SF Giants, MLBs biggest losers, were biggest winners at the trade deadline

ARLINGTON, Texas — The roster assembled by Buster Posey was so disappointing, so underwhelming that the only question for weeks leading up to Monday’s trade deadline was just how much it would be dismantled and what could be fetched in return.The answer, on both fronts: Quite a bit.In his second trade deadline leading the Giants’ baseball operations, the former catcher took a big swing, and upon initial review, looks to have hit a desperately needed home run.The haul: A 23-year-old infielder considered a consensus top-20 prospect in baseball as recently as last season.A coveted Cuban shortstop from the latest international signing period.

A trio of pitching prospects considered among the top five in their previous organizations.The cost: A staggering six players off San Francisco’s flailing major-league roster.“I think we feel good about the moves we made,” Posey said on a conference call with reporters about 30 minutes after the 3 p.m.PT deadline had passed.

“… I guess you can characterize it how you want.I wouldn’t necessarily say a rebuild.”Indeed, it wouldn’t be a full rebuild without getting off at least a portion of the nearly $500 million still owed to Willy Adames, Rafael Devers and Matt Chapman.

But Posey and general manager Zack Minasian went further than merely unloading the players set to be free agents this winter.In addition to the expected trades of Luis Arraez, Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle, the Giants shipped away two players under team control for another three years in Heliot Ramos and Erik Miller.Of the trades to be completed Monday — Mahle was sent to Atlanta late Sunday night — only the Arraez deal, which also included Caleb Kilian, had been set in motion before the day began.“Today was a lot of phone calls and back and forth,” Posey said, crediting the “months and weeks” of legwork put in by their pro scouting department leading up to the big day.While Posey said that San Francisco “made it known to teams t...