SF Giants CEO Larry Baer pens appreciative, apologetic letter to fans
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A few hours after the SF Giants defeated the Diamondbacks in their final home game of the season on Sunday, the team shared a letter from their CEO and president Larry Baer. Baer expressed the organization's gratitude for the support of the fanbase in 2022, particularly given the team's disappointing season.
"This was not the season any of us expected after last year's franchise-record 107 wins," Baer started the letter. "We have one dominant goal every year, which is to compete for a championship. We didn't do that this year and are committed to getting there next year."
Baer clearly wanted the Giants fanbase to understand that the franchise is not satisfied with their 2022 season. The team's declining payroll over the past five years has understandably garnered significant criticism, particularly as the team has avoided investing heavily in free agency while building one of the worst cores in MLB.
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Baer spent the rest of the letter highlighting the best moments from the 2022 season. He pointed to Buster Posey's retirement ceremony, Wilmer Flores winning the Willie Mac Award, and inducting Hunter Pence onto the team's Wall of Fame as particularly noteworthy moments.
Baer also credited the fanbase for helping the organization make an impact off the field through programs like the Junior Giants and the Willie Mays Scholars program.
While a letter to an organization's fans is far from out of the ordinary for a team's CEO, it is worth noting the way the Giants ownership group is clearly cognizant of the fanbase's low morale. The Giants home attendance this season dipped below 2.5 million, the third-lowest total in Oracle Park history.
Furthermore, it is a notable contrast between the Giants and their Bay Area rivals in Oakland. Athletics owner John Fisher has had an antagonistic relationship with his fanbase for some time and has consistently defended his franchise from criticism when they underperformed and have taken obvious cost-cutting measures. While it remains to be seen how the Giants plan on returning to title contention, it's clear that Baer has no interest in following Fisher's lead.
You can read SF Giants CEO Larry Baer's entire letter below:
