The Giants offseason got started immediately after the World Series with a bit of a gut punch to the fan base. Buster Posey announced his retirement, which didn't surprise a lot of people close to the organization, but it certainly made this offseason a lot more complicated.
First off, I can't really think of much to say about Posey that hasn't been said over the last week. I do, however, want to express my appreciation for the future hall-of-famer. He's been incredibly fun to follow and root for. He's also been arguably the most valuable asset to the Giants over the last decade-plus than perhaps any other player in baseball has been to their respective squad. He had a storied career and gets to go out on top and I'm happy for him. I had heard rumblings that this was a possibility and you could almost see the writing on the wall during his interview following the NLDS loss to the Dodgers... Good luck Buster, wish you the best in your next endeavor, and thanks for all you did for this team and the fan base!
With that piece of news, the Giants may now be searching for a new catcher to come in and help captain their pitching staff, something Posey was remarkably good at. However, it's more than possible they already have the pieces in house that they plan on moving forward with. The thing that will be interesting to keep an eye on will be what kind of success they can have in free agency filing out their rotation now that pitchers know they won't be throwing to Posey. It was a big reason why the Giants were able to lure Kevin Gausman, Alex Wood and Anthony DeSclafini here over the past couple years but now they don't have that selling point.
We saw Curt Casali do a tremendous job behind the plate in 2021 serving as Buster's backup. What he lacked in offense, he made up for with his knowledge of the league and his ability to call games throughout the year. This is a guy who was catching shutouts on a near regular basis to begin the season and I think everyone on that staff feels comfortable working with the veteran.
That being said, Casali's .210 average and 83 OPS+ for 2021 left a lot to be desired offensively when Posey sat. He did come up with some clutch hits here and there, but having him in a lineup 5 days a week could bog down an offense that isn't stocked at nearly every other position. If the Giants go out and replace Buster's bat in the outfield or 2nd base, while bringing back Belt, it could allow them to start Casali on a regular basis if they choose.
The guy who immediately should take center stage though is Joey Bart. The 25 year-old has gotten his seasoning, had a very strong year in Sacramento in 2021 and looks primed to finally stick at the big league level for good. 
Bart's big weakness during his stint in 2020 was his inability to work counts into his favor as a hitter, repeatedly going out of the zone and becoming too easy of an out. Behind the plate, he showed glimpses, but he just needed more seasoning and work on his receiving and framing. The Giants believe he got that and some in 2021. The power is there, the arm is there, it will come down to whether or not he can consistently put the little things together to succeed at the next level. The time is now for the Giants #2 prospect and if they don't see him as their future behind the plate, they really should deal him while his value is still at it's peak.
I'm not impressed with any of the free agent backstops out there this winter, but the one guy I would go after in a trade if they don't think Bart is ready would be Wilson Contreras. The Cubs' two-time all star is one of the better offensive catchers in the game and has developed into an excellent defensive player as well. He was ranked as baseball's best defensive catcher by baseball prospectus in 2020.
Aside from the catching conundrum the Giants now face, they made their first moves of the offseason at the end of last week. Not one of them were surprises though. They tendered Belt a qualifying offer while exercising their 2022 options on Wilmer Flores and Jose Alvarez. They also bought out the final year of Johnny Cueto's deal which makes him a free agent. I wouldn't be surprised if the Giants bring Cueto back on a much lesser deal to pitch at the back of their rotation, they have 4 spots to fill after all.
The offseason is officially upon us. Now is the time for the Giants to take that next step. The CBA does expire early next month which could delay any potential free agent signings. It'll be interesting to see if the Giants tip their hand as to which players they're looking into before that date.
Comments
If they deal him they're going to regret it in a few years like the Zach Wheeler trade.