Farhan Zaidi wants to set the record straight.
The former Giants president of baseball operations, in speaking publicly on Wednesday's episode of "Foul Territory" for the first time since he was fired on Sept. 30, discussed numerous topics about his tenure with the organization, including his involvement in the team's everyday lineup decisions after Giants legend Will Clark previously claimed Zaidi was the one calling the shots.
“I think my reputation precedes me with that kind of thing,” Zaidi told A.J. Pierzynski, Erik Kratz and Scott Braun. “You look around the game, front offices and managers, there’s a lot of interactions, there’s a lot of exchange. I never made the lineup. I know Will Clark thinks I made the lineup. I love Will, but that just wasn’t the case.”
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While Zaidi did not make the lineups, he did discuss decisions with Melvin and the coaching staff in what he believes was a collaborative process.
“Sometimes, you’re wondering, ‘Hey, our starting catcher is going to catch two out of three. What’s the right time to drop in the backup?" Zaidi said. “Or you want to get the staff’s thoughts on how they view the starting pitcher for the opposing team? Do we think this guy is better against lefties or righties? What does that mean in terms of the guys we put in the lineup?
"But I viewed it all as a conversation. I never said, ‘This guy’s gotta play.’ I think, when you take a step back, you might say, ‘Hey, we’re bringing this young player up, we want to give him some playing time.’ So general things like that. But on a day-to-day basis, we definitely have conversations about the lineup. There was never the handing over of a slip that had the guys 1-9. I think that’s a real misconception.”
Despite Zaidi and Melvin's working relationship lasting just one season with the Giants, the two previously worked together for four seasons with the then-Oakland Athletics from 2011-2014, where Zaidi served as assistant general manager and Melvin as the team's manager.
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With Zaidi now considering a potential role with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two former colleagues soon could become NL West division rivals.