The Giants’ search for a new head of baseball operations has come to an end. Per Hank Schulman, Farhan Zaidi has accepted the offer that was extended Tuesday afternoon.
The #sfgiants have a new head of baseball ops. Farhan Zaidi has taken the job, I’m told.
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) November 7, 2018
The Giants also made the hire official.
OFFICIAL: The #SFGiants have hired Major League executive Farhan Zaidi as the club’s President of Baseball Operations. pic.twitter.com/MmUFMsSu4r
— San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) November 7, 2018
If there’s anything the 1997 smash thriller Face/Off taught us, it’s that if you can’t beat them, become them.
Not only does this make the Giants’ front office stronger, but it almost certainly makes the Dodgers weaker. Zaidi was a major force in refining the Dodgers front office. In the first years of the Dodgers’ new ownership, they had the resources to throw money at anyone and everyone, but under Zaidi they spent smartly and they used their wealth to build depth rather than make a top heavy team.
That experience should make him a perfect match for the Giants who have the money to be bullies but have instead been bullied themselves.
Admittedly, Zaidi didn’t create the Dodgers on his own. Andrew Friedman and I’m assuming most of their research and develop department will remain Los Angeles. It will be interesting, however, to see who Zaidi will bring with him. The Giants need a new director of player development since David Bell is the new manager of the Reds. Zaidi will also be integral in selecting a new general manager should the Giants adopt a similar front office structure to the Cubs or Dodgers.
The Giants are heading in a new direction, and the guy who will lead them has been on the cutting edge of baseball for the last few years. Welcome, Farhan Zaidi. Bring us some international stars and cast-offs with high upsides.