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Here’s what’s complicated about this analysis: You can make an argument for either road being “better” than the other. We saw Bochy notoriously let Santiago Casilla pitch to Jake Lamb in 2016 (4 for 4 with 4 homers) because “that’s my closer,” and I’m certain we never would have seen Bochy pull a trusted veteran with the game on the line for a rookie appearing in his 14th game, regardless of righty-lefty matchups. Whereas Bochy would only use a backup catcher in a game if there was an emergency, Kapler routinely will use the backup catcher off the bench if he needs a pinch-hitter (and it’s just a matter of time before that really comes back to bite him). Instead of a mostly set lineup of everyday guys, he’s built a roster of Swiss Army knives who can play multiple positions (well, kinda) and match up well against righty or lefty pitchers.Īs for Kapler, he has starters who are swapped out after going through the lineup twice no matter how low their pitch count is and how well they’re pitching that day (thinking mostly of Alex Wood), openers, and hockey-style lineups and substitutions.
The road not taken free#
I think it’s fair to say that in many ways, Zaidi and Kapler take “the road less traveled.” Instead of signing big-name free agents, Zaidi looks for hidden value, whether it’s for a talent who’s never really found himself (Kevin Gausman) or a free agent who’s a bargain because he’s slightly dented ( Carlos Rodón) or a career minor leaguer who seems undervalued by his previous organization (Max Muncy, Mike Yastrzemski, LaMonte Wade Jr., Luis Gonzalez, Thairo Estrada, etc.). This is how the poem ends, and it contains the poem’s most famous line (“I took the one less traveled by”), which inspired the title of a bestselling self-help book published in 1978 by M. So they took a drastically different road, starting with firing Bobby Evans as GM and hiring Farhan Zaidi after the 2018 season. It seemed clear that the game had evolved and that the Giants as an organization hadn’t changed with it.
The road not taken full#
Until the 2017-18 seasons happened and the Giants were a lost franchise with a terrible record on the field, a bottom-five farm system, and a bloated payroll full of underperforming veterans whose best years were (well) behind them (or so it seemed). Pinch-hitters, when they happened, were typically for the pitcher.īut here’s the thing. Starting pitchers were expected to go as deep as possible into the game. There were set roles for the lineup, for the bullpen, for who was on the bench and who was an everyday player. There were veterans (“our guys”), there were midseason trades, there were free agency splurges and extensions to homegrown players who’d earned them.
The road not taken series#
It brought us the most amazing run of three World Series championships in five years–a run that is not only the greatest of any of our lifetimes as Giants fans but also that any fan of any sports franchise (with the possible exception of the 60s Celtics or the 90s Bulls) would envy.
![the road not taken the road not taken](https://img.haikudeck.com/mg/xB9YKKIDlo_1394031535130.jpg)
It brought us Buster Posey and Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner and the Brandons and Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro and Sergio Romo, and I could go on.