Giants cap off Wild Trade Deadline with Acquisition of All-Star Bryant

Major League Baseball had one of its crazier trade deadlines in recent memory on Friday, if not the craziest of all-time. By the 1pm cutoff time, 4pm if you're on the east coast, baseball fans who are less than three weeks removed from watching the MLB All-Star Game played in Denver, saw a record ten All-Stars who played in that Mid-Summer Classic, dealt by the time things were all said and done. With such names as sluggers Joey Gallo of the Texas Rangers and Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs being dealt to the Bronx from their respectively clubs as the Yankees try to chase down the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox in the American League East, as well as Kyle Schwarber heading to Bean Town from our nation's capital, the list of notable names that changed clubhouses goes on and on. But perhaps the biggest blockbuster that caught everyone by surprise, was that of the Los Angeles Dodgers who pulled a Houdini move by snaking a pair of All-Star studs from the nose of the division rival Padres. 

By mid-day Thursday, it appeared that the Padres had gained a tremendous boost in their efforts to overthrow the Dodgers and first-place San Francisco Giants in the National League Western Division when reports swirled that they were close to finalizing a deal that would land them a 4-time Cy Young Award-winner in Max Scherzer. Instead, the pitcher-needy Friars were upended by the rival Dodgers who pulled off a sneak-attack by stealing Scherzer from their grasp, while also adding All-Star shortstop Trea Turner in the process. While the deal did cost a pair of L.A.'s top prospects in return, they added another unbelievable duo to their already star-studded roster, as well as prevent a pair of rivals from adding a dominant arm to their starting rotation, as the Giants were also rumored to be in on Scherzer. After landing All-Star second baseman Adam Frazier from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the days leading up to Friday's deadline, the only additions the Padres had to show for on deadline day were a pair of underwhelming names in relief pitcher Daniel Hudson and outfielder Jake Marisnick who were acquired from the Nationals and Cubs, respectively. 

Just when it appeared that Farhan Zaidi -- general manger of the San Francisco Giants, was going to stay pat at the deadline, the team with the best record in all of baseball waited until the 11th hour before getting in on the action and acquiring Cubs All-Star third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant. Not long after news broke that the Cubbies were shipping two-time All-Star infielder Javy Baez to Queens to join the New York Mets, the north siders ended their fire sale by sending Bryant out west to the city by the bay to join the Giants. It was a nerve-racking hour or so for Giants fans as reports were unclear on who Zaidi had given up for what could very well be a rental player considering Bryant will be a free-agent at the end of the season, but when it was all said and done, San Francisco got the guy they wanted all along and didn't trade an arm and a leg to get him. In return for Bryant, a former NL MVP and four-time All-Star who says he grew up a fan of Barry Bonds and the Giants, San Francisco gave up a pair of Minor Leaguers in outfielder Alexander Canario and right-handed pitcher Caleb Kilian, their No. 9 and No. 30 prospects, respectively, which was much more calming and somewhat of a relief to hear than their top prospect in catcher Joey Bart and first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. which was initially rumored. The Giants ended their deadline pursuit by bringing back lefty reliever Tony Watson from the Los Angeles Angels to bolster the bullpen. Watson spent three seasons with the Giants from 2018-20. 

As teams jockey for position in the home stretch of the MLB regular season in preparation of the Postseason, the Giants at 65-39, currently own a 3-game lead over the Dodgers in the division and a 6.5 game advantage over San Diego. The Giants are hopeful that the acquisition of Bryant will help them maintain a stranglehold in the division over both the Dodgers and Padres, two teams that were supposed to be lightyears ahead of the Giants heading into the season. Hitting .267 on the year with 18 home runs and 51 RBI, the Giants will welcome Bryant's versatility with open arms as he's played seven different positions in 2021, while also looking forward to his bat as he's enjoyed success at San Francisco's Oracle Park, boasting a .324 batting average, 5 HR, 3 doubles, a triple and 15 RBI in 17 career games. Speaking to fellow All-Star and now teammate Brandon Crawford, Bryant knew at the All-Star break that there was a possibility he could be dealt, and all that he asked of Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer was that he would be traded to a team contending for a playoff berth like San Francisco. It's safe to say the 29-year old Vegas-native got his wish, as the core three of Bryant, Rizzo and Baez from the curse-breaking 2016 World Series champion Cubs team are all gone. 

Other notable names that changed ballclubs at the deadline include: All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel who the Cubs shipped to the southside of town to join the White Sox and Eduardo Escobar who landed in Milwaukee after being the lone representative in the 2021 All-Star Game for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Like the Cubbies, the Nationals also cleaned house by shipping out a number of big names in addition to Turner and Scherzer, such as Kyle Schwarber who was sent from D.C. to the Red Sox, Yan Gomes and Josh Harison who joined the playoff hopeful Oakland Athletics and 5-time All-Star Jon Lester who joined Wild Card contenders St. Louis. The Minnesota Twins also dealt a pair of All-Stars in pitcher Jose Berrios who landed in Toronto with the Blue Jays and Nelson Cruz who was dealt a few days earlier to the reigning American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays. It's unlikely we'll ever witness a trade deadline quite like this one after seeing 32 different trades which included more than 80 players dealt in total.  

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Bochy's Farewell

In what's been a rather dull offseason for Major League Baseball with the top two coveted players in Bryce Harper and Manny Machado still on the free-agent market less than a week before the start of Spring Training exhibition games, the news of San Francisco Giants skipper Bruce Bochy announcing his retirement following the 2019 season might be the biggest news yet this offseason. The 63 year old skipper who is already the oldest manager in the league, will celebrate his 64th birthday less than three weeks into the 2019 season. However, it's safe to say he'll be treated like everyday is his birthday for the entire season by his team, front-office and fans alike as he looks to hang it up following his 13-year tenure as manager of the Giants and his 25th season overall.

Basically a shoo-in for Cooperstown, the future Hall of Fame skipper announced from a dugout prior to Monday's Spring Training workout in Scottsdale, Arizona that the 2019 season would be his last at the helm of the team he managed to three World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and helped create into a dynasty. "In my mind it's time," he told reporters before admitting his plans to stick around the game of baseball in some form or capacity. What position that'll be, we'll just have to wait and see, but my guess is that Giants brass will make him a Giant for life or for however long he's willing to man a position. The active leader in wins among all Major League managers, Bochy currently stands with 1,926 total wins during his combined time spent with the Giants and San Diego Padres which places him 11th on MLB's all-time wins list. A former Manager of the Year Award winner in 1996 with the Padres, Bochy would go on to lead San Diego to only their second World Series appearance just two years later before losing to New York during the Yankees' 1996-2000 dynasty. Relocating from San Diego to San Francisco in 2007, Bochy would become one of only five managers in MLB history to lead a team to three titles in a five-year span and is the only manager in the game's history with 900+ wins with multiple franchises.

Helping bring a trio of World Series championships to a city that had been starving of a title since the Giants followed the archrival Dodgers from New York to California in 1958, not many of the players he managed were as beloved as the manager himself during his time spent spent with the Giants which I'd say is pretty rare for a skipper these days considering how short we've seen some managerial careers last in certain places. As for the other nine managers before him to hoist the Commissioners Trophy at least three times, they've all been enshrined into Cooperstown which should make Bochy a lock to one day be able to say the same. Boasting a career record of 1,926-wins and 1,944-losses which equates to a .498 winning percentage, Bochy is 975-969 during his time with the Giants who will need to win at least 75 games in 2019 to ensure a winning record for their skipper of the last decade plus. But Bochy's team will try doing a lot more than that to help give him a proper sendoff, even if it means fighting off superior teams like the Dodgers and Rockies within the division. 82 wins shy of tying another Hall of Famer and World Series-winning manager with the Giants -- Leo Durocher, Bochy could move into the top 10 of all-time wins among managers. But we all know another miraculous postseason run and fourth World Series title is really what lies on the minds of Bochy and his team as they prepare for his final go-around.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

With the 10th Overall pick, The San Francisco 49ers select...

Last week, my Niners snagged a great Draft pick with the thanks of The Oakland Raiders draft choice. With the 7th Overall pick, and the Raiders in desperate need of a Wide Reciever, Oakland chose WR Darius Heyward Bey [Maryland] over what many have said was the best overall receiver in the Draft, Michael Crabtree [Texas Tech]. The choice shocked the Football world and is forever known as one of the biggest question marks in Draft history.

Bey wasn't even projected to be chosen until the 2nd round of this year's draft, and analysts don't even have him as the 3rd or 4th best receiver in the draft. Bey is better known for his speed (40), and ran a 4.33 at the combine. But in order to use your speed, you have to catch the ball first. Analysts across the country showed no hesitation to grade the Raiders draft choice an F. The 9ers on the other hand were on the outside looking in once Texas Tech WR was still on the board when it was their time to choose. Crabtree was then taken as the 10th overall choice and is added to an offensive hungry team, in San Francisco. The Niners haven't had a pro-bowl type of wide receiver since T.O. was with the team. But many are hoping for that to change now with Crabtree on the squad. If San Francisco can get their QB situation under control, and a healthy Frank Gore, they could have a very dangerous offense.

With 3 years of college ball, Bey had a total of: 138 Receptions, 2,089 Yards, and 13 Touchdowns.

Opposed to Crabtree's 2 year college total of: 231 Receptions, 3,127 Yards, and 41 Touchdowns. You do the math...

Ahhh I already can't wait to see Crabtree in that Red & Gold uni.