Brian Sabean assumes a new title, executive vice president of baseball operations, and turns the GM reins to assistant Bobby Evans as part of his extension with the San Francisco Giants.
Sabean still will oversee the baseball department but will do more hands-on scouting, including internationally. He acknowledged the possible opening of the Cuban market is part of the mix.
“Yeah, and the possibility of an international draft,” Sabean said. “We have to find out if we’re set up for it. I want to know firsthand what our standing is in scouting against the rest of baseball. This will give me a way firsthand to evaluate that.”
Sabean, 58, who started his pro career on the scouting side, is looking forward to returning to his roots.
“It gets me out and about more,” he said of the reconfigured gig. “I know the shop’s being tended to. Boch, in his own right, could almost be like Whitey Herzog as a de facto general manager. And Bobby’s more than ready. It’s his turn to shine. Now I don’t have to be married, per se, to the major-league schedule.
“The international schedule is moving fast. I don’t see enough of our minor-league teams to draw my own conclusions. I hardly see any games before the June draft, which I used to do. Selfishly, I’d like to see some guys who could be in play trade-wise and free agents to be. This allows me to be more places.
“The quality control with this model, and other people have gone to it, is important now. The game’s changing so fast. It’s so competitive, and it all evolves around the talent acquisition.”