Logan Webb entered his first arbitration-eligible off-season on the heels of a terrific 2022 (4.7 bWAR, 4.2 fWAR) season. This followed his superb 2021 season which included two epic starts against the Dodgers in the playoffs. The Giants like to avoid arbitration hearings and they settled with Webb for $4.6M for his 2023 season. I still think they should buy out the rest of his arb-years (2024-25) and his early free agency (2026-) with a long-term deal. I think a five-year commitment to the young homegrown ace would be great.
The Giants also avoided arbitration with John Brebbia, Jakob Junis, Austin Slater, J.D. Davis, LaMonte Wade, Jr., Tyler Rogers, and Thairo Estrada. They earlier inked deals with Mike Yastrzemski and Scott Alexander who were also arb-eligible. Take a look at Cot's Contracts or Roster Resource if you want to see the breakdowns. Brebbia, Junis, and Alexander are all free agents in 2024, Davis and Slater in 2025, while Yaz, Rogers, and Wade, Jr. are the same as Webb (2026). Estrada is team-controlled until 2027. For comparison both Joey Bart and Camilo Doval are pre-arb: their clocks start in 2025 and they reach free agency in 2028.
I should note that Young Logan has said he will pitch in the World Baseball Classic which will take place in March. Here are the dates and the format. They have pitch count limits and pitcher rest rules for the tournament. Merrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks and Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers are also listed for Team USA.
Pitchers and catchers are supposed to have their first workout on February the 16th. This spring I will be very interested in the catching corps. There will likely be some intriguing NRIs to evaluate. And I am especially excited about lefty phenom Kyle Harrison. Imagine a staff with two homegrown aces!
--M.C.
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The Giants have a new international signee, it seems, a 16-year old from the Dominican Republic. His name is Rayner Arias but no relation to our old friend Joaquin Arias. (That Arias has a big brother, Alberto, who pitched in MLB 2007-2009.)
According to industry sources, the club has agreed to a $2.8 million deal with outfielder Rayner Arias, who ranks No. 15 on the top 50 international list. The Giants, who have a base signing pool of $5,284,000, have not confirmed the agreement. The deal is pending a physical.
The son of a former Minor League player and current scout, Arias grew up in the game, and it shows.
The athletic teen displays an advanced baseball IQ, plus makeup and leadership qualities that set him apart because he never seems overmatched in any situation.
That's from the MLB article Jesse Sanchez.
The Giants are supposedly weak in the international free agency market. So, maybe this is a good thing. I don't think 16-year olds should sign professional contracts but that's the system for Latin America. I've never liked the aura of graft that hangs over the entire off-shore baseball-prospect industry. I just hope those kids and their families can make out OK. Trickle-down economics at its finest!
Ultimately I think Manfred & The Owners prostitution-al liaison with the gambling cartels will be the death of professional baseball and by extension all other sports. They will become completely corrupted by players/coaches/insiders/owners betting on the outcomes. The money will get too big and the old fear of "the fix" will become a reality. Not to mention the corrosive effect on the fans and in turn society. When passionate devotion has dollar signs attached things get ugly. People already do incredibly dumb stuff when it comes to following a team, imagine that amplified by a big money bet. And most bets lose. That's how the business works.
Apparently the Giants signed 23 other international players.
11 from Venezuela, 8 from the D.R. 2 from Mexico, 1 each from Taiwan and Curacao.
Giants pick up a lefty-hitting first baseman, 28-year old Ronald Guzmán on a minors deal. He's hit well at AAA and has ML experience (246 G, 832 PA). He was signed originally by the Rangers as an amateur free agent from the Dominican Republic.
Not much of a hitter, I hope his fielding makes up for it, as he is a big guy.
I suppose he gives them some depth at AAA. I don't see him in the mix other than in Spring Training. Giants are going with LaMonte at 1B from the lefty side. Wilmer and J.D. Davis from the right side.
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