Giants' identity crisis deepens after latest free-agent whiff

While Corbin Burnes signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks early Saturday morning, a light flickered in the San Francisco Giants front office somewhere in Oracle Park. Another superstar target slipped away, another division rival got stronger and another critical offseason moment evaporated in the desert sun.

The six-year, $210 million deal stings not just because the Giants reportedly offered more money but because it perfectly illustrates the organization's growing identity crisis. Arizona swooped in decisively while San Francisco, yet again, fell short in the moment of truth.

The Giants' cautious approach isn't working. Their last-place National League West rankings in both team OPS (.701) and home runs (177) in 2024 tell a stark story of offensive futility. Something fundamental needs to change when a team strikes out more than everyone except the Colorado Rockies.

Building for tomorrow

Yes, signing shortstop Willy Adames to the richest contract in club history showed progress. But in an NL West where the Los Angeles Dodgers just landed Blake Snell, the San Diego Padres boast an exciting core and now the Diamondbacks add Burnes, merely breaking your spending record isn't enough.

The new president of baseball operations, Buster Posey, knows this. The former MVP and World Series champion hasn't minced words about his vision for the club since taking the reins. 

His recent comments to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic revealed a stark departure from his predecessor Farhan Zaidi's analytical approach.

"If the industry is paying a guy to have an .850 OPS, but he only drives in 40 runs, well, where's the incentive to drive in runs if it doesn't matter," Posey said. "The challenge, from my perspective, is that driving in runs does matter to me. There's probably a lot of people who'd disagree with me and say they are all based on luck, right? I disagree with that. I don't think it is. I think it's a mindset and a want-to."

The power solution

Enter Pete Alonso. The Mets slugger's 34 home runs last season would have led San Francisco by a staggering margin. Current first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. managed just eight homers while battling lower-body injuries despite posting an impressive .380 on-base percentage.