[Mick]

Un-snarky question. How many years do you give Farhan before a playoff appearance? Lynch did it in three. And he inherited an absolute mess. Granted that a common draft and a sport where first year players can have immediate impact I would say that Farhan deserves more than a football GM. But how many?

Given the addiction to metrics the Giant management has passed on the “gut feeling” reason to ever fire him.

As you pointed out, I think it's quite different in football than in baseball.  Sabean and Evans left the Giants well and truly screwed in a way that is almost legendary.  Farhan inherited a worse mess.  It is much more difficult to acquire baseball talent, that's why he was willing to pay $12 million for a first round draft selection.  Think of it this way...virtually every player drafted in the NFL draft has a chance to make the roster, 75% of the draftees in the latest rounds will make the roster.  I don't think 1/4 of the first round draftees will make an MLB roster, much less the rest of the rounds.  It's because baseball has a much longer turnaround cycle.  

Here's what Farhan faced: 
1) Every single starting player was saddled with a brobdingnagian contract and had poor to (at best) mediocre ability, plus they were old and breaking down.  

2) They had little pitching.  

3) They had (have) a park that is ill-conducive for hitters.

4) Their minor leagues were a wasteland.  The year before Farhan arrived, every minor league team except one (I think low-A ball) finished last in their league or division.  In one year, Farhan turned those teams around...in fact, the Giants won the AAA championship for the first time since 2008.

5)  I would also point out that Lynch had an almost comically large amount under the cap whereas the Giants were in luxury tax territory before Farhan arrived.  

6) Shanahan and Lynch instilled a winning attitude, a great clubhouse demeanor and a desire to dig down deep to win.  I think that's much more important in football than in any other sport because so much rests on personal fortitude.

So...all that said?  It will take two years for draft picks to develop and for the deadwood to clear off of the major league roster.  I think they wild card in 2022 and win the pennant by 2024.

[Mick]

Un-snarky question. How many years do you give Farhan before a playoff appearance? Lynch did it in three. And he inherited an absolute mess. Granted that a common draft and a sport where first year players can have immediate impact I would say that Farhan deserves more than a football GM. But how many?

Given the addiction to metrics the Giant management has passed on the “gut feeling” reason to ever fire him.

As you pointed out, I think it's quite different in football than in baseball.  Sabean and Evans left the Giants well and truly screwed in a way that is almost legendary.  Farhan inherited a worse mess.  It is much more difficult to acquire baseball talent, that's why he was willing to pay $12 million for a first round draft selection.  Think of it this way...virtually every player drafted in the NFL draft has a chance to make the roster, 75% of the draftees in the latest rounds will make the roster.  I don't think 1/4 of the first round draftees will make an MLB roster, much less the rest of the rounds.  It's because baseball has a much longer turnaround cycle.  

Here's what Farhan faced: 
1) Every single starting player was saddled with a brobdingnagian contract and had poor to (at best) mediocre ability, plus they were old and breaking down.  

2) They had little pitching.  

3) They had (have) a park that is ill-conducive for hitters.

4) Their minor leagues were a wasteland.  The year before Farhan arrived, every minor league team except one (I think low-A ball) finished last in their league or division.  In one year, Farhan turned those teams around...in fact, the Giants won the AAA championship for the first time since 2008.

5)  I would also point out that Lynch had an almost comically large amount under the cap whereas the Giants were in luxury tax territory before Farhan arrived.  

6) Shanahan and Lynch instilled a winning attitude, a great clubhouse demeanor and a desire to dig down deep to win.  I think that's much more important in football than in any other sport because so much rests on personal fortitude.

So...all that said?  It will take two years for draft picks to develop and for the deadwood to clear off of the major league roster.  I think they wild card in 2022 and win the pennant by 2024.