Will Clark, the former first baseman for the San Francisco Giants, has been enjoying his time in retirement while serving as a special assistant to team president Larry Baer. Known for his old-school baseball mindset, Clark recently shared some interesting views on the team’s recent leadership changes during a chat with Eric Byrnes at the No Filter Network.
At 60, Clark didn’t hold back when discussing the recent departure of executive Farhan Zaidi, alleging that Zaidi was deeply involved in team operations, particularly in the area of analytics. “I’m not going to beat up on Farhan too much, but he had a hand in everything,” Clark remarked, noting that he would often override manager Bob Melvin’s lineup suggestions.
Clark pointed out that this wasn’t a one-time occurrence. In Bruce Bochy’s last season with the Giants in 2019, Zaidi would frequently step in and alter Bochy’s carefully crafted lineups. “Managers know their players and have instincts that sometimes go beyond just statistics,” he emphasized.
The Giants parted ways with Zaidi on September 30, swiftly announcing Buster Posey as his successor.
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Clark didn’t stop there; he also had some pointed comments for the analytics department. “All you statistical guys in the organization better watch your backs, because you might be next,” he said candidly.
While it remains unclear if there will be any changes to the analytics team, it’s evident that Clark’s words reflected a tension between traditional and modern baseball philosophies. This ongoing debate has roots that go back decades, especially since the publication of “Moneyball” popularized the analytics movement. Given Zaidi’s history with Billy Beane in Oakland, he was seen as a key figure in this evolution.
Clark’s insights provide a glimpse into the past leadership dynamics of the Giants, mixing humor and candidness. It seems he’s not one to shy away from expressing his perspective on the team’s direction.