We have ourselves some good old-fashioned noise surrounding Farhan Zaidi’s future with the Giants. Lots of it. Pretty loud, too.
As if the summer of discontent wasn’t enough for a grumbling fan base, with the on-again, off-again dances with .500, a 5-9 September has displayed, for the third consecutive season, that a Farhan-produced team cannot soar to great heights.
And now come the media leaks from inside the building.
First, John Shea of the Chronicle reported that Farhan’s supposed three-year contract through 2026 was, in fact, only guaranteed through 2025.
Next, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reported that ownership did not trust Farhan to finalize the Matt Chapman deal, and got “so frustrated by the lack of immediate progress” that executive board member Buster Posey got involved to “hammer out” the contract.
At that point, we were treated to a little press box feud, as Shea and Susan Slusser of the Chronicle fired back with a story quoting agent Scott Boras, disputing some points in Baggarly’s narrative.
Baggarly didn’t back down and came on KNBR to say “the story holds.”
You may consume your popcorn now.
Oh, and by the way, *both* media outlets used language much more important than the Chapman in-fighting:
— Baggarly reported that Zaidi’s contract status “would not be an impediment” to making a change at head of baseball operations if the board wanted new blood atop the franchise.
— Even in refuting some of Baggarly’s details, Shea and Slusser wrote that ownership is “taking a hard look” and that Farhan “appears to be on the hot seat.”
Noise! Lots of it!
Which cannot be good for Farhan Zaidi. His goose may not be cooked just yet, but the oven is warming up.
(It has also been reported that Farhan has been hospitalized twice in the past month, which is alarming, and hopefully not a serious situation. Amid all the wins and losses, health is paramount and we wish him well.)
This Jock Blog cannot make an accurate prediction as to whether or not we’ll be interviewing Farhan in the serene climes of Scottsdale Stadium on a February morning in 2025. Greg Johnson, the control person and chairman of the board, is a bit of cypher; his tenure has been marked by a low profile and mostly innocuous media hits once a year or so. George Steinbrenner ruling with thunder and lightning and wild hairpin turns of decisions, he is not.
This Jock Blog however, recognizes static when it sees it.
There’s lots of static around Farhan right now.
The juicy narrative is that Buster Posey himself would replace Farhan as head of baseball operations, but I would sincerely doubt that. In addition to being an MVP, Rookie of the Year, batting champ and three-time World Series champ, Posey is one of the smarter cats around. His big brain would tell him that the job of head of baseball operations and its year-round grind and its capricious nature tied to nightly box scores is far less appealing than staying in the executive boardroom and being the guy who *hires* the head of baseball operations.
Would Greg Johnson and the board be bold enough to make the move of relieving Farhan of his duties? They could hear Farhan’s plea for mercy that Blake Snell’s injury and Jorge Soler’s collapse unexpectedly derailed the early season; and that the rise of Heliot Ramos, Hayden Birdsong, Tyler Fitzgerald and the incoming train of the Bryce Eldrige Express bodes well for the future.
Me, personally? I would thank him for his efforts, point out that from 2019-2024 all we did was get older and not win a single playoff series, and hand him a check.
The Giants would have to have someone sharp in mind to succeed him.
Maybe Gabe Kapler?
What, too soon?
In the meantime, enjoy the noise.