Prospect Review
MLB Farm Ranking
The Giants start the offseason with the second best farm in baseball. The top of the system has taken a hit with injuries likely leading to Burgos and Lamar dropping out of the top ten but four in the top 50 plus Wartel at 52 is a good haul.
The Royals farm drops outside of the top ten as Stewart’s farm building begins to graduate from the minor leagues.
San Francisco Prospects
It was a strong season most of the Giants prospects, with four of their top 20 ending the season at AAA and pushing for a shot to make the opening day roster in 2054. The top OFs Gianvito Heaton (2050 1st Round) and Frank Calleja (2052 Trade) headline that group and, with Zetino’s performance in 2053, there is certainly going to be at least one spot up for grabs.
Personnel
The Giants saw goodbye to four of their personnel whose contracts expire with no extension being offered. The harshest decision is probably at Bench Coach, where Carson Sands is let go despite being part of the World Series-reaching staff. His smallball philosophy, however, does not align with Stewarts, so the two part ways.
In addition, Managers Graham Spraker (AAA) and Kevin Perez (DSL) move on, along with DSL Pitching Coach Drew Beam.
The opening at AAA saw several internal promotions by GM Stewart:
• AAA Manager – Steve D’Amico from AA
• AA Manager – Giovanni Lopez from A+
• A+ Manager – Tanner Allison from Rookie (ACL)
Post promotions, the following positions remain open for external recruitment:
• MLB Bench Coach
• Rookie (ACL) Manager
• Rookie (DSL) Manager
• Rookie (DSL) Pitching Coach
Retirements
Boston Red Sox: LF Chris Albright retired from professional baseball.
Philadelphia Phillies: SP Ethan Chafin retired from professional baseball.
Texas Rangers: SP Chris Kuehn retired from professional baseball.
SP Ben Lane retired from professional baseball.
Toronto Blue Jays: SP Danny Mueller retired from professional baseball.
Arizona Diamondbacks: RP DeMario Arroyo (AAA Reno) retired from professional baseball.
Arizona Diamondbacks: SS Kevin Barlow retired from professional baseball.
Atlanta Braves: CL Jonathan Clark retired from professional baseball.
Baltimore Orioles: RP Esteban Valcarcel (A Delmarva) retired from professional baseball.
Baltimore Orioles: RP Julio Pesina retired from professional baseball.
Boston Red Sox: 2B Jeff Abbott retired from professional baseball.
Boston Red Sox: C Andres Mora (AA Portland) retired from professional baseball.
Boston Red Sox: LF Laurente Savoldelli retired from professional baseball.
Chicago Cubs: 2B David Maldonado retired from professional baseball.
Chicago Cubs: RP Jeff Stover (AA Tennessee) retired from professional baseball.
Chicago White Sox: 1B Phil Martinson (AA Birmingham) retired from professional baseball.
Cincinnati Reds: SS Clifton Mendelson retired from professional baseball.
Cleveland Guardians: C Greg Sterling (AAA Columbus) retired from professional baseball.
Cleveland Guardians: RP Arturo Pasten (AAA Columbus) retired from professional baseball.
Cleveland Guardians: SS Julio Lujan (R Cleveland (ACL)) retired from professional baseball.
Colorado Rockies: RP Deshawn General retired from professional baseball.
Los Angeles Angels: RF Davon Madkins (AA Rocket City) retired from professional baseball.
Miami Marlins: C Alex Eberhard (AA Pensacola) retired from professional baseball.
Miami Marlins: C Sergio Morales (AA Pensacola) retired from professional baseball.
Milwaukee Brewers: 1B Won-sub Kim retired from professional baseball.
New York Mets: C Chad Pinkerton (AA Binghamton) retired from professional baseball.
New York Yankees: RP Juan Verdin (AAA Scranton WB) retired from professional baseball.
Pittsburgh Pirates: 3B Zach Jochimsen retired from professional baseball.
San Antonio Avalanche: RP Jorge Quintero (AA Midland) retired from professional baseball.
San Diego Padres: 2B Santiago Castaneda (R San Diego (ACL)) retired from professional baseball.
San Diego Padres: RP David Morales retired from professional baseball.
St. Louis Cardinals: 3B Sergio Aleman retired from professional baseball.
St. Louis Cardinals: RF Ken Knuckles retired from professional baseball.
St. Louis Cardinals: RF Zaire Prattis retired from professional baseball.
Texas Rangers: 2B Erik Sloat (AA Frisco) retired from professional baseball.
Texas Rangers: SS Harlan Moores (AA Frisco) retired from professional baseball.
Toronto Blue Jays: 3B Luis de los Santos (AA New Hampshire) retired from professional baseball.
Toronto Blue Jays: SP Jim Heiser retired from professional baseball.
1B Jim McCarthy retired from professional baseball.
2B DeMario Salazar retired from professional baseball.
3B Ben Lowe retired from professional baseball.
3B Juan de Alba retired from professional baseball.
CF Jon Sheriff retired from professional baseball.
LF Chris Cook retired from professional baseball.
LF Lupe Moscoso retired from professional baseball.
RF Chris Kosch retired from professional baseball.
RP Aubrey Vickerson retired from professional baseball.
RP Chris Unruh retired from professional baseball.
RP Luis Olvera retired from professional baseball.
SP Dave Drury retired from professional baseball.
SP Jimmy Robinson retired from professional baseball.
SP Robbie DeMoro retired from professional baseball.
SS Nelson Ortega retired from professional baseball.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Retired #12 in honor of Zach Jochimsen.
Owner Goals
A new season and four new goals amongst the six from owner Quivers. Still to be achieved are the goals of acquiring an MVP Award winner and improving fan interest. Both are on track although the recognition of Ernesto Pantoja as an MVP calibre player is a stretch.
The new goals require Stewart to achieve a winning record next year, as well as improving the teams HR ranking from 11th. Longer term, ownership expects the club to lean on international amateur over the next 8 years finds with a goal of winning a championship by 2060. This is a remarkably reasonably set of goals with only the acquiring of an MVP something that Stewart is unlikely to specifically target.
Finances
The first news, disappointingly, is the news that Giants fan loyalty has dropped to ‘Good’ from ‘Very Good’. This is likely to have a negative impact on budgets moving forward, and may take some sustained success to change.
After a season in which Stewart made over $100m profit for the ownership, there is positive news as the budget is increased by $24m to $270. This eclipses the $258m high from 2051 and is a positive reward for a great season. That gives the Giants a lot of financial flexibility with $76m for free agents if the right players become available.
The final financial good news is the increase in attendance which saw the total attendance jump from 15th to 6th with average attendance seeing an almost 33% increase, from 30k to 39k. The Giants will keep ticket prices at the same level for 2054 and hope that this past season’s success will drive season ticket sales.