ORLANDO, Fla. — Buster Posey described the World Baseball Classic as “one of my favorite events outside of Major League Baseball that I’ve ever played in my whole life.” He played in the tournament once, helping Team USA capture gold for the first — and only — time. He fondly remembers Marcus Stroman dotting pitches and talking smack.
As the Giants’ president of baseball operations, Posey views the event in a slightly different light.
“I think you just have a thoughtful conversation with them around it and present the upside and potential downside as well,” Posey said on Tuesday at MLB’s Winter Meetings.
The Giants stand to send several players to the World Baseball Classic, the international baseball tournament that coincides with spring training. The exact list of San Francisco’s participants is not finalized but the candidates include Logan Webb and Matt Chapman (United States); Willy Adames and Rafael Devers (Dominican Republic); Jung Hoo Lee (South Korea); Heliot Ramos (Puerto Rico); Kai-Wei Teng (Chinese Taipei); José Buttó (Venezuela); and Reiver Sanmartin (Columbia).
Of that group, Lee, Ramos, Teng and Buttó are the stronger candidates to suit up for their respective countries. South Korea is expecting Lee to play but the team has yet to talk with the Giants. Puerto Rico manager Carlos Beltran said he would like Ramos to be in the team’s outfield.
There are two truths with the World Baseball Classic, the first being that the tournament is an absolute factory of electricity.
Shohei Ohtani’s strikeout of Mike Trout to clinch a win for Japan over the United States is one of the best baseball moments this decade. The tournament also provides opportunities for part-time players to clash with the best in the world, such as when an electrician from the Czech Republic struck out Ohtani.
The second truth is that the tournament throws the rustiest of wrenches into how players prepare for the regular season. Pitchers, in particular, aren’t afforded the luxury of a slow, gradual, methodical build-up.
With innings and pitch counts, it’s not about the quantity but the quality. Instead of controlled, relaxed environments, pitchers are taking the mound in packed stadiums with national pride on the line. In those circumstances, it’s only natural to let the adrenaline take over.
“The way I see it, there’s definitely more risk for a pitcher than a position player,” Posey said. “(If you’re) playing in Miami against the Dominican (Republic) and there’s 40,000 people screaming, you’re going to have a hard time dialing it back in early March.”
Of all the potential participants, the Giants will exercise the most caution with their ace.
Webb, who recently turned 29, is easily the Giants’ most valuable pitcher and arguably the team’s most valuable player. He’s thrown at least 200 innings over the last three seasons, a durability that’s partially the product of his preseason preparation. For the Giants to make the playoffs, they’ll need Webb to take the mound every five or so days.
“My assumption is that, without being around him every day in the offseason, is that he’s pretty dialed in to a specific timeframe. This would throw a wrench in that,” Posey said.
“For Webby, doing it for a while now, he can make five or six starts in spring training and kind of work his way up, whereas you’re not going to have that luxury in the WBC. You’re going to be pitching in midseason or postseason type of intensity.”
Webb was a consideration for Team USA in 2023 but ultimately did not suit up with his fellow Americans. Shortly after spring training, Webb signed a five-year, $90 million extension with the Giants.
For Posey, the perfect-case scenario — one he admits is “somewhat selfish” — is that they get an opportunity later in their careers, citing Adam Wainwright and Clayton Kershaw. If Webb participates, Posey said the team would want to be involved in discussions regarding Webb’s usage.
“We’ve seen over the years that it can derail some pitchers,” Posey said. “There’s no way to replicate getting yourself ready for essentially a playoff game in early March. It’s just impossible.”
The tournament also robs new manager Tony Vitello of time to build relationships with some players prior to his first season as a manager, but Vitello believes he can make up that time down the road.
“I just think the event is phenomenal,” Vitello said. “So the guys that choose to or the guys in a quality enough position with their body or arm to try to compete in that, I’m all for it. I think the fallout is kind of worth the squeeze.”