Why Posey thinks Minasian is a perfect fit as Giants GM originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — When Buster Posey took his place on the podium on October 1, Zack Minasian, like everyone else in the organization, listened attentively. His eyebrows rose as the new boss described what he was looking for in the Giants’ next general manager.
“I think that sounds like me,” Minasian thought.
On his first day as president of baseball operations, Posey said he wanted his No. 2 to have scouting experience, which obviously fits Minasian, who was promoted Friday from vice president of scouting organizational professional. But Posey mentioned other traits that day that also fit Minasian.
“I think someone who we can relate to, someone who can not only empower the players or the agents that they may come in contact with, but who can also relate to the guys or girls in our “coaching team, our medical team, our strength team,” Posey said at the time. “Because all these people mean so much to us being able to achieve our ultimate goal.”
Minasian is a sociable personsomeone who is extremely comfortable speaking with not only star players, but also prospects, coaches, scouts, media and everyone you encounter on a daily basis as a general manager. It’s literally in his blood. His baseball career began when he was five years old and served as a batboy and clubhouse attendant for the Texas Rangers, who employed his father as clubhouse manager. His brother is general manager of the Angels and a third Minasian works for the Braves.
Posey has seen that comfort level on the other side as a player. Minasian was hired right after Farhan Zaidi took over in 2018 and was part of the front office as the catcher’s playing career ended.
As Posey sat down with Minasian for an official interview earlier this month, he reflected on how “good” he felt in the clubhouse. They explained that this role meant being available to players at all times, but also not being in the way. Posey recalled his own experiences with Minasian.
“It never felt intrusive, and I think that’s kind of how I want to operate too, which is I want to be available to the players and the staff, but at the same time I “I have a perspective on what it was like as a player and sometimes, depending on how the season goes and what’s going on, you might not want to see someone’s face from the front office.” , Posey said Friday.
After that first press conference, Posey spent much of October on the phone or on Zoom calls, and not just with the candidates. He asked for opinions from other people around the game that he has known and trusted for years. Minasian’s name kept coming up and Posey discovered that her ideal partner was nearby all the time.
“I’ll be honest, I didn’t tell Zack – I didn’t go into this process thinking that Zack was honestly even a candidate, so when I learned that he was someone that I should be interested, I was open-minded,” he said Friday on a Zoom call with reporters. “But if I’m being honest again, I probably didn’t see us sitting here a month later, once this process started. No offense, Zack.”
It seems like at the very least Posey has someone who will be a comfortable partner as the Giants try to right the ship. He said Friday he was excited to take on the opportunity with a fellow executive. “I know I’m going to enjoy working with it.”
The two will shift gears next week when they travel to San Antonio for the annual general managers’ meetings, which Posey has never attended. When asked how the work would be divided, Posey said “it will be a shared responsibility.”
Minasian, a GM and Winter Meetings veteran, is expected to assume many of the day-to-day front office responsibilities, working closely with assistant GM Jeremy Shelley, a holdover not only from the Zaidi regime, but also from the Sabean. – Evans’s. Posey said he will sometimes travel with the team, but Minasian is expected to be more visible on a daily basis. Zaidi’s general managers rarely dealt with the media or the public, but Minasian appears to take on many of these duties.
Both will have to share responsibilities, as both are young fathers. Posey has four young children, but Minasian may be sleeping less these days. Her first child was born last season.
Like everyone else in the front office, Minasian was unsure of his immediate future when he left the stadium after the final game of a disappointing season. But when he met Posey, he made it clear that he was first and foremost a giant, whatever his official title might be in 2025. His wife works in town and his son was born here. He wanted to continue with the organization and was thrilled when Posey asked him to interview for a promotion.
“I’ve been around football all my life and thinking about the role of general manager, it’s way above what I ever thought and it’s such a dream,” he said . “I don’t think you really think it’s realistic sometimes. I tried to get out of my head and just focus on work. The offseason starts.
“I needed to be prepared, I wanted us to be prepared, especially with a new boss coming in. At the time, my goal was to run the best pro scouting department and be prepared in every team before the offseason for my new boss.”
