Hector Borg’s stint as the third base coach is over. The SF Giants announced that he has been reassigned to a player development role, with Ron Wotus taking over on an interim basis.

I just want to say that it has been a tough week for the Borg family. He missed last weekend’s series against the Chicago White Sox because his grandmother passed away.

Wotus stepped in as the third base coach while Borg was out. That was also likely a sign that the Giants were evaluating that role on the coaching staff because Wotus was not an official member of the staff.

Typically, when a coach misses time, the team pulls from the current staff to fill that void. That was not the case with Borg. Of course, Wotus has been around the Giants a lot more recently, as they value his coaching acumen, especially as the Giants have gotten off to a disastrous 22-34 start.

Why the SF Giants felt the need to shake up the coaching staff

There is plenty of blame to go around from the players to the coaching staff to the front office. Usually, when a team underperforms as much as the Giants have this year, the coaching staff is the first area under review. Oftentimes, that is the only notable move a team can make during the season to try to generate better results.

So, Borg was the first to be reassigned. That may not be the only coaching change the Giants make this season. If the poor results continue, they may need to consider more changes. However, Borg was an obvious move to make.

In his brief time as third base coach, there were quite a few mishaps on his end, whether his sends were too aggressive or too conservative. The Giants hoped that he would improve with more experience, but that did not come to fruition.

Borg has been with the organization for decades. He was an infielder at the lower minor league levels in the 2000’s, and has served as a coach or coordinator since his playing career concluded after the 2007 season. Minor leaguers who have worked with Borg in the past have been complimentary of his work.

Ron Wotus will return to familiar territory at third base. He managed all of the Giants’ minor league affiliates in the 1990’s before being elevated to the major league coaching staff in 1998. Since then, he has worked as either a third base coach or a bench coach before retiring after the 2021 season. Wotus has continued to be a regular presence with the Giants since retiring from everyday coaching. While the Giants would benefit from adding him to the staff, they will look for a permanent replacement.