When Buster Posey took the job of Giants president of baseball operations, it came with about as long of a leash as any executive had in pro sports. Three rings had cemented his bulletproof status, as multiple rings are wont to do. As long as the Giants fielded a competitive team and took steps to distance themselves from the malaise of the previous regime, the thinking was, then Posey had at least a few years to remake the organization in his image without fear of fan upheaval.
But they’ve kept winning, and the Dodgers and Padres kept looking mortal, which has put the Giants — somewhat surprisingly — in the thick of the playoff race.