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.