We all held out hope once the news sank in Giants All-Star catcher Buster Posey would undergo hip surgery at the end of last season.
That hope was finger-crossing he would return to his former self. Something he also had faith in as he told NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic during spring training.
"That's the reason you do the surgery," he said. "To try to get back to where you previously were before the damage."
That didn't happen, unfortunately. But he remains aware of that as he told MLB.com's AJ Cassavell.
"If you look at my numbers, you can tell I haven't had the greatest year," Posey said. "So confidence is probably not going to be at an all-time high."
Posey didn't hit his first homer of the season until April 21 -- 237 at-bats after his previous one. To say he was due was an understatement.
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From 2010 to 2018, Posey slashed .307/.376/.466 with 133 home runs and 635 RBI.
This season, he's hosting a .256/.322/.368 line with a measly six home runs in 414 plate appearances.
[RELATED: What Posey's sacrifice bunt says moving forward]
The surgery to repair a torn labrum and microfracture in his hip did not put him near where he was. Miles away from the résumé that was filled to the brim with achievements.
There are future worries there, of course, but for now, the six-time All-Star will still have a significant role with the Giants -- it just may not be what it used to be.
