Hello friends!!!! I realize it's been a while since I have written a blog. There have been a lot of things happening in my life between then and now and while I may write a blog detailing my health issues and my final semester at CSU, Chico at a later time, today I wish to talk about the San Francisco Giants and MLB free agency. For any of you who follow baseball, you have seen some insane contracts being reported. Noah Syndergaard switches coasts, leaving the New York Mets for the Los Angeles Angels for one year and $21 million. Speaking of the Mets, they have been on a shopping spree not only signing Max Scherzer to a three-year, $130 million deal which sets a record for highest average annual value at $43.3 million per year. They also added a trio of position players in Mark Canha (two years, $26.5 million), Eduardo Escobar (two years, $20 million), and Starling Marte (four years, $78 million). Not to be outdone, the Texas Rangers (who lost 102 games in 2021) seem to be trying to buy their way back into the win column, signing infielders Marcus Semien (seven years, $175 million) and Corey Seager (ten years, $325 million), and pitcher Jon Gray (four years, $56 million). Other major signings include Javier Baez with the Detroit Tigers (six years, $140 million), 2021 AL Cy Young award winner Robbie Ray with the Seattle Mariners (five years, $115 million), and our own Kevin Gausman leaving San Francisco to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays (five years, $110 million).
You may notice that the San Francisco Giants are not included in the above list of signings. Traditionally the Giants have not jumped early into the free agent pool. Even when they signed Barry Bonds back in 1992, which was one of the highest profile signings of the time, they didn't sign him until December 6. On top of this, President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi and General Manager Scott Harris are not known for giving out long-term and big money deals, something that the previous hierarchy was keen to do. The Giants will likely continue to fly under the radar while they try and replace some key members in their pitching rotation and lineup.
After the 2021 season, it was largely assumed that the Giants would be in the market for up to four starting pitchers. Kevin Gausman, Alex Wood, and Anthony DeSclafani were all entering free agency and it was assumed (correctly) that Johnny Cueto's 2022 option would not be picked up. Out of the five starters in the rotation at the end of the 2021 season, only Logan Webb was under contract for 2022. While the Giants expressed interest in bringing back Gausman, he signed with Toronto. I would tend to believe that the years offered was the sticking point in any contract negotiations that may have happened. Again, Gausman got five years from Toronto and, looking at the next contracts we're going to talk about, none of the pitchers that the Giants have signed have received more than three years. So let's look at what the Giants DID do.
First they brought back DeSclafani (13-7, 3.17 ERA) for three years and $36 million. While DeSclafani only pitched 167.2 innings in 2021, he did start 31 games and his 13 wins were second on the Giants behind Gausman's 14. Next the team signed Alex Cobb (8-3, 3.76 ERA with the Los Angeles Angels) for two years and $20 million. Finally the Giants brought back Wood (10-4, 3.83 ERA) for two years and $25 million. Wood started 26 games and was fourth on the team in wins with 10. The Giants may be looking at either Sammy Long or Tyler Beede to win the fifth starter spot. Long split time between the rotation and the bullpen appearing in 12 games with 5 starts. He flashed good stuff including a wipeout curve, but was inconsistent, finishing with a 2-1 record and a 5.53 ERA in 40.2 innings. Beede spent most of 2021 in the minors after having Tommy John surgery in March 2020. He pitched 1 inning with the Giants in 2021 facing 6 batters, allowing 2 hits, 3 earned runs, hitting a batter and throwing a wild pitch. He also struck out 2. Beede has always had an above average fastball with a good curveball and changeup, but his command has been an issue and he may need some more time at the minor league level after missing the entire 2020 season. It is possible that the Giants may be looking at starters in the trade market as well. One name mentioned by Susan Slusser who covers the Giants for the San Francisco Chronicle was Sonny Gray of the Cincinnati Reds. Gray went 7-9 with a 4.19 ERA for the Reds in 2021. Zaidi is familiar with Gray who pitched with Oakland in 2013 and 2014 while Zaidi was with the A's organization.
That covers the pitching, but what about the lineup? Well, the biggest announcement regarding the Giants lineup so far was the retirement of Buster Posey on November 4. Posey hit .304 with 18 home runs and 56 RBI in his final season after sitting out the 2020 season. The Giants plan to replace him with top prospect Joey Bart (.294, 10 home runs, 46 RBI with AAA Sacramento) and backup Curt Casali (.210, 5 home runs, 26 RBI). Bart replaced Posey as the primary catcher during the shortened 2020, playing 33 of the 60 games, but appeared overmatched hitting only .233 with 0 home runs and striking out 41 times in 103 official at bats. There was speculation that the Giants would be interested in a free agent catcher like Yan Gomes (.252, 14 home runs, 52 RBI with the Washington Nationals and Oakland A's) but he signed with the Chicago Cubs for two years and $13 million. The Giants do have another top catching prospect in 2020 first round pick Patrick Bailey (.265, 9 home runs, 39 RBI in the minors), but he has yet to play above A+ ball and is not projected to reach the major league level until 2023.
The Giants agreed to a contract extension with MVP candidate Brandon Crawford for two years and $32 million that will keep Crawford with the Giants through the 2023 season. Crawford hit .298 with 24 home runs and 90 RBI in 2021. The Giants also extended a qualifying offer to Brandon Belt for $18.4 million which Belt accepted. Belt hit .274 with 29 home runs and 59 RBI in only 97 games in 2021. Both Belt and Crawford set career highs in home runs in 2021 with Belt missing 30 only because of the games he missed due to injury. Projected over a full 162 game season, Belt was on pace to hit 48 home runs. The Giants look to be seeking upgrades at second base and in the outfield. San Francisco has been rumored to be interested in nearly every free agent middle infielder on the market with specific mention of Semien coming back to the Bay Area after spending 2015-2020 with Oakland. I would like to see them make a run at Trevor Story (.251, 24 home runs, 75 RBI with the Colorado Rockies) but his strikeout numbers (139 in 526 at bats) don't tend to line up with the Giants hitting philosophy. In the outfield, the Giants had been linked to Canha who signed with the Mets. They are also linked to Nick Castellanos who opted out to become a free agent after signing a four year, $64 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds following the 2019 season. Castellanos had a great 2021 with Cincinnati hitting .309 with 34 home runs and 100 RBI. Defensively, he might not be a wizard in right field, but there is speculation that the universal designated hitter will be negotiated when the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on December 1. If the universal DH is accepted, then Castellanos' defensive concerns may not deter the Giants from pursuing him. Castellanos is said to be seeking a seven or eight year deal.
The name we haven't mentioned is Kris Bryant who the Giants acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the 2021 trade deadline. Bryant hit .262 with 7 home runs and 22 RBI for the Giants giving him a .265, 25, 73 line for the season. Bryant immediately fit in the lineup and in the clubhouse, and the Giants have expressed great interest in bringing him back. Bryant gives the Giants plenty of versatility in the field playing third base and all three outfield spots in 2021. Current Giants GM Scott Harris is very familiar with Bryant having been the director of player operations with the Chicago Cubs 2012 - 2017 and the assistant general manager in 2018 and 2019. Bryant played with the Cubs 2015 - 2021. Bryant looks to be a target for several teams including the Giants, the Seattle Mariners, the New York Mets (though after their signings it remains to be seen if the Mets can afford him and where he would play), and recently the Colorado Rockies. If Bryant signs with another team, it is unclear who else the Giants could target in the outfield. The Giants have been linked to Joc Pederson who hit .238 with 18 home runs and 61 RBI between the Chicago Cubs and World Series champion Atlanta Braves.
One final name the Giants have been linked with if they decide to pursue another starting pitcher is Marcus Stroman. Stroman went 10-13 with the New York Mets in 2021 with a 3.02 ERA. Stroman was an all star as recently as 2019 and finished eighth for the Cy Young award in 2017 while pitching for Toronto. So that's the report folks. With the Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring, it is unlikely that we will see much action on the free agent market until a new agreement is reached. But there is still much work to be done. And with that Giants fans, I thank you for reading and here's looking forward to Spring Training!!!!
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