It’s been a relatively quiet offseason for the San Francisco Giants, who signed outfielder Mitch Haniger but have come up empty on bigger names including Trea Turner, Kodai Senga, and, most notably, Aaron Judge. On Sunday, though, they got back in action, inking a deal with left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea for two years and $25 million, with an opt-out after 2023.

At age 30, Manaea tested the open market as a free agent for the first time in his career. In 885 career innings, he has almost defined what it means to be a league-average pitcher, with a 4.07 ERA (99 ERA-) and 4.06 FIP (98 FIP-). While he’s made 30 starts in a season just once and missed almost the entire 2019 season with injury, he’s been consistently available throughout his career and has averaged over 5.5 innings per start, well above average in today’s game. While Manaea had a very good 2021 season, during which he set a career high in strikeouts while walking a minuscule 5.4% of batters and posting an 88 FIP-, his performance largely regressed after being traded to the Padres just before Opening Day this year. His strikeout rate fell, his walk rate went from elite to average, and his home run rate spiked, leading to a career-worst 4.96 ERA even in a lowered offensive environment.

So what caused this significant regression in performance? First, let’s examine Manaea’s pitch mix. The bread and butter of his arsenal is a low-90s sinker that he throws over 60% of the time, but its true shape lies somewhere between that of a sinker and a four-seam fastball. In 2022, the pitch had 2.4 fewer inches of drop than other sinkers thrown in the same velocity band, with about an inch less horizontal run. Read the rest of this entry »

Gaylord Perry presented some kind of mathematical paradox to the mind of this young fan. If baseball had outlawed the spitball some 60 years earlier, how could this admittedly gray-haired guy in his early 40s have been grandfathered in? Yet there was Perry, throwing — or at least appearing to throw — wet or otherwise loaded baseballs with impunity, preceding each pitch with a detailed routine in which he’d rub his brow, both sides of the underbill of his cap, then the brim, then the side, then the brim again before delivering. Sometimes it was a decoy for the fact that he was hiding the foreign substance on his wrist, his neck, or somewhere on his uniform.

Master of the “spitball”. Made players angry, including Reggie Jackson was fuming. #RIPGaylordPerry pic.twitter.com/uH9PQAaqxx

— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) December 1, 2022

The math didn’t work, but the wet ones, or at least the belief that he was throwing them, did. In my early years of watching baseball, the rubber-armed, rule-bending rogue brought vivid color (not just the Padres’ infamous brown-and-yellow) to the more black-and-white corners of the game’s history, planting the evocative names of bygone spitballers such as Burleigh Grimes and Urban Shocker in my mind while earning his own spot in the annals. In 1978, the year I began closely following the game, Perry became the first pitcher to win a Cy Young Award in both leagues and just the third pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts, after Walter Johnson and Bob Gibson. On May 6, 1982, while a member of the Seattle Mariners, he became the 15th pitcher to reach 300 wins, the first in 19 years and the first of six from his cohort to reach that milestone; that season also brought the only time he was ejected for throwing an illegal pitch. On August 13, 1983, about six weeks from the end of his 22-year major league career, he became the third pitcher of that group, after Tom Seaver and Steve Carlton, to surpass Johnson’s previously unassailable record of 3,508 strikeouts. Read the rest of this entry »

SAN DIEGO — The early hours of Wednesday morning at the Winter Meetings brought a giant-sized deal for baseball’s latest home run giant… but not from the Giants. After a day in which it appeared as though Aaron Judge had decided he was not in fact prepared to be “a Yankee for life,” as he had previously professed, and would instead leave the Bronx to sign with the the team for which he grew up rooting in Linden, California, about two hours from the Bay Area, the 2022 AL MVP has returned to the Bronx via a record-setting nine-year, $360 million deal.

The move happened only after Judge arrived in San Diego on Tuesday night and heard overtures from a third team, the Padres, who had reportedly offered Trea Turner a $342 million deal before the shortstop signed with the Phillies on Monday. Via USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale, San Diego offered Judge $40 million per year over 10 years; whether either deal included deferred money isn’t known. According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the Yankees had offered Judge eight years and $320 million — about $90 million more than the offer that he spurned just before Opening Day. “Once Judge told Hal Steinbrenner he wanted to be a Yankee (but had more $ on table elsewhere — SF and SD) Hal sealed the deal by bumping it another $40M and one year,” Heyman wrote. Read the rest of this entry »

On Tuesday evening, a thrill swept through the winter meetings. The rumors were true – the San Francisco Giants were in agreement with an American League right fielder on a multi-year deal. Yes, San Francisco, it’s time to welcome a new slugging right-handed hitter to town: Mitch Haniger signed a three-year, $43.5 million deal to become a Giant, with an opt out after year two.

Oh, you were expecting Aaron Judge? That didn’t quite pan out, though the Giants are reportedly still in pursuit of another hitter in free agency. But Haniger is a first course, and he fits the Giants quite well whether they look for another outfielder or pivot to the infield for help.

At season’s end, the San Francisco outfield was predominantly a lefty affair. Joc Pederson appeared in the outfield in 120 games. Mike Yastrzemski played the outfield in 147 of his own. LaMonte Wade Jr. missed a lot of time with injury, but rotated between seemingly every position in the field when he was healthy, including both left and right. The Giants theoretically love to mix and match based on the opposition, but they did a lot of running out a squad of lefties last year.
Read the rest of this entry »

The following article is part of Jay Jaffe’s ongoing look at the candidates on the BBWAA 2023 Hall of Fame ballot. Originally written for the 2014 election at SI.com, it has been updated to reflect recent voting results as well as additional research. For a detailed introduction to this year’s ballot, and other candidates in the series, use the tool above; an introduction to JAWS can be found here. For a tentative schedule, and a chance to fill out a Hall of Fame ballot for our crowdsourcing project, see here. All WAR figures refer to the Baseball-Reference version unless otherwise indicated.

Jeff Kent took a long time to find a home. Drafted by the Blue Jays in 1989, he passed through the hands of three teams that didn’t quite realize the value of what they had. Not until a trade to the Giants in November 1996 — prior to his age-29 season — did he really settle in. Once he did, he established himself as a standout complement to Barry Bonds, helping the Giants become perennial contenders and spending more than a decade as a middle-of-the-lineup force.

Despite his late-arriving stardom and a prickly personality that sometimes rubbed teammates and media the wrong way, Kent earned All-Star honors five times, won an MVP award, and helped four different franchises reach the playoffs a total of seven times. His resumé gives him a claim as the best-hitting second baseman of the post-1960 expansion era — not an iron-clad one, but not one that’s easily dismissed. For starters, he holds the all-time record for most home runs by a second baseman with 351. That’s 74 more than Ryne Sandberg, 85 more than Joe Morgan, and 86 more than Rogers Hornsby — all Hall of Famers, and in Hornsby’s case, one from before the expansion era (note that I’m not counting homers hit while playing other positions). Among players with at least 7,000 plate appearances in their career who spent at least half their time at second base, only Hornsby (.577) has a higher slugging percentage than Kent’s .500. From that latter set, only Hornsby (1.010) and another pre-expansion Hall of Famer, Charlie Gehringer (.884), have a higher OPS than Kent (.855). Read the rest of this entry »

The 40-man roster deadline led to the usual squall of transaction activity, with teams turning over portions of their rosters in an effort to make room for the incoming crop of young rookies. Often, teams with an overflow of viable big leaguers will try to get back what they can for some of those players via trade, but because we’re talking about guys straddling the line between major league viability and Triple-A, those trades tend not to be big enough to warrant an entire post.

Here I endeavor to cover and analyze the moves made by each team, division by division. Readers can view this as the start of list season, as the players covered in this miniseries tend to be prospects who will get big league time in the next year. We’ll spend more time discussing players who we think need scouting updates or who we haven’t written about in the past. If you want additional detail on some of the more famous names you find below, pop over to The Board for a more thorough report.

The Future Value grades littered throughout these posts may be different than those on the 2022 in-season prospect lists on The Board to reflect our updated opinions and may be subject to change during the offseason. New to our thinking on this subject and wondering what the FVs mean? Here’s a quick rundown. Note that because we’re talking about close-to-the-majors prospects across this entire exercise, the time and risk component is less present here and these FVs are what we think the players are right now. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most common arguments against the designated hitter coming to the National League was that it would cause a decline in pinch-hitting, therefore removing an element of strategy from the game. It was inevitable, after all, that pinch-hitting opportunities would dry up without pitchers to sub out. Lo and behold, offensive substitutions in the NL decreased by more than 60% from 2021 to ’22, with teams sending just 1,647 pinch-hitters to the plate this past season, compared to 4,438 the year before.

Thankfully, for those of us who missed the glorious art of pinch-hitting, there was still a way to get our fix: the San Francisco Giants. They used 258 pinch-hitters in 2022 — 95 more than the team with the next-highest total, the Athletics. It’s also a whopping 222 more than the team with the fewest pinch-hit plate appearances, the Rockies. It’s so many pinch-hitters, in fact, that the Giants wouldn’t have looked out of place in the pitcher-hitting era. They used more bats off the bench in 2022 than one NL team, the Cardinals, used in 2021. In the first full year of the universal DH, the Giants were still pinch-hitting at a pre-DH rate. Read the rest of this entry »

Dominican Summer League – Pitching Coach

Department: Player Development
Reports to: Coordinator of Minor League Pitching
Status: Full Time; Exempt

Position Summary:
The San Francisco Giants are currently seeking a Minor League pitching coach to join our Player Development Department in the Dominican Summer League in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. The ideal candidate will have strong growth mindset and the ability to connect with young pitchers. This role will be an immersive player development experience that includes the execution and implementation of development goals and organizational philosophies for individual pitcher’s in a team environment.

Position Responsibilities:

• Build trust and deep connections with individual pitchers and staff to best support development progress
• Be movement quality and intent focused while supporting the work being done in the weight room and nutrition- a priority at this level
• Communicate effectively with a diverse staff
• Aid in the creation of player plans by integrating objective information into a detailed and comprehensive player development plan
• Monitor and guide on-field baseball work, bullpens and throwing programs
• Work holistically with all departments to better serve the needs of each individual pitcher
• When asked, provide feedback to the Director of Player Development and the Coordinator of Minor League Pitching about the progress of pitchers’ development throughout the season.
• Provide daily game reports based on player plans and be process driven.
• Communicate with the team’s Manager before, during, and after the game about pitchers’ usage, availability, and game planning
• Maintain high, positive standards and expectations of pitching and teamwork for self and players

Skills and Qualifications:

• Bilingual- English and Spanish Fluency
• Ability to work non-traditional hours, including weekends and holidays as dictated by the baseball calendar
• Ability to communicate effectively with all members of Baseball Operations
• Proficiency with various pitching development tools including but not limited to; ball-tracking technology, high speed video cameras, and biomechanics reports/movement screens
• Able to demonstrate (verbal / non-verbal) expertise in pitching techniques and deliveries
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Slack
• Possess a minimum of one year of related experience and/or training. Previous experience with a Major or Minor League Baseball organization or collegiate baseball program

At the Giants, we believe we put our best work forward when our employees bring together ideas that are diverse in thought. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, medical condition or disability, genetic condition, marital status, domestic partnership status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status and any other protected class under federal, state or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. In addition, we will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability or special need, we would like to know how we can better accommodate you.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the San Francisco Giants.

Bullpen Catcher/Rehab Development Assistant

Department: Player Development
Reports to: Rehab Coordinator
Duration: January 2023 – December 2023
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Status: Part-time/ Hourly (Non-Exempt)

Position Summary:
Assist the San Francisco Giants Player Development department through on and off the field activities. This position will include coverage of Spring Training, Extended Spring Training, Arizona Complex League, and various off-season camps. The main focus of this position lies in the rehabilitation and physical performance of our players at the Minor League Spring Training facility. Assisting both our medical and video departments creates a unique experience for this role.

Position Responsibilities:

• Handling rehabilitation bullpens along with pitcher’s and fielder’s catch play
• Ability to throw batting practice, feed machines, and other various cage work
• Ability to hit fungos
• Assist with technology set-up such as cameras for bullpens and live batting practice
• Ability to set up Trackman and other various technology equipment
• Cut video from bullpens and live batting practice sessions

Skills and Qualifications:

• High level catching experience is preferred
• Strong work ethic with a passion for baseball
• Work non-traditional hours (nights, weekends, and holidays)
• Ability to learn about technology and video
• Ability to speak Spanish is a plus
• Contribute to team culture with a positive

At the Giants, we believe we put our best work forward when our employees bring together ideas that are diverse in thought. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, medical condition or disability, genetic condition, marital status, domestic partnership status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status and any other protected class under federal, state or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. In addition, we will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability or special need, we would like to know how we can better accommodate you.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

Player Development Assistant (Part-Time)

Department: Player Development
Reports to: Coordinator, Minor League Operations
Duration: January 2023 – December 2023
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Status: Part-time/ Hourly (Non-Exempt)

Position Summary:
Assist the San Francisco Giants Baseball Operations department and provide comprehensive administrative support to all functions of Player Development. This position will include coverage of Spring Training, Extended Spring Training, Arizona Complex League, and various off-season camps. We value candidates who have a passion and understanding of the game of baseball while also being detail- oriented.

Position Responsibilities:

• Coordinate travel logistics, hotel reservations, and appointments for various events
• Assist in compiling and updating schedules, rosters, and databases for Player Development
• Regular communication with staff regarding daily needs/scheduling
• Assist with player paperwork and documents
• Assist with company credit card reconciliation
• Assist on tasks/projects as needed
• Man lobby desk; helping guests with questions and needs
• Provide support to the clubhouse staff with mailing duties and distribution
• Provide transportation for players or staff as needed
• Maintain all facility spaces/needs year-round

Skills and Qualifications:

• Ability to speak Spanish is a plus
• Experience using SQL is a plus
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel is preferred
• Strong work ethic with initiative and attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to handle private information in a professional manner
• Work non-traditional hours (nights, weekends, and holidays)
• Ability to communicate effectively and work with all members of the organization (players, coaches, staff, and various affiliate front office/staff members)
• Contribute to team culture with a positive attitude

At the Giants, we believe we put our best work forward when our employees bring together ideas that are diverse in thought. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, medical condition or disability, genetic condition, marital status, domestic partnership status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status and any other protected class under federal, state or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. In addition, we will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability or special need, we would like to know how we can better accommodate you.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the San Francisco Giants.

If Oakland Coliseum is indeed “baseball’s last dive bar,” as has often been asserted, then it must have one hell of a booking manager. Let’s not forget, after all, that this dive bar has a stage. And yes, that stage may be a bit far from the audience, and sure, it is housed in a hulking cement behemoth that shares a BART station with the airport, and fine, it might be subject to the occasional rodent or plumbing issue. But it still draws the same big names as other, glitzier venues. The Coliseum’s dinginess might generate headlines, but lately I’ve been struck more by the unique backdrop it offers attendees for seeing the major’s biggest names.

When I used this metaphor to describe my experience at an August 9 Shohei Ohtani start at the Coliseum, a friend likened it to seeing Metallica play an unannounced show a few years ago at The Metro, a venue just a stone’s throw up Clark Street from Wrigley Field, with a capacity of 1,100. You may remember this early-August Ohtani outing: one of those Tungsten Arm games – unremarkable but for the home run he launched into the right field bleachers and the win he secured, allowing him to reach the Babe Ruth milestone of recording 10 wins and 10 home runs in a season, though Ohtani’s home run total for the season had long eclipsed Ruth’s. The vastness of the stands only emphasized how few people I was sharing my baseball viewing experience with.

The next day, I followed up that major league masterclass with a Low-A day game in the uncovered San Jose grandstand, watching a teenager struggle to throw strikes under the blazing sun. If Ohtani at the Coliseum is Metallica at the Metro, then this game, where I went to watch prospects from the San Francisco Giants organziation, was sitting in on a garage band rehearsal. Low-A is an altogether different brand of baseball, where tweaks are made every day – sometimes even mid-game – in the hopes of tapping into young players’ potential. Read the rest of this entry »