Locked On Giants – Daily Podcast On The San Francisco Giants
1,343 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago - ★★★★★ - 282 ratingsLocked On Giants podcast is your daily ticket to stay ahead of the game and the first to know the latest news, analysis, and insider info for the San Francisco Giants and Major League Baseball. Hosted by Ben Kaspick, a lifelong Giants fan and former RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score contributor, the Locked On Giants podcast provides your daily Giants fix with expert, local analysis, and coverage of all aspects of the Giants franchise, including game breakdowns and transactions in a data-driven way that’s rational but simple, passionate and accessible. Locked On Giants takes you beyond the scoreboard for the inside scoops on the biggest stories from within the Giants locker room and all over MLB. The Locked On Giants podcast is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.
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Episodes
MLB lockout: Players' latest proposal not what it seems?
February 17, 2022 20:13 - 26 minutes - 21.6 MBDid the players just increase their demands? The MLB lockout marches on, and Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick has the very latest. Ben explores the MLBPA's latest proposal to owners, in which they increased the amount of the pre-arbitration bonus pool from $100M to $115M. On first glace it may appear to be a bigger ask, but the devil is in the details. As Ben describes, the fact that the union is reducing its ask in terms of when players reach arbitration, this is actually a modest concess...
Spring Training OFFICIALLY DELAYED after league's latest proposal goes nowhere
February 15, 2022 19:59 - 27 minutes - 21.9 MBToday was supposed to be the day that San Francisco Giants pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training. But thanks to the MLB lockout, that's not happening. Spring Training is OFFICIALLY delayed. On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick details the latest with the MLB lockout. He talks about MLB's proposal on Saturday, and the MLBPA's response. Predictably, the players didn't come away pleased. This has been an ongoing theme during these negotiations. Notably, the two sid...
SF Giants must do THIS when the lockout ends
February 11, 2022 20:50 - 30 minutesThe San Francisco Giants must do this when the lockout ends. They got a lot of their offseason work done prior to the lockout, but there's still much work to do. Their starting rotation, while solid, is thinned out with the loss of Kevin Gausman to the Blue Jays. Logan Webb, followed by Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood, and Alex Cobb, features four quality starters, but Ben believes they need to add another starter who is a clear upgrade over Tyler Beede, who's out of Minor League options and cu...
San Francisco Giants must do THIS when the lockout ends
February 11, 2022 20:50 - 26 minutes - 21.5 MBThe San Francisco Giants must do this when the lockout ends. They got a lot of their offseason work done prior to the lockout, but there's still much work to do. Their starting rotation, while solid, is thinned out with the loss of Kevin Gausman to the Blue Jays. Logan Webb, followed by Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood, and Alex Cobb, features four quality starters, but Ben believes they need to add another starter who is a clear upgrade over Tyler Beede, who's out of Minor League options and c...
MLB lockout: Time running out for Spring Training to start on time
February 10, 2022 21:02 - 25 minutes - 20.9 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the latest with MLB lockout. Commissioner Rob Manfred met with the media on Thursday and expressed optimism about the league and the players reaching a deal in time to begin the season as planned on March 31. Previously, the league had said it would not make a counteroffer to the players' latest offer, but they have since backed off that position, and they plan to make a core economics proposal on Saturday. Jon Heyman of MLB Net...
Extreme-ly good: How the San Francisco Giants rode extremes to new heights in 2021
February 08, 2022 20:36 - 26 minutes - 21 MBNo team was more extreme than the San Francisco Giants in 2021. At least Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick doesn't think so. So many of their players show up unexpectedly among the leaders in important categories. Either that or they lead in categories fans might not immediately think of when talking about baseball numbers. Yes, the SF Giants were a team of extremes last year, all the way down to their MLB-best 107-55 record. The poster boy might as well be Tyler Rogers. Among all pitchers...
San Francisco Giants Hall of Fame Talk: Barry Bonds, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain
February 03, 2022 21:16 - 36 minutes - 29.7 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick joins Locked On Diamondbacks host Millard Thomas to discuss all things San Francisco Giants Hall of Fame. With Barry Bonds falling off the ballot recently, Ben and Millard discuss the writers keeping him out of Cooperstown, and if it makes sense. They talk about David Ortiz getting in on the first ballot despite him reportedly testing positive for a PED in 2003. The process doesn't appear to be fair at all, and Ben's opinion is that we do...
MLB, MLBPA have "heated" 90-minute meeting, remain far apart as Spring Training looms
February 02, 2022 23:10 - 26 minutes - 21.1 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick talks about MLB and the MLBPA's 90-minute meeting in New York on Tuesday, and how the two sides remain far apart on several major issues with Spring Training report dates looming. In Tuesday's meeting, the MLBPA made slight alterations to its proposals about the pre-arbitration bonus pool and service time manipulation. They lowered the amount they're asking for in the bonus pool from $105 million to $100 million, but importantly, they con...
Joey Bart ranked 6th on FanGraphs' San Francisco Giants top prospects list
February 01, 2022 20:05 - 26 minutes - 21.1 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses FanGraphs' newly released San Francisco Giants Top 39 Prospects list. The list is full of surprises, not at all conforming to the status quo or other rankings. For example, Patrick Bailey, to Ben's knowledge never before seen in the Giants' Top 5, ranks as the organization's third-best prospect. Joey Bart, meanwhile, continues his fall with evaluators, coming in as the team's sixth-best prospect. Bart's miserable 2020 debut real...
Inbox: Will Seiya Suzuki sign with the San Francisco Giants?
January 28, 2022 19:22 - 27 minutes - 22 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants. Among the questions asked and answered are: Do you think Giants could land Seiya Suzuki? Is Suzuki actually possible and does it make sense for the Giants? I see a lot of, "the Giants are unwilling to spend", but they can take on a bad contract for a player they want, not losing prospects. What would a logical deal like this look like? What teams? For example...
Barry Bonds' Hall of Fame rejection is a sad mistake
January 26, 2022 20:13 - 26 minutes - 21.2 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses San Francisco Giants legend Barry Bonds falling off the Hall of Fame ballot after being rejected for a 10th and final time by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Bonds received 66% of the vote, far short of the 75% threshold needed to get in. David Ortiz, in his first year on the ballot, was elected to the Hall of Fame. Ortiz reportedly tested positive for PED's in 2003, but that apparently didn't matter to some of the ...
Barry Bonds' departure from Hall of Fame ballot is a sad mistake
January 26, 2022 20:13 - 30 minutesOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses San Francisco Giants legend Barry Bonds falling off the Hall of Fame ballot after being rejected for a 10th and final time by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Bonds received 66% of the vote, far short of the 75% threshold needed to get in. David Ortiz, in his first year on the ballot, was elected to the Hall of Fame. Ortiz reportedly tested positive for PED's in 2003, but that apparently didn't matter to some of the w...
San Francisco Giants legend Barry Bonds falls off Hall of Fame ballot after 10 years of rejection by BBWAA
January 26, 2022 20:13 - 30 minutesOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses San Francisco Giants legend Barry Bonds falling off the Hall of Fame ballot after being rejected for a 10th and final time by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Bonds received 66% of the vote, far short of the 75% threshold needed to get in. David Ortiz, in his first year on the ballot, was elected to the Hall of Fame. Ortiz reportedly tested positive for PED's in 2003, but that apparently didn't matter to some of the w...
MLBPA makes counter-proposal to MLB in latest effort to end lockout
January 25, 2022 20:20 - 25 minutes - 20.2 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick details the latest from around Major League Baseball. The MLB Players Association and MLB met in person in Manhattan on Monday and Tuesday, marking significant progress from the weeks of no substantive meetings between the two sides since the lockout began on Dec. 2. In its counterproposal to the league, the MLBPA held firm on its push for two-year arbitration eligibility, a substantially increased Competitive Balance Tax threshold, and c...
San Francisco Giants' 6th-10th-best prospects, according to Baseball America
January 21, 2022 21:15 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the San Francisco Giants' sixth- through 10th-best prospects, according to Baseball America. Yesterday he talked about the Giants' Top Five, all of whom had a spot on BA's Top 100 Prospects list. Marco Luciano, Joey Bart, Luis Matos, Heliot Ramos, and Kyle Harrison are exciting prospects indeed. But what about the next five names? Ben discusses the scouting reports on Will Bednar, the Giants' first-round pick in 2021, Matt Miku...
Marco Luciano leads five San Francisco Giants on Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects list
January 20, 2022 20:16 - 28 minutes - 22.8 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses Baseball America's newly released Top 100 Prospects list, which includes five members of the San Francisco Giants organization. Atop the Giants' rankings is 20-year-old shortstop Marco Luciano, who comes in with a ranking of No. 17. It's a slight fall for Luciano, who was ranked No. 9 in BA's most recent update to last year's ranking, but it's a strong showing nonetheless. Luciano is still very young and struggled in High-A Euge...
Inbox: San Francisco Giants' most exciting player for 2022?
January 18, 2022 20:52 - 27 minutes - 21.9 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants. Among the questions asked and answered are: What player are you most excited to see going into next season? Who produces more value in 2022: Thairo Estrada, or Tommy La Stella? Could you see a La Stella/Evan Longoria platoon at 3B next year? Both hit well against their respective sides. Both are injury prone so they get plenty of rest. Plus it opens up for Es...
MLB makes first core economics proposal since lockout began—but players leave feeling frustrated again
January 14, 2022 20:54 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick, who covers the San Francisco Giants, discusses the latest with the state of the Major League Baseball lockout. On Thursday, for the first time since the lockout began on Dec. 2, MLB made a core economics proposal to the MLB Players Association. To absolutely no one's surprise, the players were not impressed with the league's proposal. The league's proposals ranged from modest to absurd, including a bizarre attempt to address service time...
Inbox: Realisitic trade options for the Giants?
January 12, 2022 20:52 - 32 minutesOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants. Among the questions asked and answered are: Farhan kept mentioning making changes to the roster via trade. If that's the case, what team(s) do the Giants best match up with for a deal, and what Giants prospects or active roster players could be trade bait? I’ve been seeing a lot of Instagram pages saying we should trade for Tyler Mahle. Is this realistic, or a...
Inbox: Realistic trade options for the Giants?
January 12, 2022 20:52 - 28 minutes - 22.7 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants. Among the questions asked and answered are: Farhan kept mentioning making changes to the roster via trade. If that's the case, what team(s) do the Giants best match up with for a deal, and what Giants prospects or active roster players could be trade bait? I’ve been seeing a lot of Instagram pages saying we should trade for Tyler Mahle. Is this realistic, or a...
Rachel Balkovec to manage Yankees' Low-A team, becoming first female manager in minors
January 11, 2022 20:27 - 26 minutes - 21.5 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the latest news with Major League Baseball and the San Francisco Giants. The first order of business is the major news that Yankees hitting instructor Rachel Balcovec will become the first female manager in affiliated professional baseball. She will manage the Yankees' Low-A team beginning in 2022, and it puts her on a path to greater things in years to come. Notably, Giants manager Gabe Kapler interviewed Balkovec in 2019 for t...
Inbox: What do the Giants need to do to maintain elite status next season?
January 07, 2022 20:31 - 26 minutes - 21.1 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants. Among the questions asked and answered are: What do the Giants have to do to maintain their status as an elite team next season? Based on the current roster and philosophy towards player acquisitions, do you see the Giants maintaining their current success next season around 100 wins? Or do you think it’s more likely they regress to finish at what most fans ex...
ESPN's Jeff Passan details grim state of MLB lockout, baseball's path forward
January 06, 2022 20:28 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick details the state of the MLB lockout by reviewing an ESPN piece by Jeff Passan that explores the subject in great detail. Ben goes through the Passan article, using direct quotations to provide listeners with up-to-the-minute updates about what's happening (or not happening) between MLB and the MLB Players Association. The league locked out the players at midnight on Dec. 1, and a whole lot of nothing has happened since. But that doesn't ...
Commissioner Rob Manfred can't handle the truth: Ken Rosenthal out at MLB Network
January 04, 2022 20:09 - 26 minutes - 21.2 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the MLB Network decision not to bring back universally respected journalist Ken Rosenthal. The tension between the network, which is owned by the league, and Rosenthal reportedly originated after Rosenthal was critical of commissioner Rob Manfred when the league and players were attempting to negotiate new terms to start the 2020 season, which was on pause due to the then-emerging Covid-19 pandemic. Rosenthal was harsh but fai...
Inbox: Will the Giants regret trading Caleb Kilian, Alexander Canario for Kris Bryant?
December 29, 2021 20:14 - 25 minutes - 20.4 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants. Among the questions asked and answered are: Will the Giants regret trading Caleb Kilian and Alexander Canario in the Kris Bryant trade? Are the Giants in on Seiya Suzuki? Seems like a much-needed right-handed bat and probably much cheaper and better defense than Bryant and Nick Castellanos. Do you think teams will begin secretly working out trades that they c...
Inbox: Is Giants' platoon system a short-term solution or long-run goal?
December 28, 2021 20:09 - 26 minutes - 21.4 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants. Among the questions asked and answered are: Is the Giants’ platoon system just a short-term solution to a rebuild or do you think it is the long-run goal? We saw how cheap and affordable it can be to find platoon players, but I’ve got to think SF is hoping for mostly everyday contributors in a couple years. Thoughts? With the Giants having so many platoon posi...
Giants' top five prospects is an exciting group
December 23, 2021 19:44 - 25 minutes - 20.9 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick examines the state of the San Francisco Giants' farm system. He dives into The Athletic's Melissa Lockard's Top 30 Giants prospects list, getting to the top five names. By this point, almost everyone knows that Marco Luciano is considered the Giants' top prospect. But what should we make of his 2021 season? He dominated in Low-A San Jose, but struggled after a promotion to High-A Eugene. He then struggled in the Arizona Fall League as wel...
Will the Giants go after Kris Bryant or Carlos Correa?
December 22, 2021 19:19 - 21 minutes - 20 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick airs part three of his three-part conversation with Millard Thomas from Locked On D-backs, as the duo continue to discuss the San Francisco Giants' offseason to date. The conversation resumes with Ben and Millard discussing Kris Bryant's free agency, and whether he's likely to return to the Giants after they acquired him in a midseason trade. Next, they discuss the free agencies of Freddie Freeman and Carlos Correa. Both agree that Freem...
How much worse is the Giants' rotation after losing Kevin Gausman, adding Alex Cobb?
December 21, 2021 19:48 - 23 minutes - 22 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick airs part two of his conversation with Locked On D-backs host Millard Thomas, as the two continue to discuss the San Francisco Giants' offseason to date. The conversation resumes with Millard asking Ben whether the Giants should have signed Kevin Gausman to a five-year deal. Ben explains that it's complicated, and that he had hopes of the Giants bringing him back. However, Ben defends the state of the Giants' rotation as relatively strong...
Are the Giants having the worst offseason of any team?
December 17, 2021 19:29 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick joins Locked On Diamondbacks host Millard Thomas to discuss the San Francisco Giants' offseason. Millard poses a shocking but thought-provoking question: Are the Giants having the worst offseason of any team in baseball? While Ben certainly does not agree, it's hard to argue with the fact that the Giants have lost some of their best players. Buster Posey retired. Kevin Gausman is a Blue Jay. Kris Bryant is a free agent. While the Giants'...
Inbox: Which pitching prospect will start the most games for the 2022 Giants?
December 16, 2021 20:15 - 26 minutes - 21.6 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants. Among the questions asked and answered are: Who in the pitching development pipeline is going to start the most games for the 2022 Giants? Tyler Beede? Sammy Long? Sean Hjelle? Someone else? Do you think Darin Ruf could get regular/everyday playing time in left field next year? Your personal wants/hopes to come out of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement? ...
Carlos Rodón among intriguing free agents for Giants to consider
December 15, 2021 20:07 - 25 minutes - 20.8 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses an ESPN report that had some interesting things to say about the San Francisco Giants. On the one hand, the Giants have tons of room to spend and are expected to spend it. On the other, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel reports that sources indicate the Giants aren't likely to be in on players commanding nine-figure deals. Ben explores some possible middle-of-the-road solutions. He loves Carlos Rodón's upside, and believes he would be a p...
Inbox: Surprised the Giants haven't been more aggressive in free agency?
December 13, 2021 19:38 - 28 minutes - 22.8 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants. Among the questions asked and answered are: Are you surprised that the Giants haven’t been more aggressive during free agency? Mark Canha, Marcus Stroman, Jon Gray, and Corey Kluber all seemed like very good fits, and the Giants didn’t even seem to go after them. With the need to add a right-handed power bat most likely in the outfield and the emergence of La...
Inbox: Should the Giants target Carlos Correa?
December 10, 2021 19:56 - 26 minutes - 21.4 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants. Among the questions asked and answered are: Should the Giants be in on Carlos Correa? He is one of the only players that has all the traits that the Giants like since Bryce Harper (plate discipline, strikeout rate, defense, and power). He is willing to play 3rd base, and Evan Longoria's one year should not affect his free agent fit. Why not Correa? He’s still ...
Evan Longoria is now the Giants' one true roster holdover
December 09, 2021 20:06 - 27 minutes - 22.2 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the San Francsico Giants' 40-man roster three-plus years into Farhan Zaidi's tenure as president of baseball operations. Only one player is still under a guaranteed contract that was inherited by Zaidi, and it's Evan Longoria. Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford were here when Zaidi took over, but both players were set to reach free agency after 2021, and were brought back in what represents a Zaidi decision. Follow & Subscribe t...
ZiPS projections aren't really buying the Giants—again
December 08, 2021 23:48 - 25 minutes - 20.8 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the San Francisco Giants' 2022 ZiPS projections. Last season, the Giants outperformed their ZiPS projections more than any team had ever before. In Ben's opinion, the projection failed to take into account the influence of the Giants' new hitting coaches, Donnie Ecker, Justin Viele, and Dustin Lind, who demonstrated an ability to make players better in the short 2020 season. This year, the projections still aren't fully buying...
Mike Yastrzemski, Giants outfield projected to struggle in 2022
December 07, 2021 19:55 - 27 minutes - 22.1 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the state of the San Francisco Giants outfield. This was a trouble spot in the last few years under the old regime, and it seemed that Farhan Zaidi had done a nice job of rejuvenating those three positions with the emergence of Mike Yastrzemski, Alex Dickerson, Austin Slater, and Darin Ruf. However, following down years from most of that group, Zaidi and the Giants may be in the hunt for an upgrade in the outfield again. Dickers...
Giants' staff looks solid with Logan Webb emerging as an ace
December 06, 2021 20:04 - 26 minutes - 21.4 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick examines how the San Francisco Giants currently compare to the rest of the league. With Logan Webb leading the rotation (and projected to be an ace), plus the re-signings of Alex Wood and Anthony DeSclafani, plus the addition of Alex Cobb, the Giants' rotation currently projects as baseball's ninth-best. It's a surprisingly good projection, and indicates that with one more big addition the Giants could have a top-five or better staff. Of ...
Inbox: Is Tyler Beede back in the Giants' rotation plans?
December 03, 2021 20:23 - 29 minutes - 23.4 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the state of the San Francisco Giants, with baseball's first work stoppage since 1994 underway. Among the questions asked and answered are: What’s the plan in the rotation? Are they going to patch it together or make a big trade? Will they see how it goes and re-assess in season? How likely do you think the lack of moves is due to players on the cusp such as Heliot Ramos, Sean Hjelle, Kervin Cast...
LOCKOUT: MLB owners institute baseball's first work stoppage since 1994
December 02, 2021 19:55 - 29 minutes - 23.7 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses Major League Baseball's owners initiating the sport's first work stoppage since 1994. He discusses the statements from MLB and the MLBPA, how we got here, and what's likely to happen next. Ben is not optimistic about anything positive getting done for quite some time, and he worries about the very real possibility of games being lost in 2022. Next he discusses the frenzied activity that preceded the lockout. He explores free-ag...
Giants officially sign Alex Cobb, Alex Wood to two-year deals
December 01, 2021 19:37 - 27 minutes - 22 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick details the San Francisco Giants' signings of Alex Cobb and Alex Wood. Both starters were among only six in major league baseball last season with at least 90 IP and a K% ≥ 24% and ≥ 50%. Logan Webb was also among the six. The Giants' rotation is now mostly made up of pitchers that possess this rare combination of skills: an ability to keep the ball on the ground, and an ability to strike people out. Wood's deal was announced in the middl...
Giants closing in on deals for Alex Wood, Alex Cobb
November 30, 2021 20:03 - 26 minutes - 21.7 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the San Francisco Giants seemingly closing in on deals for free-agent starters Alex Wood and Alex Cobb. The team has been rumored to be in hot pursuit of these two pitchers for about a week, and it seems those agreements may finally materialize. Ben addresses that both pitchers come with injury risks, and the Giants' rotation is still worse off than it was last year after the club lost Kevin Gausman to the Toronto Blue Jays. N...
Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer sign elsewhere; Will the Giants make a major move before lockout?
November 29, 2021 20:14 - 26 minutes - 21.6 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the San Francisco Giants' offseason so far, relative to the rest of the market. Kevin Gausman, obviously a top target of the Giants, signed a new deal with the Blue Jays yesterday for five years, $110 million. It's a strong deal for Gausman, but it actually looks pretty reasonable compared to some of the other names flying off the board. Max Scherzer, another Giants target, signed with the New York Mets for three years, $130 mil...
Giants' deals with Belt, DeSclafani (and potentially Wood) look like Black Friday bargains
November 26, 2021 20:12 - 26 minutes - 20.9 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the state of the free-agent market as it pertains to the San Francisco Giants. The market overall has been quite inflated so far, particularly for starting pitchers. Ben explores the numbers behind the inflated prices: years, average annual value, and total guaranteed money are all up across the free-agent market. However, when we look at the contracts given out to Brandon Belt and Anthony DeSclafani (and when we add the expect...
Do the Giants have deals with Alex Wood, Alex Cobb or not?
November 24, 2021 20:14 - 24 minutes - 20.1 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick asks the question: What's the holdup with the San Francisco Giants' potential signings of Alex Wood and Alex Cobb? Multiple reputable reporters have said in recent days that the Giants were in the final stages of hammering out a deal, so why hasn't anything been announced? Have those potential deals hit a snag, or are the Giants trying to work out a 40-man move to make room ahead of announcing the signing(s)? Assuming those deals get don...
Giants re-sign Anthony DeSclafani for three years, $36 million
November 23, 2021 19:42 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick details the San Francisco Giants' three-year agreement with free-agent starter Anthony DeSclafani. Desclafani was a driving force behind the Giants' miraculous 107-win season in 2021, and he's back on a $36 million deal that's now the largest handed out by Farhan Zaidi in his tenure as Giants president of baseball operations. Rumors have been swirling about other starters as well, with multiple reporters stating that the Giants are fina...
Giants to sign Alex Cobb?
November 22, 2021 19:51 - 27 minutes - 22.3 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick answers questions from listeners about the ongoing San Francisco Giants offseason. Among the questions asked and answered are: Who are some low risk pitchers we might get? Will Joey Bart, Heliot Ramos and Sean Hjelle make the 26-man roster? Which guys left unprotected from the Rule 5 draft do you see getting picked? Do you see Seth Corry getting traded by the draft? Why is it that there are more rumors surrounding position players/ou...
Could Giants, A's actually swing a major trade this offseason?
November 19, 2021 18:44 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick joins Locked On A's host Jason Burke to discuss the possibility of an Oakland A's-San Francisco Giants swap. For the first time in a long time, it really does seem like these two teams could match up on a major trade. First, Jason asks Ben about the Giants' offseason needs. Naturally, as Giants fans know, the need is pitching, pitching, and more pitching. Starting pitching specifically. Ben explains that Logan Webb is the only player und...
'Daddy's Back!' Brandon Belt accepts Giants' $18.4 million qualifying offer
November 18, 2021 19:40 - 22 minutes - 18.2 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick talks about the latest with the San Francisco Giants. Brandon Belt accepted the Giants' $18.4 million qualifying offer yesterday, meaning he'll be back at that price in 2022. It's a huge offseason item checked off the list for the Giants, as Brandon Belt has emerged as one of the game's best hitters in recent seasons, and he has emerged as a leader in the clubhouse. Losing Belt and Buster Posey, who retired after the season, would be a bi...
Brandon Belt's qualifying offer decision due today; Gabe Kapler wins Manager of the Year award in landslide
November 17, 2021 19:43 - 24 minutes - 19.8 MBOn today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the latest with the San Francisco Giants. Today is the deadline for players tagged with the one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer to accept or reject the offer. Brandon Belt was among 14 players around the league who received the offer. Ben explains everything the QO is (and is not), and makes a prediction about what Belt will ultimately decide. Ben gives detailed thoughts about why Belt would accept the offer, and why he wo...