Buster Posey lauds Giants catcher Patrick Bailey’s defensive impact

Buster Posey is a big Patrick Bailey fan, so he's excited to see the catcher's continued development with the Giants.

KNBR's Greg Papa and John Lund asked Posey earlier this week for his thoughts on Bailey’s impact as San Francisco's catcher, and the new president of baseball operations -- who knows a thing or two about playing behind the plate -- was effusive in his praise.

“His value behind the plate, we can measure that now and we can see how valuable he is, as far as pitch framing and throwing the ball down to second,” Posey said Tuesday. “I think in the first two years, he’s done a great job. I know -- knowing him a little bit -- he’s certainly disappointed that he’s faltered a little bit offensively the second half of the year, and sometimes it takes a while. It takes a while to understand, ‘What do I need to do from a physical standpoint ahead of time as far as in the weight room, or how many calories I need to be consuming?’ So, it takes some time to figure all of that out.

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"I think you don’t have to look any further than the pitching staff and when guys enjoy throwing to a catcher. That, from a catcher’s perspective, is the ultimate compliment.”

Bailey and the rest of the Giants struggled at the plate in the second half of the 2024 MLB season as San Francisco’s playoff hopes slipped away. The 25-year-old backstop also had injury issues, missing time down the stretch with an oblique strain. Still, Bailey was a critical piece to the team, catching Blake Snell’s historic no-hitter.

Still, there is work to be done, with Snell surely opting out of his contract and hitting the free-agent market, where he will command a hefty price. Plenty of other big names also will hit the market, so Posey will be tasked with pitching potential free agents on his vision of turning the Giants back into perennial contenders.

Having Bailey behind the plate is a great starting point for San Francisco, however, as the franchise is ready to make a big splash in free agency and keep pace in the always-competitive NL West.