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Rating MLB general managers in 2021: The NL West

By Bill Felber

Feb 12, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (left) and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman react during a press conference at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 12, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (left) and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman react during a press conference at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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General manager Scott Harris with Giants field manager Gabe Kapler in 2020. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
General manager Scott Harris with Giants field manager Gabe Kapler in 2020. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

NL West GM rankings: 1. Scott Harris, San Francisco Giants general manager

+4.8 WAA

Harris completed his second season as chief aide to team president Farhan Zaidi. Their Giants obviously were the surprise team of 2021, winning 107 regular season games and dethroning the Dodgers as divisional champions.

In large measure they did it by relying on an existing cast that turned in an unusual profusion of exceptional years. But Harris played a role in enhancing that product, starting with his winter decision to sign free agent pitcher Anthony DeSclafani, who had been released by the Reds.

DeSclafani went 13-7 with a 3.17 ERA in 31 starts, good for a +2.6 WAA.

The other uplifting pickup was free agent reliever Dominic Leone, whose 57 appearances amounted to +1.2 WAA.

For the year, Harris made 42 player personnel moves impacting the Giants’ major league roster. He got a positive return on 20 of those – that’s 48 percent, with negative results on just 16 (38 percent).

The Giants may have been baseball’s least reliant team on first-year farm system callups. Over the course of the season, Harris called on just three – relievers Camilo Doval, Conner Menez and Kervin Castro. Of those three, only Doval – who grew into the closer’s role – saw prominent duty. The sum of their contributions amounted to +0.5 WAA.

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