Podcast appearances and mentions of Joey Bart

Much has been said about the demise of the San Francisco Giants' farm system. But in a lot of ways, the Giants are in a better spot now than they've been in quite some time. Kyle Harrison is one of the very best pitching prospects in baseball, and he could take the mound in San Francisco at some point early this season. Casey Schmitt reached Triple-A at the end of 2022 and he should also be an option if fellow youngster David Villar isn't able to produce in the majors (but there's promise for him as well). Marco Luciano had some health setbacks in 2022, but still ranks as one of the better prospects in baseball as he creeps closer to the major leagues. How much weight should we really put into rankings, though? Looking back through old Top-100 prospects lists, it's clear that several of the top prospects in baseball prove to be busts. It's also clear that many players who ultimately become very good major league players are never considered top prospects! Take Logan Webb or Camilo Doval as examples. Neither ever appeared on BP's Top-101 lists, but both have become excellent major league players for the SF Giants. There's been a lot of talk about the Giants getting "younger and more athletic". Much of that is going to come from within, and much of it could start in 2023. It's not at all hard to imagine a homegrown tandem at the top of the Giants' rotation with Webb and Harrison. David Villar or Casey Schmitt may have taken over third base for the Giants for good by the end of the year. In the bullpen, Camilo Doval projects as a top-tier closer. Cole Waites, R.J. Dabovich, Thomas Szapucki, and others could emerge as strong bullpen options. Joey Bart will continue to get opportunities behind the plate. While many are down on the Giants' farm system, it's actually in a pretty good spot heading into 2023. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

One clear need the San Francisco Giants have as we approach Spring Training is better backup infield defense. The current group of projected starters could be okay, as Brandon Crawford has his track record, Thairo Estrada has youth and athleticism, LaMonte Wade Jr. has shown flashes of plus defensive ability at first, and David Villar was solid at third last year. But behind that group, the SF Giants are looking at below average defenders such as Wilmer Flores and J.D. Davis as their next-in-line infielders. Brett Wisely and Isan Diaz are also on the 40-man and projected to start the season in the minors. How is the position player mix looking for the Giants? Do they usually roll with 13 position players and 13 pitchers? Or is it not that balanced? They do often go with 13/13, and every spot on the Giants' position player side seems more or less accounted for. David Villar could be optioned, but they want to give him a real chance to seize a role. Blake Sabol currently projects as Joey Bart's backup. The outfield is deep with options after the SF Giants brought in Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto. Who is a player or two who might be a surprise contributor in 2023? There are possible diamonds in the rough on this roster, but the best guess could be coming out of the bullpen. Cole Waites flashed impressive stuff in his brief MLB debut last year, and R.J. Dabovich should also get a look at some point. The Giants also have promising young lefty Thomas Szapucki projected to take up quite a few innings in 2023. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Mike Yastrzemski has been all over the map since he first debuted for the San Francisco Giants in 2019. Through his first two (abbreviated) MLB seasons, Yaz looked like a budding star. Then, in 2021 and 2022, he became more of a league-average hitter for the SF Giants. Will he continue to regress offensively in 2023, or will Yaz have a bounceback season for the Giants? Another polarizing Giants player is Joey Bart, who's also had positive and negative moments in his SF Giants career. Bart was the Giants' No. 2 overall pick in 2018, and he was considered by some to be a Top 10 prospect in baseball very recently. However, he has mostly struggled in his MLB career. What does Bart need to do to gain confidence and truly establish himself as a No. 1 catching option? Strikeouts have been a major problem, so that's a good place to start. He also must gain confidence defensively, and become a true leader of the pitching staff. What do the San Francisco Giants plan to do with their deep rotation? They've got seven solid starters, in Logan Webb, Alex Cobb, Sean Manaea, Ross Stripling, Alex Wood, Anthony DeSclafani, and Jakob Junis. They've also got a young stud in Kyle Harrison who's close to MLB ready. The SF Giants may decide to piggyback some starters, such as Alex Wood (who struggled mightily the third time through batting orders in 2022) and DeSclafani, who's coming off season-ending ankle surgery. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Scratch Brandon Nimmo off the list. The list of potential free-agent targets for the San Francisco Giants is growing smaller by the day. At this point, if the SF Giants want to make a major free-agent hitter addition, they'll need to sign either Carlos Correa or Dansby Swanson. Swanson's bat is a bit iffy, but he's young, athletic, fast, and a good defender. Correa seems to be the real prize, but ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the Yankees may be involved in the bidding. If New York makes a hard push for Correa, the Giants could be in trouble. While the SF Giants might be able to bully a team like the Twins financially, they wouldn't necessarily be able to do so with the Yankees. And after adding Judge, the Yanks are a far more desirable destination for a free-agent hitter like Correa. If the Giants miss out on all of the top free agent hitters that were of interest to them, it would be quite the disappointment and failure—although not necessarily for lack of trying. There are other options, however, on the trade market. The downside there is that they would have to part with young talent in order to swing a trade, whereas with free agents the only cost is cash. Alek Thomas, Jake McCarthy, Daulton Varsho, Bryan Reynolds, Dylan Carloson, and Ramón Laureano stand out as some possible San Francisco Giants outfield trade targets. All are young, athletic, and would be an upgrade for the Giants. Speaking of trade possibilities, the Giants traded for Rule 5 pick Blake Sabol recently. He is a left-handed-hitting outfielder and catcher, and by virtue of being a Rule 5 pick, he has to be on the 26-man roster all season or else be offered back to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The SF Giants have Joey Bart and Austin Wynns already on the 40-man and projected to the major league roster, so the acquisition of Sabol is noteworthy. We continue to hear reports that the Giants are interested in a catching upgrade, with Oakland's Sean Murphy and the Toronto Blue Jays' trio of talented catchers the most obvious trade targets. Christian Vazquez, who, like Carlos Correa, is from Puerto Rico, has also been linked to the Giants. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Kolten Wong to the San Francisco Giants? According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the SF Giants are among the teams interested in trading for Kolten Wong, the left-handed-hitting second baseman under contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers are likely to trade Wong, who's owed $10M in the final year of his contract, this offseason. Wong is historically someone who's hit right-handed pitching pretty well, and he has historically been one of the game's best defensive second basemen. Interestingly, Kolten Wong took a major step back defensively in 2022 according to most advanced defensive metrics, but it's generally best to look in three-season samples when dealing with such metrics. Given that he's only signed for one more year and is owed $10M, the cost to acquire Wong seemingly wouldn't be too high. A viral tweet by MLB Network is discussed. In the tweet, MLB Network put out a San Francisco Giants projected lineup that included Aaron Judge. Social media went to work dunking on the SF Giants for an extremely weak looking lineup. On the one hand, it certainly doesn't inspire a ton of confidence, even with Judge. On the other hand, that lineup is essentially the same one that was above average at scoring runs in 2022. Every single member of the projected lineup, except for the No. 9 hitter Joey Bart, has been above average by wRC+ over the last three seasons. The Giants certainly shouldn't roll into 2023 with a lineup like that if they were to sign Judge, but it's also not nearly as listless as some are making it out to be. Switching gears, how should the progress of some young players on the SF Giants' roster be evaluated? Thairo Estrada, Joey Bart, and David Villar are given a closer look. Estrada had a legitimately strong season that flew somewhat under the radar. He amassed 14 home runs and 21 steals, and overall was the Giants' best position player by fWAR. Joey Bart struggled with strikeouts as expected in 2022. He was pretty bad to start the year, got better, and then regressed to a rolling K% back near 50% over the final month-plus of the season. David Villar is definitely someone to watch moving forward. The power is legit, he won the PCL MVP Award, and he could be a breakout candidate for the Giants in 2023, or he could potentially be trade bait this offseason if the Giants want to make a big splash. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Steven Risotto is, among other things, way more enterprising than I was as a college student! He covers the Giants for SFBay and is also the creator and host of the wonderful RizzoCast. Together we talk Giants' needs in this big off-season, how the Giants view their player development processes, how they make room for Kyle Harrison, whether Joey Bart is the catcher of the future, and we talk some obscure old Giants' prospects. Please excuse my scratchy voice — picked up a bug on some recent travels!You can follow Steven's work on twitter (including finding the latest edition of the RizzoCast) @StevenRissotto or check out his own Substack newsletter: And, of course, you can follow me on twitter @rog61 or just become a There R Giants' subscriber to get all of my Giants' prospect work delivered straight to your Inbox or via Substack app.Intro/Outro: “Something Big” by Tom Petter Get full access to There R Giants at rogermunter.substack.com/subscribe

The San Francisco Giants need a lot of help this winter, and it's not all likely to come in the form of free agent signings. Giants president of baseball ops Farhan Zaidi even said that the SF Giants' stated goal of getting younger and more athletic isn't best brought about through free agency, necessarily. Free agents are, by definition, players who've been in the league for at least six seasons. With that said, who are some realistic trade targets for the San Francisco Giants? The Diamondbacks have an abundance of young, talented, athletic outfielders. Their stable of outfield talent includes Daulton Varsho, Corbin Carroll, Jake McCarthy, and Alek Thomas. Thomas might be the odd man out in that scenario, and the SF Giants should have interest if any of those four are available. The Blue Jays have a surplus of catching talent, with Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk, and Gabriel Moreno. Jansen would be a nice target for the Giants, but it would complicate matters with Joey Bart. Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs is a talented, athletic, switch-hitting outfielder who makes a ton of sense for the Giants, and he could be available because he's one year from free agency and plays for a rebuilding team. Shohei Ohtani is the mother of all trade candidates. How are the SF Giants going to address their bullpen? Will they sign free agents, make trades, or both? Expect them to build their 'pen similarly to how they've built it the last few years: mostly minor moves. It didn't work in 2022, but the Giants' bullpen had the best ERA in baseball in 2021, so it's not like it's clearly a bad strategy. When is the earliest Aaron Judge will sign? Will Carlos Correa or Trea Turner sign before Judge? This offseason has been even slower than usual thus far, with zero major free agents signing to date. Expect at least one or two major moves in MLB before the Winter Meetings, but then things should really pick up (as they almost do) at the Winter Meetings in San Diego in early December. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Sacramento pitching coach Garvin Alston joined Johnny Doskow on the latest episode of the River Cats Nine Lives Podcast to discuss Kyle Harrison, Sean Hjelle, Joey Bart, and more. Visit Rivercats.com for the latest news on the Sacramento River Cats and subscribe to the Nine Lives Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, or Anchor so you never miss a show. Follow the link below and listen to the podcast to find the answer to this week's question. https://atmilb.com/3TOFZeC This Podcast was recorded 11/10/21.

TK is joined by Gabe Kapler to discuss the Giants. How special it was for Dusty Baker to win his first World Series as a manager. Kapler on whether or not the Giants are set up to go after a big name. Kapler is very confident that the front office will get things done to improve the roster. The Giants organization is deeply invested in putting an exciting and winning product on the field. Joey Bart grew in the 2022 season and still has work to do. And the need for the Giants to be better defensively next season. 

Aaron Judge. Trea Turner. Carlos Correa. We all know about the top-tier free agents the San Francisco Giants could target this offseason. But what if they stay true to form and don't come away with any of the top talent? Where will the SF Giants turn in that scenario? Willson Contreras would be a major upgrade at the catcher position, but the presence of Joey Bart obviously complicates matters for the SF Giants. At first base, Jose Abreu, John Bell, or Anthony Rizzo would all be interesting pickups. The versatile Brandon Drury would be another solid addition for the San Francisco Giants. Justin Turner may be available. Joc Pederson and Mitch Haniger are local kids and would seem to fit on the Giants. What about Cody Bellinger, if the Dodgers non-tender him? He would also make some sense for the San Francisco Giants. Aaron Judge would be the splashiest possible acquisition for San Francisco, but is he the best option? He's relatively old for a free agent in line for a huge deal, and age is certainly a concern. He's likely to land a seven or eight year deal for something like $35 million per season. Other free agents might make more sense, particularly those who are a few years younger, like Carlos Correa, or those whose markets figure to be less robust for whatever reason, even though there isn't necessarily a huge drop off in talent. Examples include Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, Dansby Swanson, and Brandon Nimmo. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

My guest this week is Giants' broadcaster Dave Flemming. We talk about the unique position the broadcast team occupies in the world of Giants' baseball, the state of Giants' player development processes, and the path forward for the organization. And yes, “the guy who hits in the Bronx” does come up!IntroDifference between announcing in up years and down (1:44) How do Giants feel about their Player Development? (9:05)Joey Bart's Season (12:55)Big Off Season ahead (15:40)How Heliot Ramos fits in plans (19:10)Aaron Judge talk! (21:05)Transitioning Kyle Harrison into rotation (26:50)Intro/Outro: “Crash Years” by New Pornographers Get full access to There R Giants at rogermunter.substack.com/subscribe

After winning 107 games last year, the San Francisco Giants flopped to an 81-81 record in 2022. Their position player group had a lot to do with it. The SF Giants' best three position players last year—Brandon Crawford, Buster Posey, and Brandon Belt—combined to produce 14.6 FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement (fWAR). This year, the Giants' top three position players—Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski, and Austin Slater—combined to produce just 7.0 fWAR. Posey's absence was felt, but also the Brandons combined to produce 8.2 fewer fWAR than they did in 2021. Joey Bart ultimately did not have a very good season. Strikeouts were a problem in the beginning, and they briefly went away after being sent down to the Minors, but those issues resurfaced later in the year. Austin Wynns actually ended up with a better wRC+ than Bart this year, and he should be the backup catcher in 2023. Bart will need to improve his swing and miss and chase issues if he wants to remain the San Francisco Giants' catcher of the future. The state of the infield and outfield is in flux. Brandon Belt is set to reach free agency. The Giants hold a $13M club option on Evan Longoria, with a $5M buyout. Wilmer Flores was extended. Tommy La Stella may not survive on the roster this winter. Brandon Crawford is under contract for one more year. The Giants can bring back J.D. Davis through the arbitration process. Thairo Estrada was one of the biggest bright spots of the year for the San Francisco Giants. In the outfield, will Joc Pederson be back? He did very well in his role, crushing right-handed pitching as expected. But he's a limited profile and his next contract will reflect that. The Giants would like to bring him back, but does he want to be back? Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Slater can form a formidable platoon either in center or right. LaMonte Wade Jr. and Luis González are very much on the bubble and it wouldn't be shocking if neither was on the SF Giants' active roster to start 2023. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb chats with producer Sam Lubman about the Giants 2022 season, how he got better as a pitcher this year, and how he made the transition from Buster Posey and Curt Casali to Joey Bart and Austin Wynns behind the plate. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The San Francisco Giants are officially eliminated. At least it took until October, and at least they put up a fight at the end, but the 2022 Giants' season will no doubt go down as a huge disappointment. When all was said and done, the SF Giants didn't get enough out of their position players and bullpen. The Giants have played well in September/October, but they were sunk by extremely poor play over stretches during the middle of the season. Not a ton of positive development happened for the Giants in 2022, either. Joey Bart and David Villar offer some hope for the future, but they look more like role players than true impact talents. Bart's strikeout issues have resurfaced late in the year, and it's overall not a very impressive line. Villar delivered a walk-off hit for the Giants in their home finale on Sunday, but it wasn't even hit well and was lucky to sneak through into the outfield. Villar is also known to have some defensive limitations as well. Wilmer Flores has been a bright spot ever since he first signed with the team in 2020. Flores was the San Francisco Giants' most inspirational player this year, and he won the Willie Mac Award for his efforts. The Giants signed Flores to a two-year extension with a player/team option for a third year just a few weeks ago. Flores is a player the Giants want around to mentor young players as the team shifts that way in the coming seasons. Finally, Logan Webb was placed on the injured list as a procedural move to get someone else onto the roster. Jakob Junis was optioned for the same reason. Neither will pitch again for the Giants in 2022. Sean Hjelle, another somewhat promising young player to debut in 2022, will likely cover multiple innings on Monday, followed by season finales for Carlos Rodón and Alex Cobb. The Giants' slumping attendance numbers are also discussed, as is the reality that attendance is down across the sport. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

There's something extra special about San Francisco Giants wins when young players play key roles. The SF Giants had a nice team win in Denver on Tuesday, with David Villar, Sean Hjelle, Thairo Estrada, and Joey Bart playing key roles. Giants rookie Hjelle tossed four very strong innings in relief, which is not easy to do at Coors Field. Thairo Estrada collected two more big hits for the Giants. David Villar hit a rocket home run to left field. Joey Bart had a triple (that was later ruled an error), a single, and a really nice tag play at home plate (which was not called an out even though the runner did, in fact, appear to be out). Buster Posey has joined the San Francisco Giants' ownership group, in a bit of shocking news. Posey will also serve on the Giants' board of directors. Posey obviously brings a fresh perspective to an ownership group that hasn't ever consisted of any former Giants players. Posey's share in the team is undoubtedly small (the franchise is valued at over $3 billion), but he's a legend within the organization and he will yield considerable influence. Posey's addition to the Giants' ownership group is nothing but a stone cold win for the franchise. Giants Director of Pitching Brian Bannister hasn't been with the team all season, reports Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. Bannister is reportedly unvaccinated, and MLB rules dictate that he isn't allowed at any team facilities. Bannister means so much to what the organization does from a pitching standpoint that Farhan Zaidi has allowed him to continue working in his role remotely. Bannister yields considerable influence over pitching acquisitions and helps pitchers reach peak performance. He lives in the Bay Area so he has been able to work with players off site, apparently. Vaccine mandates will likely be lifted at some point in the not-too-distant future, so Bannister should hopefully be able to return to business as usual not long from now, perhaps as soon as this offseason. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Former fourth round pick Kyle McCann joins the show to talk about his breakout 2022 season and his journey from backing up Joey Bart at catcher for Georgia Tech to launching 20 Double-A homers this season. McCann also details his adjustments at the plate and behind it, his thoughts on MiLB and MLB's new rules and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's going to be a big offseason for the San Francisco Giants. Don't just take our word for it, however. Take it from the team's president of baseball operations. Farhan Zaidi recently told reporters that it's going to be a "big offseason" for the SF Giants, and that the team "has payroll room because [they're] a big market and ... have contracts that are ending this offseason." How much money the Giants will spend remains an open question. Currently, they have about $70 million committed to next year's team, not accounting for Carlos Rodón, who can opt out of the $22.5 million he's owed next season, or arbitration raises. With arbitration raises, the San Francisco Giants will have roughly $98 million committed to 15 players. Factor in several pre-arbitraiton players (like Joey Bart, Thairo Estrada, and Camilo Doval) and the number gets to roughly $103 million going to about 22 players. That means, even if the Giants stayed around $162 million, as they have each of the last few years, they'd still have about $60 million to spend on four players. They could sign Aaron Judge for $35 million per season. They could sign literally anyone and stay below that mark. But in order to truly have a great offseason, the Giants will need to exceed the $162 million they've hovered around for a few years. Bringing back Carlos Rodón, or someone like him (Jacob deGrom?) seems important. Then Judge, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, Brandon Nimmo, Carlos Correa, Dansby Swanson seem like the best possible fits on the position player side, assuming the SF Giants are looking for impact talent. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants need to get younger and more athletic. Wilmer Flores isn't exactly young and isn't exactly the most athletic. Nevertheless, in his three seasons with the SF Giants, Flores has established himself as one of the Giants' most important players—both on the field and off of it. The Giants and Flores agreed to a two-year, $13M extension on Monday with a mutual option for 2025. It's a great day for the San Francisco Giants. Flores is Mr. Consistent. He's been an above-average bat in every season with the Giants. He has been durable. He can play multiple positions. He's not the greatest defender, but Flores provides value to the Giants in so many ways. He has been above-average against lefties and righties. The Giants can still get younger and more athletic around Flores; this doesn't prevent them from trending in that direction overall. The SF Giants also have quite a few mid-20s players who have had solid-to-strong performances in 2022. Logan Webb, Joey Bart, David Villar, and Camilo Doval had big weekends in Chicago, as the Giants took two out of three from the Cubs. All four are 25 years old, and making an impact to some degree with the Giants this season. Webb looks like very good major league starter. Doval is looking like a possible elite closer. Bart and Villar have had some growing pains along the way, but clearly there is potential in each of them. Another mid-20s player having a strong season is Thairo Estrada, who is young (26) and athletic. In other news, Dominic Leone was released. Leone was set to reach free agency at the end of the season, and he was injured and performing poorly. The Giants are going to give auditions to several new bullpen arms for the rest of the season who might be a part of the future, and clearly Leone was no longer in the SF Giants' future pans. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Eno and DVR discuss the pleasant surprise of having many sources of stolen-bases that are good all-around offensive players, plus Cody Bellinger's future, the risky speed profiles to avoid, underrating Jon Berti, and the potential impact of rule changes looming for the 2023 season. Rundown 7:30 Stolen-Base Leaderboard Packed with Good Players? 12:30 Cody Bellinger's Future; Brighter Leaving LA? 20:08 Low OPS, Good Speed, High Risk 24:02 Underrating Jon Berti 27:16 Potential Impact of Rule Changes on Stolen Bases 31:09 Cedric Mullins' Breakout Follow-Up 35:56 Pitch Clock Coming in 2023? Pitchers Primed to Gain/Lose 45:45 The Pie Slice Rule, Shifting 49:55 Joey Bart's Second-Half Turnaround Follow Eno on Twitter: @enosarris Follow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiper e-mail: ratesandbarrels@theathletic.com Subscribe to the Rates & Barrels YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RatesBarrels Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do the San Francisco Giants have one of MLB's worst cores? ESPN's Kiley McDaniel ranked all 30 cores, with input from executives around the game, and the SF Giants ranked 28th. These cores include all players under team control through at least 2024 and include prospects. The Giants have no "elite" talent (5+ WAR) locked up, and only Logan Webb falls into the "above average" category (3-5 WAR). The Giants have several players in the "solid" category (2-3 WAR), including major leaguers such as Alex Cobb, Joey Bart, Camilo Doval, Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski, Austin Slater, and Anthony DeSclafani. Several prospects also fall into this category, including Marco Luciano, Kyle Harrison, Luis Matos, and Patrick Bailey. But the Giants need to supplement their core through free agency. That much has become apparent this season. The Giants got star-level production out of Brandon Crawford, Buster Posey, and Brandon Belt last year, but no position player has come close to matching that production this year. Aaron Judge is a free agent this offseason and would be the best and simplest way for the Giants to add a player long-term who falls into the "elite" category. Judge will probably win the MVP this year, and he grew up a Giants fan. Other players who would help the Giants build a better core include Trea Turner, Carlos Rodón (if the Giants extend him), Carlos Correa, Jacob deGrom, Edwin Díaz, and Brandon Nimmo. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

DVR and Al take a look at this season's still-evolving class of rookie hitters. They consider the case to be made for Julio Rodríguez and Bobby Witt Jr. as 2023 first-round picks and look into the future fantasy value of several other rookies, including Adley Rutschman, Jose Miranda, Nolan Gorman, Riley Greene and Oneil Cruz. They also discuss several rookie hitters who may deserve more attention, including Nolan Jones, Christopher Morel and Joey Bart. Follow DVR on Twitter: @DerekVanRiper Follow Al on Twitter: @almelchiorBB Email us: fantasypods@theathletic.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: bit.ly/AthleticFantasy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legendary Giants catcher Buster Posey joins Murph & Mac on the release date of the  '28' book of photo-essays to talk all things Giants baseballSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legendary Giants catcher Buster Posey joins Murph & Mac on the release date of the  '28' book of photo-essays to talk all things Giants baseballSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8-26 Mike Krukow explains to Kerry Crowley and Paulie Mac why he thinks Joey Bart will eventually become the Giants four or five hitter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

San Francisco Giants catcher, Joey Bart joins Papa & Lund to discuss his rollercoaster season and how he was able to make an adjustment with his swing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8-26 Mike Krukow explains to Kerry Crowley and Paulie Mac why he thinks Joey Bart will eventually become the Giants four or five hitter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How will the San Francisco Giants behave during the 2022-23 offseason? Will the Giants do more of the same, piecing together a roster and waiting for top prospects like Marco Luciano, Kyle Harrison, and others to develop? Or will the Giants finally make some impact signings that have been non-existent during Farhan Zaidi's era as Giants president of baseball operations? What is a reasonable prediction for Joey Bart's numbers next year? The Giants' catcher has been much better since being recalled from the minors in early July, so which version of Bart should we expect next year? Probably somewhere in the middle. Bart's strikeout rate remains elevated, so it's probably reasonable to expect closer to a league average batting average and OBP, with above-average power. That would make him a quality player but not quite a star. What's going on with Mike Yastrzemski? He's been struggling for months. Should the Giants try to replace Yaz with someone from the minors? The answer is that it's reasonable to think that, but they don't have any obvious replacements ready to take over. That's a problem with the state of the organization. They don't spend big on talent, but their farm system has also been slow to develop impact talent. Same goes for the Giants' Tommy La Stella problem. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Baseball collectors are getting ready for a fall season full of huge releases, including Bowman Chrome & Topps Chrome. But before we start collecting a new class of prospects & rookies, Cody and Dan look back at the last 3 years of MLB rookie classes. The guys debate which rookies exceeded expectations, which ones collectors took the L on, which rookies in next year's class are the best investment and much more.

Join Chad and Willie as they talked about the last 2 weeks in Giants baseball, where they went 7-6 since we last recorded and didn't make up any ground. They need a miracle to get back in the race, even IF the 2 teams they're chasing falter. Tatis and the PEDres. 2012 Reunion. Upcoming games: 2 @ DET, 3 @ MIN.www.torturecast.com@torturecastfacebook.com/torturecastGet 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code TORTURECAST at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson has reportedly been taking ground balls at first base—but why? Brandon Belt is under contract for 2022 but then is set to reach free agency. It's been a disappointing season for Belt, who has dealt with injuries and generally been a non-factor at the plate. Pederson has been good in his platoon role, but isn't a great defender in the outfield. It's certainly possible that Belt could see more time at DH, Pederson could play first, and an outfielder could be added to the roster. Heliot Ramos, perhaps not coincidentally, will reportedly be in Colorado on the taxi squad. Does that mean he's getting called up? Should the SF Giants start playing their younger players more. The Giants have numerous struggling veterans, including Belt, but perhaps most obviously Tommy La Stella, who's been a net negative to the Giants this season. He can't really play the field or run, and hasn't even been able to hit well even though he's mostly the designated hitter. Could his time with the Giants be coming to an end? Is there anything to look forward to next season or is it all doom and gloom? Even though this season has been disappointing for the Giants and their best player in Carlos Rodón is likely not going to be back next year, there is reason for hope in 2023. Logan Webb, Joey Bart, Thairo Estrada, and Camilo Doval look like core pieces moving forward, and their prospects are a year closer to the majors. Kyle Harrison looks like a potential future ace, and Marco Luciano is finally back from his back injury. We should see those guys in the majors in the next year or two. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

D.J. (@djshort) and Drew (@drewsilv) are joined by Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) of MLB.com to discuss headlines from around the league. They break down Brett Baty's arrival to the majors, recent turnarounds from Franmil Reyes, Max Muncy, Joey Gallo, and Joey Bart, the Braves signing outfielder Michael Harris II to a multi-year deal, the Rangers' change in direction, and much more. (1:16) Brett Baty's arrival with the Mets(7:58) Trending Upward: Franmil Reyes, Max Muncy, Joey Gallo, and Joey Bart(21:40) Young catchers that are impressing(31:57) Michael Harris II and the Braves' young core is showing upside(39:06) Rangers' make a change 

SF Chronicle's Susan Slusser joins Tom Tolbert & Adam Copeland to discuss Joey Bart's resurgence & how impressive Reggie Crawford was at batting practice  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bart discusses finding his routine in the big leagues and the adjustments he's made to be successful with the Giants. Joey also talks about valuable relationships he's built with Will Clark and other revered players. Later, Joey also tells the story of one of the best swings he's ever taken...and who it was off of. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gabe Kapler explains why Joey Bart may or may not move up in the lineup, and Willard and Shasky wonder if Kapler and the Giants are overthinking things with regards to platooning. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to episode 32 of the Garlic Fries and Baseball Guys Podcast. A recent winning streak has the Giants showing the potential needed to make a playoff run. Willard and Shasky debate whether or not to let dreams of an Orange October into their minds again, and take a moment to recognize the special moments this season has entailed. Later, Gabe Kapler was asked about moving Joey Bart up in the lineup, and it feels like this is the perfect time for it. Plus, the best explanation of Kaplers platoon system to date. Finally, the end of Brandon Belts career could be upon Giants fans, and the end could be brutal to watch. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gabe Kapler explains why Joey Bart may or may not move up in the lineup, and Willard and Shasky wonder if Kapler and the Giants are overthinking things with regards to platooning. Subscribe to Garlic Fries & Baseball Guys HERE!

They're not done yet. The San Francisco Giants needed to get hot in a hurry after a miserable start to the second half, and to they're credit they've been able to do it. The Giants won their fourth straight last night behind a gritty Alex Cobb, and improved to 7-2 since they were swept at home in a four-game series by the Dodgers. This is a soft pocket in the schedule, and it was clear that the SF Giants needed to take advantage. Fortunately, they've been able to do so over their last nine games. Now the challenge will be to keep it going. It helps to have excellent starting pitching, and the Giants have quietly had that this year. It's been lost in the shuffle thanks to bad defense and a struggling bullpen dominating the conversation. But Cobb, Logan Webb, Carlos Rodón, Alex Wood, and Jakob Junis have been among the game's best. Cobb was supremely unlucky to start the year, but those sparking peripherals that were discussed ad nauseum early in the season have proved to be more predictive of his future ERA. Cobb has an ERA under 3.00 since late May, which the peripherals predicted. Joey Bart continues to thrive since being called up from the Minors in early July. He has a 144 wRC+ since then, and importantly has only struck out about 31% of the time. That's still pretty high, but nowhere near the 45% rate he posted before being optioned to Sacramento. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Aaron Civale was awesome on Monday thanks to that curveball (1:21). ... Joey Bart has been great since returning to the Giants (6:40). ... The Braves lineup is so deep (9:40)! ... Rank Stroman, Cobb and Josiah Gray (11:50). ... Bryson Stott has played very well over the past month (18:25). ... Johnny Cueto just keeps getting it done (23:20). ... News (30:42): Walker Buehler needs elbow surgery and will miss the rest of this season. ... What went wrong with Bo Bichette, Nick Castellanos, Tyler O'Neill and Jesse Winker this year (39:45)? ... We wrap up with leftovers, bullpens and streamers (49:27). Want a spot in our 2023 FBT listener league? You can bid on it with all proceeds going to St. Jude's Children's Hospital here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/374211896271 Fantasy Baseball Today' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Castbox and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Get 20% off Fantasy Baseball Today merch: https://store.cbssports.com/collections/fantasy-baseball-today?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=fantasy-baseball-collection Follow our FBT team on Twitter: @FBTPod, @CTowersCBS, @CBSScottWhite, @Roto_Frank Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/fantasybaseballtoday Sign up for the FBT Newsletter at https://www.cbssports.com/newsletters/fantasy-baseball-today/ For more fantasy baseball coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: youtube.com/FantasyBaseballToday You can listen to Fantasy Baseball Today on your smart speakers! Simply say "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast" or "Hey Google, play the latest episode of the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Markus "The Waterboy" Boucher discusses Madison Bumgarner's return to San Francisco, Joey Bart's three-hit game against him and Kevin Durant's standoff with the Brooklyn Nets!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shawn Estes joins Papa & Lund to discuss the Giants recent success and Joey Bart leading the way as he is finally settling in at the plateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thairo! The San Francsico Giants' unsung infielder delivered a walk-off home run on Sunday, securing a much-needed three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Estrada has emerged as an important player on the Giants this season, and this wasn't the first time he hit a late-inning bomb that helped the Giants win a game. Down by a run with one out in the ninth, Estrada turned on the first pitch he saw and socked it high and deep into left-center field. Estrada has been above-average in pretty much all aspects of the game this season, which is great to see considering his age and multiple years of team control remaining. Co-aces Logan Webb and Carlos Rodón helped the SF Giants win the first two games against Pittsburgh. Even with the win, however, the Giants still have a tough road ahead. Their record is just 57-57, and they are six games out of a playoff spot. But they have nine straight games remaining against below-.500 teams, and will need to continue to take advantage. The D-backs come into town next for a four-game series, and they've been a tough matchup for the Giants this season. Madison Bumgarner will be on the mound opposing Alex Cobb tonight. It remains to be seen how many wins the Giants will need in order to sneak into the playoffs (probably around 88-90), but in order to get in the Giants will simply have to play good baseball for the rest of the season. Joey Bart returned after a few days off with an ankle sprain. He continues to be a bright spot this season, as he has been on a roll since being recalled after an early-season demotion to the minors. Joc Pederson took a pitch off the pinky on Sunday but thankfully X-rays came back negative. Thomas Szapucki was recalled from the minors and replaced Yunior Marte on the active roster. The Giants still have only 12 pitchers, and may make a move for another arm soon. Luis González appears to be a candidate to be optioned if that's the case. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Alex Pavlovic and Cole Kuiper discuss the Giants' path to the post season as the team makes a push for the playoff, and if that push will be hindered by the injury bug, including an update on Joey Bart. Plus, they reminisce on the 2012 season ahead of the reunion.(1:31) How does losing the series to the Padres shape the Giants' playoff chances?(3:59) Did Manny Machado's walk-off change Giants fans' perspective of Tyler Rodgers? Alex Pavlovic compares it to Santiago Casilla.(7:25) Alex and Cole look at the state of the Giants' bullpen(11:05) Camilo Doval has the hardest pitch in Giants history, but does he have another level?(12:56) How should Gabe Kapler manage Camilo Doval down the stretch?(13:59) Brandon Crawford to Joey Bart was the defensive play of the year.(21:35) Is this next two weeks make or break for the Giants' playoff hopes?(23:38) Injury update: Will Joey Bart return for the weekend series? And other injuries the Giants might be dealing with down the stretch.(26:54) Minor League update: Matt Frisbee dealing in the minor leagues and other prospects to watch(28:49) Alex and Cole reminisce on the 2012 team ahead of the teams reunionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The San Francisco Giants had a chance to cut their deficit in the wild card race down to 3.5 games, but instead they lead San Diego trailing in the standings by a season-high 7.5 games. The Giants won the first game of the series, and were in position to win the next two, but lost both in crushing fashion. They rallied against Padres closer Josh Hader in the middle game, only to lose on a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth. They led 4-0 and 7-6 in the finale, but both times the SF Giants came up with big innings, they allowed huge innings in the bottom half. The Giants simply don't do enough to win often enough. At this point, the Giants must get red hot or the hill will be too steep to climb. The opportunity sets up well, at least, since the Giants' next 12 games are against teams below .500. They haven't had an easy times with those teams this year by any means, but it represents one last good opportunity to make up ground. If they tread water or lose ground, the season will be pretty much over, barring some kind of miracle. Joey Bart's ankle injury is discussed, as is the Giants' sloppy defense in the finale on Wednesday. J.D. Davis has been a bright spot since he was acquired at the trade deadline, but he has made a couple of bad throws recently that severely hurt the Giants. Wilmer Flores made one as well. The Giants' defense and bullpen has been a huge reason for their demise this season and it shows no signs of getting any better with this current group of players. It will likely be the Giants' downfall in 2022. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Will Clark explains to Murph and Mac what has turned Joey Bart's season around since he was recalled from AAA.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All of a sudden, Joey Bart and Camilo Doval look like foundational future pieces for the San Francisco Giants. They brighten the outlook for next year's Giants, but they also have kept things interesting for the 2022 team that's still in the mix for a playoff spot. Matching up with the third wild card Padres is good for the Giants, and the first game of the series went their way. Luis González, Brandon Crawford, and Bart teamed up for one of the best relays we've seen from the Giants in a long time. Since first featuring a sinker in a game a few weeks ago, Doval has looked like an elite closer. Those skills were on display in Monday's 1-0 Giants win over the Padres. Doval is getting swings and misses on the sinker and a ridiculous -24 degree launch angle on balls in play against the pitch. It's made his cutter and slider better as well, as evidenced by the fact that he blew 103 mph past Josh Bell, who's tough to strike out, to end the game. Doval pitched a 1-2-3 innings against Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and Bell. The Padres are 1-5 since acquiring Soto. The Giants' position in the standings is discussed. The odds are still stacked against them, but they have a shot. There's still over 50 games to play and 5.5 games to make up. In addition, the lost 2020 minor league season is discussed. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Markus "The Waterboy" Boucher breaks down the Giants 1-0 shutout win against the San Diego Padres, the epic relay race from Luis Gonzalez -> Brandon Crawford -> Joey Bart & Aaron Rodgers' playing status for the 49ers first preseason game this Friday!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Giants Pre & Post Analyst & Former Giants assistant coach Ron Wotus joins Greg Papa & John Lund to discuss Joey Bart's play at the plate against the PadresSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Clark joins Alex Pavlovic to discuss the advice he gave Joey Bart after his tough start to the season, what the future holds for the Giants with the youth movement in the farm system and how it feels to have his jersey retired by San Francisco. Plus, Alex and Cole Kuiper discuss if the series win against the A's is a turning point for the Giants. (1:36) Giants' bats wake up vs A's (6:24) Will the Giants make a run for the Wild Card? (15:09) Clark on his jersey retirement (20:34) Clark details why he connected with the fans (27:12) Clark discusses his relationship with Posey (33:42) Clark on his advice for Bart (38:14) Clark describes the promise of the Giants' farm system See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The San Francisco Giants have another roster crunch upcoming, with several players set to return from the injured list in the coming days. How they're going to fit those players onto the roster remains to be seen. Prior to last night's game, speedy outfielder Bryce Johnson was added to the Giants' roster. Johnson gives the SF Giants a rare element on this team: disruptive speed and high-end defense. But will he stick on the roster? Brandon Crawford and Joc Pederson are set to return on Saturday. Thairo Estrada will re-join the Giants on Sunday. Evan Longoria is likely to be added to the SF Giants' roster early next week. So who's going to come off the roster? David Villar can be optioned, but should he be? Is it really worth playing Longoria over Villar if the 2022 season is lost (which it isn't quite yet) and they don't expect him to be a part of next year's team (also unclear)? Yermín Mercedes can be optioned. The Giants will likely DFA Dixon Machado this weekend. But even if they make all of those moves, they'll still need to make more. Will the Giants option promising youngsters like Luis González or Johnson? Or will they finally cut ties with a struggling veteran like Tommy La Stella. whose tenure in San Francisco has been a disaster? As our attention turns towards the future, Joey Bart is highlighted. Bart's numbers since getting called back up by the Giants in early July are eye-opening. He's been striking out less, chasing less, and making more contact on swings in the strike zone. He's also showing more confidence and leadership, and has done a very good job defensively, whether it's framing pitches, blocking, or throwing out baserunners. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants are stuck in the middle. From their 50-52 record to their half-hearted deadline, the SF Giants are in purgatory. They are neither awful nor great. They neither bought nor sold. This is the Giants' fourth year under Farhan Zaidi, and they have yet to make an aggressive move one way or the other. Sure, they've brought in some power arms who have turned out to be great, like Kevin Gausman and Carlos Rodón, but on the whole, the Giants haven't come close to putting together an exciting roster. They deserved the benefit of the doubt after winning 107 games last year, but trust in the front office has eroded after a disappointing 2022 season. The Giants' deadline moves are revisited, particularly their acquisition of J.D. Davis and three prospects from the New York Mets for Darin Ruf. Davis fits the Giants' roster better than Ruf turned out to fit, and significantly Davis appears to be an immediate and longer-term option at third base. David Villar hasn't been particularly effective at the plate or on the field for the Giants thus far, and Davis may take that role away from him. Villar can be optioned, but it's debatable whether the Giants should be taking playing time away from a rookie right now given their low playoff odds. Joey Bart's development is also discussed. The development of young players is a huge part of the rest of the season. Bart had a great game last night, homering and throwing another runner out on the bases. If the Giants aren't going to make the playoffs, watching players like Bart over the final two months will be among the most significant reasons to watch the Giants. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms: