Finally, Giants can focus on roster

With manager, GM in the fold, players are next

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Farhan Zaidi introduced Gabe Kapler at Wednesday’s news conference at Oracle Park, then bolted to Arizona to catch the tail end of the general manager meetings.

Zaidi checked into the host hotel in Scottsdale on Wednesday night for the meetings, which ended midday Thursday — he stayed all of 16 hours. Why show up at all? “A nice meal and hotel points,” quipped Zaidi.

Actually, the Giants’ president of baseball operations, now that he has hired Kapler as manager and Scott Harris as GM, can fully focus on building a roster for 2020 and delve into the freeagent and trade markets. It’s a wideranging task. Revealing his priorities for the offseason, Zaidi said one need is catching depth despite the presence of Buster Posey and lofty expectations for top prospect Joey Bart. That doesn’t mean Posey’s time will be limited, according to Zaidi.

“Buster still views himself and we still view him as a No. 1 everyday catcher,” Zaidi said. “Having talked to Buster, we all view this past season as a success coming off the hip surgery, staying pretty healthy all season and getting ready to have a regular offseason.

“So that gives us some flexibility on that backup spot. Is it maybe a 60game guy who plays other positions or is it more of a true backup? I think there’s different ways we could attack it because we expect Buster to be even healthier and better a year further from the surgery.”

Zaidi also is pursuing a leftyhitting infielder who could spell third baseman Evan Longoria and second baseman Mauricio Dubon, both of whom bat righthand

ed.

Of course, the pitching staff needs to be addressed, too.

“We’re looking at pitching depth and flexibility,” Zaidi said. “We’ve got a relatively young pitching group on our 40man roster at this point. So we’d certainly be open to adding more veterans and more innings. We’re going to be open to anything and see what the market yields.”

The Giants tendered $17.8 million qualifying offers to free agents Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith. Thursday, Smith signed with the Braves for three years and $40 million, and Bumgarner rejected the Giants’ offer.

For losing Smith, the Giants will receive a compensatory draft pick, and they’d get another if Bumgarner signs elsewhere; he’s expected to be wooed by the Yankees and Braves, among others.

On veteran catcher Stephen Vogt, whose agent was contacted by the A’s, Zaidi said, “Obviously, he had a great season for us and continues to be a great fit for our roster. I’m sure we’ll be having those conversations in the coming days.”

The Giants finished 7785 last season, 29 games behind the firstplace Dodgers, and aren’t expected to make a playoff push in 2020, at least as things look now.

“We’re still in a mode where we want to compete next year,” Zaidi said. “We want to play meaningful baseball as deep into the season as we can, which was our stated goal in 2019.

“But we want to do it in a way that creates flexibility for us and keeps us an organization moving in a positive, healthy direction. We’re going to be balancing those things as we go through the offseason.”

The Giants need to fill out a coaching staff — Ron Wotus is returning — and Zaidi said Kapler is the point man for now. They are considering Chris Fetter, currently on the staff at Michigan and a Dodgers pitching coordinator when Kapler was in L.A., as pitching coach, according to The Chronicle’s Susan Slusser.