SAN FRANCISCO — Buster Posey won’t be the only person in the Giants’ front office taking on a new title.
Posey, the team’s new president of baseball operations after the team parted ways with Farhan Zaidi, announced at his introductory press conference that general manager Pete Putila will transition to a new role in the organization.
“We’ll work through what some other responsibilities might look like,” Posey said.
Posey, who will be on a three-year deal with no contingencies, said he wants to hire a new general manager “right away,” noting that it will be one of his first boxes to check. Given that free agency begins after the World Series ends (a potential Game 7 is scheduled for Nov. 2), that hiring could be sometime later this month. Posey added that he wants to bring in someone who is “well-versed in all aspects of front office.”
“I want a servant leader,” Posey said. “I want somebody who is going to empower the people that are working with them and for them. Ideally, somebody that does have somewhat of a scouting background would be important for me as well. Again, having in mind that today’s game is so much about meshing what your eyes see and (what) your instincts are with what the data’s telling you.”
Giants chairman Greg Johnson assessed that the team has a “deep and experienced” front office. Johnson, unprompted, pointed out Jeremy Shelley, the team’s senior vice president and assistant general manager, as a potential candidate.
Beginning as an intern in 1994, Shelley has spent more than 30 years with the organization. Prior to his current role, Shelley served as the team’s vice president of pro scouting; senior director of baseball operations and pro scouting; and director of baseball operations.
Once Posey hires his general manager, he will have to figure out the ebb and flow of his day-to-day responsibilities. When asked how he’ll delegate responsibilities, Posey said, “That remains to be seen.”
“We’re going to bring in a GM, and once that comes in, some of the delegation will take shape a little more,” Posey said. “I want to be as useful as I can with all the people that I’m working with, but also having in mind and understanding that it’s somewhat of a delicate balancing act. I don’t want to be the type of leader that is constantly feeling like I’m looking over somebody’s shoulder as well.”
Sitting to Posey’s right on the dais on Tuesday was Bob Melvin, who sat in Posey’s seat last year when he was introduced as the team’s manager. Zaidi said during Melvin’s introductory press conference that Melvin’s contract was for three years, but Melvin’s contract is only guaranteed through 2025. Posey didn’t provide a direct answer when asked if Melvin would receive an extension, knowingly offering the cliché that he will take things day-to-day.
“There’s not many active managers that have the track record that he does,” Posey said. “From my experience, talking to numerous players while I was playing, then post-playing, to a man, everybody loves playing for Bob Melvin.”
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Johnson said he believes transparency isn’t required when discussing contracts because “they get in the way of running a team during the year and a lot of questions that come up that are very disruptive.”
Posey declined to answer directly when asked about four veteran Giants scouts who, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, were laid off last month.
Regarding the four veteran scouts who the Giants laid off in September, as reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Posey said he could not provide an exact answer when asked if he would bring them back.
“I will say, from a scouting perspective, I value scouts very much so,” Posey said. I look to Brian Sabean and his scouting background. As much as anything, whomever is working in the Giants organization — if you’re a scout, if you’re a trainer, or a strength coach in rookie ball — my goal is for those people to be empowered and understand what they’re doing on the ground is extremely significant for what we’re trying to accomplish at the big-league level.”
On the subject of contracts, left-hander Blake Snell will likely opt out of his $30 million player option and test the free-agent market for a second offseason in a row. Snell looked elite in the season’s later months after a choppy beginning; from July onwards, Snell had a 1.23 ERA with 114 strikeouts over 80 1/3 innings.
“He’s obviously somebody who’s going to be a priority for us and take a hard look at and make a decision as a group,” Posey said.
