Last offseason, the Giants hired Bob Melvin away from the Padres as manager. It was reported at the time that Melvin signed a three-year contract running through 2026. CEO Greg Johnson said at Melvin’s introductory press conference that the team also had an agreement “in principle” to extend baseball operations president Farhan Zaidi through the ’26 campaign (video provided on X by NBC Sports Bay Area).
It seems that’s not entirely accurate. John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the guaranteed portions of Melvin’s and Zaidi’s contracts actually run through the end of next season. According to Shea, both contracts have the equivalent of team options covering 2026.
That isn’t necessarily a big deal. If the Giants are satisfied with their leadership group, they can keep Zaidi and Melvin in place for at least another two years as anticipated. Yet it also means that ownership is only committed to next year’s salaries if they decide to make a change before ’26.
There’s no indication that the Giants are considering a shakeup. Just last week, ownership signed off on a six-year, $151MM extension for third baseman Matt Chapman. That’s the largest contract of Zaidi’s tenure. Chapman has longstanding ties to both Zaidi and Melvin dating back to their time with the A’s. That seems to be a vote for organizational stability on ownership’s part.
That said, there could be more pressure on the front office a year from now. This will be the fifth time in Zaidi’s six seasons that the Giants missed the playoffs. The exception was one of the greatest seasons in franchise history, a stunning 107-win campaign to snag the NL West from the Dodgers in 2021. The Giants have been an average team in each of the three seasons since then, never pulling much above or below .500.
A middle-of-the-pack finish is a particularly disappointing outcome this year. The Giants adeptly waited out the free agent market and brought in Blake Snell, Jorge Soler and Chapman late in the offseason. They signed KBO center fielder Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113MM contract — the largest deal of the Zaidi era until Chapman’s extension. The Giants blew past the base luxury tax threshold for the first time since 2017. Hanging with the Dodgers was always going to be a tough ask, but the Giants at least envisioned themselves as Wild Card contenders.
They’ve instead dropped to fourth place in the NL West and are eight games back of a playoff spot. Losing Lee to a season-ending shoulder surgery in May didn’t do them any favors, particularly defensively. A healthy Lee alone would not have bridged an eight-game gap in the standings, though. San Francisco’s hitters rank 18th in on-base percentage and 19th in slugging.
They entered the season with questionable rotation depth behind Snell, Logan Webb and Kyle Harrison. Free agent pickup Jordan Hicks didn’t hold his stuff over his first full season as a starter. Between Hicks tailing off and the reliance on a few young pitchers (e.g. Keaton Winn, Hayden Birdsong, Mason Black), the Giants have gotten the second-fewest innings from their rotation. That has put a lot of stress on a solid but unexceptional bullpen.
Melvin recently addressed the disappointing year in a wide-ranging interview with Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic. The veteran manager and childhood Giants fan called it “probably the hardest year” of his career and discussed some decisions (pinch-hitting matchups, sticking with Camilo Doval as closer until last month) with which he has wrestled. Giants’ fans, in particular, are encouraged to read Melvin’s comments in full.
DodgersBro
What an emotional roller coaster this article must be for the Zaidi-haters
Blackpink in the area
I don’t hate strangers. But Zartan has done less with more than just about any head of baseball operations in baseball.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
I am not impresed with Farhan Zaidi. That being said, I think the Giants did about as I would have expected. They are 71-74. I thought they were a 0.500 team likely to finish fourth in a stacked division. Had Snell been available and good a little sooner maybe they would have couple more wins. I am not a big fan of signing a player with multiple early opt-outs unless you are on the verge of being a WS contender. Otherwise, if the player is good, they will leave before your window of contention. On the other hand, I am not a big fan of large market teams refusing to spend. Farhan’s failures are mostly on the FA signing side in my book. I like the Giants future. Ramos and Fitzgerald have great bats and will be future contributors if not regular All-Stars. Baily and Chapman play great defense and Chapman’s bat has been good this year. The starting pitching should be fine in 2025, Robbie Ray looks like the winner when the Gants swapped bad contracts and trading away Haniger. Harrison and Hicks looked good early in the season and I think both just were worn down. Webb still looks like a top of the rotation guy. Eldridge and Tibbs will be contributors by 2026. I think think one or two of Luciano, Encarnacion and Matos will develop, especially Luciano. I just don’t see a path to the Giants winning the division for the next couple years. To me, Farhan is not a disaster, but he does not impress, I rate him in the bottom half of POBOs. I always have caution in making such comments, because I do not have insider information on which owners, chairmen or presidents micromanage their POBO and which do not.
Simm
Think fangraphs had this team as an 84 win team. Even that wouldn’t have been good enough to make the playoffs.
When you look at the giants it’s tough to see them making the playoffs at least next year. Barring an amazing offseason.
Pickle_Britches
Let’s see how well Fitzgerald and Ramos do next year. Both have steady been declining. They strikeout to much which tells me they will struggle to be league avg next year
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Fitzgerald – as a shortstop – has a higher OPS than Freeman, Schwarber or Vientos, of course some regression is expected and he will still be far above a league average hitter.
Ramos has a higher OPS than Machado and Alonso and, in fewer at-bats, has more home runs than Jackson Chourio, O’Neill Cruz or Austin Riley.
Some regression to the mean, quite possibly, but struggle to be league average at the pplate, I doubt it.
Pickle_Britches
Ok let’s see how they do next year. No team in MLB would take any of those you named over Ramos or Fitzgerald lol.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Of course, other teams would take those other guys other Fitzgerald and Ramos (assuming cost was not a factor). That is why so was using those players to illustrate that even with some regression to the mean, Fitzgerald and Ramos will be good.
Pickle_Britches
Let’s see how they do next year. Both have declined each month. Ramos has been getting lucky hits according to Fangraphs. If people are counting on them next year it’s not looking good. They have Lee hopefully he can come back and be halfway decent. Bryan Reynolds is making less than him per year and is by far better. Sad to say but the Giants are cheeks and have a dookie sauce farm. Martin setting records for the most Ks or what lol
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Well, I can agree with you on something. Lee does appear to have been an overpay.
its_happening
Or that Farhan has not lived up to expectations unless you set the bar very low.
GMoney28
Most people aren’t properly appreciating how dire the situation was when Zaidi took over. 6/7 bad/untradeable contracts, nobody in the pipeline above Rookie Ball, an organizational mandate not to rebuild, and then the list development year for international players and those in the 2019 and 2020 drafts, many of whom are finally beginning to debut this season.
I think ownership is sensitive to that reality. He did whiff big on Hunter Bishop and Will Bednar, but building blocks are beginning to emerge, there aren’t any bad deals on the ledger save for maybe Chapman’s, and the org finally has minor league depth for the first time in his tenure.
What they really need to address is the cavernous right-center field, which, combined with the frigid summer temps in SF, has prevented them from signing any legitimate lefty bat since the ballpark opened. I think if they promise Soto they’ll bring the fences in significantly in Triples Alley, they may have an outside shot to get him.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
First of all hell no to soto, 2nd you can still be a bad GM even if you do well raising prospects, tbh I think Chaim bloom was better because he had great farm systems but horrible free agent decisions, farhan is only ok at farming and also horrible at free agents
GMoney28
How is he horrible? Hasn’t given out a bad contract to a free agent yet.
Redwolves3
How about LaStella & Pollock?
foppert2
Ha ha. If they are your worst contracts in the volatile player performance market of baseball, you are doing very very well. You illustrated his point beautifully.
scottn59c
Neither of those were really consequential.
Pete'sView
The Giants farm system is rated #23 out of 30. How can anyone say—even with the situation he was given—that Farhan has done a good job? The man has no instinct for baseball. I can’t even listen to his excuses anymore.
foppert2
I want to hear the excuses !
That would be interesting. Where do I find them ?
its_happening
Pete’s View, hard to have baseball instincts when you were never a baseball person to begin with. Grew up hours north of Toronto in a place where its hockey and shoveling snow where the passion is.
foppert2
The baseball instincts thing is ridiculous. Just a made up term by overblown fans.
Explain it to me. Define “baseball instincts” and give me an example of where not having them has been evident ?
You ran away when I asked you to give examples of his “poor leadership”. Let’s see if you man up this time.
its_happening
Man up? What would you know about being a man? Hard to imagine you’d know with a number in a name that isn’t real. Calm yourself. Bad enough you think you know what you’re talking about when you don’t.
As for Zaidi, it’s documented in a simple Google search that he wasn’t into baseball until he read Moneyball. That is, at best, 2002. He was in graduate school. Never played a meaningful baseball game growing up and never cared. Those who played (I’m sure you didn’t because of your stupid comment), know what baseball instincts Pete’s View was talking about. Because you don’t, you were suppose to sit this out and let the smarter baseball people talk. You’re not one of them.
As for being a poor leader, his interest in social justice over success on the field is well-documented. Coming from the Oakland A’s tree where they are allergic to wins in October also contributes to his lack of success. Most smart baseball people know this. Again, you’re not one of those people.
Finally, the man grew up in a small town well north of Toronto. Baseball is not a big part of the town. Scoreboard since you’re lost: Farhan didn’t play or care about baseball until his mid-20’s and grew up nowhere near a baseball haven to have any passion for the sport. He might have passion for it now (debatable), he did not the first half of his life.
Now man up and apologize for sucking.
foppert2
Nope. You ran like a child on the leadership thing. Nothing to apologise for.
I know the history. What I want are real examples of his poor leadership and lack of baseball instincts. You see, I struggle to believe that a poor leader with no baseball instincts can make it to a MLB POBO position. I figure he would have had to get by a whole world of very smart baseball people like you.
So Mr Baseball, please provide specific examples (not generalised rubbish) on examples of poor leadership and examples of no baseball instincts? While you are there, tell me how a man lacking those qualities gets through the numerous interview processes he would have endured through his MLB career ?
You see they are my options.
Logic versus fan that thats really high on himself.
DodgersBro
ih
“Blah blah blah”
None of that screed answers the question that was asked.
What are “baseball instincts”?
Pickle_Britches
Trash can farm. Eldridge might be their best chance at not being the worst farm in all of MLB
disadvantage
@happening
There are two problems with your arguments:
1. Farhan has had success in the front office, whether you’d like to admit it or not. So that alone already disproves your arguments
2. Even so, all of your arguments are appeals to intuition and logical fallacies. In other words, you’re trying to make arguments that “feel” right, but without any actual evidence
For example:
– He grew up in a small town that is not a baseball haven
* First, sources?? Have you been there, or are you making assumptions based on stereotypes? Second, Lithuania’s baseball presence is practically non-existent, but Dovydas Neverauskas pitched in the Majors. He’s not good enough? Tayler Scott is only the second South African player, and he’s pitching well for a contender. Remember, there are tens or thousands of people from booming baseball towns that don’t even sniff the Majors
– He developed an interest in baseball in 2002 while he was in grad school
* The age in which someone develops an interest in something has little effect on how much success they can have. Lorenzo Cain didn’t even play baseball until his sophomore year in high school, so roughly ten years later than most players that work their butts off just to not even get drafted. Cain got drafted two years later and turned that into an $80mm contract
– He didn’t play baseball
* And he still doesn’t play baseball, so again, you can try to infer that not playing baseball directly correlates to being unsuccessful in the front office, but it does not
* The Mariners, Rangers, and White Sox all have former players as GMs. None of them are likely to make the playoffs
– He was into social justice
* I think you and I can both agree this was not a very solid argument against Farhan. Seriously, try harder
Scoreboard since you’re lost: none of your arguments have any correlation to how successful a person can be in a front office, nor do they explain how FZ could’ve had any success in spite of them
its_happening
Disadvantage I’m sorry you wasted your time writing a bunch of crap.
Yes I have been to Farhaan’s small town. Did you look it up or do you expect others (me) to do the thinking for you.
What success? LA Dodgers? Didn’t seen success with a high payroll during his tenure and still isn’t in San Fran as a non-baseball person. Oakland also wasn’t success and neither are most execs coming from the Billy Beane tree.
The rest of your, ahem, argument is rather laughable. The only person “trying harder” is you with your 6000 page essay on why you feel mediocre is the new greatness.
On a side, is every pay subscriber on this website clueless? Rhetorical question, it’s yes.
disadvantage
@happening
Okay, I can see I got under your skin. I am sorry about that.
But you’re a man, right? That’s what you told @fopp. If that’s the case, a man wouldn’t let someone get under his skin. A man would have a back and forth debate with someone. And if he’s got a sound argument, he will prove it. Emotionally charged opinions, which is all you’ve presented so far, is decidedly unmanly, and does not prove your point.
DodgersBro
da
*a man would have a back and forth debate with the person
I mean, there is plenty of evidence that this isn’t true. Most of the people here, presumably, are men and most of them cannot have a reasoned debate.
You’re mostly right about ih’s “arguments”, though.
disadvantage
@db
I guess I wasn’t clear in my previous post, but I was using “man” to refer to how an ideal man should act relative to their masculinity, not necessarily that they are physically a man. But point taken (see, @ih, how a well-reasoned point can be delivered and be understood by the other person?).
foppert2
The men term in that statement is about behaviour, not a penis.
This place is choc a bloc full of teenage boy attitudes and behaviours. IH is a fine example. Zero sensible real world examples, lots of weak, narrow minded,
child like assumptions he purports to be truth. He has lots of friends though. From the outside looking in, you would be forgiven for thinking they have all copied someone.
Pickle_Britches
Farm is straight buns. 0 pitchers that seem solid coming up. Luciano should of been traded while he had value.
its_happening
I gave you a back and forth. What else do you need other than a clue? If you are looking for someone to agree with you, talk to DodgerBro in your echo chamber.
Foppart decided he wanted to go low, but since you agree with him you can’t be impartial. Again, what do you need?
Farhan hasn’t reached expectation. The game has changed to allow Ivy League number crunchers with no baseball background to rise. Is it good? Maybe, maybe not. I know his hometown, and it’s a small town with lots of snow, Junior Hockey, no baseball.
Do you need overall records and playoff performances typed for you to prove my position? This whole “emotionally charged opinion is pure one sided, and it’s yours.
its_happening
DodgersBro, what part is factually incorrect? A disagreement does not mean someone is wrong. What you just did here, was it “manly”? Not that I care, you do you.
its_happening
I would say your behaviour was abhorrent. But I guess having an opinion on your Team President and the state of baseball isn’t “man enough” for you.
Your best course of action Foppert is to mute me. It’s clear I got under the skin of you and these other two. Save yourself the trouble. You brought all this because of baseball instincts.
Baseball instincts. I and Pete say Farhan doesn’t have it, you, DodgerBro and Disadvantage disagree. That is a clear and concise synopsis. But you brought feminine energy and was offended by my comment. Again, my opinion.
disadvantage
@happening
I’ll give you another opportunity for a back and forth. I’ll keep it short since, even though you love writing long retorts, you hate when other people do it for some reason. So let’s start here:
“I know his hometown, and it’s a small town with lots of snow, Junior Hockey, no baseball.”
– You do realize he moved to the Philippines when he was 3, right? So while it’s cool you’ve been to his hometown, it has no relevance here.
“As for Zaidi, it’s documented in a simple Google search that he wasn’t into baseball until he read Moneyball”
– He loved collecting baseball cards throughout his youth, so no, he didn’t wait until grad school to develop an interest in baseball. In your words: it’s documented in a simple Google search
The problem with your arguments are that you dislike Farhan, and you are working backwards to justify your dislike towards him. The problem with that strategy is that (1) your points don’t actually determine whether someone could be a productive front office member of an MLB team, and (2) they aren’t even factually correct.
DodgersBro
i_h
“I and Pete say Farhan doesn’t have it, you, DodgerBro and Disadvantage disagree”
What did I say that lead you to believe this?
I said that you didn’t define what it is. You still haven’t
Will you now?
Spoiler: no, you won’t
The only question is what your next action will be
1) ignore this comment
2) some version of “if you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you” which totally misses the point. It’s not about whether I know. It’s simply about defining terms.
3) reply in a way that you think answers the question, but doesn’t
I’ll take option 3 – the Dunning-Kruger option
Blackpink in the area
Missing the playoffs 5 out of 6 years with a big payroll is pathetic.
GMoney28
The only reason they had a big payroll the first 3 years is because they were still paying Belt, Crawford, Longo, Sanardjisijiza, Cueto, Posey, et al.
22-23 the payroll wasn’t big.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Half of the players you mentioned were still pretty good players, the others weren’t that bad
I don’t know why you are defending farhan this much, I can’t see how he has helped the giants
Blue Baron
GMoney28: WTF is a Sanardjisijiza?
SFan
Blue Baron Jeff Samardzija
JoeBrady
Old people sometimes forget some players.
Simm
What legit lefty bat did they attempt to sign?
Ohtani? He was never going to San Francisco even if the fence was moved in. Better chance of getting judge and he also was never going there.
Bellinger? Not sure he qualifies as a legit lefty bat but they surely could have signed him.
Soto the guy Melvin wanted traded at the 2023 deadline. Very hard to see him signing with the Giants fences moved in or not.
Jean Matrac
Harper.
Pickle_Britches
Who wants to play for a bunch of lollipop Democrats? Lol
Jean Matrac
Talk baseball. Leave your right-wingnut philosophy for elsewhere.
amk1920
The 2024 Giants will barley finish with a better record than the 2019 Giants. Farhan’s tenure has been a disaster. The farm is mediocre
DodgersBro
amk
My god. What a horror show.
What would you call it if the major league team finished with the same record?
And, egads! What if… What if they were worse?
its_happening
Dodgersbro that’s called mediocrity. If that’s good in your books you should throw out those books they’re not helping you.
DodgersBro
ih
Here are things that have been said in this discussion
“Dodgersbro that’s called mediocrity. ”
“Farhan’s tenure has been a disaster.”
Here are things that have not been said
“that’s good”
Get it?
its_happening
I get that you question others and do not take a real stand. May I ask why you have trouble with that?
Non Roster Invitee
Mmmmm, barley.
amk1920
They won 77 games in 2019 at the “dire” time Farhan took over. They are on pace for 79. Great progress in 6 years!
foppert2
They very publicly threw in the towel a couple of weeks ago. It’s spring training at the Giants now. If you miss the playoffs, the final record means nothing. The only people interested in that now are dumb fans.
Pickle_Britches
Reason why they have one of the worst farm systems. Overrated players like Luciano should of been traded. Harrison is a #5 starter if he cant throw strikes he should of been traded while he had value.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
Should have waived Blake Snell.
GO1962
Better yet, should have traded Snell for prospects in late July.
SFan
Instead of paying him another $30-40 million. Imagine the return for top prospects…..could’ve been Farhans chance to get some actually good players in the farm system.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
I don’t think SF will have to worry about paying Snell more unless they extend him. I think that Snell will otherwise opt out. The Giants had an unlikely path to a wildcard spot, but I don’t know what other teams were offering for Snell.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Snell is going out of SF probably to a big market team
If ricketts is willing to pay again I could see the cubs as a fit
MLB Top 100 Commenter
I don’t see the Cubs signing Snell. They need to sign a quality closer, a quality catcher to pair with Amaya, and a one year DH. By 2026, both Shaw and Smith will be ready, maybe mid-season 2025. Maybe Jansen, Kittredge, and Treinan. Pearson, Miller, Hodge, and Thompson should return. Steele, Imanaga, Taillon have three starting pitching spots. Assad, Wicks and Horton if healthy all are options. Corbin Burnes would be a dream upgrade, but an Alex Cobb type is more likely. Suzuki, Happ and PCA in the outfield. Belli opts out – maybe. Busch and Paredes look weak at the corners, I expect a bounce-back from Hoerner and Swanson. With Shaw and Smith on the way, I do not see spending for a multi-year OF or DH. No way would I trade Hoerner unless it was for a Baseball America pitching propect in the top 30 (overall top 30, not team top 30). I would sooner trade Paredes. I felt Morel was a DH only guy, but I still was not too excited with Paredes. I think Busch has legitimate piwer, but like Paredes, I worry that the on-base skills will regress. But no, I don’t see the Cubs picking up Snell. They would sooner retain Belli plus add a mid-rotation starter. I think Snell is a plus for team spending like a big market team, see Dodgers, Yankees or Phillies, but his tendency to go 5 innings and get injured and be streaky, I would want to be a big market team if I am signing Snell to a long-term contract. Very high risk, high reward kind of player.
Jean Matrac
GO1962, SFan, The Giants absolutely were not getting “actually good” players in a trade for Snell. The presence of the opt-out in his contract is too uncertain for other teams to give up anything of value. At best, Snell had to be considered a 2 month rental, which usually does not bring back much value.
LordD99
Snell would not have delivered much in prospects due to his contract and slow start.
Simm
Depends what you consider much. Probably would have gotten back more than the tigers got back for Flaherty, the marlins got back for Scott. The jays got back for their pitcher.
Problem is they really didn’t want to trade him and most of the suitors were in the NL west.
Any of those deals are better than he is going to get when he leaves as a free agent which is nothing.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@LordD99 Would have delivered more than paying him $10m to miss the playoffs.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@Simm No team should be scared of trading a rental to a division rival.
Simm
I agree but that doesn’t mean they aren’t
Jean Matrac
Simm, Those trades aren’t really good comps. Flaherty was being paid $18M less than Snell. Scott was being paid $26.3M less than Snell. Teams weren’t going to give up a similar level of prospects, which weren’t that great to begin with, and take on Snell’s remaining salary.
Simm
Snell was only owed like 5m at the deadline. The majority of this years money was a signing bonus they could not transfer to another team.
So he was owed less than Flaherty.
foppert2
How about the scenario of the player saying he doesn’t want to be traded, and that team having designs on being in the FA mix for him ?
They shouldn’t be afraid of pissing him off and ruling themselves out ?
To put it another way, is Snell saying this if he was traded against his will ?
“A deal would be nice, but I think just finishing the season strong, focusing on that is probably most important to me,” Snell said. “If that’s something they want to talk about, I’m always open to it. I’ve enjoyed my time here a lot. I know fans have been hounding me about it. But truthfully, it’s up to them. I have nothing but good things to say about San Francisco.”
Jean Matrac
It’s still more than some teams would want to take on in addition to trading away anything of value, which is the point of contention.
SD is till pinching pennies. And that $5M would have been $10.5M+ in actual cost to the NYYs, and LADs, due to their current CBT situations.
More rentals on expiring contracts don’t get traded than do. The obvious reason is the return not being worth much. No team wants to take on significant cost and give up prospects of any value.
Simm
Yet Flaherty was traded to the dodgers and he was owed more.
It’s really more likely the giants didn’t want to move him.
Jean Matrac
Simm, Flaherty was owed less, but the difference was insignificant. The Tigers had played 109 games at the deadline, making the money owed him at $4.62M. While the Giants had played 110 games making the money owed to him at $4.8M.
Simm
Haha okay. That difference is so small I can’t believe you spent the time to write it.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@foppert2 Where did Snell ever say he doesn’t want to be traded? And how would being traded (or waived) be a bad thing for him when the Giants had no chance of making the playoffs and if he gets traded or waived presumably it would be to a team that is actually going to make it?
And as you keep intentionally ignoring, trading or waiving Snell does NOT preclude the Giants from bringing him back, if they want. A player has never held being traded against a former team in negotiations. If Snell indeed has “enjoyed his time here a lot” and indeed does have “nothing but good things to say about San Francisco” then trading/waiving him and bringing him back should be easy for them. It’s not like they don’t have the money.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@Jean Matrac Honestly the salary savings alone would have been worth it for SF. Not to mention eliminating the chance of Snell getting injured or faltering down the stretch and opting in (remember that the only time the player opts in is when the team doesn’t want him to).
Pretty sure the Padres had enough breathing room under the CBT to add Snell. Could be wrong tho.
foppert2
It was mentioned by somebody. Don’t know for sure though. To me, it seems logical he wouldn’t want to be traded. His is about the big contract. He got off to a horror start and just got going in one of the best pitcher parks in the game. Stands to reason he would not want to be uprooted at that point.
If it was against his will, as was mentioned somewhere,
it does preclude them from resigning him imo. It’s not fantasy baseball. Human emotions are at play and he wouldn’t have been happy.
Simm
Snell seems to take a bit to get comfortable so I’m sure he was fine with staying with the giants. Though I’m sure he would have been happy to have been traded to the padres since he was there for three years.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@foppert2…
“It was mentioned by somebody. Don’t know for sure though.”
So basically “Source: trust me bro!” Cool, cool.
“Stands to reason he would not want to be uprooted at that point.”
Oh yeah elite players hate going to teams that actually have a chance at a ring! And Boras clients definitely don’t understand the business side of the game! /s
“If it was against his will, as was mentioned somewhere…”
Where?
“… it does preclude them from resigning him imo.”
No it doesn’t. Just pay the man.
“It’s not fantasy baseball. Human emotions are at play and he wouldn’t have been happy.”
Unless and until you can provide a direct quote from Snell saying he doesn’t want to be traded all your prognostication about how he might not like this or the fanbase might not like that means bo-diddly squat.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@Simm He’d be happy to go to any contender.
Jean Matrac
“…when the Giants had no chance of making the playoffs…”
They clearly had a chance to make the PS at the deadline.. On 7/31 they were 4.5 games back from a WC berth. With the return of Robbie Ray, Blake Snell performing well coming off the IL, and 52 games left to play, only a loser mentality would consider throwing in the towel. Especially when the return on a trade for Snell would have been one 50 FV guy, and another at the low end of a team’s top 30 prospects.
foppert2
Never claimed it meant anything. I presented as a scenario. 99% of prognostication on here means diddly squat. Including your assertion they should received him.
I had a quick look. Can’t find it. Might have been the Pavlovic podcast but I’m not trolling through back issues. Happy to move on.
foppert2
You got evidence of that ?
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@Jean Matrac Even if you believe that they were clearly sunk by August 29 and could have saved $5-6m, divested themselves of the risk of him exercising his player option, boosted their draft stock for 2025 and possibly earned some goodwill by giving him a shot at a ring by waiving Blake Snell.
foppert2
@ringworm
He would have been happy to go to any contender ?
No evidence ?
Means diddly squat until you can show where he said that ?
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@foppert2 Oh yeah players hate having a chance to pitch in big games and win a ring /s
foppert2
Maybe. It would be an individual thing dependant on circumstances. Just show me where he said it and there is no problem. Rules are rules, big boy.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@foppert2 Same place he said he would never even consider returning to the Giants if they trade or waive him.
Jean Matrac
Ringworm
“..August 29 and .could have saved $5-6m, divested themselves of the risk of him exercising his player option, boosted their draft stock for 2025 …”
No. On 8/29 Snell was owed just over $2.5M (all of $5K more) not $5-6M. And what’s the risk to the Giants of him exercising his option? The Giants know just as well as you and I that he will opt out. So what? There’s no risk there at all. And exactly how do they boost their draft stock by waiving Snell? If he’s waived and claimed, the Giants get zilch. The only benefit is saving $2.5M. Your post makes zero sense.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@Jean Matrac Saving even $1 is worth waiving Snell. And you don’t know that he will opt out until he officially does so. While it looks likely right now, it’s entirely possible he tears his UCL in his next start and needs TJ or gets bombed in all of his remaining starts and opts in. Remember that the only time a player doesn’t opt out is when you want him to.
They boost their draft stock by waiving Snell because they lose more games down the stretch. This is not a difficult concept.
Jean Matrac
Simm,
“It’s really more likely the giants didn’t want to move him.”
Possibly, but just as possibly not. You have no idea (and neither do I) how either organization regarded any of the prospects offered. Maybe the Tigers org really liked Liranzo. Every team has their own player evaluations. It’s more likely that no one that the Giants regarded very highly was offered for Snell. Even the worst GM/PBO in baseball isn’t that stupid to reject a trade offer that they think would improve their team/farm.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
Not seeing how keeping Snell improves the Giants. At least not beyond 2024 (which they are already sunk).
Jean Matrac
$2.5M means little to the Giants, let alone $1M. The Giants are flush with cash, and do not need to try and save a million or two here or there, like some other teams.
It is possible Snell tears his UCL. It’s a possibility for every pitcher in baseball. But it really isn’t probable, since most pitchers don’t blow out their UCL. And I seriously doubt any team operates on the basis of planning around that possibility. That sounds like planning not to lose, not planning to win.
And I guess you are unaware of the new rules regarding the draft. MLB now has a draft lottery. Unfortunately for the Giants, large market teams cannot be in the lottery. The highest pick the Giants can get is the 10th overall. What you’re suggesting is makes moves to cost wins for draft picks, thereby establishing a losing culture. Not a good idea,
Jean Matrac
“Not seeing how keeping Snell improves the Giants. At least not beyond 2024…”
That’s not the issue. Waiving Snell doesn’t improve the Giants either. And since none of us has any idea who might have been offered for Snell, nor do we know how the Giants regarded any player that might have been offered, none of us has the knowledge to say the Giants would have benefited by trading him.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@Jean Matrac…
“$2.5M means little to the Giants, let alone $1M. The Giants are flush with cash, and do not need to try and save a million or two here or there, like some other teams.”
But how exactly does spending that $2.5m on Snell *HELP* them? You have answered how it fails to hurt them. How does it *HELP* them?
“It is possible Snell tears his UCL. It’s a possibility for every pitcher in baseball. But it really isn’t probable, since most pitchers don’t blow out their UCL. And I seriously doubt any team operates on the basis of planning around that possibility. That sounds like planning not to lose, not planning to win.”
It is planning to win if the unthinkable happens and the Giants aren’t forced to pay him $30m to sit on the IL in 2025. Then they can repurpose that $30m elsewhere.
“And I guess you are unaware of the new rules regarding the draft. MLB now has a draft lottery. Unfortunately for the Giants, large market teams cannot be in the lottery. The highest pick the Giants can get is the 10th overall.”
That’s not true. The Giants absolutely are allowed to be in the lottery. The rules only say they can’t win a lottery pick 2 years in a row. So dumping Snell increases their odds at a lottery pick in 2025 and increases where they pick if they don’t get a lottery pick.
“What you’re suggesting is makes moves to cost wins for draft picks, thereby establishing a losing culture. Not a good idea.”
Trading/waiving rental players when you are out of the race doesn’t establish any kind of losing culture. It’s what most teams that are out of the race do.
“That’s not the issue. Waiving Snell doesn’t improve the Giants either.”
Yes it does. I already explained how.
“And since none of us has any idea who might have been offered for Snell, nor do we know how the Giants regarded any player that might have been offered, none of us has the knowledge to say the Giants would have benefited by trading him.”
Anything that can’t be a free agent after 2024 and can put up more than 0 WAR would have helped the Giants more in 2025 and beyond than Snell.
Jean Matrac
Well, we’ll just have to agree to disagree, since you’ve failed to convince me that waiving Snell has any worthwhile benefit for the Giants beyond the most marginal.
Except, that I wonder why any team would claim Snell on the chance that he would blow out his UCL and opt-in for 2025. The very reason why you seem to think the Giants should waive him.
You also seem to forget that the very reason for the lottery is to discourage teams from tanking. Losing on purpose doesn’t pay off the way it used to.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
@Jean Matrac…
“Well, we’ll just have to agree to disagree…”
There is no agreeing or disagreeing with the cold hard facts. Waiving Snell saves the Giants some $ and helps their draft position. It doesn’t lower their playoff chances because those were already 0.
“Except, that I wonder why any team would claim Snell on the chance that he would blow out his UCL and opt-in for 2025. The very reason why you seem to think the Giants should waive him.”
Because those teams are actually contending for a title this year. When you are contending for a title some things are worth the risk. The Giants, however, were not.
“You also seem to forget that the very reason for the lottery is to discourage teams from tanking. Losing on purpose doesn’t pay off the way it used to.”
It doesn’t pay off quite the way it used to but it does increase their chances and it does mean they draft higher if they don’t get a lottery pick. All picks after the top 6 are decided the same way.
Jean Matrac
I disagree with your opinions.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
Not opinions
DodgersBro
FRj
“Not opinions”
“It doesn’t lower their playoff chances because those were already 0”
This is most definitely an opinion, and an incorrect one, and not a fact.
Only the White Sox, Angels, Martins and Rockies have been mathematically eliminated. Which means every other team still has some chance to make the playoffs.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
“So low as to be negligible.”
And the Giants waived other players before August ended so clearly they agree with me. Why keep Snell but not those other dudes?
SFan
Skimming through this article, I can’t see Zaidi in the FO for even the next few days. If you wanna fire him, fire him soon so we aren’t frantically looking for a new POBO in the off-season while searching for free agents, a distraction. But holy headache going through this one, please let Farhan go.
Rishi
What good is “the equivalent of a team option” in this case? If they wanna leave they will and nobody is gonna exercise an option for a GM or manager that doesn’t wanna be there. So what’s the point of such a thing?
Just Rob
See Duquette, Dan and Angelos, Peter vis a vis the Blow Jays circa 2016.
It does happen. Executives can be “traded” (released from their contract) for prospects / picks/ cash.
Rsox
I think there is a good chance Zaidi is let go when the season ends. One playoff birth in 6 seasons that came out of nowhere and poor play the rest of the time. A stagnant offense that relies heavily on station-to-station baseball in a big ballpark hasn’t helped. The one area he has tried the hardest is the rotation, when you see several players brought in to varying degrees of success. Zaidi has repeatedly shopped in the high end free agent section only to end up with a clearance item. Remember he all but promised Giants fans Aaron Judge and when that didn’t happen he pivoted to Carlos Correa, and subsequently chickend out of that deal. There’s a decent core in place in San Francisco, they just need someone better at supplementing it
MLB Top 100 Commenter
RSox
Not a Farhan fan, but to say he “chickened out” of Correa deal is silly. I give him an overall below average rating, but he gets props for bailing on Correa after reviewing the medical records.
foppert2
lol at all but promised Giant fans Aaron Judge. Ha ha. Classic. Let’s exaggerate something to the point it becomes fiction. My goodness. Do you think people have forgotten what he really said ?
JoeBrady
he pivoted to Carlos Correa, and subsequently chickend out of that deal.
===========================
Chickened out of a deal with a player that failed his medical?
Steve E.
One winning season in six years. Need more be said?
rb305
Let’s be real, most of you only have had one winning season in 6 years in your jobs. You’re a .500 performer at work, and that gets you by and gets your paid.
Now, maybe if Farhan could have a “salary” year this offseason like players do who are hoping to get paid in free agency, then the Giants may actually sign a quality outfielder.
Giants78
For fans, baseball is results oriented. For whatever reasons, the Farhan era has only had 1 good year out of 6 for my Giants. Time to find a GM who can produce a winning team. I’d keep BoMel for next year, but so far I’m not impressed by him.
Non Roster Invitee
Not a big home run hitting team,not a small ball stealing team. No identity. Boring and frustrating.
Acoss1331
Seems like the magical 2021 season was just a perfect storm at the right time for a lot the Giants. At least Farhan has tried to sign free agents, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa, Shohei Ohtani, but for one reason or another a deal never comes together.
Jean Matrac
One reason is the park. Correa being the exception here, Hitters, especially LH HR hitters don’t want to play in a park that is difficult to hit HRs in. Judge is a righty, and I’m not sure if it’s the reason why, but he was probably the closest to agreeing to sign with the Giants.
Non Roster Invitee
Someone hit a fly ball at Oracle that went 430 feet. He got a double.Home run in every other park.
I got chided on McCovey Chronicles for saying that the Giants should change the configuration of the field and add more seats years ago.
I also said that the six man starting rotation is coming.
Jarred Kelenic's Beer Can
Farhan Zaidi is the Jerry Dipoto of the National League.
Baseball77
Maybe that is why they trade with each other so much!
scrambledeggs
Farhan should have been fired when Kapler got fired
Pickle_Britches
Giants need better scouts. They have one of the weakest farms and haven’t had luck with any pitchers they drafted. Drafting 2 way players to just let them pitch or hit. Crawford might be a future set up man or closer at best. Eldridge looks really good so far. Martin has to be the worst hitter/fielder for his age but yet they felt the need to move him up lol. There player development skills need work. Too many high strikeout high risk talent they lean on. Cam Smith I was hoping for but they signed tibbs.
xkevinx
It is kind of the industry norm to put (paid) or (subscription needed) next to a link that is not free to read. Talk a little more in depth about content that’s behind a paywall if you’re going to refer your readers to it. Don’t assume we all have a subscription to a resource that you recommend and cite in your article.
Pickle_Britches
Giants failed to capitalize this past month on weak competition to gain ground on a sniff at a WC spot. They had a easy schedule. So boring to watch. They can’t score runs. Nothing new. They have no solid Starters coming up and have a weak farm. Not looking promising for them for awhile and that only makes signing Chapman a bad signing if they don’t plan on getting better. Be a waist
Non Roster Invitee
2025 Giants starting outfield: Encarnacion,Lee,Ramos