[lex24]

1.  I think Craw will get a 3-year contract offer from several teams.

Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez are all scheduled to become free agents after this season. Marcus Semien also, who is playing second base this season but is a shortstop. The Mets already signed Francisco Lindor long term. Crawford will be 35 at the start of next season; hard to imagine a robust market for him, which will work in the Giants favor if they want to re-sign him on a reasonable contract. Then again perhaps they will instead be in the market for one of the aforementioned options.

The guys you list (with possible exception of Story) will get 5+ year deals for gobs of money.  I think Crawford at 3 years, at a lot less per, will be attractive to teams.  We'll see (and this assumes, of course, that his numbers don't crater between now and the end of the season).

Crawford isn't getting 3 years from the Giants. The giants are good to go with home grown talent at SS and 2B in the near future. They aren't in the market to pay anyone big bucks there because they don't need to. I seriously doubt any team is going to sign up for a year of a 38 year old shortstop. The optics alone would be too bad to contemplate. Could some team be that silly? Possibly, never underestimate stupidity. However, I really don't expect it.

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I don’t think Posey has “refused” to play first regularly.

Actually, I think he has. Not publicly, but for quite some time the Giants have wanted to find a way to extend his career. However, he likes being a cather, he is good at it, and that is the end of it as far as he is concerned.

He simply has been significantly more valuable as a catcher Which remains the case. Actually I’ve always thought that if he was going to move out from behind the plate, third base would be his best option.

I have no argument about third vs first, other than playing third is generally considered a more difficult task than playing first. While Posey has certainly contributed greatly as a catcher, keeping him around for 5 more year as a hitter has it's merits as well. I think that is what the Giants wanted to do, but by now it is probably too late.

My guess is the will look to sign him to a 2 year deal, with perhaps a team option.  They aren’t going to exercise the option at 22 million.

You are correct. However, what do they do if Posey says he will just retire if they don't pick up the option? I think that is a very probable outcome. He doesn't need to play two more years for the money, especially if it is a total less than 22 million, but 22 million for one year might do it. Publicity wise, he has all the cards.

I believe that Crawford and Posey will finish their careers with the Giants.  Both will be offered a contract (2 years with an option/buyout for a 3rd).  They have stated on several occasions that they want to stay with the Giants.

Belt might be offered an extension but he will certainly look around.  I suspect he will leave for a nice contract elsewhere.  

Gausman and Desclafani will be offered extensions later this summer.  Will they take them?  Time will tell.

In the meantime, Zaidi needs to upgrade the bullpen without giving up any high level prospects - a daunting task.  If he threads the needle, the Giants will be set for the short term.

Responding to Goose. 

There was no thought of moving Posey during “the run”.  Bochy used him at first some to get his bat in the lineup.  You may be right that around ‘16 or so they would have liked to see him move.  But at that point, I’m thinking he wasn’t valuable as a full time first baseman.  Which is, to me, a pure power position.  That’s why I thought third would be better. He played SS before he was moved to catcher at FSU.  So I think he would have been fine.

I agree with Teejers in that I don’t think he’s money driven at this point . (Although I think he’s represented by Scott Boras. He was coming out of college.  They held firm at his number. Giants signed him about an hour before the deadline). If he thinks the Giants can contend, I suspect that will be a factor.  Especially if they commit to spending on others.

  I suspect he’s more concerned about his legacy.  Finishing with the Giants cements that.  I’m sure they are already designing the statue and that will happen no matter what.  But playing an entire career for one organization is special these days. 

I do agree that he will be in a great bargaining position (assuming he stays healthy. And there is never a guarantee of that for a catcher). If he sits on the option, it will be tough for the Giants to exercise the buy out.  I would hate to see that. (Now if he’s ready to retire, that changes everything. But I’m guessing he wants to play a couple more. I think his body will be the determining factor on that score)

[lex24]

1.  I think Craw will get a 3-year contract offer from several teams.

Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez are all scheduled to become free agents after this season. Marcus Semien also, who is playing second base this season but is a shortstop. The Mets already signed Francisco Lindor long term. Crawford will be 35 at the start of next season; hard to imagine a robust market for him, which will work in the Giants favor if they want to re-sign him on a reasonable contract. Then again perhaps they will instead be in the market for one of the aforementioned options.

The guys you list (with possible exception of Story) will get 5+ year deals for gobs of money.  I think Crawford at 3 years, at a lot less per, will be attractive to teams.  We'll see (and this assumes, of course, that his numbers don't crater between now and the end of the season).

Crawford isn't getting 3 years from the Giants. The giants are good to go with home grown talent at SS and 2B in the near future. They aren't in the market to pay anyone big bucks there because they don't need to. I seriously doubt any team is going to sign up for a year of a 38 year old shortstop. The optics alone would be too bad to contemplate. Could some team be that silly? Possibly, never underestimate stupidity. However, I really don't expect it.

---

I don’t think Posey has “refused” to play first regularly.

Actually, I think he has. Not publicly, but for quite some time the Giants have wanted to find a way to extend his career. However, he likes being a cather, he is good at it, and that is the end of it as far as he is concerned.

He simply has been significantly more valuable as a catcher Which remains the case. Actually I’ve always thought that if he was going to move out from behind the plate, third base would be his best option.

I have no argument about third vs first, other than playing third is generally considered a more difficult task than playing first. While Posey has certainly contributed greatly as a catcher, keeping him around for 5 more year as a hitter has it's merits as well. I think that is what the Giants wanted to do, but by now it is probably too late.

My guess is the will look to sign him to a 2 year deal, with perhaps a team option.  They aren’t going to exercise the option at 22 million.

You are correct. However, what do they do if Posey says he will just retire if they don't pick up the option? I think that is a very probable outcome. He doesn't need to play two more years for the money, especially if it is a total less than 22 million, but 22 million for one year might do it. Publicity wise, he has all the cards.

I believe that Crawford and Posey will finish their careers with the Giants.  Both will be offered a contract (2 years with an option/buyout for a 3rd).  They have stated on several occasions that they want to stay with the Giants.

Belt might be offered an extension but he will certainly look around.  I suspect he will leave for a nice contract elsewhere.  

Gausman and Desclafani will be offered extensions later this summer.  Will they take them?  Time will tell.

In the meantime, Zaidi needs to upgrade the bullpen without giving up any high level prospects - a daunting task.  If he threads the needle, the Giants will be set for the short term.

Responding to Goose. 

There was no thought of moving Posey during “the run”.  Bochy used him at first some to get his bat in the lineup.  You may be right that around ‘16 or so they would have liked to see him move.  But at that point, I’m thinking he wasn’t valuable as a full time first baseman.  Which is, to me, a pure power position.  That’s why I thought third would be better. He played SS before he was moved to catcher at FSU.  So I think he would have been fine.

I agree with Teejers in that I don’t think he’s money driven at this point . (Although I think he’s represented by Scott Boras. He was coming out of college.  They held firm at his number. Giants signed him about an hour before the deadline). If he thinks the Giants can contend, I suspect that will be a factor.  Especially if they commit to spending on others.

  I suspect he’s more concerned about his legacy.  Finishing with the Giants cements that.  I’m sure they are already designing the statue and that will happen no matter what.  But playing an entire career for one organization is special these days. 

I do agree that he will be in a great bargaining position (assuming he stays healthy. And there is never a guarantee of that for a catcher). If he sits on the option, it will be tough for the Giants to exercise the buy out.  I would hate to see that. (Now if he’s ready to retire, that changes everything. But I’m guessing he wants to play a couple more. I think his body will be the determining factor on that score)