and is 1 for 3.  Luis Matos is 2 for 3. And 25-year old Ismael Munguia stole three bases today (Meckler stole 1). And no errors. On the not-plus side, Giants pitchers walked 10 batters.

[Mick]

I read the same article.  After four years, Zaidi still doesn’t understand what made the franchise so popular during the “3 in 5 years“.  It was more than just winning championships, it was how the championships were won.  The fans connected with the team in a manner I had not experienced in all my years as a fan.  I wasn’t surprised just disappointed.  

To unceremoniously kick the last player from that era to the curb with a humiliating minor league offer tells us everything we need to know about the guy.  The sooner the Giants flop to a level where ownership pulls the plug on him, the better.  

It’s only March 1st and I am already finding it difficult to generate any enthusiasm about this year’s team.

I'd already said that in the absence of a somewhat dramatic roster upgrade, I won't be attending games in person for the first time in decades. I think this is going to be a historically bad team.

At least they're about to win their first spring training game...and the players that they need to succeed are looking good. Giants are ahead 11-4 in the bottom of the 8th. Jung Hoo Lee is 1 for 3, hitting .444, 1.333 OPS. Soler is 2 for 3, hitting .500, 1.000 OPS. Conforto is 2 for 3, reversing some poor earlier results. JD Davis is 2 for 2 with an HR, hitting .444 overall with three RBIs. New backup shortstop Nick Ahmed hit a homer and is 1 for 3.  Luis Matos is 2 for 3. And 25-year old Ismael Munguia stole three bases today (Meckler stole 1). And no errors. On the not-plus side, Giants pitchers walked 10 batters.

[Mick]

We just signed Matt Chapman, three years $54 million. Opt outs after each of the first two seasons.

[Mick]

We just signed Matt Chapman, three years $54 million. Opt outs after each of the first two seasons.

[Giants]

We just signed Matt Chapman, three years $54 million. Opt outs after each of the first two seasons.

The contract is “Bellinger-lite”. At this point, the signing moves the enthusiasm level from 1 to 1.1

[Giants]

We just signed Matt Chapman, three years $54 million. Opt outs after each of the first two seasons.

The contract is “Bellinger-lite”. At this point, the signing moves the enthusiasm level from 1 to 1.1

[gocard14]

I like the deal. 

It's a significantly under-market 1 year 20 million deal (that counts as 18 towards CBT) with 36 mil of downside potential. if Chapman has a rough year and opts in, unless he has a catastrophic injury, having Chapman for 18 next year is not bad.

[gocard14]

I like the deal. 

It's a significantly under-market 1 year 20 million deal (that counts as 18 towards CBT) with 36 mil of downside potential. if Chapman has a rough year and opts in, unless he has a catastrophic injury, having Chapman for 18 next year is not bad.

[BobK]

I sure like this. HRs and excellent defense

[BobK]

I sure like this. HRs and excellent defense

[Mick]

I like the deal. 

It's a significantly under-market 1 year 20 million deal (that counts as 18 towards CBT) with 36 mil of downside potential. if Chapman has a rough year and opts in, unless he has a catastrophic injury, having Chapman for 18 next year is not bad.

Agreed. Giants off-season has been pretty good, and if Beck and Winn weren't injured, I'd be reasonably satisfied with the pitching. Hoped they would get Yamamoto, but they didn't do badly:

ADDED:
Jung-Hoo Lee
Robbie Ray
Jordan Hicks
Tom Murphy
Jorge Soler
Matt Chapman

SUBTRACTED:
Anthony DeSclafani
Mitch Haniger
Ross Stripling
Alex Wood

Now they have two extraneous third basemen in AAAA David Villar and JD Davis, who -- first half of last year -- was having an excellent season at the plate and in the field. Until he got hurt, twice. Perhaps they can be packaged for a starting pitcher.

[Mick]

I like the deal. 

It's a significantly under-market 1 year 20 million deal (that counts as 18 towards CBT) with 36 mil of downside potential. if Chapman has a rough year and opts in, unless he has a catastrophic injury, having Chapman for 18 next year is not bad.

Agreed. Giants off-season has been pretty good, and if Beck and Winn weren't injured, I'd be reasonably satisfied with the pitching. Hoped they would get Yamamoto, but they didn't do badly:

ADDED:
Jung-Hoo Lee
Robbie Ray
Jordan Hicks
Tom Murphy
Jorge Soler
Matt Chapman

SUBTRACTED:
Anthony DeSclafani
Mitch Haniger
Ross Stripling
Alex Wood

Now they have two extraneous third basemen in AAAA David Villar and JD Davis, who -- first half of last year -- was having an excellent season at the plate and in the field. Until he got hurt, twice. Perhaps they can be packaged for a starting pitcher.

[Giants]

I like the deal. 

It's a significantly under-market 1 year 20 million deal (that counts as 18 towards CBT) with 36 mil of downside potential. if Chapman has a rough year and opts in, unless he has a catastrophic injury, having Chapman for 18 next year is not bad.

Agreed. Giants off-season has been pretty good, and if Beck and Winn weren't injured, I'd be reasonably satisfied with the pitching. Hoped they would get Yamamoto, but they didn't do badly:

ADDED:
Jung-Hoo Lee
Robbie Ray
Jordan Hicks
Tom Murphy
Jorge Soler
Matt Chapman

SUBTRACTED:
Anthony DeSclafani
Mitch Haniger
Ross Stripling
Alex Wood

Now they have two extraneous third basemen in AAAA David Villar and JD Davis, who -- first half of last year -- was having an excellent season at the plate and in the field. Until he got hurt, twice. Perhaps they can be packaged for a starting pitcher.

Chapman turned down a $120 million/6 year offer from Toronto prior to becoming a free agent last November. I know Boras counsels his clients against signing extensions before free agency; however, once in a while, that advice can look rather foolish.

[Giants]

I like the deal. 

It's a significantly under-market 1 year 20 million deal (that counts as 18 towards CBT) with 36 mil of downside potential. if Chapman has a rough year and opts in, unless he has a catastrophic injury, having Chapman for 18 next year is not bad.

Agreed. Giants off-season has been pretty good, and if Beck and Winn weren't injured, I'd be reasonably satisfied with the pitching. Hoped they would get Yamamoto, but they didn't do badly:

ADDED:
Jung-Hoo Lee
Robbie Ray
Jordan Hicks
Tom Murphy
Jorge Soler
Matt Chapman

SUBTRACTED:
Anthony DeSclafani
Mitch Haniger
Ross Stripling
Alex Wood

Now they have two extraneous third basemen in AAAA David Villar and JD Davis, who -- first half of last year -- was having an excellent season at the plate and in the field. Until he got hurt, twice. Perhaps they can be packaged for a starting pitcher.

Chapman turned down a $120 million/6 year offer from Toronto prior to becoming a free agent last November. I know Boras counsels his clients against signing extensions before free agency; however, once in a while, that advice can look rather foolish.