Hot Stove League Update: Giants Add Two Pitchers

 The Giants joined the Hot Stove League action today by reaching agreements with two free agent pitchers, Adrian Houser RHP and Jason Foley RHP.  They also agreed to a minor league deal with former Giant Gregory Santos RHP.   Here's the breakdown:

Adrian Houser RHP.  DOB:  2/2/1993.  6' 3", 242 lbs.  2yr/ $22 M(Option for 3'rd season).

2025:  8-5, 3.31, 125 IP, 6.62 K/9, 2.74 BB/9, 1.49 GB/FB.

Houser caught on with the White Sox last season after a disastrous 2024 with the Mets who released him.  He got off to a great start including 7 shutout innings against the Giants.  He was less effective after a midseason trade to the Rays where his ERA ballooned to 4.79 from the 2.10 he ran up with the ChiSox.  So what's the deal with Houser?  He is obviously a contact pitcher whose success will fluctuate according to the whims of the BABIP gods but there may be reason for more optimism than his K/9 and FIP indicate.  

He has a solid 5 pitch mix including 4-seam FB, sinker, slider and changeup all with approximately equal effectiveness.  They are all good pitches but he doesn't seem to have that put away pitch he needs to get K's.  His fastball and sinker velocities took 2 MPH jumps from 2024 to 95.2 and 94.4 respectively.  He limits the contact damage with a strong ground ball tendency and does not give up a lot of home runs which should play just fine in Oracle Park. His numbers with the Rays were negatively impacted by allowing 9 ER in 10.2 IP in his first two starts.  His remaining 8 starts were better with a 4.14 ERA.  Two of his final 3 starts were Quality Starts.  

He is exactly the type of pitcher the Giants lacked last season, so this is a solid signing, but that was with Justin Verlander in the rotation.  Houser is probably not a guy they can count on to deliver 150 IP let along 180 as 142 is the maximum number of innings he's pitched in any season of his career.  IMO, the Giants still need a starting pitcher at least as good as Verlander was last season plus Houser.

Jason Foley RHP.  DOB:  11/1/1995.  6' 4", 215 lbs.  1 yr/$2 M(Arbitration Eligible 2027, Free Agent 2029).

2024:  3-6, 3.15, 60.0 IP, 6.90 K/9, 3.00 BB/9, 1.57 GB/FB, 28 Saves.

Foley missed all of 2025 after undergoing shoulder surgery.  He is expected to start the season on the 60-day IL and be available by midseason.  He was a decent Closer for the Tigers in 2023 and 2024.  

He's mostly a sinker-slider guy with an occasional 4-seam and changeup mixed in.  He pitches to contact and with a strong groundball tendency and limits home runs.

Gregory Santos returns to the Giants organization on a minor league deal. He's a hard-thrower who can still get it up into the upper 90's but relies on his slider for over 60% of his pitches.  He has battled injuries since having a good season with the White Sox in 2023.  

Scouting the 2026 Draft: Cameron Flukey

Cameron Flukey RHP, College(Coastal Carolina).  DOB:  4/13/2005.  6' 6", 210 lbs.  

2025(College):  8-2, 3.19, 101.2 IP, 10.4 K/9, 2.1 BB/9.

Tall RHP with two plus pitches(FB and Curve) and a changeup that could develop into a plus pitch.  Swing and miss stuff with excellent command.  FB sits at 95 deep into games and tops out out 98 MPH.  He is one college pitcher who could get into top 10 draft pick consideration if he has a strong junior season.  Lanky body could stand some filling out.  

Hot Stove League Update: Heating Up

 It's long been said the GM meetings are for laying the groundwork for deals which are consummated at the Winter Meetings.  That dynamic increasingly seems to be pushed back to the Winter Meetings for groundwork which are completed in the following days or weeks.  Three more significant deals got done yesterday including two free agent signings and a trade. These were deals I might have some fan envy over.  Let's break it down:

The Cardinals signed Dustin May RHP to a 1 yr contract with a mutual option for 2027.  Terms of the contract are reported at this time.  

Dustin May RHP.  DOB:  9/6/1997.  6' 6", 180 lbs.  

2025(Dodgers/Red Sox):  7-11, 4.96, 132.1 IP, 8.37 K/9, 3.81 BB/9, 1.12 GB/FB.  

Justin Turner's talented, much younger, evil twin dealt with a series of injuries through his career, including two Tommy John surgeries and an esophageal tear(yikes!).  His 132 innings last season were the most of his career but he ended the season on the IL with ulnar neuritis and his velocity was down to 95 MPH from a high of 99 in 2020.  I thought May might be an interesting bounce back candidate on a one year deal but after reviewing the details of his injury history, I can see why the Giants took a pass on him as ulnar neuritis does not sound totally unrelated to his previous two TJ surgeries.

The Tigers signed Kenley Jansen RHP to a 1 yr/$11 M contract, also with a club option for 2027.  

Kenley Jansen RHP.  DOB:  9/30/1987.  6' 5", 265 lbs.  

2025(Angels):  5-4, 2.59, 59 IP, 8.7 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 29 Saves.  

Jansen may be 38 yo and may not be the pitcher he once was but he is coming of a fine season in which he was charged with just one Blown Save, although he also recorded 4 Losses in which he presumably entered at tie game and lost.  $11 M for just one season seems like a pretty darn reasonable price for that kind of veteran savvy in the Closer role.  And where was Buster Posey today?  Oh here! We found him hanging out in the Brebbia Aisle.  Buster seems quite determined to not pay more than the league minimum for his Closer next season.

Trade:  The Brewers sent Isaac Collins OF and Nick Mears RHP to the Royals for Angel Zerpa LHP.  

Royals Get:

Isaac Collins OF.  DOB:  7/22/1997.  B-S, T-R.  5' 8", 188 lbs.  Pre-arbitration(eligible 2028).

2025(Brewers):  .263/.368/.411, 9 HR, 16 SB, 12.9 BB%, 21.1 K%, 441 PA, 2.6 fWAR.    

The Brewers selected Collins in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft after the 2022 season.  He made his MLB debut in 2023 and had a fine 2025 season for the Brewers.  

Nick Mears RHP.  DOB:  10/7/1996.  6' 3", 217 lbs.  Arbitration eligible.  Free agent 2028. 0 Options.

2025(Brewers):  5-3, 3.49, 56.2 IP, 7.31 K/9, 2.06 BB/9, 1 Save.

Middle relief arm whose decent ERA may or may not be repeatable depending on what predictive metric you use.

Brewers Get:

Angel Zerpa LHP.  DOB:  9/27/1999.  6' 0", 220 lbs.  Arbitration Eligible(Free Agent 2029). 1 Option.

2025(Royals):  5-2, 4.18, 64.2 IP, 8.07 K/9, 3.06 BB/9, 2.68 GB/FB.  

Similar profile as Mears but a lefty and groundball-dominant which may be perceived as more valuable.

Comment:  Wow!  I must be missing something here because this looks like a fleecing by the Royals.  Even if he's stuck in LF, Collins looks like he could have been an upgrade on Heliot Ramos in LF but then what do the Giants do with Ramos?  Those kinds of sequential moves/trades are what separates the creative GM's from the ones who go by the book.

And this one really hurts.  Merrill Kelly agrees to extend his career with the D'Backs for 2 yr/$40 M.  Kelly seems like the prototype of what the Giants need to fill out their starting rotation:  A veteran who takes the ball every 5 games, keeps you in the game and is willing to take a shorter term contract.  

Merrill Kelly RHP.  DOB:  10/14/1988.  6' 2", 202 lbs.

2025(D'Backs):  12-9, 3.52, 184 IP, 8.17 K/9, 2.35 BB/9, 1.14 GB/FB. 

Seemed like a perfect fit for the Giants 2026 rotation.  Maybe Buster kicked the tires and found out Kelly was looking to resign with the snakes?  Maybe he thinks he can find comparable value more in the 1 yr/$15 M range like Justin Verlander last season?

Come on Buster!  You can't fill all the holes in the Brebbia Aisle!

Hot Stove League Update: Tyler Rogers is a BJ; Polanco to the Mets

 The dreams of an apparently sizable contingent of the Giants fanbase were broken yesterday with the announcement that Tyler Rogers RHP agreed to a 3 yr/$37 M contract with the defending AL champion Blue Jays.  The contract also has an $11 M vesting option for a 4'th season in 2029.

Tyler Rogers RHP.  DOB:  12/17/1990.  6' 3", 190 lbs.  

2025(Giants/Mets):  4-6, 1.98, 77.1 IP, 5.6 K/9, 0.8 BB/9, 3.39 GB/FB.

Rogers is coming off a tremendous season as a set up man for the Giants and Mets.  He was traded to the Mets at the trade deadline when Buster Posey made the decision to sell after a tough home losing streak effectively dropped the Giants out of postseason contention.  The major league reliever the Giants got in return, Jose Butto' was not nearly as effective as Rogers but they also acquired Drew Gilbert OF and Blade Tidwell RHP who are not only promising prospects but formerly players for new Giants Manager Tony Vitello at Univ. of Tennessee.  Rogers now bolsters the bullpen of a team that is not only an obvious and immediate postseason contender but a serious contender to win a World Series Championship.  Rogers already made a couple of better than decent paydays through arbitration eligibility with the Giants, but this contract sets him up for life.  Good for him.  It took him 6 seasons in the minors to get to the major leagues so he got a late start but used his unique delivery to become one of the most reliable set up relievers in the game. He has tried closing several times and was never able to succeed in that role probably due to his soft contact approach which sometimes gets him in trouble with the BABIP gods.  

Jorge Polanco UT.  DOB:  7/5/1993.  B-S, T-R. 6' 0", 208 lbs.  Contract:  2 yr/$40 M.

2025(Mariners):  .265/.326/.495, 26 HR, 6 SB, 8.0 BB%, 15.6 K%, 524 PA.  

Polanco is coming off a terrific season, by far his best since 2021, so the Mets are buying high on him.  He is a multipositional player whose defense is not what it used to be. Although he has played mostly 2B, the Mets also acquired Marcus Semien 2B and plan to use Polanco as Pete Alonso's replacement at 1B.  If Polanco can replicate his 2025 performance at the plate, he gives close to Alonso's value at a much lower cost and shorter financial commitment but his history suggests that may be a tough assignment for him.

Hot Stove League Update: Giants Don't Sign Pete Alonso, Robert Suarez or Mike Yastrzemski

There were three significant free agent signings as the Winter Meetings wound down and folks headed for home.  The biggest news is Pete Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles for 5 yr/$150 M.  Robert Suarez signed with the Braves for 3 yr/$45 M and the Braves, who have been very active so far, also signed Mike Yastrzemski to a 2 yr/$23 M contract.  Let's break it all down:

Pete Alonso 1B/DH.  DOB:  12/7/1994.  B-R, T-R.  6' 3", 245 lbs.  5 yr/$ 150 M.  

2025(Mets):  .272/.347/.524, 38 HR, 8.6 BB%, 22.8 K%, 709 PA, 3.4 bWAR.  

Alonso is one of the elite power hitters in MLB and is coming off an excellent campaign.  Alonso tends to not get the respect he deserves because his WAR gets suppressed by positional factors and subpar defense.  But that power looks good in any lineup even if he has to DH full time.  Orioles get a big boost to their lineup and the Mets lose production they probably cannot replace unless they re-allocate the resources and go after Kyle Tucker who is going to cost a whole lot more.

Robert Suarez RHP.   DOB:  3/1/1991.  6' 2", 210 lbs.  3 yr/$45 M.  

2025(Padres):  4-6, 2.97, 69.2 IP, 9.7 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, 40 Saves. 

Suarez hasn't been in the league a long time but he did not make his first MLB appearance until age 31.  The past two seasons established him as one of the league's elite closers.  3 years may seems like a long contract for a guy entering his age 35 season but as a lifelong reliever(he pitched several seasons in Japan), he has a relatively low-mileage arm.  He'll now compete for or share the Closer role with Raisel Iglesias RHP.  When the Braves have the lead they shorten the game to 7 innings.  That can win a lot of games.  Smart deal for the Braves.

Mike Yastrzemski OF.  DOB:  8/23/1990.  B- L, T- L.  5' 11", 180 lbs.  2 yr/$23 M($4 M buyout of $7 M for third season).

2025(Giants/Royals):  .233/.333/403, 17 HR, 7 SB, 12.9 BB%, 19.4 K%, 558 PA.  

While those numbers don't looks too bad, YtY had a power surge after the trade(7 HR in the month of August) that boosted his SLG% considerably.  He is going to a much friendlier ballpark for hitters so he may continue to put up better than decent number for ATL.  Just remember he really had only two good months in 2025, April with the Giants and August after the trade.  I am happy for YtY that he will get enough money from the game to set him up for life.  I am also happy the Giants are not the ones paying him for the next 2+ years.

Comment:  I think Rafael Devers is a better fit for the Giants than Pete Alonso in essentially the same role because of Devers lefty bat to balance out an otherwise righty lineup and they probably don't have the budget for both.  After watching so many games get pissed away from Blown Saves last year, Robert Suarez sure looks like a difference maker in the Closer role and not at an unreasonable price.  SP is probably a higher priority than Closer but it remains to be seen if and how Buster chooses to allocate his resources.  I just hope he doesn't get to the end of next season and realize not doing enough with the bullpen was the difference between making the postseason and not.  Much as I like YtY and appreciate what he gave the Giants it's time to move on.  Buster needs to either sort out the outfield mess and find his RF in there somewhere or else convince ownership to give him the funding for a serious upgrade.  

It appears to me, based on what Alex Pavlovic and other beat writers are reporting and the Giants lack of activity in the market so far, that Buster is waiting for the market to come to him.  I think that strategy might work.  The market is off to a slower start than last season with a small number of aggressive teams and more teams crying poor mouth while saying they expect to cut payroll or at least not increase it.  That could leave some nice deals as the Hot Stove League enters the stretch run but don't be surprised if it runs into the start of spring training.  The one demographic it might not work with is relief pitching in general and Closer in particular as that market has been the most active.

Winter Meetings Update: Rule 5 Draft Results

The Giants wrapped up a quiet but weirdly successful week at the Winter Meetings by trading for Daniel Susac C who was the Twins selection in the Rule 5 Draft.  The Giants did not make any selections of their own in the major league phase but lost two minor league pitchers, Spencer Miles RHP and Ryan Watson RHP.  They also did not make any selections in the minor league phase but lost 5 more prospects:  Junior Flores RHP, Ryan Murphy RHP, Carter Howell OF, Jan Caraballo RHP and Evan Gates RHP.  Let's break it down:

Giants acquire:  

Daniel Susac C.  DOB:  5/14/2001.  B-R, T-R.  6' 4", 218 lbs.  

2025(AAA):  .275/.349/.483, 18 HR, 7 SB, 8.6 BB%, 26.8 K%, 407 PA.

Younger brother of Andrew Susac a former Giants 2'nd round draft pick who got a World Series Ring for his contributions to the 2014 World Series Championship team.  Those look like nice numbers from AAA but he played his home games in Las Vegas which is an extreme hitter's environment.  He will compete for a back up catcher role in 2026 but must be kept on the Giants active roster all season or be offered back to the A's.  The other catching prospect expected to compete for a back up role in spring training is Jesus Rodriguez but JRod has 2 options so if the Giants want to keep both players in the organization they can do that by using Susac as the back up catcher for the MLB team with Rodriguez getting more salt in AAA Sacramento.  I think Rodriguez has some positional flexibility so if the Giants really like his bat, they could roster both at the MLB level.

Giants trade:

Miguel Caraballo C.  DOB:  8/26/2008.  B-S, T-R.  6' 0", 190 lbs.  

2025(DSL):  .264/.432/.442, 5 HR, 8 SB, 16.6 BB%, 22.5 K%, 169 PA.

So I'm not so sure how down I am with this trade.  Caraballo put up better than decent numbers as a 16 year old in the DSL.  He's a switch-hitting catcher.  I get that it's going be at least 3 more seasons before he reaches the upper majors and most likely will never see the major leagues but oof!  This one feels like it could come back to bite in about, oh, 5-6 years.  Oh well, a bird in the hand......I guess it comes down to one lottery ticket for another and the one the Giants are left holding might pay off now, rather than 5 or 6 years from now.

The Giants lose(at least temporarily):

Spencer Miles RHP.  DOB:  7/26/2000.  6' 3", 180 lbs.  2025(AFL):  2-0, 4.15, 8.2 IP, 12 K, 1 BB.  

Ryan Watson RHP.  DOB:  11/15/1997.  6' 5", 225 lbs.  2025(AAA):  4-3, 4.26, 50.2 IP, 11.37 K/9, 2.84 BB/9.

The Giants drafted Miles in the 4'th round in 2022.  He was beset by injuries limiting him to just 14.2 IP in his pro career so far.  He's always had good stuff and he reportedly had electric stuff in the Arizona Fall League which is probably what led to him being selected today.  Those are excellent numbers Ryan Watson given the strongly negative pitching environment in the PCL.    Selecting teams must keep Miles and Watson in their active roster all season or offer them back to the Giants which I have to think the Giants would accept.

The Giants lose(probably permanently):

Junior Flores RHP.  DOB:  2/13/2002.  6' 1", 170 lbs.  2025(A/A+):  0-0, 3.38, 10.2 IP, 8.44 K/9, 8.44 BB/9, 1 Save.  International prospect in the organization since 2021.  Has never pitched impressively.

Ryan Murphy RHP.  DOB:  10/8/1999.  6' 1", 190 lbs.  2025(A/AA):  0-1, 5.59, 19.1 IP, 6.05 K/9, 4.19 BB/9.  Was not able to replicate early pro success at higher levels and ran into injury issues.

Carter Howell OF.  DOB:  2/7/1999.  B-R, T-R.  6' 0", 200 lbs.  2025(AA):  .221/.304/.335, 7 HR, 8 SB, 8.2 BB%, 21.6 K%, 439 PA.  NDFA.  Seemed to hit a wall last season after a promising start to his pro career.

Jan Caraballo RHP.  DOB:  10/20/2003.  6' 6", 181 lbs.  2025(ACL):  0-0, 4.30, 14.2 IP, 10.43 K/9, 2.45 BB/9, 2 Saves.  I'm always a little extra interested in young pitching prospects who are 6' 6" tall but Caraballo was in the organization 5 seasons without making much of an impact.  Giants have a lot of young pitching talent in the lower minors so probably just didn't have roster room to protect him.

Evan Gates RHP.  DOB:  1/13/1998.  6' 0", 210 lbs.  2025(AA):  3-2, 3.23, 69.2 IP, 10.33 K/9, 4.00 BB/9, 5 Saves.  NDFA from 2021.  Always posted strong strikeout numbers and decent ERA's. Walk rates were not ideal but he induced more GB's than FB's.  He's a guy I might have wanted to hang onto but again, the Giants have a lot of young pitching.

Comment:  The Giants seem to be tickled pink with acquiring Daniel Susac.  My problem is I'm not convinced he's going to stick as the back up catcher all season and I really, really hate to see them trade the kid, Miguel Caraballo.  There is a good chance Miles and Watson find their way back to the Giants system.  No huge losses in the minor league phase.  

DrB's 2026 MLB Amateur Draft Board: v1.0

Well, well, well!  I wasn't planning to post my draft board until we reviewed about 20 players since it seemed almost certain the Giants would draft #15 but they moved all the way up to #4 in yesterday's draft lottery and we've reviewed 8 players so let's rank 'em and see who comes in at #4(We only rank players we've already reviewed):

1.  Roch Cholowsky SS, College(UCLA):  DOB:  4/5/2005.  B-R, T-R.  6' 2", 200 lbs.  

2024(UCLA):  .308/.399/.500, 8 HR, 6 SB, 24 BB, 34 K, 235 PA

2024(CCBL):  .218/.338/.327, HR, 9 BB, 7 K's, 65 PA.

2025(UCLA):  .353/.480/.710, 23 HR, 7 SB, 45 BB, 30 K, 324 PA.

Complete 5-tool player who is considered a lock to stick at shortstop.  Compact yet powerful swing producing power to all fields.  Able to pull arms in to get around on inside pitches.  Selective at the plate but limits K's.  Barring an unexpected junior season regression has little to no chance of dropping if the Giants remain in the #15 draft slot.

2.  Grady Emerson SS, HS.  DOB:  2/21/2008.  B-L, T-R.  6' 2", 180 lbs.  

Emerson is a HS SS with a sweet swing and tools to play shortstop at the MLB level.  He has been on scouting radars since was 14 years old.  He was on both 15U and 18 U Team USA twice.  He bats from the left side with a wide stance and a quick swing that goes direct to the ball.  He does a good job of keepin his elbows bent which helps him get around on inside stuff but he uses all fields with gap power.  He still has a young looking body which should fill out and gain more power with maturity and showed present power in the HS HR Derby.  He comps himself to Corey Seager SS.  Committed to Texas but should challenge for the #1 overall pick in the draft.

3.  Drew Burress OF, College(Georgia Tech).  DOB:  12/5/2004.  B-R, T-R.  5' 9", 175 lbs.  

2024:  .381/.512/.821, 25 HR, 8 SB, 58 BB, 37 K, 285 PA.

2024(CCBL):  .125/.282/.219, HR, 3 SB, 13 BB, 22 K, 78 PA.

2025:  .333/.469/.693, 19 HR, 10 SB, 53 BB, 42 K, 290 PA.

Lots of power in a compact, athletic frame.  Not much to dislike in those stat lines.  Second team All-American as a freshman, first team in his second season.  Probably fast and athletic enough to be a true CF.  Could challenge Roch Cholowsky for #1

4. Justin Lebron SS, College(Alabama).  DOB:  11/3/2004.  B-R, T-R.  6' 2", 175 lbs.  

2024:  .338/.429/.546, 12 HR, 7 SB, 20 BB, 53 K, 254 PA.  

2025:  .316/.421/.636, 18 HR, 17 SB, 35 BB, 68 K, 281 PA.  

5-tool shortstop who started from day one of his freshman season at Alabama.  Was a contact hitter his freshman year.  He added more power and drew more walks his sophomore season but at the cost of more K's and a lower BA.  Lean, athletic frame is still filling out so there may be more power in there.   Sky is the limit but needs to work on closing some holes in his swing.

5.  Jacob Lombard SS, HS.  DOB:  B-R, T-R.  6' 3", 185 lbs.  

Son of George Lombard and brother of George Lombard Jr.  Jacob is a superior athlete who is considered a true shortstop.  He's more of a slugger than George Jr or Grady Emerson with an uppercut swing that generates HR and gap power.  Power translates to all fields.  The price he pays for the uppercut swing is swing and miss, especially up in the zone.  Perfect Game says he's a 6.11 runner in the 60 yd dash. Wow!  Well proportioned lean frame with room to fill out.  Probably behind Emerson due to Emerson's superior hit tool and lefty swing but Lombard is probably a top 5 talent.  Could be drafted more in the 5-10 range due to teams preferring less risky college hitters.

6. A. J. Gracia OF, College(Virginia).  DOB:  10/27/2004.  B-L, T-L.  6' 3", 195 lbs.   

2024(Duke):  .305/.440/.559, 14 HR, 5 SB, 48 BB, 55 K, 278 PA.  

2024(CCBL):  .267/.421/.467, HR, SB, 4 BB, 4 K, 19 PA.

2025(Duke):  .293/.449/.558, 15 HR, 8 SB, 57 BB, 36 K, 285 PA.  

Smooth swinging lefty hitter and thrower who uses the whole field and is more of a hitter with power than a power hitter.  Plate discipline can cross the line into passivity.  Plays CF well in college but projects as a corner OF in MLB.  Transferring to Virginia for 2026 along with his coach from Duke. 

7. Derek Curiel OF, College(LSU).  DOB:  5/24/2005.  B-L, T-L.  6' 2", 175 lbs.  

2025:  .345/.470/.519, 7 HR, 3 SB, 16.4 BB%, 17.3 K%, 323 PA.

At one point there was talk of Curiel being a first round pick out of high school but his stock fell after a disappointing senior season.  He opted to play college ball at LSU and had an impressive freshman season as an ultra high contact leadoff hitter.  Played mostly LF and will try to further raise his stock by moving to CF as his primary position as a draft-eligible sophomore.  Current gap power will have to generate more home runs if he has to 

8.  Carson Boleman LHP, HS.  DOB:  4/5/2007.  6' 4", 210 lbs.  

Boleman has an ideal pitcher's frame with an over-the-top delivery which gives him great downward movement on a mix of 3 pitches that all grade out as 60's plus a 55 grade changeup.  He did not allow an earned run in his junior season while striking out 101 batters in 43.1 IP.  He had a 19 K no-hitter in the South Carolina 3A state championship game.  He struck out 17 in 11 IP on the showcase circuit.  He does have an injury history needing elbow brace surgery in 8'th grade.  Yikes!  He will be almost 19 yo by the time of the draft but should be a fast mover, provided he remains injury free.

Comment:  The 2026 draft cycle is extremely weak for college pitchers.  A strong cadre of HS pitchers partially makes up for that keeping in mind HS pitchers are considered the highest risk demographic in the draft.(The Giants have historically had their best draft successes with HS pitchers). corner OF in the pros. As it stands now, Cholowsky and Emerson make up the clear top two.  It's still way early in the draft cycle so their stock could fall or some other players stock might rise and there is always signing bonus machinations that can impact draft position.  I think you can put #3-7 names in a bowl and draw them out at random.  Any of those 4 should yield an impact MLB hitter.  I have seen some comments on other blogs about cutting across the grain and grabbing a pitcher.  Although I would be A-OK with that approach if they were drafting out of the #15 slot but I don't think you go off the board for a pitcher. I like Carson Boleman as a pitcher but the kid had elbow surgery at age 12!  No, no, no at #4!

Winter Meetings Update: Giants Move Up in Draft; Dodgers Sign Top Closer

 The Giants finally made some news at the Winter Meetings by moving all the way up from #15 to #4 in next summer's draft in today's draft lottery.  This marks the first time the Giants have moved up since the lottery started and significantly increases their chances of drafting an impact player.  Combine this good fortune with the expected signing of the top international prospect, Luis Hernandez, in January and the Giants are poised to break into at least the top third in farm system talent ranking by this time next year for the first time in many years.  Props to Director of Player Development, Randy Winn, on a job well done representing the Giants at the draft lottery.  His job just got significantly easier as I am sure he would much rather be in charge of developing good players than not-so-good ones.

Meanwhile the Dodgers continued to do Dodger things by signing the top Closer on the market, Edwin Diaz RHP to a 3 yr/$39 M contract.  Of course, $4.5 M is deferred annually so the present value AAV for CBT purposes is only $21.1 M.  Diaz is coming off a season with the Mets in which he recorded 28 Saves and pitched to a 1.63 ERA.  Although he has been a fairly consistent he has tended to alternate between good and great seasons every other year so maybe he's only "good" in 2026?  Remember the Dodgers shelled out a lot of money for Tanner Scott LHP last offseason and that didn't turn out so well for them, although they ended up winning the World Series anyway.  Although the Giants have a big need for a reliable Closer, Buster Posey has given clear signals that he is shopping in the Brebbia Aisle while looking for bullpen bargains so nobody seriously thought the Giants were bidders for Diaz.

A player who the Giants were almost laughably linked to at the start of the Winter Meetings, Kyle Schwarber, is re-signing with the Phillies for 5 yr/$150 M.  Schwarber, who will turn 33 yo before the start of the 2026 season, has turned himself into on elite power hitter although he is mostly limited to a DH role.  Giants fans can return to hoping Bryce Eldridge turns into that kind of hitter in the very near future.

Jeff Kent is in the Hall of Fame!

 Jeff Kent, who spent the six peak years of his career with the Giants, was just elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Contemporary Eras Committee, whatever that is.  In the end, it doesn't matter what it is, he's in the Hall of Fame!  Kent was one of 7 candidates up for consideration and received 14 of 16 votes.  He was the only one of the 7 who got the required number of votes.  The other players considered were Carlos Delgado, Dale Murphy, Don Mattingly, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemons, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.  Bonds and Clemons would obviously both been in a long time ago were it not for the PED issue.  The others seem worthy to but I have long believed Jeff Kent had a HOF worthy career so am very happy to see him finally get in.  

Kent came to the Giants in a trade engineered by Brian Sabean when he became the Giants GM for Matt Williams with the Giants also getting Julian Tavarez and Jose Vizcaino.  The trade was heavily criticized by the Giants fanbase prompting Sabean to feel the need to defend himself with the infamous "I am not an idiot!" statement.  Little did the fanbase know that over the next 6 seasons, Kent would hit 175 home runs, put up 30.9 fWAR and win a NL MVP Award.  Kent eventually left under a bit of a cloud of his own making when he claimed a broken hand was from an accident suffered while washing his truck.  The Giants reportedly found out he actually injured it while popping wheelies on his motorcycle an activity expressly prohibited in his contract.  Kent did not win over any of these disappointed fans when he signed with the Dodgers two years later and infamously proclaimed he always dreamed of playing for the Dodgers.  

Despite all that he did spend the peak years of his career with the Giants and it was a helluva peak.  I would think he should proudly go into the Hall of Fame as a Giant and I would hope he will get his number retired along with other Hall of Famers who spent most of their careers and/or their peak seasons with the Giants.

2024 Draft Review: Giants Selections Rounds 4-20

Having reviewed Round 1 of the 2024 draft and seeing the Giants selection, James Tibbs III, was traded to the Red Sox as part of the deal to acquire Rafael Devers let's review the rest of the Giants selections.  They did not have picks in rounds 2 or 3 due to the free agent signings of Matt Chapman 3B and Blake Snell LHP who had Qualifying Offers.  Once again and just for fun we'll assign grades to each pick based on performance so far which is not the same as a grade on their overall prospect status.  We'll pick it up with Round 4:

Round 4:  Dakota Jordan OF, College.  DOB:  5/9/2003.  B-R, T-R.  6' 0", 220 lbs.

2025(A):  .311/.377/.497, 14 HR, 27 SB, 8.9 BB%, 22.8 K%, 416 PA.

Unusually muscular for a baseball player. Physique comped to Bo Jackson.  Top tools are raw power, 60/70 and Run, 70.  Had a lot of swing and miss in his college game so the question with him was could he cut down on his K's and make enough contact to make his raw power usable.  He did that in A ball but keep in mind that's a very conservative placement for a player drafted out of college and you have to wonder why the Giants kept him there all season. He was slowed by both oblique and hamstring strains and you also have to wonder if his muscular physique makes him more susceptible to those. Grade B(he performed well but at a low level for his first full professional season).

Round 5:  Jakob Christian OF, College.  DOB:  9/17/2002.  B-R, T-R.  6' 5", 225 lbs.  

2025(A):  .272/.355/.460, 10 HR, 12 SB, 10.1 BB%, 28.3 K%, 318 PA.

2025(A+):  .304/.380/.570, 4 HR, 3 SB, 8.7 BB%, 34.8 K%, 92 PA.

Tall, athletic looking OF with lots of raw power.  Slash lines look good and improved after promotion to A+ ball but the K rates remain concerning.  Grade B.

Round 6:  Robert Hipwell 3B, College.  DOB:  3/6/2003.  B-L, T-R.  6' 3", 220 lbs.

2025(A):  .241/.374/.450, 11 HR, 3 SB, 15.6 BB%, 31.2 K%, 429 PA.

Big muscles, huge calves.  3-true outcomes type hitter which the Moneyball guys like but often does not translate to higher levels when we see it early in development.  A ball is a very conservative placement.  Grade C

Round 7:  Greg Farone LHP, College.  DOB:  5/3/2002.  6' 6", 240 lbs.  

2025(A):  2-1, 3.73, 50.2 IP, 12.97 K/9, 4.09 BB/9, 1.34 GB/FB.

2025(A+):  4-2, 4.25, 55 IP, 7.85 K/9, 2.78 BB/9, 1.20 GB/FB.

Gave up just 1 ER in his first 5 starts for A San Jose then cooled off.  He was torched in his first 3 starts after a promotion to A+ Eugene, but then pitched to a 2.74 ERA over his last 8 starts and 42.2 IP.  Seemed to pitch to contact more after the promotion.  Will he move up to AA to start 2026?  Grade B+.

Round 8:  Niko Mazza RHP, College.  DOB:  2/19/2002.  5' 11", 194 lbs.

2025(A):  4-3, 2.22, 93.1 IP, 8.68 K/9, 5.01 BB/9, 1.65 GB/FB.  

Made up for a high walk rate with an above average GB rate.  Reminder A ball is an extremely conservative placement.  Grade C.

Round 9:  Zane Zielinski SS, College.  DOB:  7/28/2001.  B-R, T-R.  6' 3", 175 lbs.

2025(A+):  .240/.338/.303, 4 HR, 32 SB, 10.1 BB%, 25.5 K%, 483 PA.

Light on power for a guy who strikes out that much.  32 SB's are intriguing.  I can see him developing into a utility IF at the MLB level.  Grade C.

Round 10:  Cade Vernon RHP, College.  DOB:  1/17/2002.  6' 3", 210 lbs.

2025(A):  4-1, 1.60, 56.1 IP, 6.87 K/9, 2.40 BB/9, 2.58 GB/FB.  

Pitches to contact with elite groundball skills.  Conservative placement.  Grade C.

Round 11:  Andy Polanco OF, HS.  DOB:  4/29/2005.  B-R, T-R.  6' 4", 195 lbs.

2025(ACL):  .264/.346/.336, HR, 22 SB, 10.4 BB%, 26.4 K%.  

Love the size/speed profile but he is quite old for a HS draftee and has a long way to go in development.  Grade C

Round 12:  Zander Darby 3B, College.  DOB:  11/26/2002.  B-L, T-R.  6' 3", 197 lbs.

2025(A):  .291/.403/.459, 5 HR, 10 SB, 15.2 BB%, 18.4 K%, 244 PA

2025(A+):  .123/.261/.228, HR, SB, 13.0 BB%, 42 K%, 69 PA.

Good numbers in A ball but extremely conservative placement.  Struggled in small sample at more age-appropriate level.  Grade C.

Round 13:  Drake George RHP, College.  DOB:  9/30/2001.  6' 1", 184 lbs.  

2025(A):  2-1, 3.20, 56.1 IP, 9.91 K/9, 2.40 BB/9, 1.45 GB/FB.

Nice start to pro career at a lower level but made his last start on 6/29 then went on full season injury list.  No word on the exact injury.  FB and Curveball are both rated 55/60 by Fangraphs.  Grade C

Round 14:  Jeremiah Jenkins 1B, College.  DOB:  5/5/2003.  B-L, T-L.  6' 4", 238 lbs.

2025(ACL):  .370/.470/.685, 3 HR, 15.2 BB%, 13.6 K%, 66 PA.

2025(A):  .230/.332/.364, 4 HR, 11.1 BB%, 17.5 K%, 217 PA.

Nice K and BB rates but didn't show much power at a low leve for a guy who is limited to 1B in his defensive profile.  Grade C

Round 15:  Evan Gray RHP.  DOB:  8/4/2001.  6' 4", 235 lbs.  

2025(A):  7-4, 4.53, 47.2 IP, 11.14 K/9, 5.48 BB/9, 1.85 GB/FB, 4 Saves.  

Strong K and ground ball rates.  Walk rate too high.  Conservative placement.  Grade C

Round 16:  Tyler Switalski LHP, College.  DOB:  6/18/2003.  6' 4", 235 lbs.

2025(A):  6-2, 4.89, 73.2 IP, 7.94 K/9, 4.03 BB/9, 1.42 GB/FB.

2025(A+):  2-0, 1.17, 23 IP, 6.65 K/9, 2.74 BB/9, 0.92 GB/FB.

Got in a lot of work as a multi-inning reliever with A San Jose.  Moved into a starter role after promotion to A+.  Peripheral stats are uninspiring.  Grade C.

Round 17:  Hunter Dryden RHP, College.  DOB:  6/10/2002.  5' 11", 168 lbs.

2025(A):  5-3, 2.90, 93 IP, 9.97 K/9, 3.97 BB/9, 1.00 GB/FB.

Smaller frame but quick, loose arm.  Maintained mid-90's FB in the start I saw.  Secondary stuff still developing.  I thought he deserved a midseason promotion to A+.  Grade C+

Round 18:  Ryan Slater RHP, College.  DOB:  6' 3", 205 lbs.  6' 3", 205 lbs.

2025(A):  6-2, 2.54, 71 IP, 8.87 K/9, 2.79 BB/9, 0.99 GB/FB, 2 Saves.

Nice numbers in a multi-inning relief role.  Another guy I wish the Giants promoted at midseason.  Grade C+

Round 19:  Ryan Ure LHP, College.  DOB:  8/29/2002.  6' 8", 235 lbs.  

Did not sign.  You all know I like tall pitchers, especially tall lefties.  Gotta admit not many have worked out.  Grade F(how can it be anything else when they fail to sign the player?).  

Round 20:  Fernando Gonzalez C, College.  DOB:  12/2/2001.  B-R, T-R.  5' 10", 199 lbs.  

2025(A):  .229/.351/.375, 3 HR, 12.3 BB%, 19.3 K%, 114 PA.

Secondary numbers don't look bad.  Maybe some development opportunity here?  Grade C.

Comment:  Not really any busts here, but no sure things either.  I think I would give Farone the highest ranking on the strength of his run of starts to end the season in A+ ball.  I am not as high on Dakota Jordan as many seem to be but I do see the upside and it's quite exciting to dream on.  The rest are going to have to grind their way up the system and we'll see if any break out.

Scouting the 2026 Draft: Carson Boleman

Carson Boleman LHP, HS.  DOB:  4/5/2007.  6' 4", 210 lbs.  

Boleman has an ideal pitcher's frame with an over-the-top delivery which gives him great downward movement on a mix of 3 pitches that all grade out as 60's plus a 55 grade changeup.  He did not allow an earned run in his junior season while striking out 101 batters in 43.1 IP.  He had a 19 K no-hitter in the South Carolina 3A state championship game.  He struck out 17 in 11 IP on the showcase circuit.  He does have an injury history needing elbow brace surgery in 8'th grade.  Yikes!  He will be almost 19 yo by the time of the draft but should be a fast mover, provided he remains injury free.

The 2026 draft cycle is extremely weak for college pitchers.  A strong cadre of HS pitchers partially makes up for that keeping in mind HS pitchers are considered the highest risk demographic in the draft.(The Giants have historically had their best draft successes with HS pitchers).

Prospect Retrospective: Marco Luciano

 Marco Luciano was claimed off waivers today by the Pirates.  While losing Marco Luciano from the Giants organization was almost a foregone conclusion for a long time now, this was a surprise because the Giants never announced he was DFA'd, probably because they hoped to sneak him through and keep him in the organization.  Maybe they thought if they DFA'd him this close to the Rule 5 Draft, teams would already have their 40-man rosters set and would not have room to add Luciano.  Since he is a waiver claim and remains out of options, the Pirates must keep him on their 40-man roster all season or DFA him for some other team to claim.  And so the merry-go-round begins.  It's a hard pill to swallow for Giants fans after Luciano was at or near the top of Giants prospect rankings for close to a decade.  Let's take a retrospective look at Luciano's Giants prospect journey.

Marco Luciano was just 16 years old when he signed an international free agent contract with the Giants for $2.6 M in July 2018.  If I remember right he was ranked as the #2 or 3 international prospect in that signing cycle.  

2019(AZL):  .322/.438/.616, 10 HR, 8 SB, 8 SB, 15.2 BB%, 21.9 K%, 178 PA.

2019(Short- Season A):  .212/.316/.333, 13.2 BB%, 15.8 K%, 38 PA.

Luciano skipped the DSL and started his pro career in the Arizona rookie league and put up terrific numbers earning a late-season cup of coffee with the more advanced Northwest League.  After a long series of failures of high-priced international signings, Luciano finally seemed like the real deal.

2021(A):  .278/.373/.556, 18 HR, 5 SB, 12.3 BB%, 22.1 K%, 308 PA.

2021(A+):  .217/.283/.295, HR, 6.9 BB%, 37.2 K%, 145 PA.

Like many prospects, the lost 2020 season to COVID probably hurt Luciano's development.  Instead of his age 18 season in A ball, it became his age 19 season plus the 2020 season counted against his service time for Rule 5 Draft eligibility.  The A+ numbers were a bit deflating but an aggressive promotion for his age.  Again, it could be seen as a preview/prep for his next season.

2022(A+):  .263/.339/.459, 10 HR, 9.6 BB%, 22.2 K%, 230 PA.  

Numbers a bit less dazzling but still solid for his age at the level.  He also missed some time with back problems if I remember right. He was added to the 40-man roster in the offseason to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.  I am not sure why he was Rule 5 eligible then as it looks like he only had 4 years of service time even with counting the lost 2020 season.

2023(AA):  .228/.339/.450, 11 HR, 6 SB, 14.4 BB%, 31.3 K%, 242 PA.

2023(AAA):  .209/.321/.418, 4 HR, 12.8 BB%, 35.9 K%, 78 PA.

2023(MLB):  .231/.333/.308, 13.3 BB%, 37.8 K%, 45 PA.  

The better pitching at higher levels seemed to catch up with him as his BA approached the Mendoza Line and his K rates soared.  This season burned an option.

2024(AAA):  .250/.380/.380, 10 HR, 4 SB, 16.8 BB%, 26.8 K%, 384 PA.

2024(MLB):  .211/.259/.303, 6.2 BB%, 34.6 K%, 81 PA.

AAA K rate improved to manageable rates but the power numbers were disappointing, especially playing in an extreme hitter-friendly environment.  This was the season  of the horrific series of middle infield errors that forced a move to the outfield and probably sealed his fate with the Giants organization.  

2025(AAA):  .214/.335/.413, 23 HR, 10 SB, 15.3 BB%, 30.6 K%, 555 PA.  

The power rebounded but the K rate went up and the BA cratered again.  Given the Giants crowded OF situation and having run out of options for 2026, the writing was on the wall.  Luciano was not going to the the first big international bonus baby to hit it big for the Giants.  

Comment:  It's hard to say exactly what went wrong.  Probably several things.  It appears the missed development season of 2020 was a big factor.  The Giants also probably kept him at shortstop too long after the industry consensus deemed him to not have the defensive tools to play short at the MLB level.  And maybe the bat was just not as good as it looked at lower levels and got exposed by better pitching at higher levels.  In any event it's a shame to lose him.  For all of the talk in the FZ era about integrating players development throughout the system, Marco Luciano and Joey Bart stand out as examples of developmental failure in the system with tragic consequences to the MLB team.

Hot Stove League Update: Red Sox and Pirates 5-Player Trade

The Red Sox aren't waiting around for the Winter Meetings to start wheeling and dealing.  This evening they announced a 5-player trade in which they acquired Johan Oviedo RHP and two prospects, Tyler Samaniego LHP and Adonys Guzman C for Jhostynxon Garcia OF and Jesus Travieso RHP.  Let's take a closer look at the five players:

Red Sox get:

Johan Oviedo RHP.  DOB:  3/2/1998.  6' 6", 275 lbs.  Arbitration Eligible Yr 2.  Free Agent 2028. Options- 1.

2025:  2-1, 3.57, 40.1 IP, 9.4 K/9, 5.1 BB/9, 0.62 GB/FB.  

Oviedo is a big, imposing RHP with a high ceiling who hasn't quite gotten there yet.  He missed all of 2024 with Tommy John surgery then a lat strain kept him out of the first 4 months of 2025.  When he came back, his FB averaged 95 MPH but a high walk rated limited his effectiveness.  The Red Sox obviously hope he will stay healthy and reduce his walk rate but his walk rate has run high most of his career.  

Tyler Samaniego LHP.  DOB:  1/30/1999.  6' 4", 205 lbs.  

2025(4 levels- CPX-AA):  3-3, 3.99, 38.1 IP, 10.33 K/9, 2.58 BB/9, 1.44 GB/FB.  Options- 3.

Minor league reliever with a starters mix of pitches.  Lower arm slot.  Recently added to the Pirates 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.  He will move over to the Red Sox 40-man roster.  Has missed time with elbow soreness.  

Adonys Guzman C.  DOB:  12/4/2003.  B-R, T-R.  5' 11", 221 lbs.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2028.

2025(College- Arizona):  .328/.411/.496, 9 HR, 10.0 BB%, 11.8 K%, 271 PA.

2025(MLB):  .400/.400/.1.000, HR, 0 BB%, 0 K%, 5 PA.

5'th round draft pick for the Pirates. Not enough of a pro record to evaluate.  MLB Draft Tracker does not have a pre-draft scouting report.

Pirates get:

Jhostynxon Garcia OF.  DOB:  12/11/2002.  B-R, T-R.  6' 0", 163 lbs.  Pre-abritration.  Options- 2.

2025(AA):  .256/.355/.393, 3 HR, 4 SB, 13.0 BB%, 21.0 K%, 138 PA.

2025(AAA):  .271/.334/.498, 18 HR, 3 SB, 7.7 BB%, 29.1 K%, 351 PA.

2025(MLB):  .143/.333/.286, 22.2 BB%, 55.6 K%, 9 PA.

Garcia was Fangraphs #8 Red Sox prospect when they posted their ranking in June 2025.  He is described as having "thunderous" power, especially to the opposite field.  K rates remain a concern. He seems to be a true CF.  Per Fangraphs he is much bigger than his listed height and weight.

Jesus Travieso RHP.  DOB:  3/22/2007.  5' 11", 140 lbs.  Rule 5 Eligible Dec 2028.  

 

2025(CPX):  1-3, 2.77, 39 IP, 12.00 K/9, 5.77 BB/9.

2025(A):  2-0, 3.51, 25.2 IP, 13.32 K/9, 3.86 BB/9.

Young international prospect.  A lottery ticket.  Listed size is laughably small.  A lot of these international kids get a lot bigger and become very hard throwers but he has a long way to go.

Comment:  The Red Sox get a proven MLB starting pitcher, though one that has had significant setbacks due to injuries and struggles with control.  If Garcia can control the strike zone and play CF, he may have the highest ceiling.  I am not impressed that the other 3 players in the deal will ever be impact players.  This is two teams balancing their needs and surpluses.  Pretty even trade.

Scouting the 2026 Draft: Jacob Lombard

 Jacob Lombard SS, HS.  DOB:  B-R, T-R.  6' 3", 185 lbs.  

Son of George Lombard and brother of George Lombard Jr.  Jacob is a superior athlete who is considered a true shortstop.  He's more of a slugger than George Jr or Grady Emerson with an uppercut swing that generates HR and gap power.  Power translates to all fields.  The price he pays for the uppercut swing is swing and miss, especially up in the zone.  Perfect Game says he's a 6.11 runner in the 60 yd dash. Wow!  Well proportioned lean frame with room to fill out.  Probably behind Emerson due to Emerson's superior hit tool and lefty swing but Lombard is probably a top 5 talent.  Could be drafted more in the 5-10 range due to teams preferring less risky college hitters.

Hot Stove Update: Heating Up

The Hot Stove League is heating up with 3 significant deals reported in the first 2 days of the week leading up to the Winter Meetings.   So what's going on?

The Mets agreed to terms with Devin Williams RHP on a 3 yr/$51 M contract.  The deal includes a $6 M signing bonus paid in 3 installments.  There is also $15 M in deferrals plus a $1 M assignment bonus in the event of a trade.  There does not seem to be in opt-out.  

Devin Williams RHP.  DOB:  9/21/1004.  6' 2", 193 lbs.  

2025(Yankees):  4-6, 4.79, 62 IP, 13.06 K/9, 3.63 BB/9, 18 Saves, 15 Holds, 4 Blown Saves, 2.69 FIP.

Another case of a veteran shut-down closer coming off a down season.  Once again, while the usual peripheral numbers look like it's due to bad luck, if you drill down to the third layer of stats, Williams gave up harder contact than in previous seasons.  The Mets obviously think this is a blip and he'll positively regress to his mean over the next 3 seasons but that's a lot of money being dropped on a Closer who lost his job amid an ERA over 4 last season.  Man! The market for underperforming closers is white hot!

The Angels signed troubled SP Alek Manoah to a 1 yr/$1.95 M contract.  \

Alek Manoah RHP.  DOB:  1/9/1998.  6' 6", 285 lbs.  

2025(MiLB- 4 levels):  1-1, 3.96, 38.2 IP, 8.15 K/9, 5.35 BB/9.  

After bursting on the scene in 2022, Manoah's career fell on hard times.  He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024 and spent the first half of 2025 rehabbing.  When time came to bring him off the 60-day IL the Blue Jays did not have room and DFA'd him.  The Braves claimed him but then non-tendered him making him a free agent.  It's a little surprising he got a MLB deal at all but the Angels reportedly inquired of the Blue Jays about him in the past.  It's a $2 M lottery ticket that seems like the longest of longshots but stranger things have happened.

The Blue Jays continued to show they are serious about repeating as AL champs by signing Cody Ponce to a 3 yr/$30 M.  Ponce was once a second round draft pick by the Brewers in the 2015 draft(wow! That's like a lifetime ago!).  He got some pre-draft buzz for touching triple digits on the fastball.  Ponce made it to the major leagues but struggled and never found traction.  He went to Japan and also struggled there.  He landed in the KBO and had breakout numbers:  17-1, 1.89, 180.2 IP, 12.6 K/9, 2.0 BB/9.  This was accompanied by reports of much improved conditioning and better stuff.  I can understand the excitement here and maybe the BJ's can afford to take a risk on upside but there are real questions about strength of competition here for a guy who is a one season wonder.  The contract is not backbreaking if it doesn't work out.