Even prior to Buster Posey hanging up his cleats, the Giants catcher was a valuable advisor for president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi.
That relationship continued into Posey’s retirement over the last 10 months, and it now enters a new phase after the 35-year-old on Wednesday became the first former player to join the Giants ownership group and its Board of Directors.
And while Posey said he won’t be “in the trenches,” so to speak, when it comes to his new ownership role, Zaidi has other ideas.
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“It’s really exciting … We’re going to drag him into the trenches,” Zaidi said Thursday on KNBR. “So I’m not sure he’s going to get away that easily … It gives me even more of an excuse to badger him on stuff, which I’m excited about because I love being able to run stuff by him.
“And I know he’s talked about helping us recruit -- it’s going to be a great arrangement.”
So how, exactly, will Posey’s previous role as an unofficial advisor be different now that he’s actually a part owner? Will he be involved with assessing analytics, or determining how the Giants can best use a player?
“I think it’s just coming at the game from different perspectives and having different experiences,” Zaidi explained.
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For example, having someone like Posey who can give his own behind-the-plate experience when it comes to pitch sequencing and calling games is invaluable, Zaidi added.
“I really enjoy having those conversations with him,” Zaidi said. “I think everyone does, and that’s just one small example where his experience as a Hall of Fame catcher defensively and as a great hitter offensively can kind of provide a different lens for us to evaluate players and the options that we have as an organization.”
In fact, Zaidi has never encountered a player like Posey throughout his front office career.
“I have been fortunate to be around some great, great players but never been around a player who I raised my senses more when he started asking questions,” Zaidi said. “Because Buster’s got that way about him where he’s not going to come in hot on a subject … Anytime he started a conversation with me, I was immediately on high alert like, ‘Where is this going?’ ”
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There truly is no one like Posey.
And a year removed from their 107-win season in 2021, it’s safe to say the Giants have fallen short of expectations this year.
But there’s plenty to be excited about, and Posey’s presence with the franchise moving forward is sure to bring about good things both on and off the field.