Latest news with #Posey
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Giants' Buster Posey Sends Rafael Devers Message as Concerns Mount
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The San Francisco Giants are emerging from the All-Star break with some clear playoff expectations after pulling off a surprising move well ahead of the trade deadline. After adding win-now veterans like Willy Adames and Justin Verlander to the roster this past winter, president of baseball operations Buster Posey brought in franchise slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox. Given that Devers is still owed more than $250 million, it was a clear sign that the Giants see themselves in the midst of a championship window. Unfortunately, the early returns on the Devers trade haven't been great for the Giants. Devers was slashing .272/.401/.504 for the Red Sox this season before the move and he has logged a .202/.330/.326 line with just two homers in his 109 at-bats with the Giants since then. Though it's too early to hit the panic button on the slugger, Posey attempted to reassure fans with a message about their new slugger as concerns grow. PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 02: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants reacts to a strike out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on July... PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 02: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants reacts to a strike out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on July 02, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by) More Petersen/Getty "What can you tell fans about that very, very tough first month for Devers and how are you processing it?" Posey was asked during a recent appearance on KNBR radio. "This guy's been in one organization his entire life," Posey responded, per KNBR. "Now to come over and everything is different. Not just the ballpark and teammates but where you're living. So it's an adjustment period. ... It's just a matter of time before he gets going." Giants fans might be encouraged to remember Devers' slow start to this season, which gave way to an impressive hot streak just before he was traded. He was the first player in Major League Baseball history to record at least 12 strikeouts in the first four games. For now, Posey and the Giants can chalk up the disappointing Devers debut to a natural lull, despite some growing concerns from the fanbase. More MLB: Yankees' Aaron Judge Offers 3-Word Response on Breaking Babe Ruth's Franchise Record
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
ComPsych Relocates Global Headquarters to Prudential Plaza in Chicago
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ComPsych ® Corporation, the worldwide leader in organizational mental health, well-being, and absence management, today celebrated the relocation of its global corporate headquarters to One Prudential Plaza located at 130 E. Randolph Street in Chicago. The 50,000-square foot space provides ample room for both Chicago-based and visiting employees to work and collaborate, including a state-of-the-art media production studio, modern conference rooms and open air collaboration zones, as well as robust building amenities and the ability to host large scale in-person gatherings. Additionally, every work station features adaptable, ergonomic furniture, aligning with ComPsych's corporate focus on holistic well-being. The move follows a string of major updates from the company in 2025, including the launch of a new corporate brand, a reimagined digital experience of its flagship product GuidanceResources Online, the exponential expansion of its library of dynamic mental health resources, and the introduction of numerous self-service enhancements and automations to streamline the customer experience in AbsenceResources (formerly FMLASource). 'We're barely half-way through, but already 2025 has been a banner year for ComPsych,' said CEO Paul Posey. 'And there's much more on the horizon. Our new corporate headquarters at Prudential Plaza will help us foster a vibrant, collaborative culture so we can continue to innovate and better support the more than 160 million people our services touch around the world.' 'As the industry leader in employee behavioral health, well-being, absence, and work-life services, we know the importance of empowering our team through freedom and flexibility,' continued Posey. 'Our workspace is adapting to support and inspire our modern workforce. We're proud that our new global headquarters prioritizes shared, social and collaboration spaces – creating an environment where our team members want to be – while still trusting every individual staff member to know where and how they'll work best.' 'ComPsych has been a pillar of the Chicago business community for decades, and we're thrilled to have represented them in their relocation to Prudential Plaza,' said Brian Means, Executive Vice President at JLL. 'We know the recent renovations made to the building, the desirable location next to Millennium Park, and the extensive amenities will make it the perfect place as ComPsych focuses on its mission to ignite human potential in workplaces worldwide,' added Kellen Monti, Senior Vice President at JLL. For more information on ComPsych, please visit About ComPsych ComPsych Ⓡ is the worldwide leader in organizational mental health, well-being, and absence management, dedicated to igniting human potential in workplaces across the globe. For over 40 years, we have combined the best in technology with unmatched human expertise to help individuals and their organizations thrive. Our GuidanceResources Ⓡ and AbsenceResources Ⓡ solutions deliver end-to-end mental health, well-being, work-life, health navigation, and absence support to more than 75,000 customers worldwide, touching more than 160 million lives across 200 countries. Visit to find out why 40% of the Fortune 500 choose ComPsych for their mental health and absence management needs.
Fox Sports
7 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Los Angeles Dodgers All-Stars: Building the Best Dodgers All-Time Lineup
It was always smart to be careful when kayaking in McCovey Cove. You never knew when Bonds – or any of today's Giants sluggers – would make a splash. The San Francisco Giants help usher in a new era of West Coast baseball. Babe Ruth's all-time HR record was eclipsed here, and the hits (is it an even year yet?) keep on landing out in the Bay. Manager: Bruce Bochy Bochy took over the Giants in 2007, and while they initially posted a pair of losing seasons, the franchise won the 2010 World Series, which was its first championship since 1954. And two years later, the Giants won the 2012 World Series. Two years later? They did it once again, winning the 2014 World Series. Under Bochy, the Giants won three championships (2010, 2012 and 2014), made the playoffs four times and went a combined 1,052-1,054 from 2007-19. Bochy's 1,052 managerial wins rank second in Giants history. Starting pitcher: Juan Marichal Marichal was a force to be reckoned with on the rubber for San Francisco, with whom he spent the first 14 seasons of his career (1960-73). The right-hander was one of the most dominant pitchers of his era, throwing deep into games, limiting damage and seldom putting runners on the basepaths. He led the NL in wins, complete games, innings pitched and ERA+ twice apiece, while also leading the NL with a 2.10 ERA in 1969 and a 10.3 WAR in 1965. Marichal, a nine-time All-Star, is second in Giants history with 2,281 strikeouts and 52 shutouts, tied for third with 238 wins, is fourth among pitchers with a 62.4 WAR, fifth with 3,443.2 innings pitched and sixth w(ith 244 complete games. He posted a career 2.84 ERA with the Giants. Reliever/closer: Robb Nen Nen joined the Giants for the 1998 season, and the franchise got the best version of the reliever. Across his five seasons with the Giants (1998-2002), the right-hander posted a combined 2.43 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 169 ERA+, while averaging 41 saves and 91 strikeouts in 76.0 innings per season. Furthermore, Nen posted a combined 0.79 postseason ERA and seven saves in 11.1 innings pitched for the Giants. Nen, who was a three-time All-Star with the Giants and led the NL with 45 saves in 2001, is first in franchise history with 206 saves. Catcher: Buster Posey Posey has a reputable case for being the best all-around catcher of his generation. A five-time Silver Slugger and seven-time All-Star, Posey was a stabilizing presence behind the plate and had a compact swing that helped him consistently get on base and generate power. Posey, who won the 2012 NL batting title, was part of three San Francisco championship teams (2010, 2012 and 2014) and a career .302 hitter. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Giants (2009-19 and 2021), with whom Posey is sixth in franchise history with 293 doubles and seventh with a 45.0 WAR. At present, Posey is San Francisco's president of baseball operations. 1B: Willie McCovey McCovey spent the first 15 seasons (1959-73) and the last four seasons of his career (1977-80) with the Giants, with whom he was a legendary figure. The first baseman raked. He was one of the most intimidating hitters of his generation, winning the 1969 NL MVP Award, while leading the NL in both home runs and slugging percentage three times apiece and RBIs twice. McCovey, a six-time All-Star, is fourth in Giants history with 1,974 hits, 469 home runs, 1,388 RBIs, 3,779 total bases and a 59.4 WAR, sixth with 1,113 runs scored and eighth with a .524 slugging percentage. And, of course, there's "McCovey Cove" over the right field wall at Oracle Park, the Giants' home stadium, in honor of the superstar left-handed hitter. 2B: Jeff Kent Kent was a stud at every stop, but the infielder's most consistent, high-level success came in a Giants uniform. Playing in San Francisco from 1997-2002, Kent was in the upper echelon of elite hitters, highlighted by him winning the 2000 NL MVP Award and averaging 29 home runs and 115 RBIs per season across his six years in the Bay Area. Kent, who was on the Giants' 2002 team that reached the World Series, drove in 100-plus runs in all six seasons with the Giants and was both a Silver Slugger and All-Star in three of them. Kent is tied for fifth in Giants history with a .535 slugging percentage and is tied for 10th in Giants history with 175 home runs. 3B: Matt Williams Williams mashed at every stop, but, like Kent, had his best combined MLB stint with the Giants, with whom he spent the first 10 seasons of his career (1987-96). The third baseman was a rock at the hot corner and swung a vibrant bat, generating a lot of power from the right side. Williams led the NL with 43 home runs in 1994 and 122 RBIs in 1990. Finishing as the runner-up for the 1994 NL MVP Award, Williams was a three-time Gold Glover, three-time Silver Slugger and four-time All-Star with the Giants and is fifth in franchise history with 247 home runs. SS: Brandon Crawford Pound-for-pound, Crawford is as good as any shortstop in recent memory. Crawford was phenomenal at the middle-infield position for the Giants, with whom he played the first 13 seasons of his career (2011-23), making countless highlight-reel plays and posting a combined 58 DRS at shortstop. Crawford, who also led the NL with 11 triples in 2016, started for each of San Francisco's 2012 and 2014 championship teams and is fourth in Giants history with a 14.5 defensive WAR and eighth with 290 doubles. He earned four Gold Gloves and three All-Star nods. OF: Barry Bonds Not to take away from anybody's power, but nobody in MLB history intimidated the opposition and possessed otherworldly power like Barry Bonds. Landing in San Francisco for the 1993 season, Bonds went from a great player to the most dangerous man on the planet with a bat in his hands. The superstar outfielder most notably hit an MLB single-season record 73 home runs in 2001 and became the all-time MLB home runs leader in 2007, with his 762 career long balls remaining the all-time record. The following year, Bonds totaled eight home runs and 16 RBIs and posted a .356/.581/.978 slash line in a 2002 postseason that saw the Giants reach the World Series. Bonds, who won four consecutive NL MVP awards from 2001-04 and five total in San Francisco, is first in Giants history with a .477 on-base percentage, a .666 slugging percentage, an 1.143 OPS and 1,947 walks, second with both 586 home runs and a 112.5 WAR, third with 1,440 RBIs, 1,555 runs scored and 4,172 total bases, fifth with 1,951 hits, tied for ninth with 263 stolen bases and is 10th with a .312 batting average. OF: Willie Mays Mays made the most famous catch in MLB history over his left shoulder in the 1954 World Series, a series which the Giants won, and was pound-for-pound as good as any player in the sport. Spending the bulk of his career with the Giants franchise (1951-52 and 1954-72), Mays was sensational in center field and an impact hitter from the right side. He drove in 100-plus runs in 10 seasons, led the NL in home runs four times and blasted 40-plus long balls in six seasons. Mays, a two-time NL MVP Award winner, 12-time Gold Glover and 24-time All-Star, is first in Giants history with 3,187 hits, 646 home runs, 2,011 runs scored, 5,907 total bases and a 154.7 WAR, second with both 1,859 RBIs and a .564 slugging percentage and third with 336 stolen bases. OF: Mel Ott One Ott to remember what Mel did for the Giants from 1926-47, most notably helping them win the 1933 World Series. In said series, Ott totaled two home runs and four RBIs, while posting a .389/.500/.722 slash line. Ott was a stud. He both got on base and hit for power at a high level and, while a primary right fielder, Ott also extensively played center field and third base. He led the NL in both home runs and walks six times apiece, on-base percentage four times and WAR three times. Ott, an 11-time All-Star who spent his entire career with the Giants, is first in franchise history with 1,860 RBIs, second with 2,876 hits, 1,859 runs scored, 5,041 total bases and a .414 on-base percentage, third with both 511 home runs and an 111.0 WAR and seventh with a .533 slugging percentage. DH: Orlando Cepeda Cepeda was a star from the jump. Winning the 1958 NL Rookie of the Year Award, Cepeda proceeded to rip off six consecutive All-Star seasons for the Giants, with whom he spent the first eight-plus seasons of his career (1958-66), while leading the NL with both 46 home runs and 142 RBIs in 1961 and 38 doubles in his 1958 rookie campaign. The primary first baseman, who also played left field, was one of the best corner infielders of his time. Cepeda, who had a combined .308 batting average with the Giants, is tied for fifth in franchise history with a .535 slugging percentage, is sixth with 226 home runs and 10th with both 767 RBIs and 2,234 total bases. Honorable Mentions: John McGraw (manager) Gaylord Perry (starting pitcher) Tim Lincecum (starting pitcher) Matt Cain (starting pitcher) Barry Zito (starting pitcher) Christy Matthewson (starting pitcher) Madison Bumgarner (starting pitcher) Carl Hubbell (starting pitcher) Gary Lavelle (reliever/closer) Sergio Romo (reliever/closer) Rod Beck (reliever/closer) Santiago Casilla (reliever/closer) Rich Aurilia (SS) Travis Jackson (SS) Bill Terry (DH) George Davis (DH) Ross Youngs (DH) Will Clark (DH) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Major League Baseball San Francisco Giants recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
San Francisco Chronicle
10-07-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Hope, homers and help? Buster Posey's Giants have some of all three, but need more
Give us a sign, said the San Francisco Giants to the baseball gods, that we are too legit to quit, that our recent surge is no fluke. And so it was that Patrick Bailey smacked an inside-the-park walk-off home run Tuesday night to beat the Phillies. Theologians agree that Bailey's miracle was a clear message from the baseball gods that the Buster Posey Era is for real. Bailey's carom off the red bricks high above Triples Alley could be heard all the way to Milwaukee, where the Dodgers were losing to the Brewers and hearing footsteps. Alas, the momentum did not carry over to Wednesday's game, where the Phillies pummelled the Giants 13-0. The baseball gods send messages, not gifts. You gotta earn what you get. Still, there's no denying the buzz at Third and King. The Giants won four in a row before losing to the Phillies Wednesday. Even better, the Dodgers lost Wednesday in extra innings to extend their losing streak to six. And here they come. The Dodgers, flustered and frustrated, come to San Francisco Friday for a weekend series that will take baseball into the All-Star break, and could make or break the Giants' spirits going into the second half. The Giants are trying to cling to the National League's third (and last) wild card spot, five games behind the West-leading Dodgers. It's likely to be a wild ride the rest of the summer, but the hope level is higher now than it was at this point in recent seasons. But is it really hope, or hype? The next 12 weeks will be a test of the Buster Factor. Is Posey's spiritual makeover of the organization a real thing, or just wishful thinking? And beyond the mystique, can Posey pull off another deal or two to plug team weaknesses and give his guys a jolt down the stretch? Posey wasn't at Oracle Wednesday. He was in the Arizona desert, huddling with general manager Zack Minasian and their crew to talk about what moves they might make with the MLB Draft to deal with. They surely watched Wednesday's game on TV with mixed emotions. Chagrin, because losing 13-0 to the Phillies while eking out four singles was a terrible way to back up Tuesday's mind-blowing win. But hopefulness, too, because the Giants may have discovered a much-needed solid starting pitcher, Justin Verlander. Verlander made his 16 th start for the Giants, and lost, and is winless in 16 starts (!), but he may have found his groove. Verlander made a mechanical adjustment since his previous start, and said this game was the best he's felt all year. 'I've been searching a lot,' Verlander said, 'it's been difficult, been working my butt off, but I'm very optimistic that this mechanical fix is the one that kind of propels me into a good second half.' Verlander finished the first half of the season a disastrous 0-7. The Giants cannot afford an oh-fer second half from Verlander. Baseball is a jinx-loving sport, and the Giants' lack of hitting support for Verlander has felt jinxy, but the guess here is that Posey and Bob Melvin believe less in jinxes and more in empirical evidence, and were encouraged by what they saw Wednesday. What if he turns things around in the second half? That said, remember Posey's self-imposed motto: 'It's time to go.' In the Farhan Zaidi years, the Giants could be counted on to be extra patient at midseason, kind of hoping the team's holes would patch themselves. A lot of people, maybe a lot of Giants players, are hoping that Posey will be a bit less laid-back. Just seeing Rafael Devers in a Giants uni is a reminder that Posey is ready to make moves, not just wait for the calendar to tell him the trade deadline's coming up. This is Posey's opportunity to show that it really is a new deal for the Giants. Missing the playoffs would be very disappointing. Wednesday's 13-0 drubbing was a reminder of what ugly looks like. The Giants could use another starting pitcher, not least in case Verlander doesn't rebound. They could use another big bat in the 1B/DH/RF mix. Luis Matos, the fourth outfielder, was in right field Wednesday for Mike Yastrzemski, and struck out three times as his batting average sank to .165. Picking up a big arm and/or another big bat would be a sign that Posey isn't here to play along. Speaking of signs, Bailey's homer Tuesday will not soon be forgotten. It was the kind of blow that can make a team believe in miracles. During Wednesday's game, I strolled out to the outfield concourse, to see the spot where Bailey's blow caromed off the bricks. Some fans pointed to the approximate spot on the wall, and one usher said, 'People are saying they should put up a plaque.' At least they should paint the brick that redirected Bailey's blow along the center-field warning track. In Fenway Park, in the sea of green seats in the right-field bleachers, you can see one seat painted red. That's where Ted Williams struck a 502-foot homer in 1946. I'm not saying Bailey is Ted Williams, but his hit was one for the ages. Giants, paint that brick. Remind your guys of the message from above.
San Francisco Chronicle
05-07-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Did Giants' Bob Melvin just get the one thing in sports you don't want?
Now that skipper Bob Melvin and his coaching staff have been given a vote of confidence, we can all stop talking about chopping blocks and hot seats, and get back to simply enjoying San Francisco Giants baseball, right? Just kidding. There's nothing that will suck the confidence out of a manager and his coaches and fans faster than the Dreaded Vote of Confidence, or DVOC. People in baseball stopped falling for the old hidden-ball trick a century ago, but we still fall for the DVOC. The Wall Street Journal did a study several years back. Over a three-year period, of NFL coaches given a vote of confidence, 20% of them were fired within a month. I am not saying that Buster Posey, the Giants' president of baseball operations, is using the DVOC as a distraction, to fend off media and fan criticism, and to buy time while he and his ownership council debate Melvin's fate, and that of his coaches. I am saying that if I was Melvin, I wouldn't pay more than a month ahead on my pickleball club membership dues. Posey announced Tuesday that the Giants were picking up the 2026 option on Melvin's contract. At the time, the Giants had lost 12 of 16 games. Posey said if anyone was to blame for the slump, it was him, since he built the roster. 'So I felt like … this was a good time for me to show my belief in Bob and his coaching staff,' Posey said. Posey was in a tough spot. He had two options. One: Remain silent while the sharks circle Melvin and his coaches, especially hitting coach Pat Burrell and third base coach Matt Williams, thus forcing Melvin to face questions about his lame-duck status the rest of the season. Two, the option Posey chose: Pick up Melvin's option and issue the DVOC. Actually, there was a third option: Show real confidence by extending Melvin's contract beyond next season, and extending into next season the contracts of the coaches, whose contracts apparently expire after this season. If Posey has confidence in Melvin's confidence in his coaches, why not show those fellas some extension love? Posey was in a lose-lose-lose position. He did his best to raise spirits, but I hope he's not disappointed if we curb our enthusiasm. Picking up Melvin's contract for next season, for about $4 million, is not a big risk. It means that if the Giants convert their June swoon into a July oh-my and August disgust, and Buster and the brass do decide to fire Melvin, majority owner Charles Johnson will have to dig into his couch cushions for spare change. One positive aspect of the DVOC is this: no more excuses. If Melvin's lame-duck contract status, and that of his coaches, was putting pressure on everyone, including the players, they should feel a little freer now. No more, We suck because we're trying too hard to keep the skipper and the coaches from getting fired. But, aside from a brief, manufactured feel-good announcement, has the situation really changed? Why should there not be heat on Melvin, and on Williams and Burrell? If the Giants' hitters were performing above expectations, if Willy Adames was hitting 35 points above his lifetime average, wouldn't Burrell be getting praise, probably deserved? But the hitters, overall, are performing below expectations. Maybe the very concept of hitting coaches is flawed. Do any of them make any real difference? When the Giants traded for Rafael Devers, he almost immediately huddled with Barry Bonds, who is considered a genius-level hitting guru, and who knows every secret of left-handed power-hitting at Oracle Park. Bombs away! Yet, in Devers' first 15 games as a Giant, he hit .203 with two homers, striking out 25 times. As for Williams, any third base coach can run into an unlucky streak, but if Williams' stay/go calls continue to backfire, do we all just pretend to ignore them? What makes a good or not-so-good baseball coach is a mystery to most of us, and all we know is what we see. Team general managers seem to feel the same way, otherwise why do coaches get fired, and why do they almost always get fired when the players under them are struggling? The Giants' players seemed happy with the announcement that Melvin's option was picked up. Maybe that's the one good thing coming out of this. If Posey's DVOC takes even a tiny bit of pressure off the players, frees 'em up to play, then Buster Ballgame did his job as a team boss. Maybe Posey's DVOC was the right move. It came with a lot of boilerplate — from Posey, Melvin, the players — meant to show solidarity and confidence, and a lack of amateurish panic. It was part theater, and it was dramatic enough to shine a ray of sunshine and hope on a struggling team. But the Giants better make the playoffs.
