Within the early to mid-2010s, the San Francisco Giants have been one of the vital dominant groups in MLB. They received three World Sequence over 5 years, successful it each even 12 months (2010, 2012, 2014). Though it was short-lived they usually missed the postseason the 2 years they didn’t win all of it, it’s nonetheless probably the greatest dynasties in MLB historical past. It was the operating joke again in 2016 that they have been gonna win the World Sequence, just because it was a good 12 months.
Nonetheless, for the reason that dynasty ended, they haven’t been capable of finding success. Since 2017, they’ve solely made the postseason as soon as in 2021. Though they went 107-55, many see it as a fluke. It’s checked out as a 12 months the place everybody had a profession season they usually bought all of the breaks they might. Outdoors of that, it’s been nothing however disappointing seasons and underperformance.
Going into 2025, it appears to be like just like the Giants are due for one more mediocre season. PECOTA tasks them to win 77.8 video games, good for fourth within the Nationwide League West. Regardless of making splashy strikes like signing Willy Adames and Justin Verlander, they’re projected to do worse than they did in 2024. It feels just like the Giants are caught in a cycle of mediocrity, with no route to make the group higher.
Why Are the Giants Caught in a Rut of Mediocrity
Though 2021 was a hit, it might be the worst factor to occur to the Giants. Earlier than the season began, the Giants have been seen as a group that was destined to complete beneath .500. With all of the questions surrounding the getting older hitting core and underperforming pitching core, there wasn’t a lot hope for a magical run. Nonetheless, with everybody having profession years, the Giants overperformed and had the most effective file within the league.
But what this season did was make the Giants assume they have been nearer than they have been. Fairly than taking a look at 2021 because the outlier and unrepeatable, the Giants thought that they’d developed an honest core. All they wanted was a number of star gamers they usually may begin competing once more. This pondering is what induced the Giants to make strikes to attempt to win now. They wished to construct off that success and noticed it as the start of a brand new period of Giants dominance.
Nonetheless, 2022 noticed main regression because the Giants fell to 81-81, 26 fewer wins than in 2021. This could have been the signal for the Giants to vary course and decide to constructing in the direction of the long run. As 2022 fell extra in keeping with what the 2017-2020 seasons seemed like. However, the Giants doubled down and continued to chase prime free brokers. Once they didn’t land them, they took flyers on guys and hoped they might develop them into the gamers they wanted. A technique that’s led them to mediocrity.
Time for Buster Posey to Make a Determination
One of many principal issues the Giants saved operating into underneath former President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi was the shortcoming to herald free brokers. They made runs at large free brokers like Aaron Choose and Carlos Correa however got here up empty. This failure to land a famous person free agent is a giant motive why the Giants moved on from Zaidi and introduced within the former face of the franchise Buster Posey to run the present.
Now, Posey was in a position to do what Zaidi was by no means in a position to in bringing a giant free agent like Adams. The hope is that Adams can add sufficient worth that it masks any potential regression guys on the roster might need. Nonetheless, that transfer isn’t sufficient to place the Giants on the identical stage as groups just like the Dodgers or Diamondbacks. So though Posey is making strikes that Zaidi couldn’t, he’s at present doomed to have the identical shortcomings.
If Posey needs to do what’s finest for the Giants, he wants to start out the rebuild. With groups just like the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Padres all having a greater roster, it’s unlikely they’ll make any run into the postseason. So, they need to simply begin rebuilding and getting younger proficient prospects. As soon as the prospects are prepared, their divisional rivals’ playoff home windows ought to be over. That can break the cycle of mediocrity.
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