Why Giants’ recent Houser, Foley additions could be ‘savvy’ moves | Giants Talk | NBCS Bay Area

Why Giants’ recent Houser, Foley additions could be ‘savvy’ moves | Giants Talk | NBCS Bay Area

Hey, what’s up Giants fans? Welcome to another episode of Giants Talk. I’m Cole Kyper here with Giants insider Alex Pavlovich. The Giants have signed a couple of arms. Moves are happening, so we’ll talk about that. Plus, Alex sat down with the legend himself, Bruce Bochi. Stay tuned to the end of the episode to hear from Alex and Boch. Before we get started, Giant Stock is presented by Mancini’s Sleepworld. Rest easy with huge savings during the year-end clearance sale at Mancini Sleepworld with Beauty Rest Queen mattresses from $299. Don’t sleep on this. Shop sleepworld.com. >> All right, Alex. Two moves for the Giants. Two arms, >> actual actual players, >> actual things to discuss. >> We don’t have a coaching staff yet, but we have only December 17th. Um, >> it’s a non-traditional offseason, Alex. >> Yeah, I think uh two moves. Adrien Hower, >> um, Jason Foley, we have one of them is is official. The Foley move was official. Hower is is, uh, yet to be fully announced, which means there’s a 40man move coming there. Um, but I think it’s two moves that are Hower is the short term, like fills a hole. O >> is the one that when I started looking into it like that’s the one that I’m really interested in long term because there’s some control here with him. Um he’s coming back from shoulder surgery but he could be like a I think this guy might be the closer in like two years or >> right >> the eighth in guy. But uh we can start with Hower because that is obviously we’ve been talking all offseason about they need multiple starters. they need >> and I actually had like I think we had talked about they need multiple starters and then it’d be great if you could get like a Jacob Junis type. >> This is like not quite that because he has started a lot more but he does have some relief experience. So there is kind of a fallback option there if you know Birdong finds it and Wizenhun or Tidwell someone takes off and a year from now you’re you’re like we don’t know if we need Hower in the rotation that would be great for the San Francisco Giants but like there’s a fallback option there for him. I think he’s here to start though and you know as I wrote today I think the on Wednesday the important thing is is he a three four starter or is he a four or five starter and >> yeah the answer to that isn’t really decided in this moment right it’s decided by what else happens between now and February >> yeah he’s if he is the second best starter you get this off season I think you’ve done you’ve done all right like you He’s he was really good in the first half last year. He was on their radar like before the trade deadline a little bit. Ends up going ends up getting traded um from the White Socks. Had a good season. Uh there’s some positive like you see that the velocity ticking up. Doesn’t have a lot of mileage on his arm like he because he he hasn’t been like a 33 start a year guy for the last five years. So if this is your four or your five and Landon RP is in that mix as well and you went out and got this is not reporting anything but like let’s say there’s a >> you throw a imi or yeah you throw somebody else in that you throw somebody else up there with web and Ray >> um and then you have Hower and and RP and and the depth behind him I think you’re in good shape if this is their pitching move like their starting pitching move It’s not because of him. No offense to him. Just say they need more. Like this is this to me is the number two >> the second pitcher you get this off season. Now these things don’t have to go in order. You don’t have to go get the >> the number three starter and then go get the number four or the five. You don’t have to go get the closer and then go get the seventh inning guy. So you can you can fill backwards, which is what they’ve done. But for me, this is a very like in what I wrote on Wednesday is like, okay, what’s next? >> Exactly. This feels like the appetizer for the offse season signings in the uh rotation. And if we we would remain hungry, I guess, as fans if this was the main course. >> The deal is for two years, 22 million with an option for a third year. Um, and keen eyed Giants fans might remind him or might remember him from blowing the doors off the Giants twice last year. >> Yeah. And again, if this is like your if if he’s one of two starting pitchers you add this off seasonason, I I think it’s good. Like he’s he’s worthy of being at the back end of a rotation. He had a good season last year. Um 3.31 RA, 3.81 FIP. Again, you mentioned that the two outings against the Giants, very impressive. I think what do you write here? June and August. >> June and August with two different teams. Um combined 12 innings, zero runs, handful of hits, struck out the Giants plenty of times. Um he looked good there. So if that’s the guy we’re getting, >> he would have made a ton of sense if they were buying at the deadline. Yeah. >> Like this is a guy who can give you some innings down the stretch, give you a chance to win some games, >> you know, make sure you don’t have to rely on some of these guys who maybe don’t look quite ready to be big week starters. So again, I think a good addition, a a nice costcontrolled addition. It’s not going to break the bank. Not very much money no matter what happens with him. >> Um I love those two-year deals for starting pitchers. They’ve had a lot of success with the short-term deals for guys in this age range like the Gossman’s, the Woods, the Diesanis. You know, there was a second Dcoani deal that did not work out as well. Um, so I I love those deals. I I just it’s a weird one because I think every Giants fan in my quote tweets and mentions had kind of the same reaction that I think we have, which is like, “Good addition. Team is better than it was last Tuesday. It was better this Tuesday than it was last Tuesday. Um, what’s what else is coming? >> Yeah. The people want the kind of signing that demands a press conference. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I I think you want a little more certainty, too. Like it >> Yeah. >> This is this adds to your team. This makes your team better, but I think you want, you know, you’re going up against the Dodgers. >> You’re going up against some We’ve seen >> this is one thing I think we can get get into in January. Like we’ve seen some teams most notably I think Atlanta just get way better teams that were were not as much in the mix last year. So um the Phillies have made some moves. You know they’ll be f like you’re you’re trying to go up against these teams. So uh there needs to be a big move here at some point. >> Yeah. All right. Let’s talk about the second guy. You’ve already got me excited um knowing that he could be a power arm out of the bullpin in a few years. But this is one of those deals where we’re not going to get to know him until the midseason. Let’s start off with is there like an estimated date of when Jason Foley will be ready to pitch? >> No. Giants said mid-season. Um I think we’ll get more info this week where he stands with that. >> Uh I hear mid-season. I usually think all-star break just because teams always kind of look at it and go like ah it’s you know you want to rush a guy when there’s I’ve seen so many guys just be like >> pinpointing right after the all-star break is there >> traditionally Tommy John guys um but here it’s a shoulder injury missed all of last season was really good before that has been really successful in Detroit had 28 saves two years ago which is this is one of those I guess for me and you it’s other than Scott Harris it’s like a little blind spot there. Like we >> Yeah, >> we do not generally >> think much about who leads the Detroit Tigers and saves. >> No, I I thought about the Detroit Detroit Tigers a lot for a few weeks about a decade ago and haven’t really much since then. >> Yeah, but I I think looking at um his past success, looking at the fact that he has >> been very successful in the ninth inning before, has that experience >> and then went and looked at some of his stuff. I mean, I pulling up some clips from two years ago and I watched him blowing a hundred by Francisco Lindor and >> um he’s pretty nasty. Pretty nasty when he’s right. So, for me, this is a it’s reported that it’s 2 million for one year. Um he was he has two years of team control left after this. So, for me, this is one that is is a really savvy move and it’s one that I think if he gets healthy, we’re going to look back on like that was really smart. um coming off shoulder surgery and missing a year and a half. Don’t know what you can expect in the second half of this year or this year, but a a guy that I think if if he can get right physically like is really going to help the bullpen for a couple years. And it’s similar because they’ve added two guys to their bullpen, both coming off surgeries, but both have had real success in the big leagues. It’s just been over in the American League Central, so we haven’t seen much of it. >> This sounds like a savvy move. This sounds like an exciting move, but I can guess what the reaction in your mentions is about this. I mean, you look at a a one-year, $2 million deal that it’s kind of more of a halfyear, $2 million deal, and how many times has the word Farhan come up in your mentions over the past >> quite often. Quite often. Um yeah, it’s it’s people need to first of all like >> they were making these kind of moves in the championship years. >> Yes. >> The core four were not four top prospects. >> Go there’s a book with a lead chapter about the core four and how they got put together. >> It’s right there is >> how Jav Lopez was almost out of B. You know, like these guys were not This is how relievers work and this is why you and I have kind of just generally been like, “Yeah, you can put a bullpen together this way.” So, >> yeah, >> this is the one area where one they they were doing this way before Farhan and had a ton of success doing this and Jeremy Shelley in particular, their assistant GM, has had a lot of success in this area. The the minor league free agents, the smaller deals, the non-roster invitees, I think they’ve telegraphed it all off season that this is the way they want to put a bolt bullpen together. um instead of big spending. And this is smart team building. This is smart baseball. So it’s not this isn’t a even if you wanted to call it a Farhan move, those were smart moves when he was like remember the 2021 bullpen that had like six guys with an erra under what was it under 25 or under three >> something like that. They were like historically good >> and it was kind of randos in a lot of ways. So yeah, >> who closed out the 21 season? Dom Leon like so that’s this is a great way to build a bullpen and I think this was a savvy move and um if he’s healthy I think this is going to look really really smart. >> Well if the Giants are building a bullpen right now they’re missing probably the most important piece in building a bullpin and that’s the closer. Um, and I know we’ve talked about how even just right now, you know, you the they’ll find the arms, they’ll find strong arms for a bullpin like this, but does the closer spot feel different to you? Is that like you need an experienced name guy to fill it or will this just kind of be like we collect a bunch of arms and someone starts to stand out for the nine? I would like if there was somebody who had like if Foley were ready if he were let’s say he had been healthy going into free agency and he had the background he has >> and it’s like a one-year $8 million deal >> like I’ I’d feel a lot better about the current bullpen because it’s >> you look at it and you go who pitches the ninth on opening day is the current question and it’s not him because he’s he’s gonna be rehabbing. >> I think Logan Webb does. Yeah, he’s okay. On Friday of that first week, who changes? You might be right. You might be right. Um, and again, like I think we I I’ve been very adamant here that I could totally see Ryan Walker having like a 170 RA next year. We did see when he got >> like full-time closer reps last year, it was just a little bit different for him. And so I I do think it’s different and I don’t think everybody can do it. And I I think Walker could do it down the line. I think Pagarero maybe could do it down the line. There are other guys. There are some young guys who could develop there. I mean, I’ve we’ll see what ends up happening with like a Hayden Bird song and where this goes. But as we stand right now in the middle of December, they they don’t have anyone that I would feel great about them being named the closer coming out of camp. So, and it is a difficult job. It it is >> we’ve seen a lot of guys go into that role. It just change. It’s just different. The ninth inning is different than every other inning. Tyra Rogers, who is a fantastic reliever and just got seriously paid. Um, he just wasn’t a fit in the ninth inning. He was great. He was awesome in the eighth inning >> and wasn’t as good in the ninth or wasn’t as good at times when they threw him in extra innings and things like that. So, yeah, I would feel more comfortable if they would go. Now, the problem is you look at the market and like there’s not really I think Pete Fairbanks is like the only guy left who’s >> That’s what I was going to say. The closers have moved. >> Yeah, >> you’re getting snatched up. >> I mean, Weaver signs a two-year deal today to I I think be a setup man, stay in New York two years, 22 million. So that’s that was kind of a guy I’m like that’s like the guy where you go, okay, that can be our closer at the start of the year and if it’s not working, you can see who else fills in and you have these guys getting healthy and and see how this works over the course of 162. But they do need to find that person who you feel good coming out of camp and Diaz is gone, Suarez is gone, Glacius, Helley, Williams, Kennley Jansen um is off the board. So it it it is like kind of Fairbanks is the last experienced closer I think left. There’s other guys who have done it at times and could be that guy, but it it is I think a little nerve-wracking. Um I think they can put together a good bullpen with the talent they have on hand and some of these young pitchers maybe will be good fits in that bullpen. I just think you you probably like as Tony thinks about like what managers are judged on and a lot of it is like the last three innings. How did you get those final nine outs? >> They don’t have a full road map right now to to how to get there. you’re we’re having a guy on later this episode whose bullpin carried him through so many rough games and you know it just became something we didn’t even bother about appreciating because of how lights out they were. >> You also saw in 2016 when he >> he went to closer by committee in the second half and it was it was because he had no one he could really trust to to throw out there and we saw the way that season ended. So >> yeah, >> um I this is like maybe an old school thing, but I I do think it’s important to have the one guy at the end where everyone just kind of knows like >> yeah, >> that guy’s sitting there and that guy’s going to get >> as much as Camo made people’s like heart race at times like you knew he was sitting there and you knew that he’s he’s your closer and >> and more often than not was successful. >> Uh who are we saying farewell to or who is getting bumped off the 40man for these moves? We have names yet. Alex, >> Joey Wemer, we we hardly knew you. >> Joey Wemer, it’s been a it’s been a great month, bud. >> I someone did send a funny tweet. They’re like, “Oh, he what did he do in November to like it was weird in the offseason you get you get picked up and then you get DFA and it’s like, >> yeah, >> I’ve been having great workouts.” So, um might end up, you know, we’ll see. He was he was on the fringes of 40man roster land anyway, >> um just in his career. So, might might still be an option for him to come back. I was a little surprised because, you know, you’re you’re picking him or you’re picking Moss and Dean over him right now >> and and some others. Um, you know, like Mewware is still on the 40man as we record. another move is coming this week for Hower. But, uh, I think I was a little surprised by that and and also like I kind of talked myself into him and Drew Gilbert in right field and >> yeah, >> you know, we we talked about his splits and the fact that he could be a good partner for a left-handed hitter, good defender. So, I I kind of was okay with it. Um, so yeah, a little surprising. >> Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, I want to get to our Bruce Bochi interview. First, we have mailbag questions. Alex, before we get to any of that, Giants Talk is presented by Mancini Sleepworld. Rest easy with huge savings during the year-end clearance sale at Mancini Sleepworld with Beauty Rest Queen mattresses from $299. Don’t sleep on this. Shop sleepworld.com. >> $2.99. >> $2.99. >> Like a like fast food meal now. >> Yeah, basically that’s you can either get a a McDonald’s breakfast or you can get a Beauty Rest queen mattress. That’s This seems very cheap for a mattress given. >> All right, first up. >> First mailbag question today is from Brett. Brett says, “With the Giants having a higher draft pick, is there any advantage to be gained having Vitello as manager and maybe bringing him in on draft evaluations because he is fresh from a top college program?” >> Yes, absolutely. I I think it’s going to be this is going to be one of the most important anytime you’re in the top five, it’s a really important draft pick. It’s gonna be one of the most important draft picks in franchise history. I think you throw in the the Buster Posey angle and this being a potentially a huge part of his his era and you throw in the uh the Tony Vtoa angle to it. I talked to him about this in Orlando at the winter meetings and um just kind of half jokingly bounced a couple of names off him that I had seen on like top you know, not mock drafts, but like this is what the first round might look like graphics right after that >> that lottery. And he went deep. He like he he knows these guys. He recruited them. He put he coached against them. I think he can go really deep um on these guys. He did say it’s, you know, in like three years it’ll be much different. But for two, three years, he he is he is gonna I think be crucial to their draft. >> He’s kind of the expert. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. He knows as much about a lot of these guys as as um as anybody they have. Uh you know, Michael Holmes spents his whole life on the road looking at but but Tony had as well up until a few weeks ago and he recruited recruited a lot of these kids who are are top top players now. So, um, it it kind of adds a little pressure to this pick of like there’s a ready like don’t screw this up and this guy should be ready to help you in pretty quickly if it’s a college, you know, college bat especially, like they can move quickly. But >> Tony, I think, is going to be very helpful with this particular. Is there anything more painful than looking at a list of draft picks and seeing some of the names that the Giants passed up for in years for their guy didn’t pan out? I just want to avoid that at all costs going forward. And if Iello can help me with that, you know, Jackson Merrill went at like 27. I think they passed they they didn’t take Corbin Carroll, guys like that. >> Yeah. >> Um, man, let’s let’s let’s lock some of these up. >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean this is just an alltime like you know there haven’t been a lot of top five picks in franchise history. There’s been one in the last like I don’t know 30 years. >> So maybe a little bit less than that around 30 years. But anyway, it’s like it is just it’s rare and you have to nail it. And we had kind of talked about some of the guys who were number four picks and and pretty quickly got to the big leagues. So, >> yeah. >> Um, I would expect him to be involved and it could be someone he tried to recruit to Tennessee and got away and and now is shooting through the system. >> Yeah. All right. We’ll keep an eye out for that. It’s going to be a very, very interesting draft. Robbie says, “Is it less crazy than it seems to trade Bryce Eldridge? It seems the recent theme of the podcast is to acquire athleticism, and Bryce doesn’t bring much to the table other than hitting, at least right now. I’m still against trading him at the moment, but maybe the right package would sway my opinion. Um, Alex, my first question is, have we been harping on the Giants needing to acquire athleticism that hard? Because I feel like we’ve been ping pitching, pitching, pitching. >> I think for years we’ve been talking about athletics. >> That’s true. This is This isn’t necessarily right now’s discussion as much as what the tagline of the Giants Talk podcast has been. >> Yeah. And this is it’s a good point because if he were exactly who he is except he played center field, we would be having zero conversations. >> And not that we’re having many conversations anyway, but like it was a question that was asked in Orlando at the winter meetings. And um it’s a it’s been a topic of discussion especially on social media and but if he were like a a center fielder or a third like maybe not third base because Chapman played but like no like if it were not first base DH I think this would be less of a discussion and also he’s in this interesting spot where like he has Rafi de sitting there too and so it does make it I think it is like to the question here of of uh is Is it less crazy than it seems? Yeah, because Devers is there and this is a tremendous, tremendous trade ship potentially. Now, I wouldn’t do it. I don’t think they want to do it. Um, you can go back and read Buster’s quotes. You can go back and listen to Monday’s podcast >> and hear how Tony spoke glowingly about him. Um, to me, this is the kind of player you build around and they just haven’t had these. Like it’s it you can’t keep paying 150 200 million to infielders because you you know like they haven’t developed these guys since >> Crawford and Belt and Buster. Um so I I wouldn’t do it. I don’t think they want to do it. But it is a it is a good point that it’s just a little bit more realistic because he plays a position where they’re pretty well covered for for the rest of this decade. >> Yeah. Kind of on that same theme. AJ asks, “I can’t imagine Eldrich would be included in any trade outside of Scooble, but are there any other players out there you guys think would push the Giants to include him? Is Peralta at that level?” >> No. See, we keep getting Bryce. Poor guy keeps >> Yeah, it makes for easy content. It makes for easy views and clicks. I get why his name is being thrown around. I am I’m the guy. It’s probably because I’ve sat here and done this podcast with you for so long now. I have bought in way too hard on prospect hype where I I don’t think there’s anyone I’m trading them for. >> We answer what’s asked of us, but um it is like it’s a it’s something that’s just a it’s an easy offseason conversation I think with the position that they are in. But I would I was like kind of like it was talked about in Orlando like it was it’s one of those things that you’re giants are well aware that like this smoke is out there and people wonder if they’re going to do this and >> um I talked to one person about it just like hypothetically and and it is like yeah you’re like if if you called about school this is the name that you would get asked about if if Pittsburgh I think we’ve talked about this if Pittsburgh said hey we can’t afford for Paul SK. So, and they start calling around like this is a guy who’s probably like at the top of their wish list for something like that. I think the list I don’t know what it is. I think the list has got to be like >> about that long. Like maybe you throw like a Hunter Green on there or there’s there’s probably some other people around. I mean, there are other people around the game, especially young position players, but I just don’t I I think he’s really really, you know, this is a guy you could build a lineup around for a long time. And um I think it works with him endeavors and and you can like that’s as Zach said rec Zack Mastian said recently like we haven’t had a whole lot of hitters like that. So like >> we need Yeah. Everyone’s like oh there’s going to be two first baseman who who have 30 40 homer power but maybe get rid No, don’t get rid of one. Have two. >> Yeah. Enjoy having two. Have two and enjoy it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, look, you know, the the obvious silly names that are not available for trade, like Paul Sches you just mentioned. Yeah, sure. Those are the guys, but as far as guys who are actually on the realistic trading block, I think it’s a list of one or two >> like Scooble. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And I I think it’s the same like you could have this discussion any organization in baseball and you pick one or two guys who are Bryce Eldridge caliber and you go like yeah if the Dodgers got poor all of a sudden and said we can’t afford Yamamoto and Otani >> would pick up the you know like it’s that way with everything but um again I don’t think he’s gonna be traded. I don’t think they have any interest in trading him. Keeping on this same theme, Alex, our next next question is from Q Out. Q out says, “Now that Luciano has been released for nothing in return and acknowledging that hindsight is 2020, when do you think his trade value would have been the highest?” Uh, the three options put out here are 2021 trade deadline for a playoff push, 2023 deadline to save Kappler’s job, or 2024 deadline to save Farh’s job. Well, 21 they were able to get Chris Bryant without having to dig this deep. So, um, >> yeah, in retrospect, like what could you have added to that >> to that roster if you were willing to have this discussion? >> What position would you have upgraded further? >> It’s a good question. >> And even better, Chris Bryant. >> Yeah, >> their rotation was good. They had Logan and Kevin Gosman and >> Dfani was having a good year and >> um >> yeah, I think 21 is stands out to me just because it he’s like a borderline top 10 prospect at that point. He’s he’s uh I think he was 19 years old. So if you were willing to have that discussion at the deadline and say, “Hey, what we’re like pushing all the chips in, >> you could get almost anything you want.” Um, yeah, that’s probably the high point >> then, >> but it’s also maybe the team that needed it the least. >> Yeah. And I think like people would have absolutely lost their minds if they’re in the middle of that season and they they trade like, you know, the future. >> Yeah. >> Um, so I I don’t think it made it would have made any sense there. For me, if you’re you’re talking about like like highest trade value, it’s it’s probably around then when he was like 19, 20 before some of the the warts are there. Um those guys always have tremendous value. He was like he got up to like number 12 on Baseball America’s list in in 21. >> Uh if you’re talking about when they should have done it, I’d probably look at like 23. >> Yeah. >> AJ Pollock and that was it. And I know they were disappointed with just the general state of that trade market and what was out there, but we know how that season ended. Um, that’s a year where you probably could have, looking back, I’m sure like I’m sure Giants people who were very involved and who are not here any longer like know some of the guys they talked about from other teams. Um, >> yeah, they had a pretty hot June that year and that would have been a nice point to add someone. Yeah, but again I’ll go to like there was some excitement at the end of that year when Farhan said he’s gonna be the shortstop. >> Yeah. >> In 24. So it um it wasn’t people were like a lot of people myself included didn’t necessarily think it was a short stop but also it was like hey turning it over to this to the future right like >> so I I think then and then the obvious one too is just >> um 24 like he still had he still had good value and >> and that is maybe I wonder if when he’s sitting a like he’s thinking about how the Giants tenure went down I do wonder like how how Farhan looks at like that trade deadline and because remember that was the famous like held held the pitching held Blake Snell said we have the best rotation in baseball potentially down the stretch >> which all turned out to be like at the expense of his job. >> Yeah. But like what if he had just gone screw it? >> Yeah. >> I’m fired if it doesn’t work anyway. So >> yeah, Hail Mary. >> Hail Mary. Here’s what can I get for Luciano? >> Yeah. So >> yeah. >> Yeah. But I I think generally when he was like 1920 that’s probably the peak. >> Yeah. Uh one more from Boyd before we get to Bruce Bochi. Boyd says, “Since Randy wins elevation of VP of player development, I’m curious as to what changes the org has made both philosophically and in practice on the field to the entire player development system. Aside from slowing down advancement to each level, what has the org changed to get us out of this failure to properly develop talent? We won’t be able to compete again at a high level only by free agent signings. As the championships proved, developing highlevel talent is essential. >> Well, I go back to like Carson Wizenhunt throwing seven innings, four straight starts in I think it was May. >> Yeah. >> Um when Kyle Harrison was throwing three and two/3s for five months and then >> Yeah. >> got called up and they’re like, “Hey, can you throw 100 pitches?” So, uh, I think that was one thing like they’ve started to stretch those guy. They’ve stretched pitchers out. That was very noticeable. >> It is it is extremely noticeable. And one thing you and I have talked about just the general, um, approach organizationally of drafting, uh, trading for, collecting guys who don’t strike out as much, guys who are more back control guys. Um, that was their draft last year. That was that was their trade deadline. That was something Buster talked about on the podcast last week. So, I think that’s a big part of what they’re doing at the minor league level. And then I’ll be that I’ll just say Randy Win’s coming on the podcast in January and >> all right, >> I asked him this specific question. So, >> okay, >> subscribe and you’ll have it. >> We’ll get this answer then. Well, in the meantime, we have a very special guest on this episode of Giants Talk. Um, you know him as a Hall of Fame manager. You know him as the brain behind the three Giants World Series trophies in 10, 12, and 14. You know him as the biggest hat size in Major League Baseball. Um, we’ve got Bruce Bochi here on Giants Talk. >> Special adviser. Um, before we get there, since this is the end of the year, we do have a season recap show coming on Monday. >> Mhm. >> And then, barring an emergency podcast, we will be off until >> basically the holidays are over. >> Holidays kind of wind up with our podcast schedule this year a little bit. So, >> we’ll be on emergency pod watch. I don’t know about you, I’ll be around. So, >> I’ll be around. I’m not going anywhere. With that in mind, can I pepper in one more mailbag question someone got me? Um, yeah. Yeah, I really opened this this uh rabbit hole up by answering that soup question a few episodes ago. >> Uh, so I’ve got a lot of weird questions I’ve not been adding to our document, but someone asked what your favorite holiday movie is. Um, you meaning both of us, not just you, Alex. And I just want to see if you want to shout out a uh a holiday movie this time of year before we get to Bruce Bochi. First of all, I answered chicken enchilada soup and then that led to me making chicken enchilada soup and fabulous. So, great question by somebody and I was like >> by somebody who probably didn’t even follow the podcast. >> Yeah. I’m like, I haven’t had that in a while. So, let’s So, that worked out well. Um, favorite holiday movie. Are we gonna I don’t want to have the dieh hard discussion. >> We don’t have to I I don’t want to have that conversation because you know where I stand on it. I’m sure >> if it’s on, I will watch it. >> Yeah. What’s your favorite holiday movie? >> Um, you know, I really like this animated movie Netflix made called Klouse. That’s like a fun uh imagining of Santa breaking into the Santa business. Um, if you haven’t seen it, watch it with uh your young buck. >> We are at the age where we’ve started to get into movies and I have seen um >> Sing I have watched that 17 times in the last week. So, >> is that a holiday movie or is that just a singing pig movie? It’s not singing singing animals, but I’ve seen that set a million times. So, watch it this afternoon. >> Yeah. All right. >> Fold spouse in then. >> I’ll I’ll fold that in. But yeah, just want to thank everybody for listening all year. Um, we have it’s one thing that I learned from writing and publishing and selling a book was how committed our podcast audience is. I would say probably like >> n upwards of 90% of the people who have asked me to sign a book for them start their message with like longtime giants talk listener. So it’s just it’s really cool. We don’t take it for granted. We appreciate everyone. Um yeah, we’ll happy holidays. We’ll be around if something big happens and if not we’ll see you in January. >> We’re ready. All right with that here’s Bruce Bochi. >> All right Bruce Bochi, good to see you back at the winter meetings. You are now back with the Giants. I want to take you back to those early conversations with president of baseball operations, Buster Posey. What was that like getting back with the Giants? >> Yeah, it was good to connect with Buster. You know, it’s been a few years, three years and and so uh you know, we were just kind of talking baseball and you know, he did bring up, hey, you’re a Giant. I I go, no, I I I feel like that. So anyway, long story short, uh you know that that was out there and it was nice to know that was out there. I’m grateful and got home, thought about it, and um you know, called Buster and here I am. And you know, if there’s any way I can help him, uh uh just like Tony, uh Zach, you know, be a sounding board, uh another set of eyes and ears, then that’s what I want to do. I want to help, you know, in any way I can get back. I got a lot of great memories there. It’s good to be back. >> He is your boss now. So technically >> Yeah. I It’s funny, isn’t it? Yeah. He’s It’s It’s funny how this works. Uh in fact, my last job ex player with my boss, too. So, you know, I’m kind of used to this happening. I guess when you get my age, there’s a good chance that’s going to happen. Alex, >> you met with Tony Vital before he took the job. What was that meeting like? And what did you tell him about being the manager of the San Francisco Giants? >> Yeah, I I really enjoyed my time with him. uh got to meet his parents. Greg and Kathy joined us and had a uh really nice conversation and first I asked him if he was nuts and uh cuz I I live in Tennessee now and of course I know how how big he was there, how popular and uh and what a great uh program they had there in Tennessee. But you know he’s ready for a new challenge and couldn’t find a better spot than San Francisco and I told him that and uh I think the fans are going to love him. uh um you know, he’s smart, understands the game. When you talk to him, you get it. And uh I think he’s going to have a nice career. >> What makes you so confident he’s going to be successful just from from the time you spent around him? >> Well, I think you look at what he’s done uh and up to this point. Uh, I mean, he started out wearing a lot of different hats, being a pitching coach, uh, just, you know, being assistant and, uh, grinded his way to being the head coach there at Tennessee. I think in 2018, changed that program around, became a winner. He’s a motivator. You could you get the that feeling when you talk to him. So, I know he’s excited about it. Wants to do well. And, uh, I think you’re talking about a guy that loves baseball. You can see the passion. He, you know, I I’ve already called on baseball rat. He’s not that old, but uh that’s that’s his life and uh so I know he’s excited about this opportunity. >> Have you given him any advice yet on just how to get through? I mean, you know, especially with some of the things you were great at. I think the thing managers have judged on most these days is like bullpen decisions. That’s something you were very >> Yeah, he brought that up. He brought that up and you know, there’s no easy answer on that. Uh because every year you’re probably going to have a different bullpen, especially in today’s game. Although I had, you know, three really important guys uh for, you know, those championships, which which I know I was lucky to have, but you got to adjust every year, you know, with what you have. Who’s your closer? We we had to change closers when I was there and how you work the bullpen. You get to know them and, you know, you just get better with as a year goes. Hopefully after a month, you have a good feel what you have and and trust your instincts because you’re going to you’re going to get a lot of information. And uh but you know, he’s been doing this a while. Just go with your gut when you think you need to make a change. >> You know, part of your your story as a big league manager is trusting your instincts late in big games, including the World Series with Madison Bumgner, a lot was made of what Yamamoto did and comparing those two. When you watched what Yamamoto did and thought back to what Bumgner did for you, did did you have any thoughts on the comparison there? >> Oh, I did. And very similar. Yeah. I mean, bum after he threw game five, uh, he came in uh to my office, he threw 118 pitches and said, “You’re going to start me next game, right? We had a day off.” >> So, he was throwing the ball so well and mechanically was was just in sync with everything that I don’t think he was even feeling it on his arm and uh it was just along for the ride and and so he he had that resilience. So I wouldn’t have been surprised that bus that bomb couldn’t have thrown the next day and and and and did what we what we just saw. So yeah, it did remind me of bomb. It still amazes me even though looking back the guy was ready to pitch a day before. >> Yeah. You know, one thing you didn’t have to deal with in San Francisco, you did a little bit at the end. The Dodgers are starting to build the way they are now. They’ve they’ve won backtoback titles. The last two titles since you won one. Uh if you were Tony, if you were Buster and trying to attack that challenge of going after a team that’s won backtoback in the division, what would you tell your players? >> Well, first of all, you I think you want to definitely uh send a message or hopefully motivate them that that’s that’s who we got to be. I mean, to beat them, you got to play your best ball and and starts with preparation, starts in spring training. Uh uh have your goals and uh that’s that’s the way you’re going to win that division. That’s it’s been like that for a while and you know it’s time to end that and and and so anyway it’s just hard work. Uh you just can’t say it. You got to get after it and how you go about about your business and and that’s uh what what I think the Giants plan on doing. Uh um do you have a the payroll they they have maybe not but uh still doesn’t mean that uh with the talent they have. I I’m really impressed with the core guys and and they’re looking at some pitching that, you know, this team, it should should have a chance, I think, to compete with anybody in our division. >> Switching gears a little bit, it is Hall of Fame time. Did you have any thoughts on Jeff finally getting in on on Sunday night? I I know you you’ve managed against him a little bit and and coincided a little bit. >> Long overdue. I I mean, what a career he had. Uh I saw him from the other side. I wish I’d have had him on my club, but I came up a little late in San Francisco. So, uh, I hated him when he was up there, especially with men on base. Uh, you knew he was going to hit the ball hard. Uh, he was just such a clutch hitter, but you look at the numbers he put up. I mean, here’s a guy that let all second baseman home runs. I mean, come on. He’s he should be in. So, I’m happy for him. Uh, I like the way he played. He played with an edge. uh he played all out to win and uh he would do anything to help his team win and never got credit for playing a better second base than uh what was said about him and we never saw any kind of liability out there. The guy he he hung in there on the double play balls. He had good range. So uh tremendous career. So about time. >> A year from now at this time you are likely going to be on on that same ballot. Have you started to think about that at all and and the potential that you’re a year potentially from being inducted? >> I can’t even think about it. That that’s something that I have on such a on such a high pedestal. No, I that’s I as much as it was talked about with Jeff, you you heard him yesterday. It’s just, you know, it’s just something that blew him away how emotional he got and something he never expected. And you know, now I look at that as a place for the great players, the Johnny Benches and Kent and and Willie Mays and those guys. So, but again, I’m a manager. I rode the backs of these great players and you’re, you know, it’s humbling to even hear it. >> Want to ask you about one of your good friends. You know, Dusty Baker will probably be on that ballot with you. Buster will probably get in a year from now. Brian Sabian’s also eligible. We know what he has done in this game. What kind of case would you make for Brian in terms of getting into the Hall of Fame one day on one of those through one of those committees? >> Well, you have to look at the architect of of the success of our team on what he did and a lot of those were homegrown players and and moves that he made the key trades uh you know that helped us win three championships. It doesn’t help without Bri. It doesn’t happen without Brian. And so, yeah, you look at the man who was uh behind the scenes doing all the work and we on the field sometimes we probably get a little more credit than we deserve and uh but you look at the guy that, you know, gave us the resources to make it happen. Yeah. Yeah. No doubt he should be in. >> I’ll finish with this. I remember the year when you announced your retirement from the Giants. We’re sitting in the dugout in Scottsdale and you said never say never about the future and and we see you go to Texas. Obviously a lot of success there. Where do you stand now as as you come back to the Giants um w with your future? >> I’m in a good place right now. I really am. When I uh you know stepped down this year uh when we talked and uh you know agreed to you know go our our separate ways. I didn’t know if I would uh take a year off or not or whether I’d get back in. But after talking to Buster you know I love this game so much. So again, I’m I’m grateful that I’m I’m I’m back doing something in baseball and and hopefully bring some value to the San Francisco Giants. Now, I I got to stick with never say never. You don’t rule anything out, but you know, I I’ll say even and mean it more now than I ever have. >> All right, Bruce Bochi, good to have you back in San Francisco. There’s a Brandon belt day next year at the ballpark, so I hope we see you that day. >> Good chance you’ll see me there. Good to have you back. Say a big giraffe.

“Giants Talk” hosts Cole Kuiper and Alex Pavlovic react to San Francisco’s acquisitions of Adrian Houser and Jason Foley. Plus, Giants icon and longtime manager Bruce Bochy joins the show from the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando for an exclusive interview.

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Why Giants’ recent Houser, Foley additions could be ‘savvy’ moves | Giants Talk | NBCS Bay Area