Nevius: Hoping Giants' Buster Posey breaks out of his bubble

I always assumed Buster Posey was just dull.

Some guys are, of course, even the greats. They have no interest in going beneath the surface of any topic. Or to venture an opinion. Or add a personal story.

So if that is who Posey is, fine. He’s Buster Ballgame, the face of the franchise. If he doesn’t have much to say, so what?

But at media day at this year’s FanFest, Posey held his annual sitdown with local reporters. At least I think it was Posey. This guy told stories, kidded beat writers, cracked wise and got more than a few laughs.

When he finished, I confronted him with an accusation:

“You’re funny,” I said.

And in his “aw, shucks” Buster mode, he admitted that he has more personality than he has been letting on. He said something I’ve heard several times about him in the last few years.

That in the offseason he’s likable and fun, but when the games start, he’s a little more distant.

Distant is a nice way of putting it. Posey is on the verge of aloof. During the year, he doesn’t make himself available often. And when he does, every answer sounds like the end of the conversation.

He’s got a line - “Do you have any more questions for me?” - which is about as clear a chat-ender as you are going to hear. Even when he is sitting in front of his locker, it doesn’t seem like many beat reporters talk to Posey, so I didn’t make many efforts.

And let’s emphasize, this is Posey’s call. He’s carried this franchise on his back for years. We are still waiting for early returns this year, but Posey said his sore hip is “night and day” from where it was last year, when he struggled.

This may be a bounce-back year. He’s motivated and even said he felt a little guilty that last year’s coaching staff lost their jobs because the team didn’t play better.

So if he continues with the nothing-to-hear-here routine, that’s his choice.

I just think it is the wrong call.

First, if you are going to be the face of the franchise, you have to be the voice, too - at least sometimes. Posey’s recent comments on Aubrey Huff were a gymnastic marvel. Who knew he could bend over backwards so far to avoid saying anything?

Asked about the Giants declining to invite Huff to the reunion of the 2010 championship team after offensive remarks, Posey provided a little word salad and then fell back on “you guys know I pretty much I stay out of anything that is not involved with baseball.”

C’mon, Buster. Huff is a misogynistic moron. Worse, he’s an attention-seeking misogynistic moron. The Giants gave you cover. They disavowed his Tweets and disinvited him.

Nobody is asking you to name your favorite presidential candidate. This was wrong. Everyone agrees it was wrong. And it would be worthwhile to hear one of the most recognizable names in the game stand up and say so.

You don’t have to burn the house down. A simple “I certainly don’t condone ...” would be fine.

Too busy? You don’t think Steve Kerr has a full schedule coaching the Warriors? Or Steph Curry? Jimmy Garoppolo holds a formal press conference once a week during the season. Kyle Shanahan often has two.

It’s not that hard.

The other reason I don’t like the Buster Keaton act is the tone it sets. That Giants clubhouse has been dead the last couple of years. Granted, a few more wins would liven things up.

But it was a ghost town. Someone said a media wrangler asked easygoing Brandon Belt if he’d go out and face reporters. And he did, but he said something to the effect of, “But I’m always the only one out there.” And he’s right.

Perhaps in reaction, new manager Gabe Kapler has stressed an upbeat clubhouse culture from Day One. He’s also called for hearing from his veterans, hearing them speak up.

In a game where failing two times out of three is considered success, young players take their cues from the veterans. Especially the ones they grew up watching.

A few words from someone who has been there means a lot. Kapler mentioned Mike Yastrzemski as a young player who has been noticed as a leader, so I made a point to talk to him.

He was terrific. Engaged, ?happy to chat and glad to be there. We talked about the revered reserve catcher Stephen Vogt, now in Diamondbacks camp. Yastrzemski stressed that he learned a lot from several vets last year, especially Kevin Pillar.

But Vogt, Yaz said, was in a class by himself. In his first year in the big leagues, hoping to stick with the Giants, Yastrzemski fell into a funk.

“I was just sitting there, staring at the ceiling fan,” he said. “And that night there was a text from Vogt: ‘Was the fan staring back at you?’ I was just, like, how did he know?”

It is unlikely that Posey will begin doing comedy routines, as Vogt did last year. But there’s something to reaching out with a word or an acknowledgement.

And that’s what I was trying to get at in my short conversation with him at FanFest: Why doesn’t he show any more of himself?

“Do you have any more questions for me?” Posey replied.

Nope. Go back in the bubble. See you at the next FanFest.

Contact C.W. Nevius at cw.nevius@pressdemocrat.com.