The San Francisco Giants were not outbid by the Los Angeles Dodgers for Shohei Ohtani. They were simply passed over. A stagnating baseball product does not measure up to the decadelong tradition of excellence that currently owns the second and third-place finishers for National League MVP. There have been other theories as to why baseball's most coveted talent opted to stay away from the Bay.

Namely, the condition of the city. A high cost of living and rising crime rate, among other issues, have turned what was once considered to be one of the most iconic destinations in America into an optics nightmare. New Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman and designated hitter Rowdy Tellez, who grew up in Sacramento and spent plenty of time in San Francisco, believes high-profile players might not consider the area to be an appealing place in which to live.

Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb appears to be in vehement disagreement with Tellez and all others who think San Fran is a turnoff. “A lot of people that have never played in SF seem to know a lot about it,” the 2023 NL Cy Young runner-up pointedly posted on X, Thursday.

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Despite a rocky start, Webb has fared well overall in his near-five-year tenure with the organization, tallying a 42-32 record with a 3.40 ERA in 113 outings. San Francisco does not appear to be pushing him away at the moment. But that doesn't mean prospective free agents feel the same away.

Players could be hesitant to join the Giants for any of the reasons already mentioned. Webb's pushback on outside criticism will unite fans of the club, but it doesn't really address any of the potential dissuading factors.

Whether it's because of back-to-back disappointing seasons or a city in decline, this team is not securing most (not all) of the top-end free agents they are pursuing. And that's a concern.