The Giants have already been linked to some prominent free agents this winter, and it appears as though Corbin Burnes is another name on the club’s list of targets. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand writes that the Giants “are believed to have significant interest in Burnes,” and thus San Francisco joins the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Yankees, and Burnes’ former team the Orioles as clubs known to be pursuing the right-hander to some degree.
MLBTR projects Burnes to land a seven-year, $200MM deal as the top pitcher on the free agent market, and signing the hurler at such a price would be a fascinating move for a Giants club that is reportedly looking to reduce payroll. The Giants’ Opening Day payroll last season was roughly $208.1MM (as per Cot’s Baseball Contracts) and they currently have around $154.8MM on the books for 2025 according to RosterResource’s calculations. Trading any of Mike Yastrzemski, Camilo Doval, LaMonte Wade Jr., Taylor Rogers or Tyler Rogers would free up some more money, but as it stands right now, there’s room for San Francisco to ink Burnes for something in the ballpark of a $28.5MM average annual value and still have space for more additions before reaching the 2024 payroll number.
The Giants also haven’t necessarily been acting like a team that is planning on limited spending. San Francisco has shown interest in two of the offseason’s bigger-name free agents in Willy Adames and now Burnes, plus the Giants had at least a check-in on Juan Soto’s market. Ha-Seong Kim and Tomoyuki Sugano are two other notables on the team’s radar, among less-pricey options. And, of course, the Giants already made a big spending splurge before free agency even opened by keeping Matt Chapman off the market with a six-year, $151MM extension.
Buster Posey was reportedly heavily involved in the Chapman negotiations even before becoming the team’s new president of baseball operations, and those efforts to retain a prominent star seemingly indicated that Posey’s front office was prepared to take a more aggressive stance in trying to land top-shelf talent. Signing a Burnes or an Adames would finally put to rest the narrative that the organization is unable to attract star free agents, though it remains to be seen if these forays into the top of the 2024-25 free agent market are anything more than due diligence, if Giants ownership does want to limit spending.
Burnes has some West Coast ties, as he hails from Bakersfield, California and he played college ball at Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga (about 40 minutes away from San Francisco). From a purely on-field perspective, there’s also a natural fit — Burnes would step right into Blake Snell’s shoes as the new ace, teaming with Logan Webb to become one of the game’s better one-two rotation punches. Kyle Harrison and Robbie Ray would each move a slot down in the rotation order, and San Francisco would gain some flexibility in deciding what to do with the fifth starter’s job. Any of Landen Roupp, Hayden Birdsong, Mason Black, Keaton Winn, or top prospect Carson Whisenhunt could compete for the job in Spring Training, or Jordan Hicks could be given another shot at a starting role if the Giants don’t want to just keep him in the bullpen.
Since San Francisco exceeded the luxury tax threshold last season, they would pay an additional penalty for signing Burnes or any free agent that rejected a qualifying offer. The Giants would have to give up $1MM of funds from their international signing bonus pool, and also their second- and fifth-highest selections in the 2025 draft. The club already gave up two picks (their second- and third-rounders) in the 2024 draft to sign Snell and Chapman last winter, as both players rejected qualifying offers before entering free agency.
Naaaaah Ya Think
I guess that’s what you talk about when nothing is going on.
The Giants were basically a 500 team with Snell. I don’t know why they would expect to improve even if they signed Burnes.
Snell didn’t play half the season bro.
He made 20 starts. Was he supposed to make 40 bro?
My point is replacing Snell with Burnes really isn’t an upgrade. And they need a big big upgrade in order to compete with the Dodgers who of course just went and signed Snell and have Ohtani ready to pitch in 2025.
Would’ve made the postseason if he even played 10 more games (regular starter workload), and won just half of those. Burnes would be a clear step up
The Giants were 9 games out of a playoff spot. So no they wouldn’t have made the playoffs if he made those starts and won half of them.
@ Blackpink. How do you upgrade from Snell? You can’t. You can try to replace him, although he was transcendent for 2 months. That would be Burnes. And maybe 10 extra starts does help if Burnes can give them to the Giants. The upgrade has to come at SS or maybe 1B or RF. Not doing anything with the rotation means the Giants are getting worse.
I wouldn’t try to replace him if I were the Giants. The Dodgers are amazing right now but they are gonna get old in a couple years. I would take a step back for now and save all that money for when the Dodgers start slowing down and go for it then. The Padres are another team that is going to take a step back in a couple years. I would save money and try to win then not now.
Dodgers are never slowing down w the roster they’re just gonna pile up diverted salaries for 20 years they must know something we don’t maybe the dollar collapses
I’ll take 33 starts for what he was paid last season. I saw a couple of Snell’s starts at Oracle Park this past season, and he was dominant. But there’s a fair bit of uncertainty year-to-year whether he’s going to be available. I hope he pitches well and often for the Dodgers.
Some of the Dodgers players are already getting old. In a couple years it will be even worse for them. Maybe they run a 600 million dollar payroll to compensate who knows. But I think the Dodgers have a window to be dominant and it doesn’t last forever.
I dont know why the Giants signed Chapman. Should have saved that money for when it mattered.
Start worrying if players start asking to be paid in crypto.
@Blackpink,
That’s no way to run a business – tank and wait years for your competitors to fail – even assuming Dodgers and Padres would is really out there.
The Giants needs to build up their team to take on the Dodgers, Padres, D’backs and other contenders in the NL. Waving the white flag while praying for opponent failure is a recipe for failure that Buster Posey and the Giants would never consider.
So they miss out on the best FA in back to back years to these monster teams who are they supposed to run out at 3b freakin Casey Schmidt
Most would consider Burnes a downgrade to Blake Snell. Burnes is younger, so he will get a longer contract and is a good pitcher. However, Burnes has been in a pretty sharp decline the last FIVE seasons…. His strikeout percentage has gone down every season for five years and his WHIP has been going up for four seasons. I’d much prefer Snell over the next 3 to 4 seasons over Burnes.
The Padres are almost guaranteed to fade away in a couple years.
The Dodgers are historically dominant. Haven’t they won the division for the last 12 years? They just signed Snell away fron the Giants.
If your team can’t compete on a year to year basis with the Dodgers, and it clearly can’t, then stop trying for a couple years. Then take all the money you saved those years and spend it and give your team an actual chance. That’s what I would do if I were the Giants. Acting like the Giants are going to compete with the Dodgers in the next couple years is ridiculous.
That’s not how salaries work. Teams don’t hoard player salaries year after year and then spend it all one year once their rivals are bad. Also…I think the Giants will be waiting a long time for the dodgers to slow down.
I think the Giants added more money to their payroll in 2024 than any team in baseball did. And they still weren’t any good.
You sound entitled Gobot. It’s clear this isn’t the Giants time. I am a Cardinals fan same here it’s not their time although at least they play in an easier division. Red Sox are in a similar situation. Your team was great back in the day but it’s not great anymore. You gotta accept that.
That’s what the Astros did Andy. That’s exactly what they did.
What idiot homer fans are liking those 2 comments? One has 12 likes one has 10. And both comments are 100% false. Not an opinion that’s a fact both comments are 100% false.
Good gosh Giants fans. Are you all this delusional?????
That’s not what they did. They tanked and got a bunch of #1 picks and waited for them to get good. Then they spent their normal yearly allotment for player salaries to supplement. They spent 103m in 2009, 26m in 2013, and 124m in 2017. That’s not saving payroll to spend later. That’s feeding your fan base a bunch of bs about rebuilding while pocketing the profits and then returning to regular spending once you have some cheap talent in your system.
I see what you’re saying but they can still remain competitive and put the best team they can on the field without dethroning LA. Maybe they get in as a wildcard. Granted, every teams goal should be to win their division but only 6 will. Next years FA SPs are Cease, Gallen and Valdez. The year after is Skubal, Crochet, Sale, and Gausman. Anything can happen in the meantime and the waiting game seems risky plus most of them will just wind up in LA anyway. Ha.
Spending 26 million in 2013 wasn’t saving payroll to spend later???
The heck it wasn’t.
They didn’t feed their fan base anything they said they were rebuilding and they did. And they did a better job than just about any team in the history of baseball has ever done.
What is the point of doing what the Giants have done the last few years? They spent a TON of money last offseason, probably more than any other team in baseball and what did they have to show for it? And now their rival just signed away one of the Giants best players and you think they can compete with the Dodgers????
Delusional man.
When exactly did they spend all that extra payroll they were saving?
That payroll got pocketed by ownership and never spent again.
Giants need to add now, but players that will make sense short and long term. That probably means adding more through trades than FA, but it’s tough to sign top players to play in a non-competitive city unless there’s some excitement going on. Good teams are always looking to add. Smart teams add responsibly.
They spent it over the last few years as they won division championship after division championship.
Did someone delete my comment?
Like I said 2 comments with tons of likes and they are 100% FALSE!!!!
HOW DELUSIONAL CAN YOU BE???
No, they spent the same they were spending before their tanking. They just went back to their pre tanking levels of spending.
That’s false. You know it’s false because you looked up the payroll numbers yourself.
Blackpink in the area —
You are missing the point. Improving the Giants (not expecting them to CURRENTLY be better than the Dodgers) is where Posey needs to go.
Burnes and Adames would greatly improve SF and with an addition like Paul Goldschmidt and the development of the young arms and position players (don’t forget Bryce Eldgridge) the Giants would be a very competitive and watchable team.
Yes I did. Which is how I know it’s accurate. They spent 477m from 2006-2010, 289m from 2011-2015, and 752m from 2016-2020. In that time, mlb salaries rose from an average of 2.7m in 2006 to 4.43 in 2020 or a 64% increase in player salary. Some quick napkin math shows that the Astros never reinvested the 300ish million they didn’t spend from 2011-2015. Instead they returned to standard league spending once they had some cheap long term assets.
No, the Dodger$ haven’t “won the NL West for the last 12 years”.
The Dodger$ have won exactly TWO full-season WS in the last 58 years.
The Dodger$ didn’t “sign Snell away from the Giants” – he was a free agent.
@Blackpink in the area: Lol at you whining about how many likes other people’s comments are getting
@Blackpink in the area: Cry it out, big dog
The dude said if the Giants won half of the starts Snell made they would have made the playoffs.
That’s not an opinion that’s fake news. What kind of idiot homers are liking that comment???
Of course, there is the start he didn’t bother to show up for….
He knew he was leaving. The team was out of the playoff chase. If you want loyalty don’t give players opt outs after 1 season.
@Blackpink in the area: Who gives af. Go get some fresh air, dude
I got food poisoning a couple days ago kinda stuck here for now. I do have to work later if that makes you feel better…..
Why would the Dodgers be old in a few years? We don’t know the LAD roster 2027 onward, but if recent history tells us anything, you can assume they will be restocked with a half dozen superstars in their prime. Because they can. Get used to it, it’s the way of things.
The choice for other teams is to give up (Rockies) or try to make the playoffs. The Giants are trying to get into the playoffs, where anything goes, they’re not trying to win the division.
Look at their roster. Freeman is at that point where decline is coming soon. Betts will start to decline in a couple years. They just signed Edman that’s not gonna end well. Muncy is old but at least he will leave via free agency. Glasnow and Ohtani are both gigantic injury risks.
Yeah they just might spend more and more and keep it going. But odds are they are worse a couple years from now than they are now. Because they are as good as it gets right now.
Snell bailed on his team for his last rotation day. He didn’t want to pitch a non-meaningful game and risk injury before FA. Would’ve been fun to see him say that to Humm Baby. He would’ve been told to pack up his locker and “take a hike!” right then and there. Someone paying me $32 mil to pitch, I sure would be there for the last game. Someone had to take his place on little to no rest, and that can’t make you a popular guy.
You are a Cardinals fan so of course you wouldn’t want the Giants to replace him.
All true but Snell’s first 6-7starts were absolutely horrible as he wasn’t in game shape yet and his era was around 8. After a stint on the DL he dominated. So out of his 20 starts, 12-13 were vintage Snell and 6-7 were garbage. So really he started 12-13 games as the Snell we know. Had he started 25-30 tin that form it’s reasonable to think the Giants could have won 9 of them and been right there for a playoff hunt. So signing Burnes would be a big help plus it could attract other players.
Exactly. How was he paid per game to pitch? I can’t see telling a boss I am not pitching for those kinda reasons making 32 ML or whatever.
Just so we are clear he DID pack up his locker. And he DID take a hike. 182 million to pitch for the defending champions.
Jersey, only you would consider him a downgrade. Everyone else considers him an upgrade because he makes 32-33 starts a season.
Im not a Giants fan and I agree with them. You seem to be the delusional one in this case. A good way to check is that if everyone disagrees with you, then you are probably wrong.
@ Blackpink. They didn’t extend Chapman and Webb to win later. If they’re taking a step back, then the Chapman extension in particular was idiotic. The money for Burnes for a team like the Giants at their current payroll should be irrelevant.
Most people disagree with me because it’s a post about the Giants and most people commenting are Giants fans. This happens on this site ALL THE TIME. Some fans are more delusional than others.
The Giants are not close to being a true contender. I can see that if you can’t so be it.
I agree the Chapman extension was idiotic…..
Didn’t the team say they are scaling back payroll? They spent over 200 million last year to finish below 500. Isn’t that a sign something isn’t working?
Miss you on our BR Giants community BoachtheCoach!
I agree except that they have Friedman plus owners that are not afraid of the luxury tax plus still a top notch farm system to trade from plus the Japanese connections now too.
@blackpink The Dodgers have won the NL West in 12/13 years, and they won 106 games in the one year they finished second. They’ve have one of the best runs of sustained success under half a century, they just won a ring, and they have a glut of MVP/Cy Young talents in their primes. They’ll have to fall from grace eventually, but that’s not likely going to be due to a few veterans getting old in a few years.
At any rate, teams like the Giants shouldn’t sit and wait for them to do something they haven’t done in over a decade (being just okay). If the Giants sit on their hands for the rest of the 2020’s in the hopes that their rival loses a step, their restless and unhappy fanbase will only check out more. That’ll hit the ownership’s bottom line and lead to more uninspiring play. Their best hope is to get their player development back to creating cornerstone homegrown players (the foundation of 2010-14) and compete ASAP to take back some relevancy in perhaps the toughest division in baseball right now.
Most people disagree with you because you are wrong. From what I can see no one agrees with you.
Blackpink — Luckily you’re NOT the Giants. And if you were a fan of the team you’d want them to become more competitive and fun to watch.
They’re gonna add Burnes, Adames, and Goldy’s contract and come in under last year’s payroll? I’m not sure math was your strong suit.
Giants are $60-70 million under 2024 payroll right now. They could add Burnes and Adames at and be under where they finished 2024.
@Roast The Dodgers and many fans know that these deferrals have to be funded annually at the time the $ is originally deferred. This notion that they are just running up credit is unequivocally false.
Are you off your meds again Joel?? Who are you to talk down and insult others?? You are the epitome of ignorance as it pertains to baseball. You have proven time and time again you barely watch the sport.
You follow baseball news and stats and this message board has become defacto social media for you….
If he would’ve made his starts it would’ve took the workload off of all the youngsters, and who knows how the morale would’ve went. A lot went wrong and there’s a lot to digest with the Giants last year, but to say they would’ve been only a .500 team is false.
To say they would not have still been a .500 team is also pure speculation. We don’t know what could have been, we only know what was.
At the end of the day tho a few extra starts from Snell was not going to drastically improve the team. They still were a distant 3rd in division talent wise.
The game for the Giants is to improve by 8-10 games, not compete with the Dodgers.
Any team with 3 high quality starters, plays solid defense and gets timely hits has a fighters chance to win in the playoffs.
It’s possible no team in MLB competes with LA for awhile. Doesn’t mean every team should sit back and watch. I want the Giants to be as competitive as possible each year even if it isn’t quite as good as LA.
What idiot is asking?
At worst case it would improve Giants team and provide a better product for fans. Unless a team signs a player that results in directly blocking young MLB ready talent from being called up, I don’t see the issue.
@Blackpink/Joel He is not being paid to pitch for another team. That is deferred compensation he agreed to and has already been funded per the CBA.
Why do YOU keel typing in CAPS it does not make you any less IGNORANT!!
@mab You have to excuse Backpink/Joel he seems to have off days or times where estrogen spikes. He just becomes very nasty and vile. Yet he still maintains a laughable ignorance in regards to MLB and the sport of baseball.
He also gets easily offended going as far as to hurl accusations against writers if facts or reality don’t jive with what he wants to believe in regards to the Cardinals.
Then he has this weird obsession with hypothetical 1 for 1 trades.
@Jersey 4 seasons back was Burnes best season. His WHIP has climbed since then bit still led NL in 2023. He also had career high K total in 2022. Last season was his 2nd best BB/9 of his career.
Sharp decline is an absolute exaggeration. He has seemingly learned to pitch opposed to trying to get by throwing it past batters. Which is a huge value in itself.
Dodgers will ALWAYS be competitive, even when some of their guys start to age, their farm system is ALWAYS near the top and free agents tend to lean their way because they ALWAYS put a World Series contender on the field and the organization very well run from scouting and developing to top coaching and medical staffs! That’s why players are willing to accept deferrals in their contracts, they get a chance at a ring and get paid too, not to mention endorsements and other opportunities!
And most likely sign Sasaki as well!
Just a small bit less delusional than you. Might be time for a group mute? You are also quite abrasive to everyone.
Winning half of his early season starts would’ve helped get the Giants off to a better start and maybe they would have been a little better in the standings for when he actually started pitching as expected. We can’t underestimate getting off to a fast start. It’s great for team morale and confidence. We all know confidence is a huge asset in MLB.
Ann
I am not saying the Giants should wait until the Dodgers are just ok. That might never happen. But the Dodgers have enough long term deals that they should be worse off in a couple years than they are now.
If the Giants can afford a 200 million dollar payroll then spend a couple years with a 100 million dollar payroll then spend a couple years with a 300 million dollar payroll. Then at least half the time they would have a legit chance to compete with the Dodgers which right now they clearly don’t have.
What the Giants are doing isnt working.
Or Blackpink has stopped taking his meds.
Terry, you must be very young or a recent Dodgers fan.
Quit using other people’s opinions to justify your own. That’s lame.
Pete i am a Cardinals fan and I would like my team to rebuild. I am annoyed at some of the reporting on this site but if you are asking me what I want my team to do that’s what I want them to do.
Snell has twice made 30 or more starts and one other time made it to 27. Him being ready at start of season still leaves in question if his arm would ve held up.
I do believe they would ve got out to a bit better of a start had he been ready start of season. However we also have to consider other teams would have lined up rotations with an eye on Snell. So they see more series starting at top of a teams rotation.
I just don’t see the Giants having fared all that much better. In 2024 they were a distant 3rd in division as far as talent.
Been a fan since 1966 clown man!
Saw Koufax/Drysdale pitch so GTFO!
Those 12 or 13 starts weren’t vintage Snell they were superstar elite level starts. What’s Snells career ERA? What was his ERA in those starts? Those are 2 entirely different numbers.
So if Snell pitched like Cy Young for a full season maybe they could have snuck into the playoffs?
Ok. Well now Snell is a Dodger. So…….what now………
When you’re talking about the likes of Snell and Burnes, what exactly qualifies as a big upgrade? Do you mean that they would need to sign Burnes AND others?
By the way, a full season for a frontline starter is 33 games. So, Snell missed 40% of his starts in 2024. That’s significant.
Starters miss starts. Snell missed his last start of the season intentionally he was plenty healthy the Giants were just out of it by then.
Not only is Snell leaving he’s going to the division rival and wolrd champion Dodgers. And unlike last year Snell should have a full and normal spring training. And the Dodgers are also going to have another starter back from injury i think his name is Ohtani.
I don’t care what the Giants do this offseason they aren’t competing with the Dodgers.
@Blackpink. They may not be at their best now. In fact they will be better in a few months than they are now ( Soto, Roki, who else?). In 4 or 5 years Freeman, Snell, Glasgow, etc.. are gone and they will just add more and younger stars.
Yes in 4 or 5 years those guys will be gone but in a couple years those contracts very well could look bad.
Soto isn’t signing with the Dodgers. Hes a New York guy.
It’s not just that the Dodgers will probably be worse. It’s that the Giants can take the money they aren’t spending now and spend it later. If a team can afford a 200 million dollar payroll, and it’s clear the Giants can, then they can spend 100 million for a couple years then 300 million for a couple years. I wouldn’t recommend this for all teams but teams in that division are in a unique spot. If they don’t increase payroll to levels they really can’t afford they are never going to have a shot to compete. Not unless they have a terrific farm system which the Giants most certainly do not.
Lucky we only play them like 18 times if it were for 162 we’d really be screwed
Snell only cared about himself last year.
Correct. What the Dodgers know almost better than anyone is that the best regular season record does not mean automatic WS winner. The team that gets hot in the playoffs is usually the Champions. So it is imperative to make the playoffs any way you can. Once you’re in the playoffs any team can get hot and win it all. We’ve seen it before. Division champs means you make the playoffs but that’s all it means. Wild card means the same. Giants won 3 World Series by making the playoffs from the wild card position.
Especially if a couple of those extra wins would have been against the teams above the Giants in standings.
Yeah that’s what happens when you sign a guy in April or whenever it was to a deal with an option out after 1 year. He had no loyalty to the Giants. Why should he?
Mab51…Two World Series by wild card, in 2010 they won the division.
Thanks. They haven’t won the division many times in recent history. I had forgotten.
Mab, if Snell is in the rotation instead of the Giants #6 or #7 starters that would have made a huge difference. 12 starts of Snell instead of whoever their #6-#7 starters were would have at least put them in the hunt come September. It might have even meant adding at the trade deadline.
12 games against division foes in the balanced schedule in MLB now.
Giants have 2 WS wins when they didn’t win the division. They had 107 wins and went home after the DS.
This is a fact. Pretty gutless on his part. He knew long before this he was leaving. Optouts are very player friendly. Zaidiot lost numerous really good pitchers because of optouts. Gausman wanted to stay but wasn’t offered a contract by Zaidiot. It’s really tough for fans to watch good players leave every year in addition to not signing any real notable FA’s. We need some stability.
Probably the reason the Giants didn’t make a bid to re-sign him.
The Giants are lucky that bozo isn’t in charge anymore that’s for sure.
Burnes is more durable than Snell and usually shows up for an entire season. If Snell had shown up in shape and ready to pitch from day one (for him) I believe the Giants would have had a few more wins on the season. When he said he was finally ready to pitch he got rocked and lost a few games because of it. I don’t believe the Giants will sign Burnes but if they do he would more than makeup for Snell
They need to replace snell and upgrade the offense. There’s not a single player that’s enough of an upgrade for the Giants to take them from 500 to a playoff contender. Burnes is a good start for a team with a couple big holes.
The Giants have said publicly they are scaling back payroll. How do they sign all these upgrades and lower payroll?
They dont…….
nbcsportsbayarea.com/mlb/san-francisco-giants/rumo…
They re projected to have $30-40M to spend. Burnes could be had for that as well as a few minor FAs. Then there’s always possibility of a trade.
Even years they ve scaled back spending, SF always seem to sign a few players. Giving fans something worth watching seems in their best interest as well. They re in a unique position with a fanbase overlapping their market being abandoned.
Snell missed half the season or sucked… then decided to show case for the Dodgers
I’ll take it man you don’t get a no hitter every year I watched that w my son we went absolutely bananas I still have the last inning video and our celly saved on my phone don’t care if snell stuck around it’s for us not for him
Take a look at seasons following one with a no-hitter since 2000.
I’ve wanted Burnes on the Giants for a long time, back to when he was a prospect and his name was being mentioned in Bumgarner trade talks in 2019. However, Burnes has some clear red flags in his stats and signing him to a mega deal now, while on a budget, and while he has been given a QO, would be a disaster.
They should pivot hard to Sasaki now that Snell bolted for the scum down south. Or make a trade for Crotchet given how many SP prospects they have. But they should pass on Fried and Burnes.
Every team should be trying to sign Sasaki.
I don’t see how they could come up with a trade package to get Crochet. And a guy with 2 years of control left i don’t think makes a lot of sense for the Giants. Thats a tough division to play in at the moment.
Your comment shows the issue here – the Giants have been stuck in neutral since at least the late 2010s.
And according to Bleacher Report FWIW, stuck in neutral since late 2010’s and currently has the worst farm system in MLB. Ouch. Zaidi did a number on this team. Yikes.
MLB ranks the Giants farm system #23 with their top two prospects Zaidi draft picks (not to mention, Bailey, Harrison, Fitzgerald, McCray, etc.).
Problem is that Crochet is still an unknowable player after one great season. That’s a lot of eggs in a basket for a slew of major prospects (which is what it will take).
Not surprising that the Giants are interested. Is he?
Pitchers ballpark, so why wouldn’t he be? It’s really about the money and getting into the playoffs. Once your in, anything can happen.
Would you say the playoffs are like a crapshoot ????
The Giants will have to overpay to bring any star player in
“Will have to overpay”…Practically every team will have to “overpay” to bring in high end free agent talent.
From the player’s perspective free agency is all about getting “overpaid” and that’s why teams should utilize free agency with due diligence and caution.
Have you been following what the Dodgers have been doing? Getting players to sign for less money through deferred contracts. They aren’t overpaying. You can argue Ohtani signed the most team-friendly contract in MLB history.
“Have you been following..deferred contracts”…Several teams use deferred money(not just the Dodgers)to better manage payroll(and tax obligations)and it isn’t like “deferred money” isn’t real money.
My point is teams will virtually always overpay in free agency and that’s why teams should focus on better drafting(foreign & domestic)and trade acquisitions.
I mean, you could do both at the same time – try to compete and develop a farm. The Giants problem is that they started over with the front office. Some of Farhan prospects were starting to work out for the big league team, but now it’s a new front office. Do they view the players the same? Probably not.
Ohtani brought that deal to them. Not many players have the want/desire/ability to defer over 97% of their contract as a gesture. No team would lead with that. But also, they’ll have to pay that.
RunDMC, Toronto and San Francisco offered to do the same deal. He likely would’ve chosen one of them if the Dodgers didn’t exist.
I’m just saying, offering deferred money to lower the luxury tax bill and lessen the present day value is something all big market and some middle market teams should be doing.
Ohtani’s specific contract is the only abnormal deal the Dodgers made… Dozens of players have had large deferrals similar to Betts, Snell, Freeman, etc. There is one unicorn and that is Ohtani.
spotrac.com/news/_/id/2092/detailing-active-mlb-de…
fred-3: Nobody’s signing for less money. The only difference is how the same amounts are paid out.
@JerseyShoreScore: Bingo
The Dodgers just paid $6 million more than anyone thought for Snell. That is overpaying.
Agree it takes a selfless player who would want to defer 95% of his salary. Dodgers are grateful for that deal and now leveraging their financial might to build a dynasty. They just dropped 100 million on stadium improvements. They’ve invested the money they would have payed Ohtani and when his contract is up they will have made $700 million in interest. Dodger ownership is smart !
The Dodgers have to put $46 million in escrow every season for Ohtani and pay him $2 million.
Giants will have to over pay the over pay.
Just defer 1/3 of it like the dodgers and they’ll be all good right? Lol
Define overpay. I just love these uneducated comments.
fred-3 —
That’s true of most any team. And the old Giant narrative that you roll out is so hackneyed.
It’s not a comment on the Giants. It’s a stupid FoxNews meme about how post-apocalyptic San Fran is, and how no one wants to live there (despite the fact that all the rich people
apparently want to live there).
Some people don’t get the message that a false meme is tired until months after it has served its purpose.
FoxNews. There’s the problem. They are horrible. Lie almost as much as the fella they worship. Gonna be a koolaid get together at some point in the future. My guess is orange flavored.
This isn’t happening and most people know it.
Giants are resetting this year, won’t sign anyone with a QO unless it’s Soto. They’ll still spend some money just not big ticket players.
I think for the right player they will.
As they should.
They are much better off going the Jack Flaherty route than Corbin Burnes at this point. Yeah, not the same as much as talent, but as you mentioned, he’s without a QO attached, would come cheaper, and will b easier to trade if needed to.
Flaherty makes sense. He’s from California and his upside is as high as Burnes is he’s just far more inconsistent. If your team can’t afford to buy consistent superstars and compete, and the Giants can’t just so we are clear, that’s what you do you go for high upside guys. I have seen Flaherty and Burnes pitch enough that I can tell you he has the chance to be better than Burnes over the next 5 years he really does.
davemlaw — I think you’re about to be surprised.
Pete i think you are about to be disappointed. Did you not read where they said they were lowering payroll?
Where does the luxury tax money go? Does it go to the player’s pension fund (like they really need it)? Does it go to youth baseball? Is Manfred hoarding it for his retirement?
@ avenger65. It’s supposed to go to revenue sharing, I believe. And there are guys who play in the league 4-5 years after toiling in the minors who never made a ton of money. Yeah,they coukd use a little pension in 30 years just like everyone else.
I’m joking here, of course, but help us all if a man who played a game half his life had to ‘reduce’ himself to living in an apartment on a fixed income in his golden years.
Yeah a pension is for normal people not mega rich athletes who retire no later than 40. Even a guy who makes league minimum for 3 years is going to make more than I will in my lifetime.
I understand lowenstein’s light-heartedness, but others make more serious complaints about athletes and their salaries. They work very hard to be so good at playing games that others will employ them to do so and tens of thousands of people will pay to watch them play.
Who wouldn’t want to be paid millions of dollars to play a game? I’d do it, but I’m not nearly good enough.
Any issues with athletes and the money they make are really comments about our society’s priorities much moreso than about the athletes themselves.
A guy who made league minimum for 3 years likely destroyed his body to do so.
Destroyed his body? Uh no. This isn’t football its baseball. And if he’s unfit to be employed i am pretty sure he can get disability.
Youre right. Being a professional athlete is no problem physically.
A guy who only plays 3 years in the show doesn’t destroy their body that’s you being dramatic. I am all for athletes having lifetime health care that makes sense. A pension doesnt.
You’re right…most pro athletes don’t start playing in their sport until their 20s.
Good lord you’re dim
It’s a gamble because you get to play a game for a career if it pays off. Plenty of people never make it because of injuries. That’s how it works.
AndyWarpath: No, they’ve been playing since they were young kids and were the best players at every level.
That’s what it takes to even have a chance at being a professional athlete.
Yes…I know?
AndyWarpath: Are you asking if you know or telling us you know?
I know dude. Read the thread for context next time.
AndyWarpath: “Yes…I know?”
What context? Your prior comment about pro athletes not playing until their 20s was wrong, and that’s being polite.
Dude, reading comprehension is a thing. Sarcasm is a thing. The commenter I was responding to proposed that you don’t ruin your body physically in 3 years of playing ball. My sarcastic comment was pointing out that his presumption was that that player didn’t start playing baseball until he was in his 20s.
I’m in the comment section of a nerdy baseball site. In what world do you think even a casual baseball fan thinks pro athletes don’t start until their 20s?
Yes, it is what I think of you. Since apparently you think 30 year old professional athletes do not have a laundry list of lifelong injuries.
Entertainers have been among the highest earners in American culture for a while. But the phenomenon is actually a modern one. More than 100 years ago they were among the lowest earners (and status).
Our military veterans don’t even get lifetime health care. Let’s start there first before even entertaining any idea of athletes getting that.
Everyone should have lifetime health care. Military is no better than anyone else.
Sounds like they need a union
rememberthecoop: My brother retired from the Army as a colonel. He has medical coverage.
I’m a Veteran, I have lifetime care if I do choose but I’ve always chose my employer plan because it was so much easier to navigate and now I choose Medicare over the VA because of government red tape! If you are in the military you get lifetime coverage unless you get less than honorable discharge!
That’s news to me. I have VA care for life.
avenger65: Who are you to judge whether anyone needs the money they earn?
Why should a player accept, say, $15 million when he can get $20 million because you say he doesn’t need it?
MLBPA would pressure the player to go for the highest contract. They want players to sign for the most so everybody gets paid.
The more you make the more you pay out. Athletes are not the most savvy at handling big $.
Which is why they hire agents like Boras.
50% goes to MLB for player pensions and other benefits. The other 50% is split by teams that did not go over the CBT threshold.
Everyone thinks everyone’s team should buy everyone who’s better than almost everyone, Burnes not excluded.
It’s human nature
As a fan i am excited and happy when my team signs good players. But I try not to expect it or act entitled about it I think thats where some fans go wrong.
C’mon Dodgers steal him from the Giants and form a super duper team
They are already a super-duper team, adding Burnes on top of what they already have would make them a super-dee-duper team.
And even more super-dee-duper obnoxious.
Don’t think Burnes wants to cut his beard as the Yanks inked Snell (doubt they get both and are getting Soto)
“Burnes wants to cut his beard”..I really doubt this is an issue. For the right financial package Scott Boras will shave off his beard for him and I’ve never heard of a guy liking facial hair more than he likes $200M+ dolllars.
Th Yanks inked Snell? Pass the pipe @chemfin!
Chemical something, for sure.
Call old friend Scott Harris and offload Wade and the Rogers kids. The Tigers could get Wade at bats at 1B IF they don’t ship out Tork and are in the market for solid BP arms. They have Jung who may not have a position if they sign a 3B, and his natural position is 2B. They also have lots of young starting pitchers. Seems like they could come together on a package that would save the Giants enough money to go after Burnes.
I really don’t think Tyler Rogers is going anywhere. Him and Walker are the Giants’ best relievers. I think Rogers had the most appearances in baseball or close to it.
The Rogers *kids* turn 34 in 2-1/2 weeks.
I’m 54, everyone in baseball is a kid to me 😉
I wonder if age has much of an effect with how Tyler Rogers’ delivery is?
Motor City Beach Bum — Besides his OBP, Jace Jung is a pretty unexciting player to be acquiring for the guys you suggest. Giants with a very hard NO.
Perhaps you should check his minor league stats. There’s a reason the Tigers are high on him. He is a good 2B but has issues as a 3B.
That’s nice.
Every year the Giants are supposedly in the hunt for big name free agents. And they swing and miss, hopefully Posey can put an end to that trend…
Last year they Giants signed Chapman, Soler, Snell and the Korean outfielder. They might have added more to their payroll in 2024 than any team in baseball. And they STILL finished with a losing record.
The writing is on the wall. Read it…..
Snell sucked for first half, Soler sucked until the trade deadline, “Korean” CF missed most of the season due to injury and Tom Murphy missed almost entire season. And Jordan Hicks was decent in the first half. Not much production for the money spent. Chapman had a really nice full season and got a deserved extension. That’s still a pretty rough FA season last year.
“The Korean outfielder” has a name.
I am sure he does. It’s probably Kim right?
My screen name is a KPop band. Just so you know…..
And the racism just keeps on keepin’ on. And no, it’s not Kim.
“I’m not racist, my dentist was a black man!”
Having a screen name that’s a female teen idol band does not absolve one from racist comments. And for a grown man to be worshipping a teeny bop girl group brings up some other potential issues.
It’s my screen name stupid. You probably don’t even know who Blackpink are. Look them up. Good looking girls……and btw one is named Kim…….
I would say it’s a start…….
My comment wasn’t racist. I just don’t know the guys name. When people cry racism over nonsense like this you lose credibility for when there is actual racism.
Worship? That’s a bit of an overstatement. It’s not teeny bop it’s KPop. What are you racist? Lol.
Tell It Goodbye —
Thank you, was thinking the same thing. It’s Jung Ho Lee for those who haven’t invested the time to know him.
It’s weird man. It’s just weird.
I’m aware. Was quoting Blackpink.
Shhhhhh…not th4 top free agents.
For all you talent scouts out there
Check out his second year
Tell us what you would have predicted for his future…….
He’s a good fit there and with all the starting pitching prospects on the horizon the team could have a largely cost controlled rotation soon.
That won’t help next years payroll but long term, Burnes and2- 3 pre arbitration guys is very affordable.
Sure Jan
Either overpay to get a few bats or just rebuild already!!! We actually have some interesting pitchers and have always been able to draft them but bats are a mystery to this team. Burnes isn’t changing the fortune of this roster and by paying him that much you are depleting the resources you could be devoting to some damn BATS!!!!
Giants have the funds (and the needs) to do both.
I would love to see them sign Burnes but I don’t think it’s likely. The QO is really the sticking point I think more than the money. It would preclude signing Adames as they are not going to sign 2 players with QO’s and SS is a bigger priority. Signing someone like Eovaldi would make more sense.
They need to sign more than one QO if they want to make a difference next year. Might as well go for it and sign 3-4 of them and punt the draft or don’t sign any of them and tank for top picks. Adames and Santander would be my top 2 targets
It’s losing the international money that hurts. LA and SD have built there farm systems on strong international signings. With you on Adames but not Santander. Think you could pick up a bat on the trade market. Josh Naylor makes a lot of sense.
their
John Bird — Not with Bryce Eldridge waiting in the wings.
Pete, Naylor is a FA next year, which would give Eldridge time to develop at AAA. Tired of these kids (Schmidt, Matos, Luciano, etc.) getting rushed to the majors before they’ve shown they’re ready. Eldridge is barely 20 with a year and a half of pro ball. If he is ready sooner Naylor can always DH.
I think SFG can still be competitive next year and not with QO players.
It would be a very Farhan thing to do but Giants need to reset and aim for 2026. Here’s are my targets:
Goldschmidt, Hyeseong Kim and Alex Cobb.
Power at first, great hitting/glove 2B and a starting pitcher who should be over his nagging ailments and was great in SF not long ago.
Farhan set this team back a year by exceeding the Lux tax so resetting that and avoiding QO players for this year is unfortunately the residual effects of your namesake.
One last thing, SF does have a lot of interesting arms. With Webb, Harrison and Ray eating some bulk innings there are a number of guys who should be healthy next year to fill in the remainder of the innings. Hicks(1/2 starter & 1/2 long reliever) Birdsong!, Winn, Beck, Roupp, Bivens, the Carsons and Black.
Posey has said the top priority is SS so that means probably either Adames or Ha-Seong Kim. Unfortunately age has caught up with Cobb and Goldy. I like Naylor because he’s left handed and could probably only cost one of the lesser young pitchers. Plus he’s a FA next year so he won’t block Eldridge and costs 12 mil. Then sign the best non QO pitchers they can, maybe someone like Sugano.
Probably Adames. The Padres GM said Kim would not be able to start throwing until after the season starts and would be back in games somewhere between May and July. I don’t think that he would be a fit for the Giants who can’t afford to invest in him on the one year deal this site thinks he will sign and then have him miss the entire first half.
There’s confusion because of the two Kims: I’d prefer Hyeseong Kim, NOT Ha.
I’m also fine leaving Fitz at short for next year; he’ll get better if he only has one position to concentrate on rather than a super utility guy he was forced to be last season.
SFG has other SS coming up but probably not ready until 2026. I say no to Adames; I think whomever signs him will regret it in short order. No thanks.
I’m not saying the Giants need a shortstop, Posey is saying they need one and he knows more about baseball than I do. They played Fitz at short because they didn’t have any other options but his grades at the position were consistently below average. Fitz’s strikeout rates are also concerning. We’ve seen plenty of prospects look great for half a season only to flame out later. None of the others in the system have played above A ball. The FA options aren’t without questions but are clear upgrades over the in house options.
frugalfarhan — My two top picks are Adames and Burnes, but I’ll switch to Adames and Bregman (to play 2b) if they also sign Eovaldi. Goldschmidt too.
I will take that as long as its Adames over either Kim. Teoscar is another that I would throw $100 mil at he is very underrated
John Bird — Yeah, those two QOs are what I worry about.
Not a big game pitcher so would fit nicely with little giants
Greed is the only way he signs with the Giants! And, if I need to explain why, then you are no baseball fan!
He is from Bakersfield CA. Explain it to me. I must not be a fan.
You do realize Bakersfield is just a couple hour drive over the Grapevine to L.A….
I’d argue that the LA metro area and the SF Bay Area have equal claim rights to the CV.
Bakersfield is twice the distance to the Bay than L.A. Just sayin….
Just look at a map if you’re not from Cali. The Bay claiming Bakersfield is like L.A. claiming Santa Cruz. Preposterous….
-playing in front of his hometown crowd.
-being a part of a David/goliath narrative.
-enjoying the city of San Francisco.
-wanting his stats inflated by a pitchers park.
-really, really likes Train
His hometown is actually right outside the L.A. metro area….
Giants will wait him out and give him a 2 year deal with an opt-out after April…
Or wait until he gets hurt and then trade for him.
No more optouts please. We’ve lost some good starting pitching because Farhan always included optouts. Players who perform up to and beyond almost always optout and all who under perform stay.
No chance Burnes signs with the Giants. Nobody in their right mind would deliberately choose to live in San Francisco.
Garbage narrative.
Have you been to the Bay Area lately? Good lord. San Francisco’s rotten reputation has killed its tourism industry. It used to be a gorgeous destination and we’d drive up from San Diego at least once a year. Now, visiting downtown San Francisco or Oakland is like being in an episode of Dawn of the Dead. We now avoid the Bay Area altogether and vacation in Napa. There are plenty of other teams Burnes could pitch for where he wouldn’t have to deal with the horrors of San Francisco.
Here we go. FoxNews meme-mania. Was just in SF and it was as always, one of the most exciting, beautiful, fun places in the world. Sometimes people don’t realize the meme they believe was just a means to an end for others with ulterior motives until years after the fact.
Burnes would be insulated in his car, in the ballpark and in the rich suburb he would live in. Dude wouldn’t be dumb enough to walk around the Mission and Tenderloin. Hell, even I’m not dumb enough to do that whenever I visit the City. There so many other great spots to hang. It’s your choice to be around the homeless encampments, bro….
Leftcoaster — Pull your head out of your ass. San Francisco is a great city, but like all cities it has urban issues. No more—and many less—than LA and other Major League cities.
I live in California and have personally experienced San Francisco for sixty years. I was up there twice this summer on business and know EXACTLY what is going on. In fact, we’ve decided to move our conventions from San Francisco to San Jose after 23 years holding them in the city. Why? Overwhelming complaints and dangerous incidents experienced by our employees.
Yeah but your experience is going to be nothing like his experience, because he happens to have alot more zeroes attached to the end of his bank account….
San Fransisco would rank in top 15 states for homelessness. Add in their next door neighbor of Oakland and you’re talking top 5. Kind of hard to say it’s a Fox Meme when your football teams first round draft pick is shot in his chest for his watch. But go on saying things are imaginary. People aren’t as stupid as you all think.
The Bay Area would rank in the top 15 states in population, too.
Also, gun violence has no statistical correlation to homelessness. If your argument is that players consider gun violence statistics, then you’ll be happy to know that California ranks 43rd out of 50 in gun deaths per capita.
And yet the violent crime rate in L.A. is higher. Damn those pesky statistics.
California is not even close to 43 in gun death homicide rate. You are closer to 20. The fact that you all even have to twist stats to show how good your city is means you have already lost.
I grew up in the Bay Area, it’s become a dumpster fire, Oakland/San Francisco area especially so! Words of wisdom, don’t go there!
lol I pulled the statistic directly from the CDC website. What’s your source guy?
You are looking at a stat including suicides. I’m looking at actual gun homicide. How someone takes their own life is irrelevant to someone else’s safety.Not to mention your police departments are saying only 3% of gun violence is reported in the Bay Area.
So…you don’t have a source?
I can see why California has problems. The CDC is the source. Be smart enough to go to Gun Homicides by state. I know you are easily duped by a stat that is geared towards your outcome but look a little harder. I’ll 100% concede you have far fewer suicides but that has nothing to do with the conversation.
Speaking of looking for stats geared towards your outcome, the number you’re looking for is per capita not just a rolling total. Might want to consider that before trying to insult the entire population of a state for absolutely no reason.
St Louis is the highest in the country. Are players choosing not to sign there because of the gun violence?
San Jose/Santa Clara has a homeless rate nearly twice as high as San Francisco. San Diego has one of the highest percentage of homeless in the country but no one ever says that players won’t sign there because of that.
Tampa Bay Area has so many homeless that the governor refused to allow a census of them the last 4 years.
NYC has the largest number of homeless in the country.
We are going by capita genius or I would have said you were number one for gun homicides.
Not sure who you are responding to Mets.
San Francisco is not in the top 20 in homeless per capita. San Jose/Santa Clara has nearly double per capita. San Diego is #2 per capita of cities that allow a census of homeless.
They don’t allow that census in Florida so even though homeless services say the numbers are huge there, we only know of those that take advantage of those services. Tampa Bay had more people utilize homeless services than the Bay Area in California with a lower population but since there is no official census there is no official % of homeless for the area.
When it comes to gun homicides per capita St Louis is number one. Other MLB cities that are higher than any in California include Baltimore, Detroit, and Milwaukee.
Did you really just say San Francisco was good because a city 50 minutes away from them is worse? I agree both California and New York are horrendous at helping the homeless. Half the countries homeless are in those two states. The difference between Tampa and San Fran is Tampa has no income tax and a fifty percent cost of living. You can buy a vastly better house for a lot less. They have better weather and a better lifestyle. If they had a better owner they would clean up on the free agent market.
Not one word saying it was good. No large city is good when it comes to homelessness.
Never talked about cost of living either. Tampa Bay Area has a lower cost of living and far more per capita taking advantage of services for the homeless.
Why are you trying to spin what I said? Are bothered by being shown that your bias has no basis in reality.
This whole conversation was started with saying it is a “Fox meme” . It is not my bias showing. It is a reality but just keep saying it’s a “ Fox meme”. Your own police departments are it’s so bad that less then 3% of crime I even reported including gun violence.
I didn’t say it was a Fox meme. I am saying that you are wrong. That your bias is showing. That you are trying to spin things I had said because you know you have been shown to have been shown wrong. I know when you say things like less than 3% of crime is reported that you are taking that information from less than reputable sources like Fox. It’s not my own police departments because I live on the other side of the continent.
Not only is that a ridiculous statistic, how exactly does one measure unreported crime if it’s not reported? I can assure you, 1 in 5 people in SF are not the annual victims of a violent crime and just aren’t reporting it. This isn’t Mad Max. Just ridiculous sensationalism.
So I’m assuming you don’t live there because you have a “right mind”. I beg to differ.
@leftcoaster: dErP
With his paycheck, he can afford a real nice mansion by the Marina or on the other side of the Golden Gate. The view of the City from Tiburon is pretty sweet….
Sarcasm?
Giants have money to Burne(s)
This would be Huge !!! Better than Snell. For Sure, just based on availability.
He’s heading to the Blue Jays.
Keep dreaming of him and Otani in the same rotation. Of wait – never mind
And who would not be interested in him?
Another obvious plant by Boras. Dodgers signed Snell so he needs another team in the mix. Why would the Giants let Snell walk and then offer more money and longer term for Corbin. I do think CB is better, but this one doesn’t ring true.
Boras lives in your head rent free.
Burnes will get $36 mm or more AAV. 7 years will mean $252 million.
I’ll take the under on Burnes guarantee as crazy as SP $ are now…….maybe 6/210mil. Boston is a prime spot burning a hole in its pocket if Soto expectedly chooses a NY team for his monster deal.
I could see 6/216-220 if he can’t get 7 years.
To respond to some threads here Burnes is an upgrade over Snell for consistency on and over the ball alone. I’d easily much rather give him a five year deal.
Burnes has the advantage of regular season availability/durability which the Giants really need with their overall lack of roster depth. Otherwise, it’s a wash when it comes to the playoffs. Both guys are clutch….
I like Burnes. I feel bad he always has to play in terrible cities though lol
Milwaukee. Baltimore. Terrible cities?
Vagiants will throw a ton of money at him and he’ll turn it down just like Harper did, and Judge did and Yamamoto did and numerous others, nobody wants to play for a losing poorly run team!
This makes 0 sense
But is Corbin Burnes interested in playing for the Giants?