The Farhan Zaidi era is over. The Buster Posey era (as the front office leader) begins.
Zaidi's six-year tenure lasted too long and will not be remembered fondly by many, with the exception of that last-grasp-at-glory, 107-win season in 2021. In hindsight, that season probably bought him too much time.
The Giants went 240-246 over the last three years, concrete proof of the cardinal sin committed by Zaidi: mediocrity. The era will be defined by being "somewhat break even," that infamous, explicit goal aimed for by chairman Greg Johnson in October 2023. The Giants certainly did that.
There is little worse that a sports franchise can do but be aimless, steering nowhere in a sea of halfhearted promises. That is what the Giants did, trying to pull the wool over fans eyes with limp optimism vis-à-vis the Sean Maneas and Mitch Hanigers of the world, with openers and endless roster shuffling, giving some Zaidi favorites too much rope and promising ones not enough, all while the Dodgers stacked a world class roster and farm system year after year.
When you are terrible, there is a direction. There is a timeline. When you are stellar, there is a direction. There is a timeline.
These Giants have been neither terrible nor stellar. They have been middling, uninspired and rudderless. Johnson, at least, seems to have recognized that. In his statement, among other things, he said:
“We are looking for someone who can define, direct and and lead this franchise's baseball philosophy and we feel that Buster is the perfect fit. Buster has the demeanor, intelligence and drive to do this job, and we are confident that he and Bob Melvin will work together to bring back winning baseball to San Francisco.”
"Define, direct and lead this franchise's baseball philosophy."
That is the long and short of it. In Posey, the Giants are promoting someone who has won. That is his identity. That is his legacy, as someone who is as venerated as almost any Giant. It should not be difficult for him to shape the team's identity, given that it has had none since he retired.
Posey has to show he can lead from a front office perspective, a wholly different task than what he faced as a player. But at minimum, this exorcises the dry, tasteless resin that's been stuck on the tongues of Giants fans.
The Giants are going with a proven a leader who will not have any interest in damaging his legacy with mediocre aims. That alone is cause for optimism, even if it turns out to be fruitless.
After depriving fans of reason to feel anything, the Giants made a calculated move to inject hope back into the minds of fans. We shall see if it manifests in results.