Farhan Zaidi, Ron Wotus and a group of veteran players addressed the clubhouse before Friday’s game, followed by back-to-back wins.
SAN FRANCISCO — What can a team meeting accomplish? A regular feature of many clubhouses over the years, it’s something that’s easy to credit when it’s followed by success and equally easy to dismiss when it doesn’t lead to the desired results.
What followed were back-to-back wins, their first of September after starting the month with six straight losses. The team also responded to a rousing pregame speech from Thairo Estrada a couple weeks ago with a win over the Braves that kicked off a stretch of four of five that they won. Zaidi reminded the club that they were the same group that reeled off 10 wins in a row, that climbed 13 games over .500 and once owned the third-best record in the National League. That, however, had all slipped away by Friday afternoon, entering their penultimate home stand with as many wins as losses and out of control of their own destiny in the playoff chase.
“Farhan also shared that he believed in the group and that’s something that I think goes a long way for players, I think it goes a long way for staff, that kind of endorsement and trust,” Kapler said. “I think it demonstrates that we’re all – myself, our front office, our players, our coaching staff, the business side – working as a team. We’re all in it together.”