LAS VEGAS - In his first month on the job, Farhan Zaidi has made it clear that he would like the Giants to be much more versatile. That vision even extends to a position not usually known for flexibility.
As the Giants search for a backup to Buster Posey, they're looking for players who can also handle other positions. In Los Angeles, Zaidi had catchers Austin Barnes, who regularly started at second base, and Kyle Farmer, who was an option to start at third.
"We're in the market for a backup catcher, and if that backup catcher is a multi-positional option, that's an advantage," Zaidi said. "I would expect us to do more of that and prioritize those kinds of players going forward.
That's not a great sign for Nick Hundley, the backup catcher the past two seasons. Hundley hasn't been out of the squat since 2009, when he played one inning in left field. Aramis Garcia, the only current non-Posey catcher on the 40-man roster, played a solid first base down the stretch last season, which should help his cause moving forward.
The Giants have not ruled out a reunion with Hundley, who has signed consecutive one-year deals with the club and would like to return. Zaidi's desire for versatility goes beyond which glove you wear. He also is big on platoons, which helps Hundley.
"He hits left-handed pitching very well and is a real leader on the team, so that's certainly an option for us as we're looking at a catcher and maybe two catchers for the depth chart," Zaidi said of Hundley.
Hundley had a .828 OPS and seven homers against left-handed pitchers last season. The staff could decide that the lineup's best look against the division's many left-handers is putting Hundley behind the plate and moving Buster Posey to first more often.
