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The young pitcher was a bit starry-eyed around his boyhood idol, that baseball card he collected come to life. He mentioned their similar backgrounds — both rural, both hunters, as reason to believe a friendship was there to strike up.
Conner Menez was excited about the impending call-up, yes, but he also was thrilled to join a rotation that included Madison Bumgarner.
“It would be really cool [to play with Bumgarner],” Menez said before he got the call last season. “We have similar interests in what we do outside of baseball. We’re country kids.”
The next time Menez cracks that rotation, there’s a chance he’s the only lefty. The next time he pitches for the Giants, Bumgarner will not be his teammate.
Such is life post-Dec. 15, 2019, when the big lefty agreed to a five-year deal with the Diamondbacks.
There have been a few faces of the organization — Bumgarner’s, Buster Posey’s and Bruce Bochy’s mugs could be a three-headed monster — but the hardened throwback of Bumgarner is unique, inspirational and aspirational. The Giants are losing 200-plus quality innings, but they’re also losing the most admired competitive fire their staff offered. Bumgarner was not the prototypical leader for the Giants, but he commanded respect and admiration from a team that looked up to him.
Other thoughts as the Giants’ rebuild takes shape:
That’s a lot of innings that need to be made up
Two-hundred seven and two-thirds, to be exact. While Jeff Samardzija has been a workhorse, he will be a trade option until July 31. Johnny Cueto is still an unknown as he begins his first full season following Tommy John surgery. Tyler Anderson, the newcomer from Colorado, is coming off knee surgery and not expected to be available for Opening Day. Kevin Gausman failed out of Atlanta’s rotation last season and rekindled his value as a reliever. Logan Webb threw 103 total innings last year and will be on an innings count. What can be expected from the Tyler Beede, Dereck Rodriguez, Menez, Shaun Anderson types?
The Giants are still trying to add to their rotation, but even one more piece does not solve the innings problem that will arise with a team of young options.
Who’s the next face of the team?
The easy — and probably correct — answer is Farhan Zaidi, who is the savior of the new-age crowd and dartboard fodder for the old-fashioned fans. But how about the ones you’ll actually see on the field?
It’s becoming clearer the next face of the Giants may not have played his first major league game yet.
It’s not quite Joey Bart’s time yet, but how many prospects get trotted up to the big-league park to help the team’s public relations? How many minor leaguers get happy birthday shout-outs from the big league account?
Last weekend, the Giants unmasked the 23-year-old catcher and had him sign autographs for a memorabilia sale. He has yet to get to Triple-A Sacramento, and yet he’s already the face — or name at least — for the next era of Giants baseball. Bart, the second-overall pick in 2018, is still blocked at the major league level by Buster Posey, but the Giants expect to begin moving him around to ensure he’ll find a spot in the majors at some point in 2020.
His coming up and being the real deal would go a long way toward applying a tissue to the crying Giants fans’ faces.
Who’s next to go?
Joe Panik was the first of the core to have an unceremonious exit, designated for assignment in early August. Then Bruce Bochy had his very much ceremonial farewell before Bumgarner landed with Arizona.
Should Brandon Belt have his bags packed? How about Brandon Crawford? While nothing seems imminent, the Giants have laid groundwork for both to say goodbye.
Belt, who has two years and $34 million remaining on his deal, was the recipient of much praise during Gabe Kapler’s introductory news conference. He’s a modern-day player, a plate-disciplined slugger with pop that would play elsewhere better than Oracle Park (even if the walls are creeping in). Already, Milwaukee has been mentioned as a possible landing spot, and while the Giants likely would have to eat part of the contract, it’s not hard to envision Belt — who can block a trade to 10 teams — suiting up elsewhere by Opening Day.
It’s significantly harder to move Crawford, who was one of the worst hitters in baseball last year and is due $30 million for the next two seasons. No one is taking that contract. But the Giants reportedly were sniffing around Didi Gregorius, himself a lefty-hitting shortstop and with a much more encouraging future. It’s not likely the Giants take drastic measures with Crawford prior to April, but there isn’t a Giant under more pressure to perform immediately to secure his job.
The NL West is good
The Giants are not close to catching the perennial favorite Dodgers.
The Padres have what might be the best farm system in baseball and several major building blocks that appear ready to win now.
The Diamondbacks have quickly rebuilt and, oh yeah, if they find themselves competing behind LA for a wild-card spot, they now have a pretty good option for that one-game playoff.
It is getting hard to envision the Giants replicating last year’s 77-win season.