The Athletic's Keith Law was on KNBR recently and he ripped the San Francisco Giants' apparent plan to start Marco Luciano at shortstop, going so far as to call the plan "reckless." Does Law have a point? Are the SF Giants setting Luciano up for failure? Or does Law have questionable analysis skills? Memorably, Law not so long ago wrote a piece in which he re-drafted the class that yielded Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Christian Yelich, among others. The player Law said he would take first overall? Andrelton Simmons—a shockingly poor decision with the benefit of hindsight. So ... maybe Law's words shouldn't always be taken as gospel. He also bad-mouthed the SF Giants ahead of the 2010 season, and we all know how that ended up.

Among the other questions asked and answered on today's mailbag edition of the Locked On Giants podcast:

If Luis Matos has a good spring, would you trade one of Mike Yastrzemski and Michael Conforto and give Luis an everyday corner spot? Don’t understand the logic of starting him at Sac if he has a good spring but basically give Luciano SS without much competition.

Do you think we really need Slater? He’s basically a one trick pony and was horrible the 2nd half of last year. Between Matos, Blake Sabol, Tyler Fitzgerald, Wade Meckler, and Ramos he’s taking up a valuable roster spot and is a FA next year. I just think Ramos deserves a fair shot.

Any chance you can discuss the WAR for every teams 1st round pick from the 10 years and how the Hiants would've been better off having not signed a single first round pick in that span? Susan Slusser retweeted the chart I’m talking about.

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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.

Follow Ben Kaspick on X, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.

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#SFGiants #FirstListen

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Locked On Giants is normally all about the data, with of course a heavy dose of passion mixed in. But on today's episode, things switch gears in a dramatic way. Javier Reyes of Locked On Padres joins the show and each host describes the players on his respective team that fans have disliked the most in recent seasons.

From the San Francisco Giants' side of things, players like Mark Melancon, Tommy La Stella, a couple of hot-headed relievers, and many others are discussed at length. Explored are the reasons why fans dislike them.

For the Padres, there are some names that might surprise SF Giants fans, including Eric Hosmer, who somehow has a reputation in the game for being a really good player, even though he was just awful for San Diego. Locked On Giant host Ben Kaspick goes so far as to call Hosmer the most overrated player in baseball in the last three decades.

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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.

Follow Ben Kaspick on X, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.

On X: https://x.com/BenKaspick

#SFGiants #FirstListen

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If the San Francisco Giants had the chance, should they trade Keaton Winn straight up for Willy Adames? They absolutely should, even though Winn has a bright and exciting future. The Giants could really use a true shortstop, and who better than a talented hitter and elite defender who's only 28? Adames fits the SF Giants extremely well, and the Giants have a surplus of young pitching. It might take more than that to land Adames, but he's a player the Giants should definitely be targeting.

Among the other questions asked and answered on today's mailbag edition of the Locked On Giants podcast:

Why are so many people asking for Adames instead of FINALLY seeing what we have in Marco Luciano?

Thoughts on Joc Pederson liking that post about the city?

Now that Joc's gone who has the most swagger on the team?

What are a few examples of ways the front office has integrated differing viewpoints into their decision-making processes, compared to last season?

Are you proud of the Giants organization? Are you proud to be a Giants fan right now, or were you proud to be a Giants fan back when the organization was run differently (Bochy Era), and just hopeful that it will get back to something to be proud of?

Do you think a couple of signings/moves are imminent after they can add Alex Cobb and Robbie Ray to the 60-day IL on 2/14?

If you were Farhan Zaidi would you rather pay 6/$180M for Blake Snell or trade for Jesus Luzardo in a prospect package costing at least Carson Whisenhunt or possibly Marco Luciano as the top player back to Miami?

Ok real question, do you think the 107-win season was actually the worst thing that happened for the SF Giants' long-term strategy, soft rebuild (reset?), Zaidi & Gabe Kapler game plan?

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Corbin Burnes being traded from the Brewers to the Orioles has implications for the San Francisco Giants. Milwaukee has signaled its intent to re-tool, trading away a Cy Young-caliber pitcher because he was entering the last year of his contract. Enter the SF Giants, who could use another Brewers player on an expiring deal: shortstop Willy Adames.

There are numerous reasons why Adames makes sense for the Giants. First of all, going into the season with just Marco Luciano penciled in as their starting shortstop is too risky. Adames is a plus-plus defender, is 28 years old, and is an above-average hitter. Acquiring him would be a big swing for the Giants, and it would allow them to move Luciano into a competition for the third base position, which currently consists of J.D. Davis, Casey Schmitt, Wilmer Flores, and perhaps David Villar. Davis is the frontrunner to play there, except it would make more sense for him to play DH given the current roster construction, especially if they acquired someone on the left side of the infield.

So the big question is: what would it take to acquire Adames? The cost for Burnes wasn't that high, simply because he is a short-term rental. And as good as Adames is, he has less value than Burnes. So the SF Giants would probably have to give up a mid Top-100 prospect type (Carson Whisenhunt?) and perhaps a bit more. Arms like Tristan Beck and Keaton Winn could also be of interest to Milwaukee. The cost won't be prohibitive, Adames would make the team better, he is a high energy player, and a trade would make a lot of sense.

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Patrick Bailey and Jung Hoo Lee kind of got cheated by the system. Bailey, who burst onto the scene in 2023 with his defensive excellence at the most important position on the field, was never a Top 100 prospect darling. Lee, who's coming over from Korea, is only 25 years old, and would certainly crack a top prospects list if eligible, was not included on MLB Pipeline's list this year because they decided to stop including international signings.

However, that didn't stop the SF Giants from having four representatives on MLB Top 100 list. There were the usual suspects, Kyle Harrison and Marco Luciano, leading the way. Both players reached the major leagues in 2023 and figure to have a real shot at further development this upcoming season. Harrison has ace potential and Luciano could have 30+ home run power.

Two newcomers joined the list for the Giants. Carson Whisenhunt, a left-handed pitcher, was ranked for the first time. Bryce Eldridge, the San Francisco Giants' first-round selection in the 2023 draft, also cracked MLB Pipeline's Top 100 list. Whisenhunt features a devastating changeup, one of the best in professional baseball, and Eldridge is a 6'7" teenager with huge raw power. Oh, and he's also a pitcher who sits in the low to mid-90s and throws strikes.

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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.

Follow Ben Kaspick on X, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.

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#SFGiants #FirstListen

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The San Francisco Giants have quietly had a pretty good offseason. It might feel like the offseason is basically over, but that's far from the case with so many free agents still unsigned less than a month before the start of spring training. Matt Chapman, Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, and Jordan Montgomery are the top remaining free agents, and it's not shocking that all are represented by Scott Boras, who's notorious for dragging on the free agent process until he gets his clients the deals they're seeking.

In the meantime, the Giants have added Korean star center fielder Jung Hoo Lee—the youngest free agent on the market this offseason—in addition to Jordan Hicks (who's only 27) and Tom Murphy in free agency. Those are three quality signings, and they've also made a savvy trade acquiring 2021 Cy Young winner Robbie Ray for two players who had seen major dips in production and had fallen out of favor with fans after poor performance.

With all of that in mind, how much money do the SF Giants have left to spend and on whom should they spend it? Per Roster Resource, the Giants' luxury tax payroll is about $28.5 million shy of the first luxury tax threshold. Penalties for exceeding the tax are discussed at length. Additionally, it's clear that at $28.5 million (in terms of average annual value), the Giants could easily sign any one of the top four remaining free agents. Giants president of baseball ops Farhan Zaidi spoke yesterday of upgrading the infield defense, which seems to make a Matt Chapman signing feel somewhat inevitable.

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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.

Follow Ben Kaspick on X, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.

On X: https://x.com/BenKaspick

#SFGiants #FirstListen

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Jordan Hicks is officially a member of the San Francisco Giants. And their starting rotation, surprisingly. The SF Giants signed Hicks to be a starting pitcher, which is not what people expected from Hicks this offseason. But it doesn't mean the plan is destined to fail. Hicks has monster stuff and the Giants truly believe he can start. If it works, the Giants will be thrilled and in a great spot. If it doesn't, he can be a stud in the back of the bullpen. The only issue? If Hicks in the rotation backfires, the SF Giants will have starting pitching problems, considering newly acquired Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb will miss significant time at the start of the 2023 season.

The Giants avoided arbitration with Thairo Estrada, LaMonte Wade Jr., and Tyler Rogers on the day of the day of the deadline to exchange arbitration figures. Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Slater had reached one-year deals to avoid arb earlier in the offseason. The SF Giants' lone remaining case is J.D. Davis. The Giants and Davis appear headed for an arbitration hearing, where Davis' 2024 salary will be chosen by a panel of arbiters. The two sides are fighting over $350K, with Davis seeking $6.9M and the Giants countering with $6.55M. One number or the other will be chosen—nothing in between.

Finally, Dusty Baker's return to the San Francisco Giants is discussed. What will his role be and how much influence will he have? All in all, it's been nice to see the Giants lean back more towards the middle after veering seemingly too far into the deep end of analytics and a lack of feel and soul. Baker has those latter qualities in spades and it's great to have him back.

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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.

Follow Ben Kaspick on X, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.

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The San Francisco Giants have been fairly active this offseason, but it sure doesn't feel that way. Such is the nature of the MLB offseason, where negotiations drag on needlessly to the point of absurdity. The Giants signed Korean star Jung Hoo Lee to a $113 deal; they traded for 2021 Cy Young winner Robbie Ray. The SF Giants also found their backup catcher in lefty-masher Tom Murphy.

However, the pace of the MLB offseason is way too slow. And Giants president of baseball operations had a very interesting idea on how to fix it when he appeared on the Athletic's TK Show podcast with Tim Kawakami. Zaidi suggested a three to four week deadline for players to sign multi-year deals. That way, even if players aren't able to a land a multi-year deal, they'd still get a chance to cash in big on a one-year deal. It's an interesting idea that's worth seriously considering given how tedious the MLB offseason has become. It's not good for players, teams, or fans.

Also discussed on today's crossover between Locked On Giants and Locked On D-backs: The state of the NL West. The Dodgers are obviously a powerhouse, particularly after adding Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow. The D-backs are the defending NL champs. The Padres are a huge wild card. Where does that all leave the San Francisco Giants? Left in the dust? On the cusp of contention? The Giants have some pieces and some upside, but they must continue to add players this offseason or they look like a fourth-place team.

Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.

Follow Ben Kaspick on X, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.

On X: https://x.com/BenKaspick

#SFGiants #FirstListen

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