Giants Dept Charts: Starting Pitcher

 The Giants have 5 veteran SP returning to the roster, including an ace or #1 SP with several other promising young pitchers who appear to be on the cusp of promising MLB careers.  They are looking to add a second ace, which they need but that makes sorting out the rest of the roster more complex.

MLB:

Logan Webb R:  11-13, 3.25, 216 IP, 8.08 K/9, 1.29 BB/9, 62.1 GB%, fWAR= 4.9.  Age- 26.  Under Contract 5 yr/$90 M through 2028.  Webb is a true ace, a #1 SP.  He's trying to assert himself and become a team leader.  I am not sure if he understood how much weight his public words have.  I bet he does now.  From everything we know, his words were needed.

Alex Cobb R:  7-7, 3.87, 151.1 IP, 7.79 K/9, 2.20 BB/9, 57.6 GB%, fWAR= 1.8.  Age- 36.  1 year club option for $10 M.  Giants will almost certainly pick up the option unless the medicals on his hip are bad.  Cobb was a co-ace in the first half but seemed to wear down, especially after extending his pitch count in a near no-hitter(not the first time we've seen that happen to a Giants pitcher).  He ended the season with a sore hip that was described as an impingement and was in obvious discomfort his last 2-3 starts.  Addendum:  And just like that, no sooner had I written this than the Giants announced Cobb would undergo surgery for a labrum tear and impingement of his hip and is not expected to be ready to start the season.

Sean Manaea L: 7-6, 4.44, 117.2 IP, 9.79 K/9, 3.21 BB/9, fWAR= 1.1.  Age- 31.  1 year player option for $12.5 M for 2024.  Despite his slow start to 2023, I think you have to count Manaea as another successful pitching reclamation project for the Giants coaches.  He gained about 3 MPH on his FB which he maintained all season and came on strong in the second half.  Kapler was slow getting him back into a traditional SP role.  Seems like an obvious opt-out but the pitching side of the free agent class is strong which my make him think twice about it.

Ross Stripling R:  0-5, 5.36, 89 IP, 7.08 K/9, 1.62 BB/9, fWAR= -0.3.  Age- 33.  1 year player option for $12.5 M.  When Stripling and Manaea signed identical contracts, Stripling seemed like the less risky of the two(although neither was particularly risky in terms of money).  But Stripling unexpectedly had a terrible season, then expressed unhappiness with his role while admitting he did not pitch well enough to opt out of the second year of his contract.  Both he and the Giants need to come to camp with open minds about what his role will be in 2024, if any.  At this point he can't be counted on for anything.

Anthony Desclafani R:  4-8, 4.88, 99.2 IP, 7.13 K/9, 1.81 BB/9, fWAR= 1.0.  Age- 33.  Final year of contract at $12 M in 2024.  Tony D did not pitch particularly well and his season ended early with a elbow flexor strain.  I found a reference saying he seems fully recovered and expects to have a normal offseason.  Potential to be a solid #4 or #5 SP if fully healthy.

Kyle Harrison L:  AAA:  1-3, 4.66, 65.2 IP, 14.39 K/9, 6.58 BB/9.  MLB:  1-1, 4.15, 9.09 K/9, 2.86 BB/9, fWAR= -0.1.  Age- 22.  3 Options.  Harrison had some electric performances and some rough ones.  Finished up with 5 scoreless frames against the Dodgers.  Dramatic improvement in walk rate lends credence to theory the automatic strike zone in AAA was squeezing him.  Giants may want him to work on his game back in AAA a bit but he seems ready to stick.

Tristan Beck R:  AAA:  3-3, 5.88, 26 IP, 9.00 K/9, 4.85 BB/9.  MLB:  3-3, 3.92, 85 IP, 7.20 K/9, 2.22 BB/9, fWAR= 0.4.  Age- 27.  2 Options.  Beck looked dominant at times but performances were inconsistent and Kapler didn't seem to have much faith in him.  Seems like a better option for back-end SP than either Stripling or DeSclafani.  Allowed just 1 run in 5 IP against the Dodgers in his final appearance of the season.

Keaton Winn R:  AAA:  0-6, 4.81, 58 IP, 10.24 K/9, 4.03 BB/9.  MLB:  1-3, 4.68, 42.1 IP, 7.44 K/9, 1.70 BB/9, 58 GB%, fWAR= 0.2.  Age- 25.  2 Options.  Devastating FB/Split Change when he's on.  Also seems like a better rotattion option than Stripling or Tony D.

Sean Hjelle R:  AAA:  3-7, 6.00, 93 IP, 6.77 K/9, 3.87 BB/9, 56.2 GB%.  MLB:  2-1, 29 IP, 9.62 K/9, 4.03 BB/9, 53.3 GB%, fWAR= 0.1.   Not sure how Hjelle can have an fWAR of 0.1 and Kyle Harrison a -0.4 but there you have it.  Hjelle didn't pitch well enough to dig himself out of Kapler's doghouse. Finished the season with 7 scoreless IP over 3 appearances with 6 K's and 1 BB.  May be a trade candidate.

AAA:

Mason Black R:  AA:  1-5, 3.57, 63.0 IP, 11.86 K/9, 3.00 BB/9.  AAA:  3-4, 3.86, 60.2 IP, 10.68 K/9, 4.60 BB/9.  Age-23.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec 2024.  Big loose-armed righty who seemed unfazed by the terrors of pitching in the PCL.  Should be ready to start his first MLB game in 2024 but will it be for the Giants?

Kai-Wei Teng R:  AA:  1-3, 4.75, 47.1 IP, 12.93 K/9, 3.80 BB/9.  AAA:  6-5, 4.22, 79 IP, 10.94 K/9, 5.47 BB/9.  Age- 24.  Rule 5 Eligible Now.  Jumbo righty with apparently great stuff.  Double-digit K rates through most of minor league career.  High walk rates and high BABIP's hold him back but results not bad for PCL.

AA: 

Carson Whisenhunt L:  A:  0-0, 3.29, 13.2 IP, 13.17 K/9, 2.63 BB/9.  A+:  1-0, 1.42, 25.1 IP, 12.79 K/9, 2.84 BB/9.  AA:  0-1, 3.20, 19.2 IP, 12.36 K/9, 5.03 BB/9.  Age- 23.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2025.  Crafty lefty with the 70 changeup.  Blew through 3 levels before being shut down with an elbow sprain.  Word is he should be ready for spring training.

Carson Seymour R:  5-3, 3.99, 112.2 IP, 9.11 K/9, 3.43 BB/9, GB/FB= 1.72.  Age-24.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2024.  Big strong RHP who came over from the Mets for Darin Ruf.  Should be ready to take his extreme groundball tendencies to higher levels.

Hayden Birdsong R:  A:  0-0, 2.16, 41.2 IP, 15.12 K/9, 4.75 BB/9.  A+:  2-2, 3.25, 36 IP, 11.50 K/9, 2.25 BB/9.  AA:  0-3, 5.48, 23 IP, 12.91 K/9, 5.09 BB/9.  Age- 22.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2025.  Power righty who hit a bit of a wall after promotion to AA which is where he should start out in 2024.  

A+:

Jack Choate L:  A:  3-1, 2.30, 47 IP, 12.83 K/9, 3.64 BB/9.  A+:  0-2, 2.14, 21 IP, 8.57 K/9, 2.14 BB/9.  Age- 22.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec 2025.  Big lefty.  Fangraphs only rates FB as a 30 but 55 slider and 55 changeup.  Will it play at higher levels?  Used mostly as a SP but could have more of a reliever profile.

Trevor McDonald R:  3-1, 0.96, 37.2 IP, 9.32 K/9, 1.91 BB/9.  Age- 22.  Rule 5 Eligible Now.  Late start to season presumably due to injury.  Sensational results especially after promotion to A+.  Probably should be protected in Rule 5 draft although FZ tends to be very conservative with his offseason 40-man roster adds.

Hayden Wynja L:  A:  4-2, 3.98, 54.1 IP, 11.26 K/9, 2.98 BB/9.  A+:  3-4, 4.40, 43 IP, 9.84 K/9, 4.19 BB/9.  Age- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2025.  Undrafted FA.  6' 9" lefties don't grow on trees.  Best pitcher per fangraphs is a 60 slider.  

A:  

Gerelmi Maldonado R:  1-1, 4.71, 65 IP, 11.22 K/9, 5.54 BB/9.  Age- 19. Rule 5 Eligible Dec 2025.  Hard throwing RHP who needs to develop his command and secondary stuff.  

Joe Whitman L:  ACL:  0-0, 0.00, 4 IP, 9 K/9, 2.25 BB/9.  A:  1-0, 3.18, 5.2 IP, 14.29 K/9, 3.18 BB/9.  

Age- 22.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2026.  Giants Third round draft pick in 2023.  Promising start to pro career in extremely SSS at low levels.  Likely will start out 2024 in A+.

This is far from an exhaustive list of Giants SP prospects.  I've tried to include the ones I think have the best shot at eventually becoming a MLB SP for each level.  The category is an obvious strength of the organization with ace level talent at the MLB level the only area where the depth is shallow.  Free agent class is weak for hitters and strong for pitchers.  One proposed offseason strategy is to sign a couple of frontline SP's in free agency and trade from prospects to acquire a couple of bats.

Giants Depth Charts: Designated Hitter

Joc Pederson had the most starts at DH for the Giants last season with 72.  Wilmer Flores was second with 36.  Pederson is a free agent and almost certainly won't be back after he was ratted out by teammates for being the ringleader of the Pusoy Posse in the clubhouse.  Wow!  Whoever did that delivered a verbal b****  slap way more devastating than anything Tommy Pham every thought of!  Anyway, I am pretty sure Pederson won't be back at any price which leaves room for upgrade.  

MLB:

Wilmer Flores:  See 1B Depth Chart.  Wilmer makes a fine RH DH platoon partner but probably should not be the full time DH on a good team.  

J. D. Davis: See 3B Depth Chart.  Davis is listed on the MLB Giants Depth Chart but his primary position is 3B where he was a slightly positive defender in 2023.  

Michael Conforto:  See RF Depth Chart.  I will add Conforto to the list as he could slide into the LH DH role if the Giants add a true CF with YtY and Slater platooning in RF.  Problem is Conforto's SLG% was an identical .384 in 2021 and 2023, his last two seasons which is way subpar for a DH.  He also may opt out, which FZ has to be hoping he does just to help break up the OF roster logjam, if nothing else.

AAA:

Armando Alvarez, Yoshi Tsutsugo, Trenton Brooks:  Profiled in previous posts.  I am most intrigued by Brooks but if he's the LH DH out of spring training it's a sure sign of failed offseason.

AA:  

Sean Roby, Victor Bericoto

A+:

Luis Toribio, Jairo Pomares

A:

None

With Pederson's likely departure, DH is an obvious position to upgrade with no great internal options.  As we all know, there is an elite lefty-hitting DH available through free agency.  Is Bob Melvin's reputation for working with Asian players enough to get Shohei Ohtani to sign with the Giants all else being equal?

Other possibilities on the free agent market include J. D. Martinez, Andrew McCutchen, Brandon Belt.  I could get behind a 1 year deal for Belt to be the left-side DH platoon partner.  

Giants Depth Charts: Right Field

The elephant in the room here is whether Michael Conforto will opt out of the second year of his 2-year contract.  If he does, RF becomes an obvious position for upgrade through free agency or trade.  If he stays, then it becomes more difficult and we have to hope a year of mostly playing sharpened him up to get back to what he was in......2020?  Yikes!  

MLB:

Michael Conforto:  .239/.334/.384, 15 HR, 4 SB, 11.3 BB%, 22.6 K%, 470 PA, fWAR= 1.1.  Conforto's line was almost identical to his 2021 line which is not particularly comforting to those who are hoping for a bounceback season.  He has a player option on the second and final year of his contract for $18 M.  Will he exercise it?  By the end of the season Conforto's body language was as bad as it comes.  Playing baseball for the Giants appeared to be the last thing in the world he wanted to do.  Is that the reason the word among the scribes is he could opt out of his contract and become a free agent?  Will naming Bob Melvin make a difference in that decision?  In reviewing his 2021-2023 record, it's hard to see any team out there giving him a multi-year contract and he almost certainly won't get $18 M in AAV.   Seems like a no-brainer for him to exercise his option and stay for 2024.  If he does, the Giants have to hope he's healthier and happier  and gets at least part of the way back to his pre-2021 production as it will take an opportunity for a position upgrade off the table.  

Mike Yastrzemski:  See CF and LF.  FZ just named acquiring a "true center fielder" one of his top 3 offseason priorities.  YtY could slide over to RF if Conforto leaves or he could move down to 4'th OF which is where he should be on a good team.

Luis Matos:  See CF.  Ideally, Matos comes to camp 10-15 lbs of muscle heavier and those warning track drives start carrying over walls.  If so, he could be a RF option if Conforto leaves and if the upgrade is a true CF.  

Heliot Ramos:  FZ expressed remorse at not giving Heliot more of a look last season.  Hard to see how that happens in 2024 if FZ is serious about upgrading the OF in the offseason.

AAA:  

None.

AA:  

None.  Victor Bericoto has played some RF but I don't think there is any reason to think he has the speed to cover Triples Alley in Oracle Park.

A+:

None.  Grant McCray and Carter Howell could slide over from CF.  

A:

Bryce Eldridge:  ACL:  .294/.393/.647, 5 HR, 14.8 BB%, 26.2 K%, 61 PA.  A:  .293/.406/.379, 1 HR, 1 SB, 15.9 BB%, 26.1 K%, 69 PA.  Eldridge had a power outage after a late season promotion to San Jose, but overall his first pro lines look very encouraging for the future.  Drafted as a 2-way player, he did not pitch after being drafted due to predraft workload.  He should start out 2024 back in SJ working on both sides of the plate.  He appears to have the bat and arm for RF.  Does he have the footspeed to cover Triples Alley?

State of the Giants: FZ Extended

Not only did the Giants announce the signing of Bob Melvin to a 3-year contract to manage the Giants, they extended President of Baseball Operations, Farhan Zaidi, through 2026 to give him the same security Melvin has.  We discussed what Melvin brings to the team in yesterday's post so let's focus on FZ.  

No matter your opinion of FZ and and his tenure so far, leaving him in a "lame-duck" state while giving Melvin a 3-year deal was not the right way to approach the situation.  Essentially telling FZ he has to win in 2024 or be fired creates perverse incentives that could endanger the long term future of the team.  They had to either fire him at the end of the season so a new POBO could hire a new manager or they needed to extend him.

I am OK with the extension.  Although I think FZ is party responsible for the chaos at the end of last season, I think the farm system, and thus the longterm future of the team is headed in the right direction and am willing to give FZ more time to see if he can continue to build it up.  Hopefully Melvin is respected enough to help attract better free agents to Oracle Park for a short term boost too.

State of the Giants: Bob Melvin To Be New Manager

 Once we heard the Padres granted permission for the Giants to interview Bob Melvin for their Manager vacancy, we had to know the die was cast.  15 years ago, another Padres field manager fell out of favor with their front office and jumped to the Giants.  We all know how that turned out.  Hopefully history will repeat itself.  

To be sure, Bob Melvin has his detractors.  The Padres were almost as much of a mess as the Giants last year with, at least on paper, was a far more talented roster.  We have friends who are big Padres fans who are convinced Melvin's management was the reason they went, what, 1-11 in extra-inning games?  They blamed his refusal to try to advance the designated runner with no outs.  Not sure the numbers support that notion but they are definitely convinced of it.  

And look, yes, Gabe Kapler had to go.  His deployment of players on the field was increasingly chaotic and it wasn't just due to Openers and bullpen games.  I mean, there were several games later in the season where arguably their best player, Thairo Estrada, was batting ninth!  There also seemed to be chaos in the clubhouse with several players spending more time on a Filipino card game than on their MLB baseball job.  On the other hand, would Bob Melvin have won more games with that roster?  I still maintain the root cause of the chaotic lineups and pitching schemes was injury and poor performance from players the Giants expected more from.  

FZ hit big on a handful of short-term investments in players with injury histories.  But the single biggest predictor of future injury remains an injury history and that blew up in his face in 2023.  On top of that, multiple players who the metrics said should have a positive regression actually had a negative regression.  

So what does Bob Melvin bring to the table?  He can't keep injury-prone players from getting injured and he probably can't wave a wand and get positive regressions from players coming off down seasons.  What he can do is bring a return to defining roles and managing the clubhouse much of which is dependent on the respect of the players for a manager with 21 years of mostly successful managing.  

There may be one more factor which has been mentioned in beat writer reports:  The Giants are rumored to be in on at least 2 and possibly 3 Asian free agents including potential ace pitcher Yamomoto.  Melvin has a long history of good relationships with multiple asian players including Ichirio Suzuki and Yu Darvish who are believed to be extremely influential in advising Asian players where they will be most comfortable in MLB.  I'm still a bit skeptical the Giants are going to sign any of those players.  There has to be some reason why Asian players have avoided the Giants like COVID, but the CW is Melvin gives them a leg up.

So here's to Bob Melvin as the new Giants Manager.  May he once again prove the Padres upper management to be a bunch of chumps.  

Giants Depth Charts: Center Field

Perhaps the Giants 2024 roster dilemma is most glaring in the outfield where, if Michael Conforto does not choose to opt out of his $18 M guaranteed contract and if nobody is traded, 4 of their OF's will be holdovers from a mediocre and underperforming roster:  Haniger, Conforto, Yastrzemski and Slater.  That does not leave a lot of room for upgrades.  In his somewhat bizarre end-of-season press conference conducted in the home dugout at Oracle Park, Farhan Zaidi talked like Tyler Fitzgerald will get a chance to win the starting CF job outright which would mean that 2 of the 4 veterans would be relegated to 4'th and 5'th OF roles which would likely mean a huge drop in playing time under a new manager who will almost certainly not be as free with his platoons and substitutions as the peripatetic Gabe Kapler.  On top of that it wouldn't leave room for a big upgrade through free agency or trade.

With that said, lets break down where the center field depth chart stands going into the Hot Stove League season. 

MLB: 

Mike Yastrzemski:  .233/.330/.445, 15 HR, 11.8 BB%, 26.0 K%, 381 PA, UZR/150(CF)= 9.7(351.1 innings), fWAR= 1.8.  AGE 33.  Arbitration Eligble.  FA 2026.  When I watch him play CF on TV, I'm just not that impressed, but UZR says YtY is a plus defender at the position over the past 3 seasons in spite of being hobbled this by a recurrent hammy strain in 2023.  In fact, he ranked #6 in MLB in UZR/150 among those who played more than 300 innings at the position.  So, if CF seems like an obvious place for FZ to upgrade, it's not as easy as it may seem.

Tyler Fitzgerald:  AAA:  .287/.358/.499, 20 HR, 29 SB, 9.7 BB%, 23.8 K%, 466 PA.  MLB:  .219/.265/.469, 2 HR, 2 SB, 5.9 BB%, 29.4 K%, UZR/150(CF)= 4.0(71.1 innings), 34 PA, fWAR= 0.2.  After being ignored all season when there was a need at SS, his primary position in the minors, Fitz was finally promoted in the final 2 weeks of the season when the Giants were all but eliminated from the Wild Card race and.....played mostly CF.  He played it well and flashed his intriguing power/speed combo.  He seems to be an example of the drafting strategy that if you take shortstops, you can eventually plug them in anywhere.  Is Tyler Fitzgerald the Giants CF of the future, as FZ seemed to suggest in his postseason press conference?

Austin Slater:  .270/.348/.400, 5 HR, 9.7 BB%, 28.0 K%, 207 PA, UZR/150(CF)= -10.7(180.2 innings), fWAR= 0.9.  Age- 30.  No Options.  Arbitration Eligible.  FA 2025.  Slater is a very good hitter against LHP's but he has brutal L/R splits and is a defensive liability in CF which severely limits his on-field utility.  Can the Giants continue to carry a player with that profile on a 26-man roster? Oh, and Slater underwent elbow surgery about a week ago.

Luis Matos:  AA:  .304/.398/.443, 3 HR, 9 SB, 12.8 BB%, 9.0 K%, 133 PA.  AAA:  .353/.404/.626, 9 HR, 6 SB, 7.2 BB%, 7.2 K%, 152 PA.  MLB:  .250/.319/.342, 2 HR, 3 SB, 7.9 BB%, 13.0 K%, 253 PA, UZR/150(CF)= -19.7(438 innings), fWAR= -0.4.  Age- 21.  Options 2.  Arbitration Eligible 2027?  Matos has been a highly ranked prospect for several years and was tearing up AA and AAA and he was already on the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft so perfectly reasonable to call him up.  The results were mixed.  There is a lot to like in his game and he's still very projectable.  He made some good looking plays in CF making it look easy in the process, but took terrible routes and looked clueless at other times.  His UZR/150 is brutal and Gabe Kapler publicly voiced his frustration.  On the hitting side, he has solid K/BB numbers and hit a lot of balls hard that died on the warning track and acknowledged that he has to work on getting stronger.  Added strength should also come just from maturity when we are talking about a 21 yo player.  So here's another dilemma:  with FZ on the hot seat, can he afford to let Matos finish his development at the MLB level or does he get optioned to AAA where he seems to have run out of challenges?

Wade Meckler:  A+:  .456/.494/.633, 2 HR, 2 SB, 6.9 BB%, 10.3 K%, 87 PA.  AA:  .336/.431/.450, 2 HR, 4 SB, 14.4 BB%, 16.7 K%, 174 PA.  AAA:  .354/.465/.500, 2 HR, 7 SB, 17.6 BB%, 19.6 K%, 102 PA.  MLB:  .232/.328/.250, 9.4 BB%, 39.1 K%, 64 PA, UZR/150(CF)= -16.1(119 innings), fWAR= -0.1.  Age- 23.  Options- 2.  Arbitration Eligible 2027?  Meckler had a whirlwind season raking through 3 levels before what in retrospect was a premature promotion to MLB level.  He is small of stature for a ballplayer and appeared to be physically overmatched.  On top of that, his offensive game profiles as a CF but he does not appear to have the tools to handle the position in the majors.  Now he's on the 40-man roster and must be exposed to waivers if he's ever dropped.  Now he looks like he could be a casualty of the chaotic promotions that took over the 2023 season.

Heliot Ramos:  AAA:  .300/.382/.546, 12 HR, 9 SB, 10.3 BB%, 25.1 K%, 263 PA.  MLB:  .179/.233/.304, 1 HR, 6.7 BB%, 33.3 K%, 60 PA, UZR/150(CF)= 43.3(13 innings), fWAR= 0.4.  Age- 24, 1 Option.  Not Arbitration Eligible.  Former first round draft pick who appeared to be deep in FZ/Kap's doghouse as he was repeatedly passed over for obvious promotion opportunities.  At this point there is not clear path out of the roster logjam with the Giants.  Will he blossom with another organization or will he become a AAAA player like his bro, Henry?

AAA:  

None.

AA:  

Vaun Brown:  .221/.284/.421, 8 HR, 15 SB, 6.3 BB%, 37.5 K%, 208 PA.  Age- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2024.  10'th round pick in the 2021 draft, Brown caught fire in 2022 hitting 23 HR and stealing 44 bases over 2 levels.  As we all know, the A+ to AA jump tends to be big and Brown got off to a delayed start due to what was described as minor knee surgery.  After coming back he continued to show flashes of both power and speed but never really found traction at the plate and eventually went back on the IL with an undisclosed injury.  2024 looms as a big season for him as it will test whether he is fully recovered and whether he can handle higher level pitching.  Still a legit CF prospect.

Hunter Bishop:  DNP in 2023.  Age- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible.  The Giants first, first-round draft pick of the FZ era.  Bishop's career has been completely derailed so far by a series of injuries and poor performances.  Missed all of 2023 with an torn UCL and Tommy John surgery.  Should be finally fully healthy in 2024, likely his last shot at finding traction on his pro career.  

A+:

Grant McCray:  .255/.360/.417, 14 HR, 52 SB, 12.3 BB%, 29.3 K%, 584 PA.  Age- 22.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Former third round draft pick from 2019.  Tooled up legit CF prospect.  Got off to a very slow start in A+ ball but recovered to hit quite well over the second half of the season.  When you draft a raw HS prospect like him you have to be willing to see the project through.  I would add him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft even if it means dropping or trading a Wade Meckler or Heliot Ramos.  I can easily project McCray to be an impact MLB player after 3 years of continued development through use of options.

Carter Howell:  A:  .337/.398/.500, 4 HR, 8 SB, 8.6 BB%, 19.8 K%, 197 PA.  A+:  .270/.353/.408, 6 HR, 6 SB, 354 PA.  Age- 24.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2025.  Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Howell put himself on the prospect radar screen with a solid 2023 season across 2 levels.  He was rewarded with an AFL assignment where he is raking and impressing.  Has some power and speed but more of a contact/average hitter which will play if he can cover CF.  

A:

Turner Hill:  .287/.374/.370, 0 HR, 27 SB, 10.7 BB%, 8.9 K%, 347 PA.  Age- 24.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec 2026.  Another undrafted free agent signing.  Hill showed tremendous contact and on-base skills for the SJ Giants with some speed albeit with absolutely no power.  Will have to gain some pop to maintain the walk rates at higher levels.

There is also Rayner Arias who played exclusively CF in the DSL but profiles more like a corner OF bat.

In summary, FZ created what can only be described as a cluster**** on the 40-man roster which will have to be sorted out.  There are intriguing possibilities throughout the organization but no outstanding CF prospects.  The key will be identifying the keepers and letting the others go by release or trade.

Giants Depth Charts: Left Field.

Outfield depth charts are complex due to increasing reliance on versatility and platoons but we'll try to sort out where the Giants currently stand at the 3 OF positions.  The players are listed where I see their primary position while acknowledging that others can slide over and cover it.  

MLB:  

Mitch Haniger:  .209/.266/.365, 6 HR, 6.6 BB%, 28.4 K%, 229 PA, fWAR= -0.2.  Age 32.  No Options.  No arbitration. Under contract through 2025 @AAV of $14.5 M(can opt out after 2024).  Haniger has one of the weirdest injury histories of all time and bad luck struck again in 2023.  Haniger was supposed to hold down a full time gig in LF while providing a power bat in the middle of the order.  Instead, he started the season almost a month late due to an oblique strain then suffered a right arm fracture from a HBP on June 13 and missed most of the rest of the season.  At no time did he look comfortable at the plate and his swing timing seemed to be way off. Given his contract situation and history of producing when healthy I am putting him at the top of the Giants LF depth chart.  He and the Giants have to hope he escapes the injury bug and gets settled back in at the plate in 2024.

Mike Yastrzemski:  .233/.330/.445, 15 HR, 11.8 BB%, 25.3 K%, 381 PA, fWAR= 1.8.  Age- 33.  3 Options.  Arbitration Eligible(2'd year?).  YtY tends to play wherever needed in the OF and ideally is a 4'th OF on a good team.  He would likely be the first lefty-hitter option for LF if the Giants platoon Haniger or if Haniger were to be injured again.  

Austin Slater:  .270/.348/.400, 5 HR, 9.7 BB%, 28.0 K%, 207 PA, fWAR= 0.9.  Age- 30.  Arbitration eligible(final year).  No Options.  Slater hits quite well against LHP's but has brutal splits which severely limits his ideal playing time.  Can play all 3 OF positions.  Ideally a 5'th OF on a good team.

Blake Sabol:  .235/.301/.394, 13 HR, 7.0 BB%, 34.0 K%, 344 PA, fWAR= 0.7.  Age- 25.  3 Options.  Arbitration Eligible 2026.  Now that he is out from under the Rule 5 Draft restrictions, Sabol has 3 minor league options.  There is toonder in the bat but he needs experience to harness it.  Most likely MLB future is behind the plate.  Best situation for him would be to use option year polishing his catching game in Sacramento but his lefty bat and positional versatility(such as it is) might win him the back up catcher job again in which case he is also a reserve LF option.

Luis Matos and Wade Meckler are also potential options but I think a lot would have to happen for them to move into any significant role.  Conforto could also slide over from RF if he does not opt out of the second year of his contract.

AAA: 

Trenton Brooks:  AAA(Sacramento):  .233/.382/.465, 6 HR, 18.9 BB%, 15.3 K%, 111 PA.  AAA(Las Vegas):  .299/.405/.529, 16 HR, 5 SB, 13.8 BB%, 14.6 K%, 412 PA.  Age 28.  Rule 5 Eligible.  I think he is eligible for minor league free agency but is still listed on the AAA Sacramento roster.  Similar profile to many others who have passed through The Churn.  To my eye his power and K/BB numbers profile better than most.  I would love to see him get a MLB shot but hard to see how he breaks through the chaos of the 40-man roster.  Could gets lost the The Churn.

AA:  

Ismael Munguia:  .282/.356/.391, 6 HR, 16 SB, 7.2 BB%, 13.4 K%, 335 PA.  Age- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible.  The high contact/low power profile does not fit LF but that seems to be his preferred defensive position.  

A+:  

Jared Dupere:  .246/.313/.428, 12 HR, 11 SB, 7.4 BB%, 38.0 K%, 392 PA.  Age- 24.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec 2024.  13'th round draft pick in 2021.  Has some pop in his bat but also a lot of swing and miss.  

Matt Higgins:  A:  .309/.400/.492, 9 HR, 9 SB, 11.0 BB%, 20.9 K%, 301 PA.  A+:  .204/.289/.327, 3 HR, SB, 7.8 BB%, 26.6 K%, 128 PA.  Age- 24.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2025.  Undrafted FA from 2022.  Higgins hit well in a conservative placement in A ball.  More challenged after promotion to A+.  Later season promotions are tough because the players at the higher level are more experienced as the season progresses.  I see late promotions as a chance to be exposed to the higher level of competition to give the prospect a head start on the next season.

Jairo Pomares:  ACL:  .308/.419/.385, 16.1 BB%, 29.0 K%, 31 PA.  Age- 23.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Pomares was part of the "big 3" international signings of 2018 along with Marco Luciano and Luis Matos.  Pomares might be the best pure hitter of the three but is defensively limited to LF and essentially lost all of 2023 apparently due to injury.  

A:  

Scott Bandura:  ACL:  .400/.524/.667, HR, 23.8 BB%, 28.6 K%, 21 PA.  A:  .241/.364/.405, 2 HR, 3 SB, 15.2 BB%, 26.3 K%, 99 PA.  Age 22.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2026.  22 yo.  Giants 7'th round draft pick out of Princeton in 2023.  Intriguing size at 6'4", 190 lbs.  I expect him to start next season back in SJ but move up quickly with a strong performance.  Fun fact:  Scott was the catcher on the Little League World Series championship team that Mo'ne Davis pitched for.

P. J. Hilson:  .247/.283/.420, 10 HR, 12 SB, 3.9 BB%, 17.6 K%, 307 PA.  Age- 23.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Tooled up but raw prospect drafted in the 6'th round in 2018.  Starting to look like a player but is it too little too late?

Alexander Suarez:  .245/.310/.353, 6 HR, 22 SB, 5.4 BB%, 27.2 K%, 404 PA.  Age- 21.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Another prospect with tools but will he ever hit enough?  I read somewhere he is Luis Matos' cousin.

Giants Depth Charts: Shortstop

Brandon Crawford, the Giants starting shortstop since 2011 is a free agent and likely has played his last game as a Giant and possibly in his career.  Interestingly, one of the Giants top 3 prospects for the past several years appears to be ready to start a new era.  

MLB:

Marco Luciano:  AA:  .228/.339/.450, 11 HR, 6 SB, 14.9 BB%, 29.8 K%, 242 PA.  AAA:  .209/.321/.418, 4 HR, 12.8 BB%, 35.9 K%, 78 PA.  MLB:  .231/.333/.308, 13.3 BB%, 37.9 K%, 45 PA.  Age- 22 yo.  2 Options.  Tremendous raw power he is still learning to reach.  In his very odd postseason press conference, FZ all but named Luciano as the starting SS for 2024.  I imagine the new Manager might have something to say about that.  Luciano has been considered a top prospect since he was signed to a 7-figure bonus.  The position is open for the taking.  I think you have to give him that opportunity.

Casey Schmitt:  See 3B chart for stat lines.  Ability to play SS probably propelled him to the majors as much as his bat.  The Giants probably want him to be a back up at 3B, SS and 2B but he could hold down the SS position defensively if they need him to.  Did not hurt his stock with 2 HR's in the season finale against the Dodgers.

Tyler Fitzgerald:  AA:  .324/.410/.588, 2 HR, 3 SB, 11.5 BB%, 28.2 K%, 78 PA.  AAA:  .287/.358/.499, 20 HR, 29 SB, 9.7 BB%, 23.8 K%, 466 PA.  MLB:  .219/.265/.469, 2 HR, 2 SB, 34 PA.  Age- 26.  3 Options.  Drafted and developed as a SS.  Played a few games in CF in the minors, played some more after his late-season MLB callup and all of a sudden, he's FZ's CF of the future!  Yet another rather bizarre pronouncement from FZ amidst the chaos of the end of the season.  Intriguing power/speed combination.  Took him awhile to find traction on his pro career.  

Brett Wisely-  See 2B Chart for stat lines.  Tough to see him staying on 40- man roster after Rule 5 cutdowns.

Thairo Estrada can also play the position but the Giants would prefer he be the regular 2B.

AAA:  

Donovan Walton:  .208/.278/.354, 4 HR, 109 PA.  Age-29.  Rule 5 Eligible.  On the IL most of the season.  Strictly a deep depth option at this point.  Came in on The Churn, may leave on The Churn.

AA:  

Will Wilson:  .234/.304/.408, 13 HR, 9.1 BB%, 25.0 K%, 340 PA.  Age 25.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Spent first half of season on IL.  Has some pop but struggles to reach it.  I could see a team selecting him in the Rule 5 draft, but I don't think the Giants should add him to the 40-man roster.

A+:  

Aeverson Arteaga:  .235/.299/.410, 17 HR, 8 SB, 7.3 BB%, 24.2 K%, 546 PA.  Age 20.  Fangraphs lists as Rule 5 Eligible.  I say not.  Much like Luis Matos last season, Arteaga struggled out of the gate in A+ ball but put up solid numbers over the final 2 months of the season.  He's gotten over 1100 PA's over his last two seasons so may be poised to make a big move at higher levels.  Scouting reports remain high on his D.  I think the bat will play.  

A:  

Cole Foster:  ACL:  .333/.355/.700, 3 HR, 3.2 BB%, 32.3 K%, 31 PA.  A:  .230/.306/.390, 4 HR, 2 SB, 7.2 BB%, 31.5 K%, 111 PA.  Age 22.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2026.  2023 third round draft pick out of Auburn.  Bat started to come around after slow start in San Jose.  Will probably start out back there in 2024.  

Diego Velasquez:  .298/.387/.434, 8 HR, 6 SB, 517 PA.  Age- 20.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2025.  My MVP of the SJ Giants.  MI who can play both SS and 2B.  Seems to have a bat.  High hopes for this kid.

Giants Depth Charts: Third Base

 The Giants seem set at 3B again with a returning starter in J. D. Davis and some depth.  Stop me if you have heard this before:  Davis falls smack in the middle of the pack for WAR value but it's tough to see any significant upgrades on the market.  

MLB:

J. D. Davis:  .248/.325/.413, 18 HR, 546 PA, fWAR= 2.2.  Arbitration Eligible.  Ranked right at median fWAR for MLB 3B.  One more position where Giants have a league average player tough to upgrade from.  Should be offered arbitration.  Should bring back a lot more in trade than the Giants gave up, which would be churning at its finest.

Wilmer Flores:  See 1B post,  can fill in at 3B but probably not a long term backup option.

Casey Schmitt:  .206/.255/.324, 5 HR, 2 SB, 4.7 BB%, 23.5 K%, fWAR= -0.6.  Age- 24.  2 Options.  Two of those HR's came on final game of season.  If he can learn to be more selective at the plate, particularly recognizing sliders in the dirt, he could turn into the 3B of future.

David Villar:  MLB:  .145/.236/.315, 5 HR, 7.9 BB%, 32.1 K%, 140 PA, fWAR= -0.2.  Age- 26.  1 Option.  AAA: .272/.371/.498, 17 HR, 13.2 BB%, 26.6 K%, 334 PA.  Looked overmatched at MLB level early in season.  Fell off organizational radar after that.  Minor league numbers look like they should translate.    Will the Giants give him another shot or will he become the next Adam Duvall?

Tyler Fitzgerald and Marco Luciano could play the position but are probably in line for bigger roles at other positions.

AAA:  

None

AA:  

Carter Aldrete:  .223/.282/.384, 13 HR, 7.6 BB%, 26.4 K%, 409 PA.  26 yo.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Round 15 draft pick in 2019.  Has never really found traction.  Would add to 40-man roster.

Sean Roby: See 1B.  Agee- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Toonder in bat but K rated of 35% won't let you access it enough.  More of a candidate to be released than added to 40-man roster.

Shane Matheny:  AA- .236/.359/.434, 11 HR, 8 SB, 324 PA.  AAA- .221/.362/.302, 3 HR, 9 SB, 213 PA.  Age- 27.  Rule 5 Eligible.  3 true-outcomes with not enough power.  SB's add some intrigue but just doesn't make enough contact.  More of a candidate to be released than added to 40-man roster.

Brady Whalen:  .259/.303/.434, 5 HR, 3 SB, 156 PA.  Age- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Injury reclamation project.  Listed as a 1B but played multiple positions with a plurality at 3B.  Kind of a beanpole at 6' 6", 180 lbs.  Interestingly enough keeps his K%  down in mid-teens.  Would not add to 40-man roster but let's see if he can stay healthy and find some traction.

A+:

Luis Toribio:  See 1B.  Age 23.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Extreme 3 true-outcomes corner IF.  That profile is OK at MLB level but don't translate when you seem them in the minors.

A:

Anthony Rodriguez:  .221/.273/.338, 4 HR, 5 SB, 5.5 BB%, 35.3 K%, 238 PA.  21 yo.  Rule 5 Eligible per Fangraphs but I don't think he is, but what do I know?  Switch-hitter with some pop signed as SS.  High K rates and iron glove are big challenges.

Justin Wishkoski:  ACL:  .375/.500/.563, HR, 15.0 BB%, 1.7 K%, 60 PA.  A:  .209/.346/.302, HR, 13.5 BB%, 9.6 K%, 52 PA.  Age 22. Rule 5 Eligible Dec 2026.  Drafted in 16'th round 2023.  Love the size and K/BB.  Now do it at higher levels!

Charlie Szykowny:  ACL- .250/.391/.462, 2 HR, 14.1 BB%, 21.9 K%, 64 PA.  A:  .239/.340/.304, 53 PA.  Age 23.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2026.  Lefty hitter.  Nice size.  Needs to show what he can do at higher levels.

Giants Dept Charts: Second Base

Thairo Estrada settled into the starting 2B role nicely and emerged as the best all-around player on the team as well as stepping up in a leadership role in the clubhouse.  Second base is another position that teams don't emphasize in drafting and player development because most second basemen are converted shortstops who can hit but maybe don't quite have the arm or range to field SS.  

MLB: 

Thairo Estrada:  .271/.315/.416, 14 HR, 23 SB, 4.2 BB%, 22.6 K%, 530 PA, fWAR= 3.9.  Age- 27.  Arbitration Eligible.  See Intro above.  Aggressive hitter who squares up the ball.  Singles are more valuable than walks.

Casey Schmitt:  .206/.255/.324, 5 HR, 2 SB, 277 PA, fWAR= -0.6.  Excellent defender who can play multiple positions.  Almost identical K/BB as Estrada but not the results.  Gonna have to learn to recognize sliders in the dirt earlier.

Tyler Fitzgerald:  AA:  .324/.410/.588, 2 HR, 3 SB, 78 PA.  AAA:  .287/.358/.499, 20 HR, 29 SB, 466 PA.  MLB:  .219/.265/.469, 2 HR, 2 SB, 34 PA, fWAR= 0.2.  Drafted and developed as a SS.  FZ talked like he sees Fitz as the Giants CF of the future after the season.  Has played a little 2B in the minors.  It would probably be him or Schmitt if Estrada were to miss an extended period.

Wilmer Flores:  See 1B.  Can fill in at 2B in a pinch but does not have the range to play it longterm.

Brett Wisely:  AAA: .285/.417/.466, 6 HR, 7 SB, 16.8 BB%, 22.9 K%, 280 PA.  MLB:  .175/.231/.267, 2 HR, 2 SB, 6.9 BB%, 30.5 K%, 131 PA.  fWAR= -0.5.  24 yo, 2 options.  Pretty good numbers in AAA but overmatched in MLB.  I would not keep him on 40-man roster over, say, Grant McCray.

AAA:  

Donovan Walton. 29 yo.  No options.  Missed first half of season then worked his way up rehab ladder.  Would not add to 40-man roster.  Might be worth a spring training invitation.  

AA:

Hayden Cantrelle:  AA:  .215/.390/.305, 4 HR, 14 SB, 18.5 BB%, 21 K%, 357 PA.  24 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Would not add to 40-man roster.

Jimmy Glowenke:  A+:  .313/.413/.542, 3 HR, 12.4 BB%, 14.3 K%, 105 PA.  AA:  .251/.355/.389, 11.1 BB%, 21.1 K%, 289 PA.  24 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Underdog to root for but would not add to 40 man roster.

Will Wilson:  AA:  .215/.276/.354, 5 HR, 2 SB, 6.4 BB%, 18.6 K%, 156 PA.  AAA:  .234/.304/.408, 13 HR, 2 SB, 9.1 BB%, 25 K%, 340 PA.  25 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Former first round draft pick FZ bought from Angels by taking on a sunk contract.  Has never found traction.  Might be time to start thinking about releasing him?

A+:

Damon Dues:  .290/.398/.362, 0 HR, 25 SB, 14.4 BB%, 20.8 K%, 250 PA.  25 yo.  Rule 5 eligible Dec, 2024.  Undrafted free agent signing.  Intriguing speed but zero power.  

Ghordy Santos:  .227/.331/.435, 12 HR, 8 SB, 13.2 BB%, 37 K%, 303 PA.  24 yo, Rule 5 Eligible.  Santos appears to have tools but has never found traction after years in the lower levels of the Giants system.  Probably a release candidate?

Thomas Gavello:  A:  .249/.408/.468, 10 HR, 6 SB, 11.4 BB%, 26.6 BB%, 263 PA.  22 yo.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec 2025.  A+:  .217/.311/.272, HR, SB, 6.6 BB%, 35.8 K%, 106 PA.  Listed as a C but played more 2B.  A level is a very conservative placement for 2022 college draftee.

A:  

Diego Velasquez:  .298/.387/.434, 8 HR, 23 SB, 10.8 BB%, 15.9 K%, 517 PA.  20 yo(Oct 2023).  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2025.  Now we're talking.  My nomination for SJ Giants MVP in age 19 season.   Also plays SS.  High hopes for this kid.

Quinn McDaniel:  ACL:  .250/.471/.479, 3 HR, 6 SB, 70 PA.  A:  .267/.364/.511, 3 HR, 2 SB, 55 PA.  21 yo.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2026.  Interesting college numbers and first (partial) pro season.  We'll see what he does next year.

Dilan Rosario:  .251/.298/.372, 4 HR, 7 SB, 4.9 BB%, 28.9 K%, 225 PA.  22 yo. Rule 5 eligible.  Been around awhile and has never hit much.  Would not add to 40-man roster.  Maybe a release candidate?

Giants Depth Charts: First Base

The Giants are in pretty good shape at first base at the MLB level with a strict platoon of Lamonte Wade Jr and Wilmer Flores with J. D. Davis sliding across the diamond in a pinch.  LMWJ and Wilmer were the two best hitters on the roster and racked up a combined fWAR of 4.6 while starting 149 games at 1B between them.  It should be noted that first base was not the original position for any of the current Giants 1B and the Giants have not made drafting/signing the next Willie McCovey or Will Clark or even Brandon Belt a priority down on the farm.   

MLB: 

Lamonte Wade Jr:  .256/.373/.417, 17 HR, 519 PA, fWAR= 2.1.  Age- 29.  Arbitration eligible.  No Options.  Easy decision for the Giants to offer arbitration and playback the LMWJ/Wilmer platoon in 2024. 

Wilmer Flores:  .284/.355/.509, 23 HR, 454 PA, fWAR= 2.5.  Age= 32.  Under Contract(Year 3 of 3 yr/$16.5 M with player/team option for $8.5 M in 2025).  Wilmer accumulated some of his value at DH, 3B and 2B but his primary responsibility was filling the weak side of the 1B platoon.  

J. D. Davis: .248/.325/.413, 18 HR, 546 PA, fWAR= 2.2.  3B was Davis primary position where he was a positive defender and close to average offensively.  He started 9 games and played in 15 at 1B.

AAA:  

Armando Alvarez:  .313/.383/.581, 18 HR, 8 SB, 298 PA.  29 yo.  Minor league FA?  He's listed on River Cats roster and was not listed as electing free agency.  Strictly an organizational player and deep insurance policy.  Can also play some 3B.

Yoshi Tsutsugo:  AA:  .311/.436/.578, 4 HR, 55 PA.  31 yo.  FZ can't quit the extreme 3 true outcomes guys.  Signed as a minor league FA after release from Rangers AAA team.  Churn on!

AA: 

Logan Wyatt:  A+:  .259/.371/.430, 8 HR, 229 PA.  257/.339/442, 9 HR, 236 PA.  25 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Pretty much the only guy drafted as a 1B in the organization.  Another 3 true outcomes guy from the 2019 draft who looked like a bust up until this season.  Power finally showed up and he finally stayed healthy.

Sean Roby:  3 Levels:  .239/.306/.474, 14 HR, 234 PA.  25 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Seems like he has been around forever.  Light-tower power but struggles to make contact. 3B seems to be primary position.

Brady Whalen:  .259/.303/.434, 5 HR, 156 PA.  25 yo.  Rule 5 Eligible.  Ditto Wyatt and Roby above.

A+:

Andrew Kachel:  A:  .289/.376/.437, 6 HR, 7 SB, 332 PA.  A+:  .250/.317/.361, 3 SB, 41 PA.  22 yo, Drafted 2022 Round 16.  Rule 5 eligible Dec. 2025.  Listed as 2B but played more 1B.  A numbers look great except A ball a conservative placement for a college draftee.

Luis Toribio:  A+:  .232/.333/.432, 17 HR, 412 PA.  23 yo.  Rule 5 eligible.  Another guy with power but has trouble tapping into it due to swing and miss in his game.  May be running out of time.

A:  

Javier Francisco:  ACL:  .280/.442/.542, 7 HR, 189 PA.  A:  .241/.303/.345, 33 PA.  20 yo, Rule 5 eligible Dec 2024.  Played multiple positions but largest number of PA's at 1B.  Breakout watch.

Giants Depth Charts: Catcher

I don't remember a season when I was less emotionally invested in the postseason.  I think the Twins advanced and know the Rays didn't.  No clue who else is even playing.  At least temporarily we will disinvest from staring at the steaming wreckage of Giants management and spend the next couple of weeks reviewing Giants depth charts and minor league seasons(I don't think anyone wants another rehash of the Giants MLB season).  

FZ was widely questioned and even criticized after the 2020 draft when, in spite of Joey Bart being Buster Posey's heir apparent, he drafted another catcher in the first round, Patrick Bailey. Fans saw the wisdom of that move this season as Bailey took over from a struggling Bart and ran up a 2.8 fWAR and starts the 2024 season at the top of the catching Depth Chart.  

MLB(40-man roster):  

Patrick Bailey:  .233/.285/.359, 7 HR, 353 PA, fWAR= 2.8.  Age- 24.  Options- 3.  Arbitration Eligible- 2027.  Bailey's offense followed a typical rookie trajectory with an initial burst until pitchers got a scouting report on him after which he struggled.  His WAR value was entirely attributed to his defense in spite of 13 throwing errors.  He threw out 25 of 88 baserunners(29%).  How much did the extra bases allowed on the errors lead to extra runs?  I guess you would have to go back and review each incident.  Bailey admitted to exhaustion near the end of the season which may have contributed to some of his later season struggles.  He has an offseason to rest up, work on his hitting approach and meditate on risky throws.  He is the Giants presumptive starting catcher for the next 5 or 6 seasons.

Blake Sabol:  .235/.301/.394, 13 HR, 4 SB, 344 PA, fWAR= 0.7.  Age:  25.  Options- 3.  Arbitration Eligible- 2026.  Sabol was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the Reds then traded to the Giants.  The Giants still had to keep him on the active roster all season, trade him or offer him back to the Pirates.  They kept him on the roster all season where he served as a back up in LF and catcher as well as a lefty bat off the bench.  He struggled defensively at both positions but showed flashes of toonder in his bat.  Interestingly, his one area of positive fWAR value came from baserunning.  As long as he stays on the 40-man roster the Giants now have 3 option years to work with but his lefty bat and defensive versatility give him an advantage in the reserve catcher battle.  

Joey Bart:  .218/.283/.346, 1 HR, 32 PA, fWAR= 0.0.  Age:  26.  Options- 0.  Arbitration Eligible- 2025.  Former #2 overall draft pick and Giants catcher of the future.  Was not able to tap into his raw power due to huge swing and miss in his bat.  Cloudy future is even murkier due to being out of options next season which means the Giants have to either keep him on the active roster or expose him to waivers.   Gotta think Sabol is ahead of him on the depth chart which means he is a potential trade candidate this offseason.  I still think Bart will be a decent catcher for some MLB team but probably not with the Giants.

Roberto Perez(60-day IL):  .133/.235/.133, 17 PA, fWAR= -0.1.  Age:  33.  Options- 0.  Arbitration Eligible- Not.  Oft injured veteran brought in to put Joey Bart on notice he was not going to be handed the starting catcher gig.  Perez was awful for all of 5 games and unsurprisingly hit the IL for season-ending rotator cuff surgery.  Gotta think he'll be released off the 40-man roster as soon as he comes off the IL.  Reminder to FZ the #1 predictor of injury is a history of injury.

AAA:  None.  I am pretty sure all catchers listed on the roster are minor league free agents.  

AA:  

Andy Thomas:  .226/.325/.360, 11 HR, 5 SB, 448 PA.  Age- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible- Dec 2024.  Lefty bat with strong walk rates and occasional power.  Has another season to prove he deserves to be added to a 40 man roster.

Brandon Martorano:  .190/.323/.307, 6 HR, 248 PA.  Age- 25.  Rule 5 Eligible- now.  Similar profile to Andy Thomas.  Strictly an organizational player at this point.

A+:  

Zach Morgan:  A:  .254/.376/.383, 4 HR, 258 PA.  A+:  .292/.326/.427, 2 HR.  Age- 23.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2025.  Giants 7'th round draft pick in 2022.  Slow start in A ball but improved and continued to hit well after promotion to A+.  He is currently playing in the Arizona Fall League.  Could be fast riser if he continues to hit.

Adrian Sugastey:  A+:  .298/.333/.423, 4 HR, 264 PA.  Age: 20.  Rule 5 Eligible- now.  Solid contact skills but limited power and doesn't walk.  Rule 5 eligibility at age 20 shows unfairness of the rule.  Unlikely to be selected.

Onil Perez:  A:  .300/.364/.403, 2 HR, 21 SB, 283 PA.  A+:  .289/.333/.333, 2 SB, 48 PA.  Age:  21.  Rule 5 Eligible- now.  Similar profile to Sugastey.  Surprising speed for SB's for catching prospect.  Also unlikely to be selected in Rule 5 Draft.

Thomas Gavello:  A:  .249/.408/.468, 10 HR, 6 SB, 263 PA.  A+:  .217/.311/.272, HR, 106 PA.  Age- 22.  Rule 5 Eligible:  Dec 2025.  13'th round draft pick 2022.  Lefty bat.  Positional versatility also playing 2B and 3B.  Longshot future as a utility player.

Brett Auerbach:  A+:  .229/.295/.371, 5 HR, 15 SB, 193 PA.  AA:  .153/.211/.190, HR, 6 SB, 175 PA.  Age:  25.  Rule 5 Eligible- Now.  Regressed at AA this season and was demoted to A+.  Main skill is versatility. Plays multiple positions.  Running out of time.  No risk for Rule 5 selection and and unfortunately a candidate to be released.

A:  

Luke Schliger:  A:  .298/.403/.351, 67 PA.  Age: 22.  Rule 5 Eligible:  Dec 2026.  Drafted in 2023 round 6.  Conservative placement.  Hit well as a lefty bat.

Jack Payton:  ACL:  .400/.483/.480, 29 PA.  A:  .184/.244/.263, 41 PA.  Age- 22.  Rule 5 Eligible- Dec 2026.  Drafted in 2023 round 11.  Mixed results in very conservative placement and SSS.

Drew Cavanaugh:  ACL:  .300/.475/.333, 40 PA.  A:  .250/.333/.250, 24 PA.  Age- 21.  Rule 5 Eligible- Dec 2026.  More mixed results in very conservative placement and SSS.

Overall Outlook:  Although Patrick Bailey is a candidate for the dreaded Sophomore Jinx, the free agent market is barren.  Giants may bring in a veteran backup to allow them to use options on Sabol, especially if Bart gets traded, but right now it looks like Bailey or bust.  Giants have a nice stream of catching prospects in the pipeline but none of them look like sure things.  Keep an eye on Zach Morgan.

State of the Giants: What Do We Do Now?

The title is a reference to the final scene of The Candidate, a 1972 movie starring Robert Redford.  If that movie were to be remade today, I could envision kind of a reverse version telling the story of the Giants 2023 season and ending with Farhan Zaidi meeting with his bosses after firing Manager Gabe Kapler and asking the same question.  Because after listening to FZ's post-firing comments and his extremely awkward postseason press conference in which he fielded questions alone, I'm pretty sure he has no idea what to do now.  He comes across as a man who is not comfortable in his own skin right now, who has little insight into what went wrong and even less into what will fix it.  He knows he has to hire an new Manager but doesn't really want to because the manager he really wants is the guy he just fired!  The reason why FZ hired Kap and was so comfortable with him is they think alike and relate to people in the same way.  Part of FZ seems to want another Manager just like Kap while part of him knows he needs a Manager who is the opposite of Kap.

Part of me wants FZ to wake up to the fact that he is in a near-impossible situation and get out of Dodge.  The other part wants him to grow a spine and give his version of the "I'm not an idiot" speech.  The operation that produced a team that collapsed down the stretch in 2023 is the same as the one that won 107 games in 2021.  It can win 107 games again and BTW, the kids are alright and coming in droves, you wait and see.  Instead, we get a guy who is trying to figure out how to please his bosses, the press, the fans who write or comment on blogs, Buster Posey and Logan Webb.  

Lost in all of this is GM Pete Putila.  What does he think and what role did he or does he play in the these decisions?  Peppermint Pete, as I call him, may be the guy who turned the valves of the minor league pipleline to wide open but beyond that he's a phantom.  I don't know if Pete is a better people person than FZ and Kap, possibly not, since FZ hired him too and if he was, I would think we might have heard more from him by now.  But maybe FZ should consider telling Pete it's his job to hire the Field Manager and go back to his spreadsheets.  Which brings me to my short list of managerial candidates which does not include Buster Posey for more reasons than I'm pretty sure Field Manager is the last thing in the world Buster wants to do with the rest of his life.  Buster may be old school but have you ever heard Buster give in interview?  It's usually a little less comfortable than when FZ gives one.  

Kai Correa:  Kai is the interim manager and the players just seem to like him a whole lot better than they liked Kap.  A manager who thinks strategically like FZ and Kap but who the players actually like might be a great fit.  On the other hand, Kai has to overcome the perception that he is just a Kap mini-me.  

Ron Wotus:  Wotus is old school and goes way back in the organization.  He is analytical though as the guy who pretty much invented defensive positioning.  He was also the guy who FZ imported to give a motivational speech to the players midseason when it was obvious Kap couldn't give that speech.  That little answer to a trivia question is a huge reason why Wotus is actually the obvious choice.

Donnie Ecker:  The Giants biggest problem this season was hitting and it may not be a coincidence that it collapsed after Ecker left the organization.  Coming back as Manager would be a promotion.  If the problem was the hitting and if the hitting is fixable, Ecker needs to come back and the way to accomplish that is offer him a career advancement by making him the Manager.

Buck Showalter:  Buck is a guy who has control issues himself but who shows a capacity to learn from his mistakes and has been on a career-long personal growth curve.  Buck would almost certainly not accept the offer unless FZ agreed up front to stay the hell out of Buck's clubhouse which is the reason why Buck should be offered the job and why he won't be.

Stephen Vogt:  Retired catcher:  check.  Clubhouse leader and mentor:  Check.  Spent most of his career playing in analytically oriented organizations and seems comfortable with the approach: Check.  Lifelong Giants fan:  Check.  Would jump at the opportunity:  Check.

The actual pick is most likely none of the above but that's my list and I'm sticking to it.

Game Wrap 10/1/2023: Dodgers 5 Giants 2

 Brandon Crawford and Giants fans celebrated his extraordinary career as the longest tenured shortstop in Giants history and winner of 2 World Series Championship rings.  Oh!  And a ballgame was played.  A 5-spot by the Dodgers in the 6'th inning was too much for the Giants to overcome as they marked their eighth consecutive game scoring 2 runs or less.  Key Lines:

Brandon Crawford SS- 0 for 4.  BA= .194.  Tough season for Crawford at what appears to be the end of a career he can be proud of.  He sure is acting like this is the end.  His 4 kids took turns throwing the first pitch.  Gotta say, the lefty girl already has quite an throwing arm!  Crawford has not committed to whether he will retire or not.  That is his decision to make.  As a fan, I would like to see him retire.  He does not have anything left to prove.  He can be proud he played his entire career with the team he grew up rooting for and for playing a major role in 2 of the 3 World Series Championships.  He may be the most forever of the forever Giants.  I would love to see him have a role in the organization whenever he's ready for that.

Casey Schmitt 3B- 1 for 3, 2 HR(5).  BA= .206.  A whirlwind season for Casey Schmitt who started the season in AAA and tore it up, had a resounding start to his MLB career then hit a wall after pitchers discovered they didn't have to pitch him in the strike zone.  There were a couple of ups and downs but it did seem like he made some progress in his approach late in the season.  The two homers send him off on a big positive note.

Kyle Harrison LHP- 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K's, 3 HBP.  ERA= 4.15.  A bit of a walk on the wild side for Harrison but no hits allowed against one of the elite lineups in MLB.  I saw 3 quality pitches from him:  FB, breaking ball and changeup.  Just needs to refine the command.  Hopefully this is a springboard to starting next season in the rotation.  If the Giants trade him this offseason they better get a heckuva young hitter in return.

Ross Stripling RHP- 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 5.36.  By his own admission, Stripling has not pitched well enough to opt out of his modest second and final year of his contract.  He finishes this season on a positive note. Hopefully he can figure out what went wrong in the offseason and be better next year.

So, another season of Game Wraps comes to a close.  I may take a day off here and there but we have plenty to write about and discuss in the offseason.  The end-of-season press conference should be a hoot.  What are your odds FZ will be part of that?

Game Wrap 9/30/2023: Giants 2 Dodgers 1

The Giants scored the same number of of runs as they did Friday Night but this time it was enough as the pitchers shut down the Dodgers lineup.  Key Lines:  

Tyler Fitzgerald CF- 1 for 3, HR(2).  BA= .250.  Fitz is probably still in the "honeymoon phase" many rookies experience but it's nice to see for those of us who have rooted for him in the minors this season. 

Tristan Beck RHP- 5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.92.  Kai didn't try to get a 6'th inning out of him and it seems like that was the right move.  Beck has been solid this season in multiple roles and finishes with a sub-4 ERA.  Was he auditioning for a rotation spot with the Giants next season or in a showcase for the Reds scouts?

Ryan Walker RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.23.  Walker has also been solid when he wasn't gassed from overuse.   Looks like he could be part of latter day "core four" bullpen crew for several years.

Camilo Doval RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, Save(39).  ERA= 2.93.  Going into the final game of the season, Doval is the NL Saves leader by 1 over David Bednar.  Let's hope he can get #40 today.  

It's Brandon Crawford farewell day(probably).  Kyle Harrison LHP get the final start against Bobby Miller RHP.  

Churn Watch:  Brandon Crawford SS comes off the 10-day IL to take his bows for what might be his final game in Giants uniform.  Heliot Ramos OF gets optioned out to make room.