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Playing Loose in September and Spending Money in 2025
It’s clear that the G-Men are using this September run of games to evaluate the talent that is going to form the core of the 2025 Giants. Grant McCray is a rookie with awesome power, as witnessed by his dingers in the games at San Diego. Fitzgerald is the shortstop of the future with a glove, an arm, and a power bat. We should have brought him up in May. Patrick Bailey may be worn down from a long season but the bat, the glove, and the baseball smarts are there, and Ramos is leading the teams with a .273 average. On the pitching side, Birdsong has had the yips now and then, but the talent is clearly there and he should be ready for the starting role in the rotation next year.
The pieces for 2025 are coming together.
But perhaps the most meaningful move in September was giving Matt Chapman his 6-year 151 million contract. Chapman leads the Giants in homers (23), RBI’s (71), and Runs (92). Why is this so important? Because it signals the rest of the free agents that the Giants will spend. Does this mean that Blake Snell will re-up to join Logan Webb in 2025? It’s a lot more hopeful this week than it was at the end of August. Getting Snell’s signature on a long-term contract would send a loud message that ownership is committed to the future of the team and will make watching the playoffs on TV for another year a lot more palatable.
What we are seeing in September (and will see through the end of the month) is the kids playing to impress. And, in the wings in AAA is Bryce Elridge, the 6’ 7” 19-year-old wunderkid who is hyped as the second coming of Aaron Judge. We must wait for spring training to see Bryce, but the wait should be worth it.
The other question is whether Farhan will have a job next April. Signing Chapman was a good move, but he must get ownership to spring a lot more money for this group to be competitive. Speaking from the perspective of a 30-year plus season ticket holder, we expect more from management and ownership than we have seen this year (at least up to the Chapman contract extension). It's been 10 years since the last WS championship team and my ten-year-old tee shirts are getting worn out.
The September schedule – Are we even spoilers?
The G-Men took the San Diego series on Sunday (the first series victory in a while) which, other than the Padres at home next week, and the Snakes series at the end of the year in Arizona, has been the only opportunity to impact on a race – in this case the wild card for the NL west being contested by the Padres and the Snakes. The Brewers will be fun to see but they have sewn up their playoff spot in the NL Central and will tune up for the playoffs on their swing through the West Coast.
The story for the rest of the season is to relax, go to the ballpark, eat a crab sandwich, score a bottle of wine from behind the home plate, and watch the future unfold on the field. I’ll be there. Join me!
On the Board ready for pick up are:
9/10 – TUES [6:45] Brewers [4 – Polynesian hat]
9/11 – WED [6:45] Brewers [4]
9/12 – THUR [6:45] Brewers [4]
9/13 – FRI [7:15] Padres [4]
9/14 – SAT [6:05] Padres [4 – 49ers hat]
See you in 2025 and let the torture continue.
Ciao, and GO GIANTS!
The Czar
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THE PROTOCOL: The firm has four seats in Section 118 (Premium Lower Boxes), Rows 25 and 26. These are awesome seats directly below the press box and 25 rows behind the home plate on the left side behind the screen. It is foul ball territory for left-handed batters so bring your glove – I have collected 22 foul balls myself over 23 years and am looking for more. If we don’t use all the tickets ourselves (or clients and friends of the firm don't claim them by calling me and reserving a game), then my next step is to give the tickets TO THE FIRST PERSON WHO GETS BACK TO ME PROVIDED THAT THEY ARE SERIOUS. If you ask for the tickets and don't use them, you will be taken off the list unless there is a seriously good reason. There will be a waitlist.
When there are four seats available (we split up a lot of games) we will allocate the tickets two and two if the first people back just want two tickets. You can also go for four and might get them. I'm the Czar, my call.
Oh, and BTW, The Czar found the original Hinman & Carmichael brick from 2000 (after looking for it every year since 2000) and found H&C’s Gotham Club Founders Bat! If you are on the patio, or in the Club, look for the symbols of baseball!
