Photo courtesy of the Mercury News
President, Baseball Operations of Record-Setting 107-Win Giants Honored by Peers
CARLSBAD, CA – San Francisco Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi, whose Club posted the best record in the game during the regular season, has been named the recipient of MLB’s 2021 Executive of the Year Award, MLB announced tonight during the annual General Managers Meetings. The official Award bestowed by MLB resulted from voting among the 30 Clubs, each of which cast a vote prior to the start of the Postseason. The runner-up for the 2021 honor was the 2019 recipient, Tampa Bay Rays President of Baseball Operatons Erik Neander, while Milwaukee Brewers President of Baseball Operations David Stearns finished third.
Zaidi just completed his third season as head of the franchise’s baseball operations. With a 107-55 record, the 2021 Giants assembled the best regular season in franchise history – spanning 139 regular seasons of play –surpassing the 1904 New York Giants (106-47-5). San Francisco edged out the defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who were 106-56, for the National League West crown. Their 107 wins were the most by an NL team since the 1986 New York Mets won 108 games, which tied the 1975 Cincinnati Reds for the most wins in the NL in the divisional era (1969-present). The Giants became the first NL team with a .600 or better winning percentage in every month of the season since the 1942 Brooklyn Dodgers.
The Giants hit 241 homers in 2021, the most in franchise history for a single-season and the most in the NL this season – including 111 that either gave the Giants the lead or tied the game (88 go-ahead and 23 game-tying), the most in the Majors. Ten different players hit 10 homers or more this season, the most in MLB, and a Major League record 17 different players hit at least five home runs. The Giants’ pitching staff finished the season with the second-best ERA (3.24) in the Majors, including an MLB-best 2.99 ERA in relief, and issued the fewest amount of walks of any team in the Majors (416). As a team defensively, the Giants registered 27 outs above average this season (per Statcast), tied for fifth most in the Majors. Zaidi acquisitions who contributed to the Giants’ success included All-Star pitcher Kevin Gausman, fellow starting pitchers Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood, closer Jake McGee, outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, outfielder/first baseman Darin Ruf, infielder Wilmer Flores and All-Star infielder/outfielder Kris Bryant, who came to the Giants in a trade at this year’s July 30th deadline.
MLB began its official Executive of the Year Award at the conclusion of the 2018 season, with Billy Beane of the Oakland Athletics earning the inaugural honors, followed by Neander in 2019 and Andrew Friedman of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.
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