San Francisco Giants legend Buster Posey, now part of the franchise’s ownership group, has addressed concerns about crime and drug issues in the city affecting the team’s ability to attract top-tier free agents, including Shohei Ohtani.
In an interview with The Athletic, Posey acknowledged that there is a perception among players and their families of uneasiness with the city due to crime and drug-related problems. He emphasized that whether this perception is entirely fair or not, it has an impact on the team’s ability to sign blue-chip free agents.
While Posey was involved in the pursuit of Ohtani, he mentioned that the Japanese phenom did not directly raise these concerns. However, members of Ohtani’s camp expressed reservations about the state of the city.
Last year, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi also acknowledged the challenges the team faces in how players perceive the city. He noted that San Francisco can be a polarizing place among players due to various factors, including geography and politics.
This doesn’t mean the Giants won’t be able to sign players altogether. They recently secured Korean star Jung Hoo Lee on a six-year, $113 million contract. However, the concerns raised by players and their perception of the city’s issues may affect the team’s pursuit of elite free agents in the future.