Time right for Zaidi’s shift of focus to bigger moves
President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi immediately set the target higher for 2021 after the Giants finished 29-31 and missed the postseason by the narrowest of margins.
Zaidi has been reluctant to publicly set lofty ex pec t ations since a ssuming his role in November, 2018, but entering his third year on the job, he acknowledged it would be a greater disappointment if the Giants failed to improve and missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
The club has added seven new players to its 40-man roster a little more than two months after vowing to upgrade the team and better position the Giants to contend. Only one of them, reliever Matt Wisler, has major league experience.
One prospect, righthanded pitcher Dedniel Núñez, was chosen out of the New York Mets organization in Thursday’s Rule 5 draft. Four other prospects — Alexander Canario, Gregory Santos, Kervin Castro and Camilo Doval — were added to the Giants’ 40man roster several weeks ago to shield them from meeting the same fate as Núñez and being plucked by another club.
A side from bringing back starting pitcher Kevin Gausma n a nd backup catcher Chadwick Tromp on free- agent deals, the Giants also hit the market early in the offseason to sign left-handed hitting infielder Jason Vosler. The former Cubs and Padres prospect has never spent a day in the big leagues, but the Giants gave him a major league contract in anticipation other teams would extend the same type of offer
Vosler fills a need for the Giants — a left-handed complement to Evan Longoria at third base and Wilmer Flores and Donovan Solano at second, but his signing is clearly a depth move.
So with seven newcomers, the Giants have cleared out the back end of their 40man roster but have yet to make the type of signing or trade that suggests the club is going to be dramatically improved next season. The front office has carved out roster spots for inexperienced prospects such as Canario and Doval out of necessity while also sparing spots for Núñez and Vosler, who have yet to prove themselves in any capacity.
It may appear risky to devote so many spots to players with no track record at the major league level, but the Giants have plenty of time to make adjustments. The early moves the club has made shouldn’t preclude Zaidi from signing at least two more starting pitchers to major league deals and the Giants can always drop a player or two from the back of the roster if they find another left-handed bat (David Dahl, anyone?) or a veteran reliever (Archie Bradley, anyone?) who represent upgrades.
The Giants haven’t made the type of noise that’s going to generate excitement, but at this point in the winter, there’s no shortage of time for the Giants to find a frontline starter, take on payroll and acquire a superstar in a trade or check in on top free agents.
It’s possible there’s not as much motivation from the front office to commit 10 figures to an ace such as Trevor Bauer or to part with elite prospects to acquire Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor, but after devoting so much energy to the back end of the roster, the Giants’ focus can shift if the front office desires. If there was ever a time for Zaidi and general manager Scott Harris to weigh the pros and cons of making this front office’s first big splash, it’s the present.
No one is counting on the Giants to make a blockbuster move this offseason, but with the non-tender deadline and Rule 5 draft in the rear-view mirror, they at least have time to explore bigger possibilities. This front office does the minutiae better than most, but until spring training approaches and the Giants are looking for a few veterans to bring in on minor league deals, Zaidi and Harris can step back and think about the big picture.
There’s no rush, but after missing the playoffs again, there are mounting expectations.
YASTRZEMSKI EARNS PRESTIGIOUS HONOR >> Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski was named to the All-MLB second team on Wednesday, a month after finishing eighth in National League MVP voting.
The 2020 season marks the second year the league has announced first and second team honors and Yastrzemski is the first Giants player to be recognized. Fans account for 50% of the vote with a panel of “experts” accounting for the other 50%.
A lthough it’s unclear who MLB considers an expert and who exactly participates in the voting process, the All-MLB teams are a good idea and seems like a more fitting way to recognize a player’s accomplishments than a midsummer All- Star team appearance.
The All-MLB teams are announced at the end of the season, so a player who shines in the first half of the year and struggles in the second has a more difficult path to recognition compared to the All-Star Game, which celebrates how players performed from late March to early July.
Yastrzemski was one of six outfielders named to the All-MLB teams, joining first-team honorees Mookie Betts, Mike Trout and Juan Soto, and fellow secondteamers Ronald Acuña, Jr. and Michael Conforto. That’s a powerhouse group of players featuring some of the top position players in the sport, and Yastrzemski clearly earned his place with a breakout 2020 season.
Each time the 30-yearold Yastrzemski delivers a big hit for the Giants, it’s hard to imagine how the Baltimore Orioles let him go without ever giving him a shot at the major league level.