Once the Giants freed up their payroll by trading away Matt Moore to the Texas Rangers, they were able to land Evan Longoria in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. Although Longoria’s presence on the roster is expected to help the Giants in the immediate future, some are worried about how the third baseman will impact the team long term.
On the bright side, the Giants got Longoria and his 20 home runs, .261 batting average from last season, along with gold glove-caliber defense. On the other hand, Longoria is 32-years old with a contract that could ultimately weigh down the Giants’ future payroll.
Nonetheless Duane Kuiper told Brain Murphy and Kevin Frandsen on KNBR’s morning show Wednesday morning, the focus should be on 2018 and bouncing back from a 98-loss season.
“We’re trying to get over 98 games,” Kuiper said. “Now it’s about trying to get into the 90s in wins and maybe this guy is going to propel you to do that.”
Although not as young as when they won their first rings together in 2012, Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, and Madison Bumgarner are still in the primes of their careers. Contrary to how last season played out, Kuiper believes there is more in the tank as far as the Giants’ core players are concerned and Longoria’s addition could help the Giants solidify their roster around those key players.
“I’m all for what next year is going to look like and then worry about three years or four years,” Kuiper said. “You have to do it now with Buster, Bumgarner, Crawford and those guys still in their prime. You can’t let those prime years get away.”
To listen to the full interview check out the podcast below, and skip to 4:05 for Kuiper on the Giants.