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- Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:32 am
Tue Jul 07, 2015 8:11 pm
Unlike Billy Beane, nobody is going to make a movie about Giants President, Brian Sabean. Sabean lacks Beane's SoCal flair; a laconic New Englander, he doesn't speak with Beane's thoughtful eloquence; and in our visual times, he doesn't have Beane's compelling charm and boyish good looks. If they did make a movie about Sabean; he wouldn't be played by Brad Pitt; he would be played by Bryan Cranston...if he were lucky. And Sabean would be fine with that. Unlike the former 1st-round pick Beane, Sabean never played pro ball and rose diligently from college coach to pro scout to assistant GM (for the Yankees and Giants) to GM to his present position of executive VP of Baseball operations. And during his tenure with the Giants, he has presided over the SF Giants' greatest period of prosperity, including a staggeringly impressive 3 World Series titles in 5 years
So, it's perfectly reasonable to call Sabean the "other" genius baseball exec in the Bay Area. What is interesting about that connection is both the similarities and differences between the two men in how they have approached successfully building their teams, with Sabean having a bit more success. Sabean's three greatest strengths that have most led to his success are:
1. Like Beane, he is a skilled and cunning trader, particularly at identifying players for whom GM's will undersell. Also like Beane, Sabean is a bit of a huckster who can convince GM's his players are better than they are and their players are worse. Some of his best deals have been:
a. Acquiring future hall of fame second baseman Jeff Kent in a trade for future oft-injured 3bman Matt Williams
b. Stealing standout closer Robb Nen for minor league pitchers Joe Fontenot and Mike Villano...yes, who?
c. Swiping future ace Jason Schmidt for Ryan Vogelsong and the legendary Armando Rios
d. Swindling needed loogy Javier Lopez from Pittsburgh for throwaways Of Joe Bowker and SP Joe Martinez
e. Finagling leadoff man and energizer Angel Pagan from the Mets for the anemic Andres Torrres and RP Ramon Ramirez
f. Picking Ruben Amaro's pants by stealing 2014 team MVP Hunter Pence for Of Nate Schierholtz and C Tommy Joseph
So, while Sabean (like all GMs)- has had his duds, like Joe Nathan and Francisco Liriano for A.J. Pierzynski--like Beane, Sabean has had an astonishing trade record that has been vital to the Giants' success.
2. Like Beane, Sabean works very closely with his head of scouting (Dick Tidrow) in both player selection and player development. Here, too, Sabean has had remarkable success. In the last ten years, their first-round picks have produced: Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, Zack Wheeler (ouch), and Joe Panik. In the lower rounds, they have secured Brandon Crawford, Andrew Susac, Brian Wilson, Sergio Romo, and Brandon Belt. So, Sabean and co. have kept their player flow at such a high level,he has rarely had to deal from need or rely on free agents...allowing them to spend that money back on the draft and future team success. As can be seen above, Sabean and Tidrow have been particularly adept at drafting and developing pitching, which has been the center of that success.
3. Unlike Beane, Sabean gives his manager, the sublime Bruce Bochy, the authority and latitude to run the show. Beane has been explicit in saying he views the manager as a middle manager implementing his strategies, plans, and wishes on the field. And while previous managers chafed under that control, Bob Melvin seems to accept it, and it works well for the A's. Sabean, however, being an ex-manager himself, subscribes to the old school notion that the field is the manager's, so you hire the right manager and let him run the field. It has worked out beautifully. As Bochy puts it, Bochy gives his input to Sabean on player personnel decisions, but he lets it be Sabean's show. And Sabean gives Bochy his input on managerial decision, but he let'ts it be Bochy's show. Considering the brilliance of both men at their jobs--as well as the great mutual respect they share--that formula is as brilliant as it has been successful.
And despite a recent slump, the success continues. The Giants have a core of young position players--Posey, Panik, Crawford, Duffy, and Pence- to build around, and if they replenish their pithching, a 4th World Series title is not out of the question. Even if they don't reach it under Sabean's tenure, this Bay Area genius is definitely headed to Cooperstown with the other one.
So, it's perfectly reasonable to call Sabean the "other" genius baseball exec in the Bay Area. What is interesting about that connection is both the similarities and differences between the two men in how they have approached successfully building their teams, with Sabean having a bit more success. Sabean's three greatest strengths that have most led to his success are:
1. Like Beane, he is a skilled and cunning trader, particularly at identifying players for whom GM's will undersell. Also like Beane, Sabean is a bit of a huckster who can convince GM's his players are better than they are and their players are worse. Some of his best deals have been:
a. Acquiring future hall of fame second baseman Jeff Kent in a trade for future oft-injured 3bman Matt Williams
b. Stealing standout closer Robb Nen for minor league pitchers Joe Fontenot and Mike Villano...yes, who?
c. Swiping future ace Jason Schmidt for Ryan Vogelsong and the legendary Armando Rios
d. Swindling needed loogy Javier Lopez from Pittsburgh for throwaways Of Joe Bowker and SP Joe Martinez
e. Finagling leadoff man and energizer Angel Pagan from the Mets for the anemic Andres Torrres and RP Ramon Ramirez
f. Picking Ruben Amaro's pants by stealing 2014 team MVP Hunter Pence for Of Nate Schierholtz and C Tommy Joseph
So, while Sabean (like all GMs)- has had his duds, like Joe Nathan and Francisco Liriano for A.J. Pierzynski--like Beane, Sabean has had an astonishing trade record that has been vital to the Giants' success.
2. Like Beane, Sabean works very closely with his head of scouting (Dick Tidrow) in both player selection and player development. Here, too, Sabean has had remarkable success. In the last ten years, their first-round picks have produced: Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, Zack Wheeler (ouch), and Joe Panik. In the lower rounds, they have secured Brandon Crawford, Andrew Susac, Brian Wilson, Sergio Romo, and Brandon Belt. So, Sabean and co. have kept their player flow at such a high level,he has rarely had to deal from need or rely on free agents...allowing them to spend that money back on the draft and future team success. As can be seen above, Sabean and Tidrow have been particularly adept at drafting and developing pitching, which has been the center of that success.
3. Unlike Beane, Sabean gives his manager, the sublime Bruce Bochy, the authority and latitude to run the show. Beane has been explicit in saying he views the manager as a middle manager implementing his strategies, plans, and wishes on the field. And while previous managers chafed under that control, Bob Melvin seems to accept it, and it works well for the A's. Sabean, however, being an ex-manager himself, subscribes to the old school notion that the field is the manager's, so you hire the right manager and let him run the field. It has worked out beautifully. As Bochy puts it, Bochy gives his input to Sabean on player personnel decisions, but he lets it be Sabean's show. And Sabean gives Bochy his input on managerial decision, but he let'ts it be Bochy's show. Considering the brilliance of both men at their jobs--as well as the great mutual respect they share--that formula is as brilliant as it has been successful.
And despite a recent slump, the success continues. The Giants have a core of young position players--Posey, Panik, Crawford, Duffy, and Pence- to build around, and if they replenish their pithching, a 4th World Series title is not out of the question. Even if they don't reach it under Sabean's tenure, this Bay Area genius is definitely headed to Cooperstown with the other one.
