I'll try to suspend my disbelief in Snell's usefulness. He's missed most of ST, and might take a month to get up to speed - like having two Alex Cobbs.
I find it difficult to get attached to half a team that'll be playing for their next contract - Snell, R. Ray, Chapman, Conforto, Cobb, Slater - have I missed anyone?
I find it difficult to root for this team, period.
Giants scouts saw Snell up at 60 pitches just a couple days before signing him, so even if he's a little behind the other starters, I'd expect him to be on the Opening Day roster. There could be more of a pitch count early in the year, but it would be a surprise for him to get to the roster as late as Cobb.
Slater's at least a little different than the other players -- he's been around long enough that he counts as a Good Giant, I think. And unless Ray ends the year throwing 8 straight no-hitters, he probably isn't going to opt out. Teems have figured out ways to not spend money, so him forgoing the last couple years on his contract would be a huge risk.
As for the larger point, yeah, it's hard to root for them. The original title of this one was going to be Who Are The Giants For? with the idea that they're a very flawed baseball team that seems to delight in public relations nightmares. Signing Snell at least gives them an identity of a team that is serious about winning, but when you have both bad PR and good PR, you don't end up with no PR. You end up with both bad and good things, and those bad ones can be pretty hard to take.
They appear destined to be more watchable. This is a very good thing. But I still believe the verdict on Farhan will be did he improve the farm system such that we have a homegrown core/stars and don't have to take risks with long term free agent signings, have one and done contracts or platoon AAAA players. We are in year six, and it feels like a big one on the player development front.
Maestro:
I'll try to suspend my disbelief in Snell's usefulness. He's missed most of ST, and might take a month to get up to speed - like having two Alex Cobbs.
I find it difficult to get attached to half a team that'll be playing for their next contract - Snell, R. Ray, Chapman, Conforto, Cobb, Slater - have I missed anyone?
I find it difficult to root for this team, period.
- fan since 1958 (not a typo)
Giants scouts saw Snell up at 60 pitches just a couple days before signing him, so even if he's a little behind the other starters, I'd expect him to be on the Opening Day roster. There could be more of a pitch count early in the year, but it would be a surprise for him to get to the roster as late as Cobb.
Slater's at least a little different than the other players -- he's been around long enough that he counts as a Good Giant, I think. And unless Ray ends the year throwing 8 straight no-hitters, he probably isn't going to opt out. Teems have figured out ways to not spend money, so him forgoing the last couple years on his contract would be a huge risk.
As for the larger point, yeah, it's hard to root for them. The original title of this one was going to be Who Are The Giants For? with the idea that they're a very flawed baseball team that seems to delight in public relations nightmares. Signing Snell at least gives them an identity of a team that is serious about winning, but when you have both bad PR and good PR, you don't end up with no PR. You end up with both bad and good things, and those bad ones can be pretty hard to take.
Well, turns out he won't be on the OD roster. Nailed it!
They appear destined to be more watchable. This is a very good thing. But I still believe the verdict on Farhan will be did he improve the farm system such that we have a homegrown core/stars and don't have to take risks with long term free agent signings, have one and done contracts or platoon AAAA players. We are in year six, and it feels like a big one on the player development front.