SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Willy Adames didn’t want a lot time to excite the contingent of followers seated behind the first-base dugout at Scottsdale Stadium on the primary day of full-squad exercises.
In his first dwell batting apply session of the spring, Adames despatched right-hander Sean Hjelle’s second providing over the left-field fence and into the opposing bullpen. It was a glimpse of what the Giants hope Adames can present over the following seven years.
“Every time you touch the barrel this early in the spring is a great feeling,” Adames stated with a smile.
Earlier than Adames cleared the fences for the primary time, president of baseball operations Buster Posey set the tone for spring coaching by chatting with the workforce Monday morning within the clubhouse. Supervisor Bob Melvin addressed the workforce as properly however crossed a number of gadgets off his record as a result of Posey beat him to the punch. When Adames mentioned his signing, he stated Posey was the issue, sharing that his assembly with the Giants was solely between the 2.
The workforce addresses had been accompanied by a video, one that includes highlights of former Giants akin to Willie Mays and Will Clark, in addition to present gamers akin to Logan Webb and Justin Verlander.
“We’re all kind of thinking the same things,” Melvin stated. “It’s about team here, and Buster was kind of the ultimate team player for a star. The message was: If we’re going to go where we want to go, we’ve got to do it together.”
Added Adames: “I bought into his plan for this organization, what he wants to build here in the near future. I want to be part of that. I want to have something that’s similar to what they had when they were champions three times in five years. We want to build something like that here now.”
For the Giants to get the place they need to go, they’ll additionally want Adames to proceed enjoying at a excessive degree.
Adames, 29, enters his first camp with the orange and black contemporary off signing a franchise-record seven-year, $182 million contract, a document that beforehand belonged to Posey ($167 million). The signing of Adames appeared to sign that an energetic offseason was forward for San Francisco, which misplaced left-hander Blake Snell and outfielder Michael Conforto to the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in free company. As a substitute, the remainder of the winter was comparatively quiet.
The Giants did beef up the rotation by signing right-hander Justin Verlander to a one-year, $17 million deal. Jung Hoo Lee may additionally virtually be thought-about a brand new signing given he solely performed 37 video games in 2024. However the bulk of final yr’s roster — a roster that completed fourth place within the NL West — stays the identical.
“We’re counting on the young guys to step up and be themselves,” Adames stated. “I feel like we have amazing talent here. We have to go out there and compete and put up numbers and win games. As far as the talent we have here, I think we’re in a really good spot.
“The division is tough. We’re going to have to go out there and beat everybody playing the right baseball. That’s the culture we’re trying to create here in spring training: play baseball the right way and take advantage of every opportunity that we can and see what happens after that.”
Adames stands to supply an instantaneous enhance of energy after setting career-highs in homers (32), RBIs (112), runs (93) and steals (21) final season. The principle space of Adames’ sport to observe, although, might be his protection.
The shortstop is coming off the worst defensive season of his profession, one the place he had a career-worst 20 errors. Adames’ -16 defensive runs saved wasn’t simply the worst mark amongst all shortstops, however the worst mark amongst all defenders. The poor defensive season was atypical of Adames, who recorded 28 defensive runs saved from 2019-2023. To Adames, the miscues had been a matter of confidence.
Adames shared that final season, he went by means of a three-week interval the place he misplaced his confidence. Eleven of his 20 errors occurred in July and August. For Adames, regaining his confidence was a matter of persistently making performs. By September, he felt, as soon as once more, like himself.
“When you get into that hole, if you don’t have somebody to pull you out of that, it’s tough to get out of that,” Adames stated. “I finished the season really well. I have my confidence back and I’m just going to go out there and be the same guy.”
Adames stands to obtain a lift defensively by enjoying subsequent to 3rd baseman Matt Chapman, who received the fifth Gold Glove Award of his profession this offseason. Metrically, Chapman was barely above common on grounders hit to his left final season (+1 out above common), and Adames joked that he received’t have to fret about his backhand due to Chapman’s vary.
“I just have to work on my glove side,” Adames smiled. “I don’t even have to worry about my backhand. It just gives you more confidence to be out there.”
It’s not unusual for gamers to wrestle within the first yr of an enormous contract, however Adames stated the expertise of being traded twice makes adapting simpler. Adames, who has a home within the space, hung out along with his new teammates during the last month in an effort to construct early chemistry.
“It seems like he has the same vision and goals I do and the rest of this team does,” Chapman stated about Adames in January. “I’m really excited to have him. He has leadership qualities about him, so it’s really nice to have other guys like that.”
Murphy coping with indirect subject
Catcher Tom Murphy has a gentle indirect pressure and it is going to be 7-10 days earlier than he’s capable of doubtlessly play in a sport, per Melvin.
Melvin stated on Sunday that Murphy was coping with a again subject, however the MRI that Murphy underwent revealed it was an indirect.
Murphy solely performed 13 video games final season because of a left knee harm. Other than Patrick Bailey, the one different catcher on the 40-man roster is Sam Huff, acquired from the Texas Rangers off waivers. Max Stassi, who hasn’t performed within the majors since 2022, is in camp in addition to a non-roster invitee.
Initially Printed: February 17, 2025 at 2:55 PM PST
