We are still in the early stages of the Hot Stove League. The GM meetings came and went without any major transactions but they usually lay the groundwork for Winter Meeting deals. There are a couple of minor league deals with invitations to spring training to report and comment on though.
Logan Porter C. DOB: 7/12/1995. B-R, T-R. 6' 0"/200 lbs.
2024 AAA(3 teams): .267/.370/.453, 14 HR, 13.4 BB%, 28.1 K%, 292 PA.
AAAA catcher who is so obscure I forgot he had 85 PA's with the River Cats in 2024. His stat line is one FZ would love. His BA was not terrible but clear 3 true outcomes vibes here. He had positive defensive metrics in a very small MLB sample size in 2023.
Sergio Alcantara IF. DOB: 7/10/1996. B-S, T-R. 5'9", 151 lbs.
2024 AAA: .279/.391/.434, 8 HR, 8 SB, 15.3 BB%, 18.2 K%, 450 PA.
Career MLB: .209/.281/.343, 12 HR, 4 SB, 8.8 BB%, 26.9 K%, 502 PA.
Intriguing, switch-hitting AAAA IF who last played at the MLB level in 2022. Although he plays multiple IF positions his best defensive metrics are at SS. Will replace Donovan Walton on the IF depth charts.
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Baggs stirred the pot again yesterday with a piece in the Athletic about the Giants ownership group cutting payroll for 2025. Buster Posey refused to take the bait and said he would not comment on payroll. Controlling owner Greg Johnson released a statement saying there is not set payroll and it all depends on what players are available and how much it costs to sign them.
If I read the tea leaves coming out of Buster's comments at the GM meetings, I would say we should not expect signings of Juan Soto, Blake Snell or even Willy Adames. The clear signal is the Giants #1 target is Ha Seong Kim who fits Buster's stated vision of emphasizing pitching, defense and contact. I think Kim is a great fit except we already know he won't be ready to start the season on time due to shoulder surgery. As we saw too many times with FZ's signings of players coming off injuries, it often takes longer for players to make it all the way back than projected. By the time they are fully healthy and ready to contribute the contract runs out and they end up helping another team.
I would like to see Buster pursue upgrades via trade. I spent 6 years waiting for FZ to really impress me with a trade. He never did. Now Buster is on the clock.
Its encouraging to hear that Buster wants to build a team around pitching, defense, and contact. I wondered at times what kind of team FZ was trying to build . I remember former GM Al Rosen saying he wanted pitching/power teams.He built very good teams.
ReplyDeleteI like a 5 yr deal for Kim, 2 for Rizzo, 1 for Buehler. That could be done within Baggs budget implication
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see the Giants pursue upgrades via trades also. Signing Aadames would cost the Giamts 2 draft picks and i$ 1 million in internationall bonus pool since Aadames turned down the qualifying offer. If they go over the CBT payroll threshold again, they get taxed 30% of the amount they go over. I think Kim would be a perfect fit at SS if his medical are ok with his shoulder. He was a 2023 gold glove winner..I believe he was not offered a qualifying offer.
ReplyDeleteIf some (contending) team wants YtY, the Giants should trade him for a (middling) prospect doing a favor for both teams and the player.
ReplyDeleteIt frees up $9-10MM for the Giants (which apparently is important to management), allows them to play one of their multiple outfield prospects, and maybe they'll strike a bit of gold from a team with a deep farm and a current need.
Packaging him with a couple of able relievers with the same last name to a "contender" meets the supposed belt-tightening objective (~$25-26M), makes SF significantly younger (minus three 33-year olds), and could have some good consequences.
Red Sox need another Yaz
DeletePretty solid set of ideas here.
DeleteI love YtY! Boston would be the best target for trading him too. I would only do so, if we sent the two same last name 33 year olds with him. I just can’t watch those two pitch.
DeleteLOL the Rogers boys! Although their overall numbers are not terrible, I don't think there is a Giants fan alive that trusts either of them with a lead, especially in the 9'th inning.
DeleteKim they wouldn’t sign to one of Farhan’s stupid one year plus an option deal. I anticipate if they sign him it’ll be a 3 or 4 year deal for some money but not breaking the bank type of money.
ReplyDeleteMLBTR:
ReplyDeleteMets Owner Steve Cohen To Meet With Juan Soto, Scott Boras Next Week.
Hal Steinbrenner To Meet With Boras/Soto.
The Athletic:
The Giants, per Andrew Baggarly, the Giants don’t plan on treading back into those waters in 2025. This decision would leave Posey and GM Zack Minasian with “limited resources to spend this offseason — perhaps $30-40 million."
How about trying to sign both Kim and Adames and moving Fitzgerald to 1B (at least against LHP) after Kim is ready and until Eldridge is moved up?
ReplyDeleteHappy Veterans Day! To all the Veterans, thank you for your service.New GM Zach Minaisan on a recent KNBR interview when asked about SF Giants minor league prospects, he.broughr up Eldridge of course and a couple of players I haven't heard much about: Bo Davidison (OF) undrafted minor league free agent, and Trent Harris RHP also undrafted . I see he pitched at 3 levels in 2024-San jose, Eugene, and Richmond.. Are they hidden gems in their system that we will hear more about?
ReplyDeleteIf Posey's looking past 2025, the Giants have a bundle of FA's in 2026 that have value from a low salary for Flores ($3.5M) to a high for Taylor Rogers ($12.0M), plus 3 in their final year of arbitration predicted to get another $19.7M (Yastrzemski $9.5M, Wade $4.7M. Tyler Rogers $5.5M).
ReplyDeleteThat's a total of more than $35M for sure off the books for 2026 (plus Murphy's $3.75M if his $4.0M option isn't picked up).
That nearly $40,000,000.
All but Murphy have some trade value now picking up enough to pay for anyone even Soto or any of the valuable pitchers.
Giants need all-star level difference makers. I would not go for any minor upgrades, they already have a strong farm.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the Giants are not going to spend over the luxury tax threshold in 2025 — unless they do.
ReplyDeleteWhat would make them exceed the threshold?
1. Signing Soto.
2. Signing a couple of very expensive SPs, like Burns & Cole
3. Signing Adames, a very expensive SP, and one more top 25 like Kim.
4. Shooting for the moon like 2024 adding $400 million in committed money to a half dozen or so players through free agency and trades.
Most likely they will do something like #3 but the SP won't be one of the Top 3 or 4, and they will squeak in under $241 million and not exceed the threshold and cut spending from 2024.
They may also try to avoid picking someone with a QO.