Fangraphs rates Giants FO 27th

[SFGRTB]

out of 30!

Completely outrageous. They call it the "Achilles heel" of the organization. Here is the piece:

This is the Giants’ Achilles heel.

Brian Sabean has been the Giants’ general manager since 1997, making him the longest-tenured GM in the majors. The Giants have enjoyed success under Sabean, particularly in the years when Barry Bonds was hitting home runs into McCovey Cove on a regular basis. And of course, Sabean put together the 2010 team that won San Francisco’s first World Series.

But Sabean’s penchant for signing veteran free agents has led the Giants to overpay (and in some cases substantially overpay) for players way past their prime. These include contracts for Edgardo Alfonzo, Dave Roberts, Aaron Rowand, Edgar Renteria, Mark DeRosa, Miguel Tejada and the contract extension for Huff signed after the World Series victory. Yes, Edgar Renteria hit the game-winning home run for the Giants in the clinching game of the World Series. But he produced very little value to the team the first 23 months of the 24-month contract. And yes, I’ve left Barry Zito’s contract off this list because, by all accounts, that deal was made by Peter Magowan, the former managing general partner of the Giants.

We know very little about the Giants’ use of advanced metrics. We know the Giants employ at least a few smart, young analysts. We just don’t have a sense of what they do or how the information they generate is incorporated in the Giants’ decision-making process. We do know that Sabean rarely mentions analytics and doesn’t seem particularly comfortable talking about them when asked. Overall, it’s puzzling that a team that plays so close to Silicon Valley (and that relies on Silicon Valley money in the form of corporate sponsorships), seems so detached from the technological and statistical advances taking place in the game.

They completely ignore the drafting/development of Tim, Cain, Posey, Sandoval, Wilson, Sanchez, Bumgarner, Romo, Belt etc... and the signings of Burrell, Uribe, Casilla, Volgy etc... while focusing on bad FA signings that have still gotten us more winning seasons, playoff appearances, World Series appearances and World Series wins than more than half the league. I usually respect fangraphs but they have been peeving me off lately with below average articles lately.

Also, some Giants people have spoken on Twitter:

Dave Flemming:

I respect @fangraphs immensely, but I STRONGLY disagree w ranking of Giants baseball ops as 27th out of 30 in baseball.

Giants have handed out some bad deals. They perhaps don't use same evaluation methodology as preferred by many.

But there is no credible argument no matter criteria that SFG front office is fourth-worst in the game.

Hank Schulman:

Pink slips flying, heads rolling in Giants front office after bad @Fangraphs ranking. It's a bloodbath.

Giants front office still has a long way to go to approach top10 in drafting hitters. As for Renteria/Rowand. Dumb deals? Yeah. But ...

... dumber than Carl Crawford by golden boy Theo? Dumber than A Soriano? Dumber than J Schmidt and Juan Uribe's current deal?

There was a lot more from Hank but too much to post.

2012 Organizational Rankings: #12 – San Francisco | FanGraphs Baseball

 

[msgkings322]

It'd sure be nice to win another ring and shut up the haters. Or would that not even be enough?

Another way to read this: Fangraphs are stat geeks. Sabean isn't. Ergo, Sabean sucks.

Reminds me of a great line from David Lee Roth in the early 80s Van Halen heyday (paraphrased): "All the critics love Elvis Costello and hate Van Halen. Well guess what? All the critics LOOK like Elvis Costello and don't look anything like us!"

 

[gp956]

You can't start with:

We know very little about the Giants’ use of advanced metrics.

and then end with:

Overall, it’s puzzling that a team seems so detached from the technological and statistical advances taking place in the game.

When your only evidence is:

Sabean rarely mentions analytics and doesn’t seem particularly comfortable talking about them when asked.

 

[gp956]

It'd sure be nice to win another ring and shut up the haters. Or would that not even be enough?

Another way to read this: Fangraphs are stat geeks. Sabean isn't. Ergo, Sabean sucks.

Reminds me of a great line from David Lee Roth in the early 80s Van Halen heyday (paraphrased): "All the critics love Elvis Costello and hate Van Halen. Well guess what? All the critics LOOK like Elvis Costello and don't look anything like us!"

As my newest favorite website stated: "idiots with stat packages"

 

[OzzieGiant]

Hey Guys

Been a long offseason - out of interest where would you rate the FO.

I would say somewhere between 12 and 18 depending on what you rate as most important, FA, draft, scouting, W-L, title, consistency.

I could not have them top ten and probably lean to mid to late teens personally.

Can't wait till Saturday!!!!!!!!!

 

[gp956]

Hey Guys

Been a long offseason - out of interest where would you rate the FO.

I would say somewhere between 12 and 18 depending on what you rate as most important, FA, draft, scouting, W-L, title, consistency.

I could not have them top ten and probably lean to mid to late teens personally.

Can't wait till Saturday!!!!!!!!!

#1 in the Bay Area.

 

[tzill]

#1 in the Bay Area.

WHOOP, THERE IT IS!!

 

[OzzieGiant]

#1 in the Bay Area.

Not accoding to FG, and not even close, the AAAA's are ranked 17 spots above the G's,not exactly suprising I

 

[MarcoPolo]

Funny how they (the A's) have such a great front office, but they've fucked everything up so badly that they are ranked 28th out of 30. The so-called "analysis" stinks.

 

[tzill]

Funny how they (the A's) have such a great front office, but they've fucked everything up so badly that they are ranked 28th out of 30. The so-called "analysis" stinks.

I dunno, BB seems to be able to deal hurt pitchers away with alarming skill.