SAN FRANCISCO – As a Giants player, Buster Posey had a way to slow the game down. He rested in a crouch, staring up at a batter and patiently searching for a tell to take advantage of before calling the next pitch. With a bat in hand, he waited until he knew everything he needed to about an incoming throw and then deftly fired it into center field.

On Saturday, Posey showed that he can be very effective when he has to hurry up.

With the start of the MLB winter meetings just hours away, Posey made his first significant move as president of baseball operations, reportedly agreeing to a seven-year, $182 million contract with shortstop Willy Adames. It was a lightning bolt for an industry that was eagerly awaiting Juan Soto’s decision, and that’s what makes the timing so perfect for the Giants.

Adames seemed like an obvious backup plan for big teams that missed out on Soto, but Posey and the Giants made sure he wasn’t available and paid the price before others could get more involved. It was also a high price.

At $182 million, the deal is $15 million more than the previous record contract for a Giant. Posey knows the first number well – it’s his signature on the contract.

That massive expansion was followed by big deals for Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt a few years later, and in some ways Posey is taking a page from that playbook. He wants the Giants to return to their pitching and defense roots and made it clear that improving the infield is his top priority.

The Adames contract follows a six-year, $151 million extension for Matt Chapman, in which Posey was an owner, that signed the Giants to the left side of the infield worth $300 million. It will be a strong showing as Chapman and Adames combined for 59 home runs last year. Moving Tyler Fitzgerald and his 20-homer potential to second base full-time will also help.

The Giants hope their infield is now ready for the better part of the rest of the decade. Chapman and Adames are under long-term contracts, Fitzgerald just finished his rookie season and top prospect Bryce Eldridge plans to land at first base at some point next season. It’s potentially a very strong quartet, although Adames has a notable question mark.

The 29-year-old took a step back defensively last year, according to advanced metrics, with Outs Above Average putting him around league average after totaling 26 OAA in the previous two seasons. Even if there has been a gaffe, the Giants are well-positioned to handle it, as Chapman’s range makes life much easier for his shortstop. Team officials also believe Fitzgerald has the potential to be well above average defensively at second.

If Adames needs to step aside one day, the Giants will be able to handle it. For now, they’re hoping he can shake up a lineup that desperately needs another middle-of-the-order bat. Oracle Park spares no one, but Adames at least has a winning record there, with a .321/.381/.446 slash line and two home runs in 16 games.

The Giants had interest in both Adames and Ha-Seong Kim, but the latter had serious concerns about his shoulder and not nearly as much pop. The Adames deal is still pending, which will bring back some bitter memories as it is a long-term contract for a shortstop, but the Giants can now enter the winter meetings with plenty of flexibility as they look to fill their other key gaps in the field to fill the squad.

If Posey wants to downgrade his contract to No. 3 on the list, Corbin Burnes would be the man. If the owners – including Posey – decide that two big contracts (Adames and Chapman) in one year are enough, they can move into the second and third divisions in search of another starting player.

As with any big contract for a player approaching his 30th birthday, only time will tell if the Giants made the right decision. But Posey at least sent one message in his first offseason as coach. Apparently the new boss knows what to do to get the deal done with an established free agent, and this is a step in the right direction for an organization that had become accustomed to finishing second.

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