Where'd all your money go?

It's one of the many questions you should be asking the Giants.

Channeling my inner Peter King and hitting you with 6 Things I Think as the Giants plod along this winter.

1. I think the latest reporting from Alex Pavlovic and Andrew Baggarly makes it clear the Giants will not pay big money to anyone this winter.

I understand not wanting to overload the payroll with nine-figure contracts.

I don’t understand how you expect to break free of 81-81.

Your best chance to win with a veteran core of players is right now, not 2029. You don’t spend $170+ million just to have a chance in September.

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2. I think the odds that Bryce Eldridge will make the team out of spring training just took a hit. GM Zack Minasian recently said Rafael Devers is a better first baseman than Eldridge. Maybe it’s more of hat tip to Devers than an indictment of Eldridge. Still, it caught me off guard. Eldridge will have to hit his way onto the roster. First base won’t be handed to him.

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3. I think I’m skeptical of the Giants’ ability to win a trade war. They’re reportedly competing with the Mariners for Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan. They’re also engaged in trade talks around DBacks second baseman Ketel Marte.

4. I think I’m really skeptical the DBacks would trade their longtime star within the division. And can Buster Posey really stomach doing the same with Eldridge, or whoever he has to trade?

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5. I think the Giants are the kings of “checking in,” “showing interest,” “kicking the tires,” and “casting a wide net.” Cody Bellinger is the latest to join the club. (He’d be great in the outfield, at least.)

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6. I think the Hall of Fame’s yearslong crusade against Barry Bonds and the poster boys of the steroid era is infuriating. It took Jeff Kent getting into the Hall for my feelings to really crystallize. The museum, which is not run by MLB, has changed its rules twice to weed out the people they don’t want enshrined. But they wouldn’t tell you that. They’d tell you nothing other than the rules are changing. Why, you’re wondering? Sorry, it’s hard to hear your questions up in the ivory tower.

History, I believe, will not land on the Hall’s side. Public sentiment will continue to tilt toward enshrining these players as the public forgives, if not forgets. And I do believe Bonds, Roger Clemens, and their peers will get their day in Cooperstown. Hopefully they’re still alive for it.

🎧 In our latest podcast, Kerry and I get into the Hall of Fame nonsense, what actually happens at the winter meetings, and more.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a restful holiday.