SAN FRANCISCO–Six teams have been eliminated and four clubs remain alive, but San Francisco Giants fans aren’t watching this year’s postseason with the same level of focus they did earlier in the decade.

The Giants suffered through the worst month in San Francisco-era history in September, winning five games in a 30-day stretch that left a fan base significantly concerned about the direction of the franchise.

Instead of selling playoff tickets, the Giants are trying to sell interest in next season and they’ll soon have a better idea of how to do that. In the coming weeks, San Francisco is expected to hire a new front office executive to set the blueprint for the future and they’ll start laying the groundwork for how to attack free agency and the trade market.

Before the hot stove heats up, we looked at your most pressing questions concerning the Giants’ offseason plans.

Question: How involved in baseball decisions does Larry Baer/owners want to be with new front office? Or how involved will Brian Sabean be? Does it turn off some big name candidates who want the “pres of ops” title and complete control? (From @Joey_G_615)

Crowley: This is an excellent, multi-layered question that contains issues the Giants have certainly considered over the last several weeks.

After firing general manager Bobby Evans, Baer said the new executive tasked with leading the baseball operations department will have complete authority and be held accountable for the club’s roster decisions. However, what remains unclear is what type of influence Baer and ownership will look to exert over the general direction of the Giants.

Some candidates may want the Giants to consider a full-scale rebuild, but Baer has not indicated whether the owners would jump on board with that strategy. Though a new executive will have money to spend and the freedom to make massive changes to the team’s personnel, it’s possible the Giants will only want to hire a candidate who doesn’t believe in taking a step backward to eventually create space to move forward.

Baer has said he doesn’t believe the Giants are geared for a rebuild and in a recent letter to fans, Baer said he expects the club to compete for a postseason berth every season. It doesn’t seem like that will suddenly change, which may limit the interest of certain candidates.

While Sabean will be heavily involved in the hiring and interview process, I don’t expect him to have a big role in the front office moving forward. He wasn’t involved in the day-to-day operations of the franchise from 2015-2017, and I don’t expect that to be the case once a new regime is installed.

Sabean sees himself as a Giant for life, but unless a new front office executive wants to use him as a sounding board, it’s difficult to envision him having much of a say in the daily minutia. Smart candidates will ask about Sabean’s role during the interview process and look for a way to take advantage of some of his skills, but his responsibilities will soon change.

Question: Is it possible that this #SFGiants team turns in the Jed York era #49ers where maybe some GM’s don’t want to work for this ownership group? (From @jkiniris)

Crowley: Even if the Giants had rebounded from a 98-loss season to win the National League West or sneak into the playoffs as a wildcard team, there likely would have been top-tier candidates with serious concerns over taking a general manager job with the franchise.

The job in San Francisco is theoretically coveted because ownership has deep pockets, there’s a rich tradition and the Giants are a major market franchise committed to competing on an annual basis. However, some potential candidates like Milwaukee Brewers GM David Stearns or Cubs GM Jed Hoyer may not want to leave the comfort of a position where they have job security and a window open to compete for championships immediately. Related Articles As SF Giants veterans enjoy career years, rookies have given the club a chance at October

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I think it’s entirely possible some candidates wouldn’t want to work for the Giants’ ownership group because of fundamental disagreements over issues like rebuilding or trading Madison Bumgarner, but I don’t believe the Giants’ current situation will scare many qualified applicants away.

Some candidates probably won’t consider San Francisco a great fit, but that’s true for nearly every organization and the reality of dealing with job openings at the executive level of franchises.

Question: Who’s handling the GM search? Just Larry or do they get outside professional help? (From @_davidbradley1)

Crowley: Baer said he didn’t think the Giants would hire an outside search firm to assist with the process, but indicated it’s possible they’ll receive some assistance with determining logistics of the hire. Ultimately, Baer gave the impression that he, Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy had an extensive network around the game that they were comfortable tapping into and taking recommendations from.

Does this mean the Giants might overlook a candidate? It’s possible, but this seems like a hire where the franchise wants to swing for the fences, and most of the candidates who would fit that criteria are well-known.

Question: What are the chances Clayton Kershaw is safely outside the NL West next year? (From @writingfreak88)

Crowley: This topic really hasn’t been touched by national reporters since spring training, and some of that may have to do with Kershaw’s recent injury history.

The Dodgers ace hasn’t been healthy for a full season since 2015, and this season, he posted his highest ERA since 2010. Still, it’s Kershaw, so his 2.73 ERA would still lead most staffs.

It’s practically impossible to predict Kershaw pitches anywhere outside of Los Angeles, but if he ever wanted to return home to the state of Texas or chase another $150 million contract, this would be the offseason to do it.

I’ll put the chances right now at 10 percent. Kershaw can exercise an opt-out clause in his contract and become a free agent, but even if he does that, the Dodgers will be the heavy front-runner to re-sign him. If he doesn’t exercise the clause, the chances are nonexistent because he’ll remain under contract for two more years.

Question: Time to trade Madison Bumgarner? (From @b_aragonads)

Crowley: This is a topic that Sabean expects to review closely with GM candidates during the interview and hiring process.

The Giants won’t enter the month of December without knowing whether they’ll seriously entertain offers for Bumgarner or keep him off limits until at least next summer, but it’s impossible to say with certainty which way the franchise is leaning until a new front office is in place.

Earlier this year, I wrote a detailed piece on the pros and cons of holding onto Bumgarner, what a long-term extension might look like and how his future is tied directly to the future of the franchise. It’ll be worth revisiting once we have more clarity on the front office situation.