2021 San Francisco Giants

[Can_of_corn]

I know it's May 20th and we have a lot of the season left but...

The SF Giants have the best record in MLB and are in first place in a division with the Padres and Dodgers.

They have a middle of the pack payroll (12th) and farm system (11th by MLB.com).

While they had a rough patch they have somehow managed to become a competitive team without trading off all of their established players and slashing payroll to the bone.

It is almost as if intentionally losing for years and years isn't the only way to become competitive in a challenging division.

[Just Regular]

Kevin Gausman confounding Farhan Zaidi yet again.

They should have the Dodgers attention this weekend.   But skimming results the 6 games with the Padres are the only good opponent I see so far, and I think their collection of skilled oldsters maybe benefited from the short season more than most other clubs.  

I am still sad Zaidi had the agility to buy Will Wilson that time the Angels were giving him anyway for $$$, but maybe Vavra gets future Orioles on par with future Giants for "cromulent 2B at MLB minimum".

I guess Buster Posey won't be poking around as someone's backup catcher next year at this rate.

[SteveA]

21 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

I know it's May 20th and we have a lot of the season left but...

The SF Giants have the best record in MLB and are in first place in a division with the Padres and Dodgers.

They have a middle of the pack payroll (12th) and farm system (11th by MLB.com).

While they had a rough patch they have somehow managed to become a competitive team without trading off all of their established players and slashing payroll to the bone.

It is almost as if intentionally losing for years and years isn't the only way to become competitive in a challenging division.

And all they had to do is get great performance out of Kevin Gausman after the previous 3 teams he was on could not, figure out which aging superstars would still be really productive in their 30s (Cueto, Crawford, Belt, Posey and Longoria) and keep them and not others, turn Alex Wood into a Cy Young contender at age 30, and fleece the Orioles for Yaz.

If the Orioles management tried to put together a team as old as the Giants they would be the laughingstock of baseball.   Their primary 8 position players are 34, 33, 33, 34, 35, 31, 28, and 30.   Their rotation is 30, 31, 24, 30, 35.   Their 5 most used bullpen guys are 34, 30, 28, 27, 32.

Yes, they are winning.  But if you think they've discovered some sort of winning formula that can be duplicated elsewhere, some magical way to put together a team comprised almost entirely of 30+ year old guys and win, that could be duplicated elsewhere  -- I am highly skeptical.

I'm not saying the only way to win is to tear it down, but I think if someone proposed trying to duplicate what the Giants are doing and build a team out of old guys, everyone on this board would think they are insane.

 

[jabba72]

38 minutes ago, SteveA said:

And all they had to do is get great performance out of Kevin Gausman after the previous 3 teams he was on could not, figure out which aging superstars would still be really productive in their 30s (Cueto, Crawford, Belt, Posey and Longoria) and keep them and not others, turn Alex Wood into a Cy Young contender at age 30, and fleece the Orioles for Yaz.

If the Orioles management tried to put together a team as old as the Giants they would be the laughingstock of baseball.   Their primary 8 position players are 34, 33, 33, 34, 35, 31, 28, and 30.   Their rotation is 30, 31, 24, 30, 35.   Their 5 most used bullpen guys are 34, 30, 28, 27, 32.

Yes, they are winning.  But if you think they've discovered some sort of winning formula that can be duplicated elsewhere, some magical way to put together a team comprised almost entirely of 30+ year old guys and win, that could be duplicated elsewhere  -- I am highly skeptical.

I'm not saying the only way to win is to tear it down, but I think if someone proposed trying to duplicate what the Giants are doing and build a team out of old guys, everyone on this board would think they are insane.

 

The SF Giants are an ancient team by todays standards and it may still fall apart as the season goes on, but I'd love to know what supplements these players are taking, that their still productive.  Clearly something is happening that these players are aging so well when the rest of baseball isnt. Im guessing it will catch on elsewhere quickly whatever it is. My guess is some type of hormone replacement. 

[Frobby]

5 hours ago, SteveA said:

And all they had to do is get great performance out of Kevin Gausman after the previous 3 teams he was on could not, figure out which aging superstars would still be really productive in their 30s (Cueto, Crawford, Belt, Posey and Longoria) and keep them and not others, turn Alex Wood into a Cy Young contender at age 30, and fleece the Orioles for Yaz.

If the Orioles management tried to put together a team as old as the Giants they would be the laughingstock of baseball.   Their primary 8 position players are 34, 33, 33, 34, 35, 31, 28, and 30.   Their rotation is 30, 31, 24, 30, 35.   Their 5 most used bullpen guys are 34, 30, 28, 27, 32.

Yes, they are winning.  But if you think they've discovered some sort of winning formula that can be duplicated elsewhere, some magical way to put together a team comprised almost entirely of 30+ year old guys and win, that could be duplicated elsewhere  -- I am highly skeptical.

I'm not saying the only way to win is to tear it down, but I think if someone proposed trying to duplicate what the Giants are doing and build a team out of old guys, everyone on this board would think they are insane.

 

It’s the new market inefficiency - undervalued guys in their early to mid 30’s!

I’m only half-kidding.