Webb reflects on `weird' offseason, meetings with visiting free agents
Webb, Crawford main draws after missing out on 2 free-agent shots
In a fitting salutation to an offseason filled with side characters, subplots and, too often, sorrow, it rained on the Giants' parade Saturday.
Inside the lounge behind home plate, keeping dry from a steady stream of moisture that only picked up throughout the club's annual fan fest, Logan Webb reflected on what had transpired since he was last here with everyone.
The Giants had Arson Judge, then Aaron Judge, then nobody at all, and then Carlos Correa, and then not him, either. But they didn't come away with nothing, either. Among the new faces fans met Saturday: outfielders Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto, starter Sean Manaea and relievers Luke Jackson and Taylor Rogers (but wait, doesn't he look familiar?).
“It was a weird offseason, to be honest,” said Webb, 26, who, in the absence of Judge or Correa, became the biggest draw for fans, along with stalwart shortstop Brandon Crawford, entering his 13th season and in the final year of his contract.
The Giants estimated 10,000-12,000 fans passed through the turnstiles, or about half to one-third of the usual attendance during their World Series runs last decade. While those teams featured undisputed stars — Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, to name a few — Crawford is the last remaining player from those clubs.
Quickly cementing himself as the Giants' latest homegrown face of the franchise, Webb isn't deterred by the prevailing narrative of relative anonymity up-and-down their roster.
“I think we'll be a little underrated for sure,” Webb said. “I just think we don't have the big name, necessarily. But I think overall top to bottom, we've got a ton of depth.”
And actually, he takes that back.
“Even though I said we don't have big names, we do kind of have big names,”
Webb said. “I think Brandon Crawford is a pretty big name. Joc Pederson's very well known around baseball. I do think we do have some big names. Maybe not Arson Judge or some of those guys, but I think if you have a group of depth guys that just all want to be on the same page and win, I think you can do anything.”
And yes, he did say “Arson” Judge, which brings us back to the first part of Webb's weird offseason.
Leading up to those fateful five minutes when it appeared the Giants had reeled in the big one, Webb said he had been texting back and forth with Joc Pederson — “my inside source for everything” — for a week about the possibility of Judge signing with San Francisco.
Further evidence of his growing stature in the organization, Webb was one of two players — along with Crawford — to meet with Judge during his visit to the city before Thanksgiving. Only a couple weeks later, Webb was firing off a reply to New York Post/MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, who falsely reported Judge's verdict: “Not cool, man,” Webb wrote back in a tweet that garnered more than 10,000 likes.
As for Correa, “I know the guys in the clubhouse were all excited,” Webb said. “Sometimes weird stuff happens. …
“I wish him nothing but the best. He's a good guy and I'm happy I got to know him and talk to him a little bit. I'll probably keep that friendship for a long time, the same with Aaron.”
While Webb declined to
share more details of the meeting with Judge, he paused to think, searching for the right word to describe the feelings of the participants after ultimately being spurned.
“I don't really know the right word,” Webb said. “Maybe butthurt a little bit. …
“I personally thought we had a pretty good shot. But that's just how things go.”
Webb took time to gather his words back in December, too. Enough time for Heyman to retract the report, and for Webb to avoid one embarrassing text message to Buster Posey, notorious for his lack of success recruiting big-time free agents.
“When it happened, I almost texted Buster to say I'm 1-and-0,” Webb said. “Thank God I didn't text him. … Hopefully my record gets better.”
Notable
• The Giants finalized their signing of catcher Roberto Perez. While the veteran backstop will be in camp on a minor-league deal as a non-roster invitee, he can earn a $2.5 million base salary and up to an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses if he makes the roster. Perez, 34, is a two-time Gold Glovewinner and will compete in camp with Joey Bart, Austin Wynns and Blake Sabol for two catching spots.
• Hunter Pence, who was inducted to the Wall of Fame last season, will serve in an official capacity with the club during spring training. “I think Hunter's going to be a great mentor to some of our younger players,” manager Gabe Kapler said, announcing
the move live on KNBR during fan fest. “His mental skills game is off the charts.” While Pence's official role has yet to be determined, “he'll be around and helping out a little bit,” Kapler said. Last season, Pence provided color commentary for Apple TV+ and some NBC Sports Bay Area telecasts. As far as, Buster Posey, now a part-owner, “nothing in stone so far,” Kapler said via text.
• On a gray day, Luis González`s new hair was among the brightest sights in the building. Now bleached blond, González said he plans to play for Team Mexico during the World Baseball Classic, which takes place during spring training. Other Giants who have committed to participate include Webb (Team USA) and Joc Pederson (Israel), though Webb declined to answer questions about the WBC. Camilo Doval (Dominican Republic) is also expected to pitch, though it has not been made official.
• Numbers game: Sean Manaea will wear No. 52, which he said took some getting used to signing his first batch of autographs for fans. Fellow free-agent additions Taylor Rogers (No. 33), Luke Jackson (No. 77), Mitch Haniger (No. 17) and Michael Conforto (No. 8) also debuted their jersey numbers. And David Villar is switching things up this season, from No. 70 to No. 32, Jason Vosler's old number. Once Vosler was cut, Villar was offered No. 32, which he had worn throughout the minors. After being called up last season, he was given No. 70, which he called an “offensive lineman's number.”