BUSTER POSEY WON’T PLAY IN 2020
Star catcher cites newborn adopted twins’ health
SAN FRANCISCO — The last time Buster Posey went a season without wearing a Giants jersey, there were questions regarding Bruce Bochy’s job security, uncertainty over whether Brian Sabean was a competent executive and legitimate fears held by lifelong fans of the team in San Francisco they would never see the franchise win a World Series title.
How times have changed. Posey made the emotional decision to opt out of the 2020 baseball season Friday after he and his wife Kristen adopted identical twin girls. The girls were born last week, and the adoption became official Thursday, cementing Posey’s commitment to putting the health and safety of his family ahead of his desire to play baseball during the coronavirus pandemic.
Eleven years after Posey debuted with the Giants and 10 years after he became the team’s full-time starting catcher, one of the most accomplished players in franchise history announced his choice on a video conference with president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and manager Gabe Kapler.
“I ultimately would still make the same decision no matter whether I had the support or not,” Posey said. “But it’s certainly nice to have the leadership of the organization back me in my decision and a couple of guys that are family men themselves.”
Posey has transformed baseball on the shores of McCovey Cove in ways no member of the organization could have imagined since the Giants selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 MLB draft.
His six All-Star nods, four Silver Slugger Awards and 2012 MVP honor have cemented his in
dividual legacy as one of the franchise’s all-time greats, but it’s Posey’s presence behind the plate that helped guide the Giants to unprecedented heights and three World Series titles over the last decade.
Posey’s on-field achievements turned Bochy into a future Hall of Famer, made Sabean one of the most accomplished executives in recent history and gave the city of San Francisco three parades up Market Street.
Leaders from the Giants’ past have moved on from their roles — teammates who received Posey’s famous bear hugs have retired or begun playing elsewhere — but on Friday, the lone holdover from San Francisco’s first title team in 2010 received full support from new leaders who have a firm grasp of what the catcher means to the organization.
“Obviously (with) Buster it’s a no-brainer, we’re going to support (him) wholeheartedly,” Kapler said.
Even if the Giants would love to have Posey’s counsel at some point during the year, the organization wants to allow its franchise player to prioritize his family and move at his own pace.
“I think as accommodating as Buster is, we want to be able to not take up too much of his time especially in the next few weeks,” Zaidi said. “His family is going to have their hands full.”
With one year and a team option for 2022 remaining on Posey’s contract, it’s possible next season could mark the end of the catcher’s extended tenure in a Giants uniform. With Posey sitting out this year, the club will take an even bigger step toward the future than it initially anticipated.
After months of raving about the leadership Posey provides in the Giants clubhouse, Zaidi and Kapler will have to build an opening day roster without the services of the team’s most important player.
The club has a pair of minor league free-agents in camp now considered to be front-runners for roster spots in Tyler Heineman and Rob Brantly, who have a combined 131 games of major league experience.
Zaidi mentioned the possibility another non-roster minor league free-agent, Chadwick Tromp, will figure into the mix, but he added the Giants may pursue external options and will certainly need to add another catcher into the player pool to run an efficient summer camp.
As Zaidi and Kapler fielded questions about the immediate future of the position, they avoided thrusting 2018 first-round draft choice Joey Bart into the spotlight. The Giants’ top executive and manager both said opportunities would open behind the plate and expected competition for roster spots to grow more intense in the coming days, but would not commit to saying Bart is now on track to make his major league debut this season.
There’s genuine concern in the front office that Bart needs more seasoning in the minor leagues after playing just 22 games at Double-A Richmond last season, but following a strong spring training showing and Posey’s decision to opt out, it seems as if the organization is left with little choice but to seriously consider making Bart an integral part of the 2020 roster.