Buster Posey leads SF Giants as new president of baseball operations.

 By: Mykyta Sorochenko

On Monday, Sept. 30, the San Francisco Giants announced that their legendary player Buster Posey will lead the team as their new president of baseball operations following the firing of Farhan Zaidi. Three years after retiring as a player back in 2021, Posey is back to lead the team on a three-year deal in his new role on the team. Fans are thrilled for this deal to prevail and have high hopes for the next years of the team's performance. 

Back in Time

Posey, the 2012 National League MVP and a seven-time All-Star, helped the team win three World Series titles over the period of his 12-year run for the Giants. However, he announced his retirement from the sport at the end of the 2021 season, expressing his personal desire to spend more time with his family, his wife, and their four children. According to MLB.com, “The family briefly moved back to Posey's home state of Georgia, but they ended up returning to the Bay Area last year. That allowed Posey to become more involved with the Giants, who welcomed him into their ownership group in 2022.”. 

Posey Interview

The SF Giants held a press conference on Tuesday morning, Oct. 1. It was held at the Oracle Park in order to formally introduce the 37-year-old legend and fire up the fans after a recent disappointing season with the team missing the playoffs and a 80-82 record. “I’m just excited,” Posey said. “I’m excited to have an opportunity to be in this role. I’m excited to be part of the team again. The San Francisco Giants organization is all I’ve ever known.” (SFGiants). Posey stated how passionate he is about baseball and expressed his goals for the following years. “Sure, winning is great. Ultimately, that's our goal—to be a playoff team every year and compete for a championship” (Posey). 

Look into the Future

Posey began to express interest in taking on a more serious role a month ago. Even after retiring, his passion and his competitive character are still helping out the team. Posey’s role helped the Giants finalize a six-year, $151 million contract extension with third baseman Matt Chapman. The Giants plan to stick with Bob Melvin as their manager. However, Posey expressed a need for a new general manager to work under him and help with some of the day-to-day operations of the club. 

Buster Posey on the next few years

“I want a leader,” Posey said. “I want somebody that’s going to empower people that are working with him and for him. Ideally, somebody that does have somewhat of a scouting background. I think that will be important for me as well. Today’s game is so much about meshing what your eyes see and instincts are with what the data is telling you” (Posey). While the legendary player and now president of baseball operations lacks the front office experience, the board believes Posey has an unmatched understanding of the Giant’s rich history and possesses the vision needed to move the organization into a new era. 

Media and Fans Reaction

“Judging by the response on social media, virtually every Giants fan expects Posey to be successful in the role, and there’s empirical evidence to back those feelings. Posey has a reputation as one of the most cerebral players in Giants history, and it stands to reason that he’d bring those same skills to the personal side of things in the organization. He’s also expressed a desire to surround himself with the right people and delegate responsibilities, which is a good sign that he’s not above seeking out other opinions. Perhaps most importantly, Posey understands the culture of the ballclub better than almost anyone.” (SFGATE) Fans are truly excited for Posey’s new position at the club, and his reputation and commitment towards the club mean everything to the fans. 

Legacy as a Player and President 

Even with all of the praise and excitement from the fans and the board after Posey’s new role at the club, there is still criticism towards the franchise icon. The media questions if Posey will be able to deliver the results and keep his promise off the pitch to make the Giants a play-off and a title contender every season. While many criticize the goals of the baseball icon and claim that his goals are “out of his reach,” here is the opinion of the board and the fans. According to (SFGATE), “How can Posey lose? There’s nowhere for him to go but up. He’ll either be one of the greatest players in franchise history who happened to fail as an executive, or he’ll be one of the greatest players in franchise history who ushered in a new era of success from the front office. No matter what happens, his legacy with the Giants is carved in stone, and it can only get better.” The fans are thrilled, the board is satisfied, and the players are ready. We now await the start of the 2025 season under President Buster Posey!