Logan Webb was an active participant in recruiting free agents to the San Francisco Giants last winter, and he’s ready and willing to be so again this year if asked.

One name stands out, of course, as the Giants head into the winter meetings in Nashville, even if Webb can’t quite attract Shohei Ohtani’s attention yet.

“I think all 30 teams can imagine what it’d be like to have that guy,” Webb said. “I’ve said it before, he’s the best player on the planet, one of the best players of all time. I have strong feelings: I would love for him to come and play in San Francisco. I’ve tried to follow him on Instagram, and he didn’t follow me back so I didn’t get very far there.

“I think we’re trying as hard as we can, from what I’ve heard. He’s that guy. You can just put his face on all the billboards around San Francisco, he’s one of those guys who changes everything. I think the city has been kind of searching for that type of guy for a while, and Ohtani is one of a kind.”

Webb, who spoke with the Chronicle during a trip to Hawaii, is working out and throwing already, and as much as former director of pitching Brian Bannister and pitching coach Andrew Bailey meant to him — “Great human beings, very smart. I wouldn’t be in the position I am without those guys’ help” — he likes what he’s heard from new pitching coach Bryan Price.

Bullpen games and curtailed starts are likely to be less frequent if Price has his say. The former Reds manager prefers a more traditional approach; in 2014, his Cincinnati’s starters topped the majors with an average of 6.3 innings pitched; the next three seasons, those numbers dipped because of injuries and inexperience, and the team’s fortunes suffered.

“Just talking to him, I hear about how he lets his starters go,” Webb said. “ I love to hear that, as a guy who likes to throw a lot of innings and kind of has that old-school mentality. That’s going to be great for me and the young guys, to  just kind of learn how to pitch and learn how to get out of situations when you’re in the sixth or seventh inning. I can’t wait to pick his brain.”

Webb led the majors with 216 innings pitched last season. He said, “There’s no reason Tristan Beck, Keaton Winn, Kyle Harrison and Carson Whisenhunt can’t throw 200 innings every single year, and I’m excited to see them get the opportunity to do that. Let them go out there and throw.”

Throw Ross Stripling and Anthony DeSclafani (who pitched for Price in Cincinnati) into that mix, too. “It will be great finally getting these guys to just go out there and pitch and not have to worry about someone pitching ahead of them or not being able to get a full 100 pitches,” Webb said. “I do think as a starter you get into a groove, and once you get to that 100-pitch mark, you kind of just keep doing it and keep getting better at it.”

Webb is delighted that J.P. Martinez is back as assistant pitching coach, and he praised the addition of Triple-A Sacramento pitching coach Garvin Alston as the bullpen coach. Alston worked closely with Harrison, Winn and the team’s other top young starters. “ ‘G’ is perfect because he’s been around those guys and he’s an awesome dude and an awesome coach,” Webb said.

An avid A’s fan growing up, Webb might be more familiar with new manager Bob Melvin’s work than anyone else on the team.

“Even when it was just speculation it got me excited right away,” Webb said. “I didn’t know the whole situation with San Diego, but being an A’s fan before and a fan of baseball and being able to watch him and see what he’s done, I think he’s one of the best managers in baseball. I don’t think I’ve heard one bad thing said about him; it’s all just been the most positive experience for guys I’ve talked to who played for him. I’m just excited to learn from him.”

The downer, for the onetime A’s fan, is the specter of that team moving to Las Vegas.

“It’s tough for the Bay Area, especially the fans in Oakland,” he said. “It’ll be their third team they’ve lost in the last few years, and their fans are passionate. They’ve dealt with a lot, and it sucks for the city of Oakland. I kind of wish they had tried a little harder to get stuff done, but it didn’t happen, and it’s just hard for the Bay Area and all those fans.”

Should Northern California get an expansion team, Webb, who is from Rocklin, suggests the state capital. “I honestly think Sacramento would be awesome,” he said. “You see how great the Kings fans are — you know, I’m one of them — but that place is sold out all the time. They’re itching to have teams. It’s a city that needs some more big sports franchises.”

Reach Susan Slusser: [email protected]; Twitter: @susanslusser