As a lifelong Bay Area resident, the San Francisco Giants were my childhood sports idols. Perhaps the most underrated sports dynasty of all time, my Giants racked up three World Series titles in five years from 2010-2014. These championships also happened to coincide with the prime of my baseball career. I absolutely dominated Saratoga Little League with my 55 mph fastball and a fall of the table curveball—one that eventually wrecked my elbow thanks to some pretty bad mechanics. But those 24 inches of negative induced vertical break? Totally worth the tendinitis. Anyways, all this is to say the 2010s Giants dynasty holds a special place in my heart and those of every other Northern Californian baseball player.
Sadly, the past eight years have been the epitome of mediocrity for my favorite ballclub. Apart from a 2021 season that saw the baseball gods grant Buster Posey one last 107-win season before his early retirement, the Giants have been a below .500 club every single year. Led by Dodgers mole Farhan Zaidi, the Giants have drafted poorly, signed mediocre talent and mismanaged their farm system year after year.
The great year of 2025, however, changed everything as the ownership finally fired Zaidi. The Giants had originally hired Zaidi from the Dodgers. So, when Zaidi wasted no time and went straight back to LA to work for the Dodgers again this year, many hypothesized he had been a Dodgers’ agent all along, working to sabotage them from the inside.
The Giants, in turn, seemed to learn their lesson. Rather than poach talent from their arch-rivals, they hired a true Bay Area sports icon as their new President of Baseball Operations: Buster Posey. A former MVP, three time World Series Champion, Comeback Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Gold Glover, five time Silver Slugger, seven time All-Star, future first-ballot Hall of Famer and widely regarded as the greatest catcher of the 21st century—he is also the namesake of my dog Buster. With the exiting of Judas Zaidi and the introduction of Buster Posey, the Giants hope to turn a leaf to a new, winning era of Giants baseball.
Posey wasted no time making his mark this offseason. As a former teammate of arguably the greatest infield core of the 2010s, he prioritized locking down All-Star-caliber talent in the infield. After a 27-homer, Gold Glove season, Posey rewarded third baseman Matt Chapman with a hefty six-year, $150 million extension.
Next, he moved quickly to land big-fish free agent shortstop Willy Adames, signing him to a seven-year, $180 million deal early in the offseason. By acting fast, Posey avoided the artificial contract inflation that could have followed the Juan Soto signing, as well as any potential training camp drama like the Giants faced with their late Blake Snell deal last year.
Posey’s final major move was signing 42-year-old Justin Verlander to a one-year, $15 million guaranteed contract. While this might have been an overpay, it was a necessary one. Verlander is undoubtedly one of the greatest pitchers of his generation, but age is catching up with him. He spent most of last season sidelined by injury and posted an earned run average in the mid-5s when healthy.
Still, given the Giants’ young and uncertain rotation, Verlander’s presence could prove invaluable. Ideally, he will serve as both a player and mentor, guiding the team’s young arms while bringing veteran leadership and winning habits to the clubhouse.
As Spring Training approaches, a new ray of hope has broken through the iconic fog of Oracle Park. Buster Posey—a true baseball savant and proven winner—now leads the charge. And for the first time since my Little League days, I have faith in the San Francisco Giants’ front office.