News

The Giants signed a lefty-hitting third baseman named Jason Vosler to a one-year deal and added him to the 40-man roster. He's projected to platoon with Evan Longoria and can also play first base. Vosler is 27 and has never played in the bigs but had a breakout year at AAA for the El Paso Chihuahuas and was in the Padres player pool for 2020. Welcome, FNG!

Former Giants player Mac Williamson is suing the team (actually China Basin LLC) over his concussion injury in 2018. The bullpen mounds were still on the field then and he--I'm sure we all remember--hurt himself when he tripped on the left field-side mound chasing a fly ball. It was an unfortunate event and we all wished it never happened. The Giants and MLB, I expect, have a process for such claims and grievances, so I'm surprised by the suit, but I really don't understand that stuff. I feel bad for Mac and hope they can work things out.

--M.C.

update: Kevin Gausman will accept the Giants QO so he will be in orange-and-black next season, which is good news. The two sides are supposedly still talking about a multi-year deal. I think he's a reasonable risk for a 3-year contract, or a two-year extension on the current deal, something along those lines.

Back to business

The Giants issued a Qualifying Offer to Kevin Gausman. This year a QO is supposedly $18.9M. If Gausman accepts the QO, then the Giants have him for 2021 at that salary. If he rejects it he becomes a free agent and the Giants will receive draft-pick compensation if he signs elsewhere. The Giants have said they hope to work out a multi-year deal with Gausman and he has publicly expressed interest in a reunion.

The Giants need pitching in general and they need starting pitching in particular. Kevin Gausman pitched really well (1.3 bWAR, 1.5 fWAR, 3.09 FIP) in the abbreviated season and in fact had career-bests in H/9 (7.5) and K/9 (11.9) while keeping his walks and homers in line. He turns 30 in January. I'd like to see the Giants keep Gausman around. I'd like to see them bring back Drew Smyly as well.

The Giants outrighted Tyler Heineman, Joey Rickard, and Anthony Banda. Banda, a lefty reliever, had already signed a minor-league deal and will stay in the organization. Rickard and Heineman become free agents. Tyler Beede, Aramis Garcia, and Reyes Moronta were moved off the injured list and returned to the 40-man roster. Let's hope those guys are healthy for 2021.

--M.C.

Finis

The 2020 baseball season ended last night with the Los Angeles Dodgers beating the Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 3-1 in Game Six of the World Series. LA takes the crown, four games to two. Manager Kevin Cash of the Rays will be answering the "why did you pull Blake Snell?" question for the rest of his baseball life, I suppose. The Dodgers celebration was tainted by a positive COVID-19 test on Justin Turner who had to be removed from the game. MLB had gone almost two months without incident, and the playoff bubble had appeared to work beautifully, so the news was a bit of a shock. The virus has a way of defeating the best laid plans, it seems.

The Rays were a spirited and determined opponent and their bunch of "no-names" made some noise on the big stage. Game Four was one of the most fun and interesting post-season games I've ever watched. In fact, it was a good, competitive contest overall and showcased some great baseball. This is a Giants site and I've no enthusiasm for a Dodgers win but I will say that is a very familiar team. I feel like I know every player on the roster! Not just from the regular-season games these last several years but from all the playoff exposure, too. Anyway, I have a lot of friends who root for the blue and I am happy for them. Watching your favorite team win the World Series is a great thing.

I'm not one to put an asterisk on a record or a season. MLB and the MLBPA sat down and figured out the rules for a 60-game season. The Dodgers and Rays dominated that format. MLB and MLBPA sat down again and hammered out a post-season schedule. The Dodgers and Rays dominated that format as well, with LA coming out on top. All a team can do is navigate with the road map they are given regardless if it looks like last year's map or not. The Dodgers are the legitimate champions of baseball.

--M.C.

Odds

The Dodgers are favorites, to no one's surprise. The moneyline at Vegas Insider says -200 on LA (bet $200 to win $100) and +175 on TB (bet $100 to win $175). In fractional odds that's 1/2 on the Dodgers and 7/4 on the Rays.

I think it will be a close contest. The Dodgers have the depth and star power and I think that gives them a slight edge. They are also the home team (they bat last in Games One, Two, Six, and Seven) and that is also a slight edge. The Rays will have to summon their inner David to beat the LA Goliath. Sometimes, when two teams are even on paper, one will get hot and blow out the other. I think it is more likely LA can do that to TB than the other way around. Then again, the Rays have defied everyone's expectations this year, perhaps they will be the ones with the big performances and pull off an upset.

Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw face off in Game One tonight at 5:11 Pacific.

--M.C.