Belt explains why he accepted Giants' qualifying offer originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- After months of uncertainty, the Giants finally held their first full workout of 2022 on Monday. The team's two longest-tenured players have already provided some light-hearted reminders that the lockout didn't change much around Scottsdale Stadium.
As he walked out of the clubhouse Sunday, Brandon Belt waved to reporters and announced, "the Captain is back." A day later, Brandon Crawford kicked off the day with a familiar spring training sight, taking the main mound and firing off a couple of breaking balls before drills started.
The Brandons both made their Giants debut in 2011, and with Buster Posey enjoying fatherhood, they are well out in front of the pack in terms of service time in orange and black. Crawford signed a two-year extension last summer, but having both back wasn't always a guarantee.
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The Giants put the qualifying offer on Belt after his best big league season and he surprised some -- even some within the organization -- by taking it and passing up a chance to test free agency for the first time. Belt still hopes to sign another long-term deal at some point, ideally with the Giants, but he said opting back in for one year wasn't too difficult.
"I wanted to stay with the Giants," he said. "That was a huge part of it. It's been the only organization I've been a part of, obviously, and this organization means a lot to me. I wanted to stay here. I think there was a little bit of uncertainty with what was going to happen with the lockout and that definitely played into it, but mainly it was just hard to turn that offer down to come back and play at home."
Belt will make $18.4 million this year, his 12th in the big leagues, after accepting the offer in the middle of November. Back then, the sport was a couple of weeks away from a lockout that would include plenty of talk about future qualifying offer rules, but regardless, Belt won't have to deal with a stifled market this offseason. The qualifying offer rules will be hammered out at a later date by MLB and the MLBPA, but players cannot be tagged two years in a row.
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With another year like 2021, Belt would be one of the best bats available next offseason. He hit a career-high 29 homers last season and his wRC+ of 163 the last two seasons trails only Juan Soto and Bryce Harper. Belt said he's eager to build off the recent success.
"That's who I believe that I am," he said. "I think I'm going to come back and do something similar this year. I think I've got more in the tank, so that's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to get better every year."
Belt's season was ended by a thumb fracture that kept him out of the NLDS, but he may have been healthy enough to return had the Giants advanced. There were no concerns about the thumb on Monday; as Crawford took batting practice on the main field, Belt was one of several Giants to face non-roster pitchers on the back field.
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Both Brandons reached new heights last season and at some point this year they could play their 1,000th game together. Crawford admitted he was a little surprised when Belt guaranteed that by accepting the qualifying offer, but he's thrilled for at least one more season together.
"I personally love it. He's saved me plenty of times (by) picking balls in the dirt and all that," Crawford said. "Obviously I'm really happy that he's back."
