SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Farhan Zaidi understands the intrigue that stems from his unique baseball path: from the small-budget Oakland Athletics to the big-spending Los Angeles Dodgers and back to the Bay Area to join the rival Giants.San Francisco’s new front-office whiz plans to incorporate plenty from the franchise’s rich tradition by leaning on some of the entrenched baseball minds behind its success this decade Early Wynn Jersey , even if there are varying ideas about how to get the Giants back into playoff contention.“It’s a convenient narrative to see this as kind of a clash of schools of thought. I just don’t see it that way at all,” the MIT-educated Zaidi said of mixing his analytics expertise with the old-school practices of veteran executive Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy. “Obviously we didn’t get to these points in our career the same way or in a similar way, but I think that’s part of the beauty of the game, how we all wind up together and then pulling toward a common goal.”Following four years as general manager of the Dodgers, Zaidi received a five-year contract to become Giants president of baseball operations Tuesday. He was formally introduced Wednesday at AT&T Park, then headed back to Southern California and the GM meetings in Carlsbad. He’ll join up with San Francisco’s front office on site — a trip Zaidi figures will bring some “normalcy” back to his life after a whirlwind few days switching organizations.Giants CEO Larry Baer and Zaidi first met Friday for a planned two-hour session that carried on for 6 1/2 hours. Zaidi on Wednesday thanked the Dodgers for allowing him to pursue an opportunity with their NL West rival, saying “I’m incredibly gracious.”Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, said it would be fun competing against Zaidi.At the GM meetings, Friedman said the Dodgers would miss Zaidi’s “creativity, work ethic, ability to connect with people. He’s extremely talented and somebody who’s obviously made a huge impact for us the last four years.”Friedman said he and Zaidi had conversations about the Giants’ job during the last week. “I kept telling him, obviously I’m biased but I’m trying to do everything I could to support him and be a sounding board and set my bias to the side.”The Dodgers didn’t try to lure Zaidi back, Friedman said. “No, I mean that was the point. If this was something he wanted to pursue we were going to support him.”The next step for Zaidi is hiring a general manager and a farm director, something he hopes to do soon if the right candidate emerges.It’ll be a new direction for a franchise that won World Series championships in 2010, ’12 and ’14.Zaidi’s Dodgers reached the World Series the past two years without winning.“The response was just total heartbreak, I guess. I don’t know how else you say it,” he said.Zaidi will spend the coming months learning more about a franchise he’s watched closely for decades. He has already exchanged text messages with some core players, and he plans to visit a few this offseason. Zaidi’s first baseball game came at Candlestick Park in 1987, so this feels like coming “full circle.”Zaidi earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from MIT in 1998 and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 2011. He spent 10 years with the A’s before joining Los Angeles.“It was quite compelling the way Farhan was able to put together winning franchises throughout Avisail Garcia Jersey ,” Baer said, noting he hopes Zaidi will lead the club decades into the future.San Francisco went 73-89 during an injury-plagued 2018 with a major league-worst 5-21 record in September, missing the playoffs for a second straight year and third time in four seasons.Zaidi has no plans of tackling a turnaround on his own. Sabean will stay directly involved, and Bochy is allowed the last word when it comes to on-field moves, including the lineup and rotation.“Anything that is under the privy of the manager, the manager has final say — period. That is not even a question for me,” Zaidi said.Zaidi and Bochy spoke briefly already and will meet in person at some point. Bochy is scheduled to attend late Hall of Famer Willie McCovey’s celebration of life Thursday at the ballpark after Zaidi is already back in the San Diego area.To Bochy and Sabean, Zaidi expressed his interest in learning from both longtime, accomplished baseball men while bringing a fresh look, saying “I see this as a collaborative process” with “ideas flowing both ways.”A message he kept coming back to Wednesday: “Our goal is to play meaningful baseball as deep into the season and as soon as we can.”To do so, he will strive to make “one good baseball move after another” in building a winning roster.“I think the theme that we had from a player-acquisition standpoint in particular was no move is too small to not be worth a certain level of effort and detail — waiver claims, minor league free agents, second or third players in trades,” he said. “There’s a lot of value to be had in identifying talent in those regards.”Oh, and don’t rule out an A’s-Giants trade with his former Oakland boss, Billy Beane.“I think one of those could happen,” Zaidi said, grinning. The Major League Baseball offseason will be here soon. You won't believe what'll happen next.OK, fine. You'll probably believe most of it. The winter is bound to contain its share of way-too-obvious transactions a la the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox signing Yu Darvish and J.D. Martinez, respectively, last winter.The hot-stove season always has a few surprises in store http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-frank-thomas-jersey , however. With the MLB postseason still in full swing, we got out ahead on predicting eight of the biggest.Let's start with four trades and end with four free-agent matters.Dylan Bundy to the San Diego Padres1 of 8G Fiume/Getty ImagesIt was a shocker when the San Diego Padres, they of eternal low-budget mediocrity, signed Eric Hosmer to the biggest contract of the offseason last winter.For their next act, the Padres will likely trade for a brand-name starter.That's something they were angling to do around the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, when they were linked to Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Chris Archer. This made some sense. They have many prospects to deal and a contention timeline that must be accelerated.If the Padres do reboot their prowl for an ace this winter, however, they're going to need fresh targets. Pickings may be slim, but there is one intriguing name San Diego might pull out of a hat: Dylan Bundy.The right-hander is at a weird crossroads. He's one of the last remaining trade chips on the rebuilding Baltimore Orioles, but his value took a hit when he put up a 5.45 ERA in 2018. And yet, he'll only turn 26 on Nov. 15. He also might have been the unluckiest starter in MLB this season.The Padres may see Bundy as just the guy to take an eyebrow-raising chance on. If said chance pans out, they'll reap the rewards through 2021.J.T. Realmuto to the Colorado Rockies2 of 8G Fiume/Getty ImagesIt's often felt like J.T. Realmuto has had one foot in a Miami Marlins uniform and another foot in a Washington Nationals uniform.The Nationals have struggled to get production of any kind from behind the plate since Wilson Ramos left after 2016. Thus was it not surprising to hear constant rumors linking them to Realmuto, who was in the midst of an All-Star breakout, throughout 2018.But according to MLB.com'sJoe Frisaro, the Marlins insisted on an exorbitant asking price that included top outfield prospect Victor Robles. Such a deal is probably even more unlikely now than it was before. With Bryce Harper likely to walk as a free agent this winter, the Nationals must keep Robles firmly in their plans.This could be the opening the Colorado Rockies need to swoop in for Realmuto.They also have a weakness at catcher, not to mention an urgent need for offense in general. To wit, they hit worse than the San Francisco Giants when they went on the road in 2018.The Rockies should have just enough prospect depth (e.g., Brendan Rodgers, Colton Welker Bobby Jenks Jersey , Peter Lambert and Garrett Hampson) to entice the Marlins. They might also interest them in Jon Gray, whose million-dollar arm needs a change of scenery.Paul Goldschmidt to the Boston Red Sox3 of 8Bob Levey/Getty ImagesDespite going to the playoffs in 2017 and narrowly missing in 2018, indications are that the Arizona Diamondbacks are readying a pivot.They'll listen to offers on any of their players this winter, according to ESPN's Buster Olney, including superstar first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.As Olney speculated, the New York Yankees might be the best fit for him.But now that they're finallyunder the luxury tax, why should the Yankees even bother with trades? They can simply spend money on the best free agents, such as Harper, Manny Machado and/or Patrick Corbin.Assuming they do that, it might be the Boston Red Sox who end up with Goldschmidt.Their first-base production was rescuedfrom oblivion by Steve Pearce, who's due for free agency. Rather than re-sign him, Red Sox boss Dave Dombrowski may prefer to scratch his itch for a blockbuster. Goldschmidt would fit the bill, and the Red Sox have enough money set to come off their books to entertain extending his contract beyond 2019.One complication is that Boston has little left in its farm system. But as a former Red Sox executive, D-backs general manager Mike Hazen may be able to pick out a few pieces he likes.Zack Greinke to the Atlanta Braves4 of 8Rick Scuteri/Associated PressPer Bob Nightengale ofUSA Today, Zack Greinke is yet another superstar who could be traded from the Diamondbacks this winter.As FanGraphs' Jay Jaffe covered, the veteran righty is slowly but surely putting together a Hall of Fame resume. Greinke will turn 35 on Sunday, however, and he's only halfway through a massive $206.5 million contract that contains a 15-team no-trade list.In light of these things, it'll be difficult for the D-backs to get a Greinke deal off the drawing board. They need to find just the right trading partner: one with money, prospects and an environment Greinke finds attractive.How about the Atlanta Braves?Though they're not known as big spenders, their new stadium and fresh crop of cheap homegrown talent figure to change that equation. According to MLB.com's Mark Bowman http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-michael-jordan-jersey , the Braves might follow their surprising run to the top of the National League East by adding as much as $60 million to their 2019 payroll.If so, there's enough room to add Greinke's average $34.4 million salary. There may also be mutual interest in him being the final piece of a dynastic puzzle.Dallas Keuchel to the Cincinnati Reds5 of 8Phil Long/Associated PressRegarding the top free-agent starters, the smart money is on Clayton Kershaw returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Corbin jumping ship from the Diamondbacks to the Yankees.The fate of 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel is more up in the air. But if ever there was a dark horse to sign him, it's the Cincinnati Reds.The Reds have averaged 95 losses over the last four seasons, and 2019 will be yet another year in which their payroll will be bogged down by first baseman Joey Votto and right-hander Homer Bailey.Nevertheless, president of baseball operations Dick Williams teased an increase in payroll back in July."We now feel like the last couple of years, we've taken a lot of our resources and allocated them into the amateur draft, the international market," Williams told Bobby Nightengale of theCincinnati Enquirer."We hope that can shift back toward major league payroll."If there's a bright side, it's that the Reds may only be a stable starting rotation away from making noise in the NL Central.That's where Keuchel would come in. A move to the NL would be good for him at this stage of his career, and hisground-ball attack would allow him to conquer Great American Ball Park.A.J. Pollock to the Chicago White Sox6 of 8Michael Hickey/Getty ImagesThe Chicago White Sox might also be a surprise spender this winter.It might seem like a long shot. They're fresh off their first 100-loss season since 1970, and uber-prospect Michael Kopech is due to miss the 2019 season recovering from Tommy John surgery.However, the White Sox are a relatively well-off team with virtually nothing on theirlong-term books. And with the Cleveland Indians set to lose many key players to free agency this winter, a power vacuum may soon open up in the AL Central.If the White Sox take that as a cue to assert themselves, they must upgrade the American League's worst outfield. Before they get to Eloy Jimenez's promotion, signing A.J. Pollock would be a good place to start.The 30-year-old is past his All-Star peak of 2015, but he's still a well-rounded player who's put up an .801 OPS with 35 home runs and 33 stolen bases over the last two seasons. And if the money's good, he might jump at the chance to play near where he went to college at Notre Dame.Craig Kimbrel to the St. Louis Cardinals7 of 8Michael Dwyer/Associated PressCraig Kimbrel might become the first $100 million relief pitcher this winter. At the least, he figures to match the $80-odd million contracts of Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman.In any case, he's going to be too expensive for most teams. The St. Louis Cardinals might appear to be among them. They have only three $80 million free-agent contracts in their history, and two of them (Mike Leake and Dexter Fowler) are recent flops.But this is no time for the Cardinals to play it safe.Though they were strong enough to win 88 games this season Carlton Fisk Jersey , that was only good enough to place third in the NL Central behind the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs. Since a rebuild is out of the question, the Cardinals' only real option is to push forward.Lucky for them, they may only be an upgraded bullpen away from challenging the Brewers and Cubs. Specifically, their bullpen needs a power arm or two for the sake of boosting its strikeout potential.Enter Kimbrel, whose 41.6 career strikeout percentage is the highestof any pitcher who's logged at least 500 innings. St. Louis may also be the closest he can get to his native Huntsville, Alabama.The Philadelphia Phillies Wont Sign Manny Machado or Bryce Harper8 of 8Rob Carr/Getty ImagesAnd now for something thatwon't happen on the free-agent market: Neither Harper nor Machado will sign with the Philadelphia Phillies.For the team to sign not one but both of them is more plausible than it might sound. The Phillies put themselves on the doorstep of contention in 2018. To force the door open, all they have to do is apply their mass riches to their weak spots. Their offense is the biggest of those.Still, Phillies president Andy MacPhail seems to want everyone to chill out. He told Scott Lauber of thePhiladelphia Inquirer:"I guess if you were to invest all you had on one star-type player, then that would be sort of an acknowledgment that you think you may be one player away.There's always going to be that push for, 'Sign this guy, sign that guy.' Is that really going to solve the problems that I articulated earlier 鈥?the defense, playing within our division better, being more consistent, striking out less?"Rather than put it all in two superstars, the Phillies may spread their money around on numerous players who would satisfy their wide array of needs.Or, they could simply be outbid on Harper and Machado. With teams like the Yankees, Cubs, Nationals and possibly the Dodgers all coming off disappointing years, the Phillies might not be the most desperate suitor in either player's market.Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.