A letter from Larry Baer

Dear :

It’s been a quarter century since I walked up the ramp to the front offices at Candlestick Park and began my first day as part of the Giants’ new ownership group. I’ve seen a lot and learned a lot about baseball since then. You’d think with all the ups and downs of the game I’d have learned how to accept them as simply part of the life cycle of a team. I don’t. We don’t. The expectation of the San Francisco Giants every single year is to contend for the postseason. Falling short any year is a disappointment.

We became one of the premier teams in baseball by creating a culture of competitiveness, innovation and stability. It has brought us unprecedented success, and it’s been an incredible journey. Now we have had to ask ourselves how, after achieving such great success in recent years, do we continue to evolve to meet the demands of an ever-changing game?

Before this season had come to a close, we began the process of answering that question by looking with fresh eyes at our decisions and strategies in the front office and on the field.

To that end, as you probably read last week, we have begun the search for a chief baseball officer who will have full authority over all baseball operations. This person will be a driving force in creating our blueprint for the future. Brian Sabean, the architect of the Giants’ three World Series Championships and the most experienced and successful executive in Major League Baseball, will play a key advisory role in guiding the transition.

The blueprint will lay out a vision that maximizes the Giants talents and skills to contend every year. The new head of baseball operations and our staff will look closely at every facet of fielding a winning team. Is our conditioning program doing enough to keep our players healthy and on the field? Are we utilizing analytics in ways that directly impact pitching, defense and run production? Are we fully taking advantage of our exceptional team of scouts to find the best possible talent domestically and internationally? Are we building a roster that gives us the depth and talent both offensively and defensively to win games? How do we ensure our players keep their competitive edge throughout the grind of a 162-game regular season?

I am an optimist by nature, so as frustrating as it was to see so many of our stars sidelined – our projected 2018 Opening Day lineup appeared together in just four games this season – we were able to give several young players a chance to come up and prove themselves. We were incredibly impressed by their poise and readiness, a promising sign of the changes David Bell has made in the farm system since taking over as vice president of player personnel this season. Dereck Rodriguez pitched with such command and consistency (2.81 ERA in 21 games) that he immediately landed in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. Andy Suarez showed himself to be a quiet warrior who, late in the season when many rookies are fading, threw some of his strongest games. They, along with Chris Stratton, made strong cases for spots in next year’s rotation. These three young starters lead a youth movement that also includes electrifying outfielder Steven Duggar; versatile catcher Aramis Garcia; speedy infielder Alen Hanson; and unflappable reliever Reyes Moronta, among others.

Each one of these players showed not just talent and skill but competitiveness, grit and fire – qualities Hunter Pence highlighted in his farewell remarks to our fans on Sunday. There are gifts to hardship, he said. “The pain of this season is creating the next group of Giants baseball players. We have a bright light coming.” What a singular gift Hunter has been these last seven seasons. We thank him not only for the impact he had during our championship years, but also for his impact every season on every one of his teammates, especially the youngsters he took under his wing to encourage and counsel.

We’re also excited about the young men making their way through the system. Our top prospects Joey Bart, Heliot Ramos and Shaun Anderson will be battling to crack the big league roster soon enough, as will several international phenoms, including shortstop Marco Luciano who was among MLB’s top five prospects in this summer’s international draft.

Though we’re changing some personnel and practices, we’re not changing who we are. We will continue to invest deep resources into putting the best possible team on the field. Every move this off-season will be tested against one question: Will it help us win? From the field to the concession stand to the front office, through every level of the organization, we’re committed to winning and delivering the best possible experience to our fans. You have been there year in and year out, riding the highs and lows alongside us. We thank you for sharing your thoughts, ideas and, yes, frustration in your letters and phone calls and in focus groups. We have listened carefully, and we know that we need to continue to evolve in all aspects of our organization.

One of those aspects is how we serve the needs of our fans in an ever-changing marketplace. As such, we’re excited to present enhanced benefits and experiences specifically for our season ticket members. These exclusive season ticket benefits include a new ticket exchange program that allows for more flexibility with managing tickets and a 20% discount on all food, beverage and merchandise purchases at concession stands. Additionally, we’ve moved weeknight game times (Monday through Thursday) to 6:45 p.m. to better serve fans and families during the work week. Stay tuned for more details in coming weeks.

Once again, you supported us in big numbers and with gusto – nearly 3.2 million strong. Thank you for being the best fans in baseball. I’m excited to begin this next chapter of San Francisco Giants baseball with you.

Warm Regards,

Laurence M. Baer

Technorati Tags: Alen Hanson, Andy Suarez, Aramis Garcia, Chris Stratton, David Bell, Dereck Rodriguez, Heliot Ramos, Hunter Pence, Joey Bart, Marco Luciano, Reyes Moronta, San Francisco Giants, Shaun Anderson, Steven Duggar