San Francisco Giants legend Buster Posey is getting more heavily involved in organizational business, apparently at the expense of team president Farhan Zaidi.
Posey directly intervened in the Giants’ contract talks with third baseman Matt Chapman in early September, according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. Posey, who leads the Giants’ executive board, became frustrated with the lack of progress Zaidi and Chapman were making in negotiations that he stepped in and personally worked things out with Chapman.
Chapman had reportedly wanted a no-trade clause in the deal, but Zaidi had been reluctant to include it in any proposals. Posey essentially overrode Zaidi, and Chapman wound up getting his no-trade clause.
The report is not exactly a flattering one for Zaidi, as it is strongly suggested that Giants ownership essentially did not trust him to finish up a Chapman extension. Chapman signed with the Giants in March and would have had the opportunity to opt out of his deal and test the open market this winter. It should also be noted that Posey’s intervention somewhat cut out Chapman’s agent Scott Boras, who is known for wanting to take his players to free agency instead of re-signing with their current team.
Posey certainly appears to be actively involved with the Giants, potentially at Zaidi’s expense. Whether that leads to tension remains to be seen. However, it is obvious why the Giants wanted to prioritize a deal for Chapman, who is hitting .247 with 24 home runs while playing his usual strong defense at third base.
