Three years after the Giants hired Farhan Zaidi away from the rival Dodgers, their president of baseball operations has reset the balance of power in the National League West and turned San Francisco into a winner again.
Zaidi, who left his post as the Dodgers’ general manager to come north to the Bay Area, was named MLB’s Executive of the Year Monday after assembling a roster that set a franchise-record with 107 wins.
The Giants edged out the Dodgers to win the National League West by one game as they clinched their first division crown since 2012 with a victory over the San Diego Padres on the final day of the regular season. The Dodgers had won eight consecutive division titles before Zaidi and the Giants snapped their streak, which came in a season in which San Francisco won 10 of its 19 head-to-head matchups against a Los Angeles club that tied its franchise record with 106 victories.
During his tenure in San Francisco, Zaidi reshaped the Giants by first improving the margins of the roster before supplementing a core of players that included Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt with a lengthy list of contributors.
Throughout the best regular season in franchise history, the Giants often cited their depth as their biggest strength as 17 players hit at least five home runs while the pitching staff finished the season with a 3.25 ERA that ranked second in the majors.
Many of the Giants’ most important contributors this season were signed by Zaidi including starters Kevin Gausman, Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood while a handful of the team’s top home run hitters were acquired in under-the-radar moves over the past three years.
The Giants’ top home run hitter, Mike Yastrzemski, and the 2021 Willie Mac Award winner, LaMonte Wade Jr., were both added in low-profile trades that turned into critical moves for San Francisco.
One of Zaidi’s most influential decisions as the Giants’ president of baseball operations was selecting Gabe Kapler to succeed Bruce Bochy as the team’s manager following the 2019 season. Under Kapler and an innovative, yet inexperienced coaching staff, several Giants players including Belt and Crawford have enjoyed the best seasons of their major league careers.
Zaidi was honored as the Executive of the Year at the start of MLB’s General Manager meetings in Carlsbad, California, which kicked off Monday and will conclude Wednesday.
MLB’s Manger of the Year Awards will be announced Tuesday during a live show at 3 p.m. PT on MLB Network. Kapler is considered the front-runner to win the NL honor.
Each of the 30 clubs had a vote for the MLB Executive of the Year, which became an official award following the 2018 season.
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
