San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Giants preach patience as far as big moves
LAS VEGAS — Farhan Zaidi’s four-year pit stop in Los Angeles, a mere two-pennant, fourdivision-title blip on the radar, is paying dividends for the Giants, and not because he still has the Dodgers’ computer passwords. One assumes those were changed after the Cardinals and Astros had their little espionage fun a few years back.
Zaidi brings from Los Angeles the perspective that he does not serve just one master: San Francisco fans who desperately want change and exciting new players right now. The other master is ownership, which hired him as president of baseball operations to put the best team on the field in 2019 and beyond.
It’s the difference between making a big, early
John Shea:
Giants hope Madison Bumgarner will rebound.
B2
splash and settling into the pool for a long, productive swim. Anyone who watched the Dodgers during the Andrew Friedman/Zaidi years knows a ripple can turn into a wave. Just consider the names Justin Turner, Chris Taylor and Max Muncy.
“Some of the best moves we made were not headline moves at the time,” Zaidi said before the winter meetings ended Thursday. “That’s not going to be our objective. It’s going to be more about thinking things through and making moves that are going to help us shortterm and long-term.”
Zaidi hears the cries of anxious fans who see a team full of holes.
“Fans will certainly get excited about certain offseason moves that get a conversation going, but if that move is ultimately to the detriment of the team, they’re not going to be happy about it later,” Zaidi said.
“Having that perspective (from his L.A. days), and knowing what ultimately is going to matter is the on-field product, it’s a good check and balance for you from getting too anxious to make a splash or satisfy the talking heads at this time of year.”
Zaidi and Co. flew home with several deals in the works. He wants starters, corner outfielders with power and a backup catcher.
The Giants also could acquire some relief pitchers while trading others who might be able to attract players to fill bigger needs.
Saying the Giants did nothing in Las Vegas is not accurate.
Zaidi continued a process that began before the meetings of back-filling a roster that sorely lacked depth. They are loading up on minor-leaguers, particularly relievers and outfielders.
They added two players to the 40-man roster in Thursday’s Rule 5 draft: left-handed reliever Travis Bergen from the Blue Jays and center fielder Drew Ferguson from the Astros. On Monday, they claimed outfielder Mike Gerber from the Tigers.
All will compete for big-league jobs in spring training alongside previously signed outfielders Anthony Garcia and Henry Ramos, pitcher Kieran Lovegrove and others.
These are not big names, and frankly they’re long shots to become standout majorleaguers. But think of it as a restaurant meal: You came for the steak in the middle of the plate, but a full meal also requires the potatoes, asparagus and Béarnaise sauce to be tasty, too.
They simply are plating the side dishes before the steak.
The Giants needed more options for Opening Day and, more significant, better players in the minors to promote when somebody gets hurt.
Zaidi has promised bigger moves. By the start of spring, he expects to have two major-league corner outfielders who can slug and experienced starting pitchers to ease the pressure on lessseasoned arms such as Dereck Rodriguez, Andrew Suarez and Chris Stratton.
The idea is building enough depth so that these holdovers can start the year in the bullpen or even the minors to control their innings.
Zaidi knows he ultimately will be judged on the steak, not the asparagus, but he still has nearly two months before pitchers and catchers report for spring training to complete his shopping.
This is a different offseason for the Giants, who typically departed the winter meetings with a largely set team and one or two spots to fill. Manager Bruce Bochy tried to answer questions about his 2019 squad during the week, which was difficult when he did not know who will compose it.
“I’m not concerned right now,” Bochy said. “I’ve been in the war room, so to speak. We’ve been meeting about different possibilities. I don’t think there’s a rush on some things. The thing you don’t want to do is feel like you have a sense of urgency that something has to be done now to show that you’re doing something. You want to go about it in the right way, and that’s what I think we’re doing.”
Zaidi acknowledged there is a sweet spot to find. It lies between the patience not to overpay for talent early, and dawdling so long that all of your acquisition targets fly off the board.
That sweet spot has not arrived. Giants fans just have to wait for it with him.
Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: hschulman@ sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hankschulman