Professional sports are a "what have you done for me lately" kind of universe. So it doesn't matter than Gabe Kapler won 107 games in 2021. The San Francisco Giants still fired him after two subpar campaigns in 2022 and 2023.
Now, the Giants are on the hunt for a new manager who can live up to the high expectations in San Francisco.
Who could that be? There are plenty of candidates to consider.
Bob Melvin is the SF Giants' veteran option to replace Gabe Kapler
Even before the Giants made the move to fire Kapler, Bob Melvin's name was front and center for the job. Tim Kawakami of The Athletic floated Melvin as the ideal replacement on Thursday. That's if the Padres were to part ways with their manager as well.
Melvin is wrapping up his second season in San Diego after a decade with the Athletics and managerial experience with the Diamondbacks and Mariners before that.
Of course, it hasn't gone well for Melvin with the Padres. While they made it to the postseason last year, they're in danger of finishing under .500 this year with extremely slim chances of making the playoffs.
The Padres may hold on to Melvin and give him another chance in 2024 but it's not a sure thing at all.
Melvin is from the Bay Area. He played for the Giants. And he worked with Farhan Zaidi in Oakland. The link is so obvious, that it's impossible to ignore as SF's most likely option.
But there are others to consider...
Kai Correa is the SF Giants' internal option to replace Gabe Kapler
If the Giants want to look internally, there's an even more obvious option than waiting for Melvin to become available. That's bench coach Kai Correa.
Correa has been a quick riser in the coaching profession. He played college ball at the University of Puget Sound and got his start on that staff after graduation. He got his first gig in the majors with the Guardians as an infield coach for their Arizona League affiliate. The Giants picked him up in 2020 as bench coach.
But the biggest argument to hire Correa isn't necessarily one fans want to hear: If Farhan Zaidi is going to stay on as president of baseball operations, it may be difficult for him to convince a legitimate managerial option to take the job knowing the man who made the hire might not be around in 2025. So he'd be a puppet for Zaidi and a safe short-term option for ownership.
That doesn't mean Correa couldn't do a good job. He has a good analytical mind and he already has some experience filling in for Kapler when needed.
If Zaidi truly thinks the roster he's compiled is capable of more than Kapler achieved (it's probably not, to be fair), then promoting a familiar figure could be the answer.
An even more familiar and beloved figure could also be in play...
Buster Posey is the SF Giants' out-of-the-box option to replace Gabe Kapler
The one name out there that would get all of San Francisco talking is Buster Posey, the Giants legend who just hung up his catcher's mitt in 2021.
Posey is part of SF's ownership group, so he has a direct stake in the club beyond his playing days. While he doesn't have any managerial experience, his leadership in the clubhouse during his playing days counts for a ton. He'd be an instantly respected figure at Oracle Park.
Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle called Posey an "ideal candidate from many angles." Bringing in the fans is one of those.
The biggest issue with Posey is whether he'd be willing to take on that role. No one with any ounce of connections seems to think he'd sign up. But that shouldn't stop the Giants from trying. He did just move back to the Bay Area after all.
Other realistic SF Giants Gabe Kapler replacements
Names that have been thrown out there as options for the Giants include Will Venable, who interviewed for the job last time it was open, Rays third base coach Rodney Linares, Astros bench coach Joe Espada, long-time Giants coach Ron Wotus and Rangers bench coach Donnie Ecker.
