Why Giants hiring Ron Washington could be an underrated move

A great manager in his own right, Washington’s bread and butter is teaching players to go from bad or mediocre defensive players to solid and even great defenders. 

"Whether it's somebody in business, somebody in baseball, basketball, you name it, [if] they are successful at what they do, they first had someone that really believed in them, right?" Dansby Swanson, who was under Washington's tutelage while with the Atlanta Braves, told Yahoo Sports. "And that's how Wash is. He instills this true belief — not, like, a false confidence — a true belief in his players and is able to draw that out of everyone. And I think that's what makes him such a good motivator. And he loves the game of baseball, too. So when you put the two together, he inspires you because he believes that."

Instilling confidence in Devers, who needs it more than ever after going through a roller coaster of a season and the drama he faced, is key. Devers is already bashed for being a poor defender at third base. So, giving Devers confidence in himself and his defense at first could help him return to his MVP-level self. 

Hiring a defensive guru like Washington could also lure a nice free agent to the Giants. The team could have the upper hand in talks, as it is unwilling to spend big on free agents.