San Francisco Giants’ vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean has been as honest as any member of the franchise about the team’s recent downfall and the challenges that lie ahead for the club to compete in 2018.
Since stepping away from his role as general manager after the Giants’ third World Series title in five seasons, Sabean has still played a very active role in San Francisco’s front office, and his voice and perspective remain critical.
On Friday afternoon, Tim Kawakami of The Athletic released a podcast with Sabean, which touched on a variety of topics including the significance of the Giants’ struggles, the franchise’s overhaul of the coaching staff, and the impending roster changes that will almost certainly take place this offseason.
Sabean was honest about the uphill battle the Giants face, and admitted that in order for San Francisco to compete in 2018, the front office may need to make unpopular decisions to upgrade the roster.
“We’re coming to the realization that to do what we need to do, to be competitive to start the year, and hopefully let that roll into also making some moves at the deadline is that we’re going to have to make some tough choices,” Sabean said. “We may have to move some payroll which may mean moving some people that we perhaps under normal circumstances would not. It’s really a deep exercise and we’re not done with the deep dive yet as to how we best go about it.”
Sabean admitted that the Giants are cognizant of the competitive balance tax, which is often referred to as “the luxury tax”. The Giants have surpassed the luxury tax threshold in three straight seasons, and San Francisco is aware of how damaging the penalties are for franchises that repeatedly exceed the payroll threshold.
“We do need upgrades at certain, key positions,” Sabean told Kawakami. “High on the wish list is to get younger, more athletic and play better defense overall. The heavy lifting is going to be what we I guess move forward with in terms of those changes against a very hefty payroll as we speak. We’re bumping up against the CBT, which next year is going to be 197 (million). We do not have a governor not to go over that, but there are some severe penalties to being in the CBT for the fourth year in a row. So there are going to be some painful decisions, I guess the best way to put it.”
Though the Giants are in a difficult position from a payroll standpoint, Sabean said that Giants’ ownership and the team’s fan base doesn’t have the patience for a total rebuild. Instead of taking the road the Houston Astros did to the top, the Giants are attempting to reset their roster over one offseason and put the franchise in a position to compete heading into Spring Training.
“I think we’re prepared to do as much as we have to without gutting the team, or without peeling it all the way back from a payroll sense,” Sabean said. “It’s best to use a phrase perhaps like a reset, it’s not going to be a rebuild. We don’t have the time again, or the patience from our fans or ownership to go through something.”
To listen to Sabean’s full interview with Kawakami, click the podcast link below.