The hammer dropped today in the Giants clubhouse. This is not a total surprise as aside from the player revolt against Gabe Kapler in 2023, last night is as close to rock bottom as I've seen the Giants. 3 players get caught in the fallout with Lamonte Wade Jr 1B and Sam Huff C DFA'd and Christian Koss IF optioned to AAA Sacramento. Incoming are recently signed Dominic Smith 1B/OF, Daniel Johnson OF and Andrew Knizner C. The problem here is it's tough to see these moves making a significant, or even any, difference. Let's break it down:
Outgoing:
Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- Much as I have defended LMWJ, his batting numbers cratered near midseason last year and never recovered for whatever reason. A team can only wait so long to get production out of first base and the Giants were more than patient with him. We all hope Bryce Eldridge is the long term solution but he's not ready so time to try something, anything else.
Sam Huff C- I am not sure if the reason why Huff almost never played is because of defensive deficiency or because Bailey's defense is indispensable. If it's the latter, any change at the back up position is not going to help. To my eye, Huff was doing about as well as you could expect from any back up catcher, especially one who played so seldom.
Christian Koss IF- Christian had a limited role on the team and mostly executed whatever plays he was asked to make. It's not like it's his fault that Willy Adames is batting .203 or that the Giants are going to do anything other than hope their 7-year investment pulls it together. Most likely the move is because he was getting so few opportunities, the team feels it doesn't really need a utility IF and Casey Schmitt can fill an emergency role. If there is an injury, Christian can be recalled at any time.
Welcome to New Giants:
Dominic Smith OF/1B- Smith has never lived up to his perceived potential as a lefty power hitter, but he's put up better offensive numbers than LMWJ in limited MLB action and is no worse defensively at first base. This is a "lightning in a bottle" signing while we wait for Eldridge to be ready.
Daniel Johnson OF- Lefty hitter with some tools and power who has settled into AAAA status since being drafted in 2015 by the Nationals. Has hit well in AAA but not well in very limited MLB opportunities. Another "lightning in a bottle" signing. Is he a better option than Grant McCray? Will Melvin really put him in the lineup instead of Mike Yastrzemski to try to catch that lightning?
Andrew Knizner C- Came up in the Cardinals organization and once seen as potentially a better prospect than Carson Kelly. MLB batting numbers never improved and his MLB defensive numbers are not great either. Is he really an upgrade over Huff? Is he going to significantly eat into Bailey's playing time?
If these are the moves, I believe Johnson and Smith should play RF and 1B respectively against RHP's. Schmitt plays 1B against LHP's and YtY moves to a 4'th or 5'th OF role.
I agree with these moves.
ReplyDeleteYou kinda knew LMWJ's days were numbered, and on paper Dominic Smith is an upgrade if you squint hard and don't think about what has he done lately. They both bat LH and Smith has a clean slate for 2025 which did Wade in.
ReplyDeleteYou really have to squint to see Knizner's benefit: he's might be somewhat better defensively, but Huff is far ahead in career OPS+, 104 to 67.
Johnson is a wish!
This seems to qualify as "Well, let's do something!"
It also looks very Zaidish.
As I mentioned in the other thread, I guess BUSTER can't fix anything his way right now so he's gonna go the old FZ I am smarter then everybody else Bottom of the Barrel Churn route by DFAing Wade and Huff and sending down KOSS..while binging up Dumpster Dive "trash" like Daniel Johnson, DOminic Brown and Kinzler (that one makes sense)....to go along with the great Jerar Encarnacion!!....THis is as bad and weak as it gets and the Same old same old....Buster seems way overmatched, and that includes which is turning out to be a very bad signing of ADAMES who, by looking at his past body of work, should be nothing but a .215-.230 10-20 HR hitter in SF with much less home runs and production in a Pitcher friendly ball park..
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'll just watch the pitching..which I love..
SteveVA
In the past, the "front office" was spearheaded by Zaidi, the POBO. The current "front office" probably runs differently. Buster is probably not making decisions on his own without considerable consultation with GMZM, Evans, and Barry.
DeleteCan you hear "What about me" from Jerar who?
ReplyDeleteLogan Webb from X: "I can tell you right now there's been a lot lower points that I've gone through in the past couple seasons. This is not a low point." I get what Logan is saying.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping that Eldridge hyper speeds through AAA and ends up being our new Posey. Remember 2010? He murdered AAA pitching, drove in three runs in his first game, and never looked back. Here's hoping we can get the same from Eldridge for 2025.
ReplyDeleteUnless Bryce Eldridge is a latter day Bryce Harper, which would be nice but too late, he's not ROY this year — he's already 20.
DeletePosey made his successful run for ROY at 23, which which Eldridge could beat in his likely 21 yo rookie season next year.
The Giants still need another OFer: it's not Daniel Johnson or McCray or Meckler.
Could it be Bo Davidson?
Reading about Jarren Duran possibly being available and wondering if they would take Harrison, Eldridge, and Tibbs for him. Would get us a ligit superstar and would turn the page on the FZ era and all his contributions. A sort of cleansing if you will to help us completely forget about the damage he has done.
ReplyDeleteG's match-up well with the Sox for a trade, but that's a huge over-pay.
DeleteThat’d be an awful overpay for a guy who turns 29 this year, has 1.5 good seasons under his belt, and isn’t performing particularly well.
DeleteEldridge should be up in September. This team isn’t Duran away from competing for a WS; why mortgage the future?
It's hard to see how Dominic Smith is an upgrade to LMWJ.
ReplyDeleteLeaning pretty hard into the 1st Round pedigree here.
Buster is aware of the ex-teammate factor when it comes to dealing with Wade, Flores, Yaz, and to a lesser extent Webb. All of the above mentioned are considered "good Giants" who work hard on their craft and are good teammates. All of these players might end up working for NBC Sports or as advisors in the Giants organization in the future. As such, any move such as the DFA of Wade was a move that the front office did not take lightly and not just as a marginal upgrade.
DeleteWade is a fan favorite, always worked hard on trying to improve, and did everything they asked of him. He was deserving of as many chances as they could give him, more so than some more talented players who did not take playing for the Giants seriously.
"Late night" Lamont was amazing especially in 2021. How many game tying hits he had in the 9th inning? He was.amazing, fun to watch. Hope another team gives him an opportunity to continue his career. Buster said it a tough conversation to have with Lamont being a former team mate and friend
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