The Giants have been looking for outfield and bullpen help and they signed two players in an attempt to address those needs. Michael Conforto is a former 1st round pick (#10 in 2014) who did not play at all in 2022 due to shoulder surgery. He's a career .255/.356/.468 hitter who turns 30 in March. He's on a two-year deal ($36M) with an opt-out. The pitcher is lefty Taylor Rogers, Tyler's brother, and he signed a 3-year deal worth $33M. Rogers has always been a reliever and has 81 saves and 445 strikeouts in 379 IP. He's 32.
These are the kinds of moves I was expecting. The pivot to Correa (I never expected Judge to leave the Yankees) was a shocker--I did not think the Giants would make that kind of deal. When the whole mess fell through it didn't hit me very hard because I was still processing the original story!
The SF press and fan base want to crucify FZ and Co. for reneging on the Correa deal (and it seems the Giants were the ones who balked) but I don't have a problem with it. Thirteen years is a long time and $350M is a lot of money. It's okay to be risk-averse in that situation. The smart move isn't always the popular one.
Go Giants!
--M.C.
24 comments:
I agree!
If healthy, Comforto gives us an excess of outfielders. Maybe someone will have to go. I hope the twins will work out for us. I think Taylor was over used last year. Maybe not in his total numbers, but there were periods of time where he seemed to pitch a lot. Now we have Haniger and Comforto, if healthy they enhance the lineup. Probably means less playing time for Yaz, unless he can rebound, but it should give Kap, the room to make the kind of in game moves he loves to make, although I expect Haniger and Comforto will be less platooned if healthy. The giants seem one ace away from being a serious playoff contender as they now stand and if healthy. Perhaps our pitching prospect will come up before midseason, and end up being true ace material. I agree, had they not balked on Correa, it would seem to have been a decent off season. Not great, but decent.
I'm pretty stoked about Kyle Harrison. Local boy (De La Salle HS). Lefty. Absurd K numbers in A and AA. Turns 22 next August.
I'd love to see a homegrown Pair of Aces. Logan Webb is just 26 and has two more years of arb before free agency in 2026. I think they should buy out the next 4-5 years right now. Lock him up. And if they can develop Harrison over this season and next that would awesome.
Ben Clemens at FanGraphs gives his take on the Conforto-Rogers signings.
It's a thoughtful column. He's a big Rogers fan. Thinks he is undervalued league-wide and that the Giants made a good deal. His take on Conforto is that he's a good player to gamble on but that Boras and Co. squeezed the Giants for a very player-friendly deal.
Clemens had a column earlier that rated all the free agents. The Giants have signed #19 (Rogers), #28 (Manaea), #30 (Conforto), and #34 (Stripling)! I'm sure the fans will love the "Quantity over Quality" vibe but overall I think the team has done well.
I'm not sure the SF press and fan base wants to crucify FZ, maybe you're reading different stuff than I have. I have some further thoughts that I'll get to a bit later. Conforto, though, as I understand it, is limited defensively. So maybe we'll see him at first or DH.
Conforto was a CF a few years ago but the bulk of his time has been in RF. I expect him to man a "corner" on most days. He's a lefty and hits RH pitching much better than LH pitching. He's a much better OF than Pederson who should really stay at DH (against RH pitching).
That puts Haniger in the other corner. He's a RH hitter but does not have as big of a platoon split.
CF, right now, is Slater/Yaz, and they can obviously back up the corners.
Wade, Jr. is the fifth OF at this point and will share 1B with Wilmer and JD Davis assuming they don't go after Belt. I suppose either Wilmer or Davis can DH against lefty starters.
https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/giants-irrelevant-zaidi-pathetic-column-17669562.php
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giants/article/Are-you-kidding-me-Giants-fans-shocked-by-17670056.php
https://www.knbr.com/2022/12/21/for-some-giants-fans-carlos-correa-news-is-the-final-straw/
If you read any of the "comments" on The Athletic articles about the Giants (not just Correa) there is a big subset of the fanbase that's lost their minds. I'm bewildered by it, frankly. They sound like spoiled Yankees fans or something.
That 107-win season backfired. Anything short of that going forward is a "failure."
Check on the shit-show that is the McCovey Chronicles comment section. Yikes. People are un-hinged. It's baseball, right? We aren't talking about World Peace, fer chrissakes.
And, for some perspective, here's an hours-old story on The Athletic (Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes):
It’s the physical. Again.
The New York Mets, like the San Francisco Giants earlier in the week, have raised concerns about Carlos Correa’s surgically repaired lower right leg, potentially jeopardizing their 12-year, $315 million agreement with the star shortstop, according to people briefed on the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly.
https://theathletic.com/4033222/2022/12/24/mets-correa-physical-concerns/
As someone who is now retired, but spent a career in the medical profession, I find some of the narratives about the giants management very unfair. I do believe that the orthopedists or probably, and possibly some others flagged Correa's MRI or X-Rays as quite a bit concerning. Perhaps not in the short run, but the type of problem that surfaces in the Medium range time frame, but could emerge earlier. I think, Boras' move to get out quick and go for another offer, may make the giants look bad, but this is a giants management team, that is very calculated and thoughtful, and perhaps Boras said I need your answer now or I am going elsewhere knowing that he had Steve Cohen on speed dial. I see all over the internet fans blasting the giants, and calling for Farhan to be fired. Actually these off season acquistions seem reasonable, and my only disappointment is that they could not find a way to re-sign Rodon, or another ace like pitcher.
One commenter mentioned that maybe the Giants are more sensitive to issues like that because of their experience with Buster Posey. We all remember his injury in 2011 at age 24. He recovered of course to become MVP and play nine more seasons (skipping 2020). But perhaps there were longer-term consequences that contributed to his retirement at age 34.
Correa may be "fine" and can play at an elite level but a 10+ year deal is a whole different animal. They just signed Conforto who just had shoulder surgery but it is a 2-year deal. That's an easy risk.
I too wish they had re-signed Rodón! But I suspect they are banking on the emergence of their in-house lefty phenom Kyle Harrison.
Factoids from David Laurila's FanGraphs Sunday column (best baseball read out there!):
The San Francisco Giants had 28 bunt hits this year, the most in the majors. The Atlanta Braves had two bunts hits, the fewest in the majors.
Tyler Beede is set to become the 13th player to play for both the San Francisco Giants and NPB’s Yomiuri Giants, joining Edgardo Alfonzo, Cory Bailey, John Bowker, Keith Comstock, Felipe Crespo, Hector Cruz, Dan Gladden, Casey McGehee, Gerardo Parra, Reggie Smith , Justin Smoak, and Gary Thomasson. (per Natsuki Une, via @NPB_Reddit)
Just interested in how much time Boras is giving the Mets to restructure the deal. I guess he has no other teams for him to threaten the Mets with, especially after two medical reports have raised the same concerns.
Apparently the Twins decided not to make another offer after the Giants balked.
Even Xmas can't slow The Churn: Giants sing Ljay Newsome (RH reliever) to a minors deal. He's 26 and has 30 IP of ML time (Seattle).
Happy Holidaze!
That's "sign" not "sing" of course!
:-)
I think all roster additions should be sung in!
And the ones with options in a Minor key.....
That's Entertainment!!
Great idea. They could have a Team Cantor or something that whips up a quick ditty about each FNG they bring in or promote.
O, Haaan-i-ger
Come home to na-tive laaand . . .
Fun facts:
Cody Ross played in 15 post-season games in his career (all with SF in 2010). He had 15 hits: 5 1B, 5 2B, and 5 HR.
He played in three series (NLDS, NLCS, and WS) and had at least one single, one double, and one home run in each.
He scored 11 runs and struck out 11 times.
He turned 42 last week.
I still have my Giants Jersey from that year that says Ross is Boss.
Tommy La Stella was DFAd.
I expected something like this. We saw a healthy La Stella for about a month to open 2021. Then he was out until August and finished the season with 242 PA. He did not get going until May of last season and missed most of September, logging only 195 PA.
Too many injuries, and now multiple surgeries.
He looked like he would be a lefty complement to Wilmer Flores. Little less pop but a little better on-base, could play 2B OK but better at 1B and 3B. It didn't work out.
Giants are on the hook for his salary (~$11M). His spot is taken by FNG Taylor Rogers.
Evan Longoria signed a one-year deal with the Diamondbacks--$4M with incentives.
Right now 3B is Wilmer, J.D. Davis, and David Villar. Perhaps we will get a look at Casey Schmitt this year.
I suppose that is 4 million on top of the 5 million the giants are paying him. When and if healthy he is still productive. Can he remain healthy? He gives the youngish D-backs a veteran presence.
Yeah it's a good move for them. He can still play and it's smart to have guys like Longo around, as you say, on a "youngish" team.
It was time for the Giants to move on. They got .263/.361/.496 from Davis in 49 G. Villar showed promise at the end and I think they got a good look at him. And of course Wilmer can man the hot corner in a pinch. (Ideally he won't play 151 G and get 602 PA!)
Lefty hitting Isan DÃaz is at AAA and he has actual MLB time at 2B and 3B. They have a younger lefty named Brett Wisely at AAA who is also a 2B-3B type and has shown some pop at the lower levels.
2020 2nd-round pick (San Diego State) CASEY SCHMITT is someone to keep an eye on. He will likely start the season at AAA but people are excited about his big bat.
My worry at third, if we had Longo would be his health. My worry at third when we do not have longo, is the fielding at third, at least until we get a minor league stud coming up at that position who seems to be tauted as the next Brooks Robinson.
Post a Comment