Giant catcher Buster Posey spent most of last summer away from the baseball field for the first time in his adult life, but he still found innovative ways to incorporate training into his daily routine at home.
Posey said he tried to keep his arm in shape by throwing crumpled diapers at his 9-year-old son Lee. He was able to do many repetitions as he and his wife, Kristen, adopted twin girls, Ada and Livvi, in July. Ada and Livvi were born premature at eight weeks, which strongly influenced Posey’s decision not to participate in the shortened campaign for the 2020 pandemic.
“You really have to make sure you have the right diaper weight,” said Posey after the Giants’ pitchers and catchers completed their first spring training on Wednesday. “So, depending on how well they are eating, it greatly influences my accuracy, and whether it is equivalent to the weight of a baseball … yes, I was quite accurate.”
Supervising remote learning for Lee and Addy, their eldest daughter, and looking after Ada and Livvi kept Posey busy during his baseball hiatus. But he still maintained control over the Giants, tuning in to watch each of his games in 2020, when they went 29-31 and lost just one win before the playoffs.
When Posey returned to the team for the first time in seven months on Wednesday, he experienced a new appreciation for mundane activities that he missed while he was away.
“It was definitely good to be back there,” said Posey. “I just think you appreciate the little things – just playing ball, hitting the cage and, obviously, the camaraderie too.”
Posey admitted that it had already crossed his mind that he could get into his final spring training with the Giants, who summoned him with the fifth overall choice in 2008 from the state of Florida. This season will mark the final guaranteed year of his contract with San Francisco, creating uncertainty about his future with the club that has made him a World Series champion three times, a National League MVP and an All-Star six times.
“Sure, it crossed my mind,” said Posey, whose contract includes a $ 22 million team option for 2022. “My biggest goal this year is to really go – however cliché it is – to go one day at a time and try to focus on what needs to be done that day, be it things in the weight room or work in the cage or extra catch or whatever. I try not to go too far. “
Posey turns 34 next month, but said he feels physically good after focusing on improving his fitness throughout the off-season. Coach Gabe Kapler noted that Posey appears to have grown over the winter, creating optimism that he will be able to recover from the worst offensive season of his career in 2019.
Regardless of his production with the baton, Posey will bring much-needed stability behind the plate and help guide a team of pitchers that should include three new starters in Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood and Aaron Sanchez. The Giants greatly missed Posey’s leadership in 2020, when they were forced to rely on the inexperienced team of Joey Bart and Chadwick Tromp.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that it was an area that we struggled with a little bit last year,” said Kapler. “Knowing that we will have this solidifying force in Buster, both behind the plate and on the plate, is incredibly encouraging.”
Posey’s return also gives the Giants the confidence that they will be able to surprise in a National West League, which has two teams with aspirations to the championship in the Dodgers and Padres.
“Great teams, a lot of talent on both teams, but it’s the big leagues – each team is full of talented players from around the world,” said Posey. “This is the great advantage of sports – nothing is guaranteed. As much as I think the sports world loves to try to predict everything, there are still some parts that cannot be predicted. I think you come in with the attitude of going there trying to finish at the top of the category. I think that should be the goal. I think the level of effort or even the focus can sometimes suffer if you don’t have that mindset. “