CINCINNATI — Buster Posey seldom took in the sights and sounds of the 10 Opening Days he experienced during his playing days. There was, after all, a game to win. For his first Opening Day as the Giants’ president of baseball operations, Posey plans to fully enjoy the pomp and circumstance of the afternoon.
“I was telling (Bob Melvin) just a minute ago that I’ll probably go up in the booth pretty early and just take in the pageantry of Opening Day,” Posey said Thursday before the Giants’ opener in Cincinnati. “I never did that as a player because I was hyperfocused on the game. I’m excited to do that.”
The Giants enter their first regular season under Posey and general manager Zack Minasian’s leadership after being baseball’s best team during spring training. San Francisco finished the preseason with a 21-6 record and +57 run differential, both of which were the best in baseball.
Posey’s group excelled in just about every area of the game. The Giants finished third in both ERA (3.58) and OPS (.839). Logan Webb, the Opening Day starter for a fourth straight season, and Robbie Ray finished with sub-2.00 ERAs. Matt Chapman hit six homers and posted a 1.271 OPS; Willy Adames, his new partner on the left side of the infield, hit three homers with a .942 OPS.
“I thought it was a great spring,” Posey said. “The way I would sum it up is it was just a lot of clean, crisp baseball. There’s some moments in there that are teaching moments, but overall, I thought it was a really good spring. Obviously, those games don’t count, but I still think for the tone that we’re trying to set, it was a positive to win some games.”
As far as roster composition, the Giants feature a more right-handed group than most teams. Their bench features Sam Huff, Casey Schmitt, Luis Matos and Christian Koss, all of whom are right-handed. In the bullpen, Erik Miller is the team’s only left-handed reliever.
Posey said the team discussed having a left-handed hitter on the Opening Day roster — infielder Brett Wisely and outfielder Grant McCray were in competition to make the team — but added that the Giants considered other factors such as potential at-bats, defense and baserunning.
“I think we’re all very confident with our bullpen and infield,” Posey said. “There’s guys down there that can get left-handed hitters out. (Tyler Rogers) is an easy one to point to that has had good success against lefties. We’re confident with that group.”
Added manager Bob Melvin: “We have to show some faith in these guys, and we felt like the best team to bring with us is the team we have here. As opposed to just trying to make it more left-handed when guys deserve to make the team. … It’s a little right-handed, but we feel good about it.”
One of those right-handed bats who made the team was Koss, a surprise inclusion over Wisely.
Koss, who has never played in the majors, was told he was making the team before the Giants’ exhibition against the Tigers on Tuesday in front of the entire team. Following the game, Koss shared the news with his family, which was in attendance at Oracle Park. Koss’ wife, 2-year-old child and parents will be in attendance for Opening Day.
“It’s still kind of surreal,” Koss said.
The 27-year-old impressed during spring training, posting a .341 batting average and .938 OPS with one homer, five RBIs and 12 runs scored. Koss played in the Dominican Winter League with Aguilas Cibaenas alongside Jerar Encarnacion, who will undergo surgery on his broken left hand on Friday. Koss has primarily played shortstop in the minors but has also seen time at second base, third base and all three outfield positions.
“He’s one that I watched this spring that carried himself with such a confidence at short or third or wherever he was playing,” Posey said. “He’s just, to me, the epitome of a baseball player. He’ll go and do anything you ask him to do. We’re excited he’s on the team.”
Despite growing up in Southern California, Koss rooted for the Giants and relished in their three championships in 2010, 2012 and 2014. He remembers being in Kansas at his grandparents’ house when Barry Bonds hit his record-breaking 756th home run, staying up late to witness history. Koss, traded to the Giants from the Boston Red Sox last year, also remembers being at home when Posey hit his famous grand slam against the Reds in Game 5 of the 2012 NLDS.
“Growing up, it was always, ‘I could play for the Giants,’” Koss said. “When I got traded over here, it set in that it really could happen.”
Worth noting
- Posey said top prospect Bryce Eldridge’s wrist injury isn’t “anything serious” and that the first baseman needs a little bit more rest. The Giants have yet to determine whether he’ll start the season with Double-A Richmond or Triple-A Sacramento. Posey said it’s a possibility that Posey begins the season on the minor league injured list, but the team has yet to decide.