Opinion: Classy as ever, Giants give their players chance a finish what they started
Well, how about that? A team that actually rewarded its players.
A team that realistically is a long-shot to make the playoffs, but still refused the temptation to rip out its heart and guts, selling them for prospect.
A team that would have had a brighter future by trading away ace Madison Bumgarner and All-Star closer Will Smith. But the team believed the players deserved the right to see it through.
The San Francisco Giants, the team that won three World Series championships in five years, did their players right, and continue to be the gold standard for loyalty.
The front office of Farhan Zaidi, Larry Baer, Brian Sabean, Jeremy Shelly and Zack Minasian let manager Bruce Bochy and their players know just how much they were appreciated at the trade deadline by keeping the band together.
Oh, sure, they made a few shrewd moves to assure they’re keeping an eye on the future, too. San Francisco traded relievers Mark Melancon (including the $14 million he's due next year), Sam Dyson and Drew Pomeranz, but kept everyone else, and even added second baseman Scooter Gennett.
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The Giants certainly aren’t actually going all Houston Astros on us. They’re not all-in by any means. Still, they had a chance to break it up, and refused.
Hum baby, loyalty still exists.
When the Giants return to San Francisco, their passionate fan base should cheer until their throat burns. Stomp their feet until they get blisters. Clap their hands until they’re raw.
The end of their golden era is near, but at least they’ve got two more months to celebrate their core.
“I’m happy, no getting around it, that he’s still here,’’ Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters in Philadelphia. “It means so much to me to have him here for the rest of my tenure here. It’s pretty cool. It makes me feel really good to have him here beside me.’’
Said Bumgarner: “I feel the exact same honestly.’’
Bochy is leaving at the end of the season, and in a few years, will be in the Hall of Fame.
Bumgarner is leaving, too, although the Giants plan to at least sit down and see if there’s any chance of keeping him when he becomes a free agent. Realistically, he’s gone.
Still, although another World Series title is inconceivable, with the Giants still 2 ½ games back just to be the second wild-card entrant, they have visions of at least one more celebration.
When you have Bumgarner on the mound, the greatest active postseason pitcher, who wouldn’t like their chances in a wild-card game?
“He’s the kind of leader that when he’s on your side,’’ Zaidi told reporters after the deadline, “you always feel like you have a chance. If you’re an underdog – if you’re a wild card, if you’re eight games back in the standings or two games back – when you have a guy who has done what he’s done and led the way he has led, he makes you feel like you always have a chance.
“I know the guys are excited that he’s still got that uniform on his back.’’
It would be a true Cinderella story if the Giants get into the playoffs one last time under Bochy. Whatever happens afterwards, doesn’t really matter. The Giants will be an honest-to-goodness playoff team one last time.
Once the party is over, the Giants will earnestly start to rebuild this winter. They didn’t hire Zaidi from the Dodgers to keep the status quo. They want to have a slight tear down, and slowly rebuild, and be that consistent contender like the Dodgers who have won six consecutive division tiles.
They still have Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt and Johnny Cueto for two more years, and Evan Longoria for three years. They will listen to offers on anyone and everyone. Jeff Samardzija, who yielded a 2.06 ERA in July, has just one year remaining on his contract and could be gone before spring training. Bumgarner and Smith will be gone as free agents. So likely will Pablo Sandoval, unless he wants to come back at a bargain-basement price.
The Giants’ fans can deal with that, bracing themselves for a rebuild, but at least by slightly delaying the process, it gives them one last chance to win.
The Giants’ players deserve it. They’re the ones who went 19-6 in July – their best winning percentage in that month since 1913. They’re the ones who haven’t lost back-to-back games since June 26-27. They’re the ones who climbed back in the wild-card race. They’re’ the ones who kept winning to make it difficult for the front office to break them up.
It worked.
“I think this is probably the most satisfying than anything we’ve done in a long time,’’ Belt told Paste BN Sports, “just because what happened the past couple of years, losing so many games, having so many injuries, and not being able to battle back from it. It’s pretty rewarding watching our young guys come up and contribute in a big way.
“To me, it’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve seen in regular-season baseball as long as I’ve been here.
“We’ve got a chance to do something special here. We’d love to send Boch out on a high note.’’
The Giants’ front office gave them that opportunity.
One more time.
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