CINCINNATI — Buster Posey didn’t make many moves over the offseason, repeatedly showing faith in the 40-man roster he inherited. But as the Giants put together their Opening Day roster, Posey and the rest of the staff shuffled the depth chart in interesting ways.
When the initial 26-man roster was released Wednesday evening, it was apparent that a lot of thought was given to rewarding players who had big springs, and several of them got spots over incumbents.
The big surprise came with the bench. Christian Koss had his contract purchased and was added to the roster, making it alongside Casey Schmitt, with Brett Wisely and Grant McCray getting optioned to Triple-A. Both Koss and Schmitt are right-handed hitters who bring defensive versatility, but Schmitt had a .924 OPS in the spring with plenty of power and Koss posted a .413 OBP. Both were rewarded with a trip to Cincinnati.
At first glance, the initial roster is too heavy on right-handed infielders and light on outfielders and left-handed bench options, but these things change quickly. The Giants might look different by the time they arrive back in San Francisco next Wednesday night, but for now, here’s the group that will line up at Great American Ball Park on Thursday:
Patrick Bailey
When camp started, Posey told Bailey he wanted his focus to be on leading the pitching staff.
“He has shown flashes of being a good, productive offensive player, and that’s great, but ultimately I truly believe that if he leads the staff and continues to progress defensively, that we’re going to be in a good spot,” Posey said.
The Giants don’t necessarily need Bailey to take a leap at the plate, but it would be a nice boost, and it’s not at all out of the question. He had a .784 OPS in the first half but dipped to a shocking .434 in the second half. Bailey won the Gold Glove and will be the favorite to win again, but if he can keep those first half numbers going for a full season, or even come close, he’ll get some down-ballot MVP consideration.
Sam Huff
With Tom Murphy sidelined by a back injury, Huff quickly proved that he was ready to partner with Bailey. He homered in the first spring game and batted .323 in Arizona. One of the hits was a 114-mph single, an exit velocity that only four catchers in baseball reached last year.
“Just his horsepower in general is top five percent in the game,” said Texas Rangers offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker, the former Giants hitting…