What a mystery Buster Posey is as Giant’s fans look forward to opening day. It appears that the clock on Buster Posey’s future with the Giants is winding down. Catchers don’t last forever, and the beloved 33-year-old backstop for the San Francisco Giants is on what seems to be his last hoorah.
What will fans get in 2021? Will they see a .300 hitter that’s out there to prove he’s still got more baseball in him? Or, are they going to see someone whose only above-average attribute is game management.
A Look Into Buster Posey’s Future
2021 is the last year the Giants have to pay Buster Posey the big bucks. If Posey’s diminishing stat lines continue to take a nosedive, the Giants will surely pay the three million to opt-out of his contract in 2022.
Not to say the Buster Posey era is over after 2021, many things are pointing in that direction, but a lot of things could also happen. It’s possible the Giants could get out of the contract at the end of the year, making Posey a free agent, and then sign him back. There’s no way the Giants are going to pay Posey 22 million in 2022. So, if Posey wants to finish his career as a member of the San Francisco Giants, he’s going to have to take a pay cut.
One would imagine Posey will still have the desire to play baseball at the end of the 2021 season, but to what capacity. For someone like Posey, who has been the face of the franchise that drafted him for the last decade, it would be difficult for Giants fans to fathom him playing anywhere else.
But…
If Posey still wants to play, will he be ok with being a backup? The Giants are not going to hold Joey Bart back, and when he’s ready, he will be taking over the starting catching duties. Could Buster Posey opt to put on a different uniform and go somewhere he could start to finish his career? Only time will tell.
A look Into Buster Posey’s Past
Buster Posey is a six-time All-Star, a former Rookie Of The Year, and MVP. Pepper in a Gold Glove and a few Silver Sluggers, add a batting title for the salt, his accolades are there. He’s also a one, two, three-time World Series champion, a true great of his decade.
Posey used to have a little pop. He hit 24 homers in 2012. Like with most catchers, however, the power is short-lived. Posey has always been a great hitter and is always a threat to hit .300. With age playing a factor and the injuries that have piled up, Posey hit a career-worst .257 his last year in 2019.
Buster Posey has been the face of his franchise since 2010. Even though his stats have been diminishing, when baseball fans think about the San Francisco Giants, they think about Buster Posey. Posey was a true star and is a role model for kids on how to play baseball.
What Version of Buster Posey Will the Giants Get in 2021
Buster Posey has had a lot of lower-body injuries. A surgically repaired hip, hamstring issues, and who could forget his surgically repaired ankle from a collision with the then Florida Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins.
Posey took the 2020 season off for the safety of his family. From a baseball standpoint, it’s the best move he could have made. This time off allowed Posey to recover from all of his injuries fully. Posey will be playing baseball healthy for the first time since the start of the 2018 season.
Starting the season healthy and hopefully remaining healthy throughout the course of 2021 is going to be critical for Posey. Any lengthy injury would all be it mean the end to Buster Posey’s future career as a player.
San Francisco’s coaching staff is going to do all they can to keep Posey healthy. Posey is back as the team’s starting catcher but be prepared for him to get plenty of rest. With bats in the lineup like Wilmer Flores, Darin Ruf, and Tommy La Stella, he probably won’t see much time at first base. Posey should see anywhere from 100-120 games behind home plate.
It will be exciting to see how working with hitting coaches Donnie Ecker and Justin Viele will impact Posey and his swing. Under the guidance of Ecker and Viele, the Giants team as a whole saw a big increase in offensive numbers in 2020.
It’s more likely than not that Posey will only be playing baseball for another one or two years. Of course, several scenarios could play out. Yadier Molina is 38, so it’s still too early to rule anything out for Posey long-term.
It’s Always Hard to Say Goodbye
Advice to Giants fans, enjoy 2021. Enjoy seeing Buster Posey out there in the squat. Be thankful for what he’s done for the Giants and the city of San Francisco. Madison Bumgarner and Bruce Bochy are gone. Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval are gone. And at the end of this year, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford will most likely be gone as well. All of these are sad moments for Giants fans. Undoubtedly it will be the hardest to say goodbye to Buster Posey.
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