"Buster Posey can't drive reckless and make Juan Soto bid" - MLB analyst advises Giants President to tread carefully after Farhan Zaidi situation
The San Francisco Giants gave keys of their front office to former catcher Buster Posey who was announced as their new president of baseball operations following the dismissal of Farhan Zaidi in September.
Posey has a tough task on its hands. The seven-time All-Star needs to get the Giants on its feet with the increasing competition in NL West, comprising, LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
With Posey at the helm, MLB analyst Jessica Kleinschmidt advised the three-time World Series champion to tread carefully while also building the Giants' backup to former glory. She highlighted that rather than going after high-profile and expensive players like Juan Soto, the team should pursue players like Corbin Burnes, who fits well in a pitcher-friendly environment like San Francisco.
"This is very intriguing to me because the Farhan Zaidi aspect is over," Kleinschmidt said on The Baseball Insiders podcast (23:05 onwards). "I feel like with Buster Posey taking over, he can’t drive recklessly now that he’s got the keys to the Lambo, right?
"He can’t go out there and make a Juan Soto bid. You can meet with Juan Soto, I think that’s fair—you want to show that you want to make an effort, but you want to make somewhat of a splash. So, you want to go after the top guy who’s going to be pitching at a pitcher-friendly park. You’re going to go after Corbin Burns, add him to a rotation that has Logan Webb, who’s a phenomenal pitcher."
Kleinschmidt believes that the Giants are in a strong position with a solid farm system, and under Posey's guidance, the team will aim to make smart acquisitions, particularly in pitching, without making impulsive, high-risk moves.
MLB insiders reports uphill task for Buster Posey with payroll limit from above
Despite the promotion from front office executive to the president, things won't get any easy for Buster Posey in his first year at the helm.
According to The Athletic's Jim Bowden, Posey must adjust to payroll limitations this offseason. However, the insider feels Posey will do a great job.
"I think he’s a bit hamstrung in his first year of running baseball operations for the Giants, with limitations from above on their major-league payroll. It’s going to take time to turn around the Giants, but I believe Posey is the right hire to make them contenders again," Bowden said.
The Giants have missed the postseason seven times in the last eight years. That calls for strategic approach and get the best out of this offseason without making risky investments.
What do you think about how Buster Posey will fare in his first year leading the front office?