Not much new to report here and that's a very good thing.
Tom Murphy C's oblique is still hurting him. Melvin's quote: He had an uncomfortable night. Doesn't sound like baseball activity is in his near future.
Tyler Fitzgerald 2B is feeling better and has started baseball activity.
Landon Roupp RHP was named starter of the first exhibition game vs the Rangers in Surprise. He is scheduled to work 2 innings which seems pretty significant.
Heliot Ramos OF impressed everybody with a live batting practice HR off the scoreboard in LF off Justin Verlander RHP.
Memba Alexander Canario OF? He was just DFA'd by the Cubs to make room on their 40-man roster for Justin Turner 3B/1B/DH. We are getting close to being able to close the books on the Giants trade to acquire Kris Bryant 3B/OF in 2021. Caleb Killian RHP was the other Giants prospect going to the Cubs. He has pitched fairly well in the minor leagues but has failed to impress in 3 small samples at the MLB level. The Giants made a great run in 2021 but fell just short. Bryant contributed to that effort. It was a trade worth making. It was also the right decision to let him go in free agency. He has been mostly terrible for the Rockies who are stuck with a 7 yr/$182 M contract.
I realize we rag on FZ a lot but this was a trade that led to a good run but the move not to re-sign Bryant was even better.
ReplyDeleteI am probably the #1 FZ fanboy in the comments here. But Farhan's critical flaw was not resigning almost anyone. If the team was bad at attracting new Free Agents to SF. It was extra important than to resign the ones who are already in SF. His policy was predominantly not resign anyone and the two he did, Wood and DeSclafani, were big Ls.
Delete- Fan
In retrospect, isn't Kevin Gausman the only Giants free agent FZ should have re-signed? Maaaybe Rodon but that's a little less clear.
DeleteFree agents in general are Caveat Emptor, "let the buyer beware". By the time most players hit free agency, they are around age 30, which means the salary reflects the last few years but the production will be over age 30 production. Gausman was the only regret that got away. Rodon is probably not a regret because he is a Boras client and probably would have insisted on opt-outs in his contract. I can understand why FZ did not re-sign a lot of free agents because its not a good idea to pay top dollar for declining production.
DeleteMaybe Manaea?
DeleteYes, Manaea. Giants coaches fixed him so he could help another team get to the postseason. Not sure I would want him for the contract he just signed, though.
DeleteBoras would have pushed for opt outs for Manaea.
DeleteManaea's first contract with the Mets had an opt out which he exercised. His current contract is 3 yr/$75 M with no opt outs and quite a bit of deferred money out to 2035.
DeleteSean Manaea's contract — 3 year, $75,000,000 guaranteed — is unlikely to age well.
DeletePlus there are additional incentives each year for certain awards.
At a team 2025 payroll estimated at $331,000,000, the Mets are waaay in the highest luxury tax thresholds (> $301,000,000), so will pay a "tax" approaching $100,000,000!
In context, with 10 teams already projected to exceed the 1st luxury tax threshold (SF is 13th), it's understandable why MLB has expanded the Playoffs to 12 teams allowing at least a couple of teams under the luxury tax to get in!
The Giants finished 10th in average attendance at just over 33,000 per game.
With an interesting 2025 team and probably very good pitching and hopefully less devastating injuries, SF is likely to move up in attendance for a 5th consecutive year (from ZERO in 2020) but struggle to reach the playoffs.
If they remain "in contention" they could reach 3,000,000 for the first time since 2018 — and maybe lead to more investment for 2026 while losing 5 players (and ~$25M) to Free Agency including YtY, Rogers, and Wade.
The Giants have had but one year above .500 since 2016, just a single Playoff team.
They have not advanced beyond the Division Series since 2014 — 10 years without winning a Playoff series, without advancing in the post season.
It's no wonder that the Faithful are Restless!
It’s not assumed that Boras would have offered the equivalent of that second Mets contract to the Giants without opt-outs.
DeleteTom Murphy starting the season on the IL isn't all bad: Allows keeping him and Sam Huff...
ReplyDeleteI can guarantee that Canario won't be available long. He's been productive at all levels, including major leagues. Call it the Chris Shaw dilemma. Somebody will snap him up.
ReplyDeleteROUP is one of my favorites..and hope he starts off on the right foot..Kid has as much stuff or more than most of the kids, even the ones slotted above him now,..And, I don't care if it's Fitz or Schmidt, but hopefully one of these kids can grab 2nd base an run with it for awhile..LIke Ramos did in the OF last year and hopefully can repeat..
ReplyDeleteSteveVA
Eldridge & McCray HRs!
ReplyDelete