Zaidi on cutting ties with two players

LAS VEGAS — Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi was asked Monday why he did not tender a contract to outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, who hit 15 home runs last year. Zaidi’s answer underscored the difference between the old and new administrations.

“One area we want to look at is improving the offense from a plate-discipline standpoint, even something as basic as walk-strikeout ratio,” Zaidi said, adding that “an ideal combination of on-base percentage and power in the outfield is kind of the ideal.”

The Giants non-tendered Hernandez and reliever Hunter Strickland. Both were out of minor-league options, potentially limiting the team’s flexibility during the season, which played into the decisions. In Strickland’s case, the Giants also think they have enough right-handed relief depth.

Zaidi said the Giants would consider re-signing Hernandez as a free agent. New hires: The Giants formally announced three front-office additions. They are former Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi as a special adviser; pro scouting director Zack Minasian, hired from the Brewers, and amateur scouting director Michael Holmes, who was an assistant scouting director with the A's.

The front office will be a blend of old and new. John Barr, who ran the past 11 drafts for the Giants, and longtime evaluator Dick Tidrow are staying. So is Jeremy Shelley, who worked under former GM Bobby Evans. All the hires and holdovers, including executive vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean, are here.

The Giants did not retain Bob Tewksbury, their mentalskills coach. His expected replacement is Derin McMains, a former Giants farmhand and minor-league manager who has been the mental-skills coach at Notre Dame. Hall call: Lee Smith, the longtime closer elected to the Hall of Fame on Sunday by a 16person veterans committee, has worked for the Giants, mostly as a roving pitching instructor, longer than the 18 seasons he pitched in the majors.

Asked whether he planned to return for a 20th season with the Giants in 2019, Smith smiled and said, “Why? You hear something? You're going to give me a heart attack!”

He will be back. Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.