Carlos Rodon believes Yankees fans more ‘invested’ than Giants fans

Now playing on the East Coast, Rodón explained the main difference between the fans in New York and those in the Bay Area.

“The fans here want to win. They care. They care a lot,” Rodón said (h/t NJ.com’s Bob Klapisch). “Giants fans are invested, but not like in New York.

“Win or lose, you’re not going to get booed in San Francisco.”

On Sept. 4, Rodón said after the Giants’ 5-3 walk-off win over the Arizona Diamondbacks that San Francisco has “very faithful fans” and explained that Giants fans “care” and was “grateful” to them for continuing to support the team, even amid a long losing streak.

The Luckiest Pitching Staff in History

Mathewson’s inclusion on this staff shows that “great” and “lucky” aren’t mutually exclusive.

Giants ink Luke Jackson, who missed ‘22 with TJ, to 2-year deal

The Giants bolstered their bullpen on Monday by signing veteran right-hander Luke Jackson to a two-year, $11.5 million contract that includes a club option for the 2025 season.

Jackson, 31, missed the 2022 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery last April, but he enjoyed a career-best season for the World Series champion Braves in 2021, logging a 1.98 ERA with 70 strikeouts over 63 2/3 innings.

Jackson will earn $3 million in 2023 and $6.5 million in ‘24; his 2025 club option is worth $7 million. If the Giants choose not to exercise the option, Jackson will receive a $2 million buyout.

Report: Taylor Rogers agrees to three-year, $33-million deal with Giants

The San Francisco Giants have agreed to sign left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers to a three-year, $33-million deal, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal on Friday.

Rogers will join his twin brother, Tyler, in San Francisco after splitting last season between the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers.

Between the two clubs, the southpaw threw 64.1 innings with a 4.76 ERA while picking up 31 saves.

Michael Conforto Giants deal

Boras wins again!

The Giants appear to have landed one of the final marquee free agents of the Hot Stove season, agreeing to a two-year, $36 million deal with outfielder Michael Conforto, a source told MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand. Bob Nightengale of USA Today was first to report the agreement, which has an opt-out after the first year. The team has not confirmed.

Giants, Michael Conforto reach 2-year, $36M deal, sources confirm

The San Francisco Giants are signing outfielder Michael Conforto to a two-year, $36 million deal, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday.

The contract includes an opt-out after the 2023 season, the sources told ESPN’s Buster Olney.

Conforto is joining the Giants after missing the 2022 season following April shoulder surgery. He had become a free agent last offseason after declining an $18.4 million qualifying offer from the New York Mets.

Sources: Giants hold team meeting after Carlos Correa agreement falls apart - NBC Sports Bay Area

Sources told NBC Sports Bay Area that president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi spoke to the team on a short Zoom call in the afternoon that included players, manager Gabe Kapler, coaches and members of the staff.

Zaidi did the majority of the talking before opening it up to questions, and people on the call said he took responsibility for what happened this week and told players he believes in the group, but that many questions still were left unanswered.

The Giants have not given further details publicly because Correa’s new deal still is pending a physical with the Mets. That was true on their internal call, too, leaving some players to continue to wonder about the specifics of how the Correa deal unraveled in the hours before he was set to be introduced.

Carlos Correa agrees to 12-year, $315 million deal with Mets

What a surprising turn of events! You have to like this if you are a Mets fan, at least for now.

Superstar Carlos Correa and the Mets worked out a middle-of-the-night deal after his Giants deal fell through, the New York Post has learned. Correa’s new deal with the Mets is for $315 million over 12 years, sources told The Post.

Something came up on Correa’s medical with the Giants, and Cohen stepped in to do the deal he thought had gotten away from him. Correa will play third base for the Mets, giving the Mets a star-studded team and Cohen a record payroll north of $380 million.

“We need one more thing, and this is it,” Cohen told The Post from Hawaii. “This was important … This puts us over the top. This is a good team. I hope it’s a good team!”

San Francisco Giants Carlos Correa agree to 13-year, $350M deal

Shortstop Carlos Correa and the San Francisco Giants are in agreement on a 13-year, $350 million contract, a source familiar with the deal tells ESPN.

The free agent path of Correa, 28, was far less circuitous than last year, when he entered the market in hopes of landing a $300 million-plus deal but wound up signing a shorter-term contract with the Minnesota Twins that included an opt-out after the first season. This winter, Correa found a market that lavished $300 million on Trea Turner and $280 million on Xander Bogaerts far more to his liking and wound up with the second-biggest deal behind Aaron Judge’s nine-year, $360 million contract with the New York Yankees.

Giants sign Ross Stripling to two-year, $25 million deal, per report

The San Francisco Giants have added another starting pitcher. Two days after signing Sean Manaea, the Giants have agreed to a two-year contract worth $25 million with right-hander Ross Stripling, reports ESPN. The team has not yet confirmed the signing.

Stripling, 33, has spent most of his career as a very successful swingman. He made 24 starts and eight relief appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, throwing 134 1/3 innings with a 3.01 ERA. Stripling set new career bests in starts, innings, and ERA, among other things. He really propped up a Toronto rotation that didn’t get enough from José Berríos or Yusei Kikuchi.

Giants, left-hander Sean Manaea reportedly agree to two-year, $25 million deal

The San Francisco Giants have agreed to sign left-handed starting pitcher Sean Manaea to a two-year, $25 million deal with an opt-out clause after the 2023 season, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Manaea, 30, was 8-9 with a 4.96 ERA (75 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP and 156 strikeouts in 158 innings in 30 appearances with the Padres last season. He did some decent-to-good work at times in the early going, albeit on an inconsistent basis, but he fell apart in the second half, pitching to a 6.56 ERA in the season’s final two months.

Ken Rosenthal on Twitter: “Deal is pending a physical.” / Twitter

Judge gets PAID!

Deal is pending a physical. https://t.co/ptJ08JyrGU

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 7, 2022

San Francisco Giants add Mitch Haniger; 3-year, $43.5M deal, sources say

The San Francisco Giants agreed to terms with outfielder Mitch Haniger, the team announced Tuesday, filling a hole in the Giants’ outfield as they continue to their free-agent pursuit of American League MVP Aaron Judge.

The deal is for three years and $43.5 million and includes a player opt-out after the second year, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Haniger, who turns 32 later this month, has posted star-caliber numbers in the two seasons he has been healthy but has struggled with injuries throughout his major league career, most of which he spent in Seattle. With the Mariners last season, he hit .246/.308/.429 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs in 57 games, helping propel the team to its first playoff berth in two decades.

Pete Putila hired as Giants GM

The Giants made their first major addition of the offseason on Monday, hiring Pete Putila to serve as their new general manager under president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi.

Putila, 33, spent the last 12 seasons with the Astros, rising from a baseball operations intern to an assistant GM over that span. He will replace Scott Harris, who left the organization last month to become the new president of baseball operations with the Tigers.

Putila was a finalist for the Giants’ GM opening that went to Harris three years ago. When the position opened up for a second time, Zaidi moved quickly to hire Putila, who beat out “several” other candidates who interviewed for the role.

“One of the things that really excited us about Pete is the fact that he has an extensive background in player development,” Zaidi said during a Zoom call with reporters on Monday night. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re limiting the scope to the Minor Leagues. We’ve talked a lot over the last couple of years about how much we value continued player development through and including the Major League level and think players can continue to improve. That’s really been a point of emphasis throughout Pete’s very successful career with the Astros.”

Orlando Cabrera To Retire From Baseball

OH NO, EXPO!

Last season, Orlando Cabrera batted .238 with the Indians and Giants, posting a 61 OPS+. The season before that, he posted a 76 OPS+. The season before that, he posted an 85 OPS+. Orlando Cabrera has been declining, and just turned 37 years old. As a free agent, Cabrera didn’t drum up much interest, which I’m guessing is why he’s intending to hang ‘em up. Enrique Rojas:

  “Orlando Cabrera to retire from baseball, he said in Colombia radio station. Thanks for memories!”

Cabrera had a long career that’ll be difficult to forget. He debuted with the Expos in 1997, and remained there until the giant Nomar Garciaparra three-way trade in 2004. That year, with the Red Sox, Cabrera won a World Series. He wound up with the Angels, earning the unfortunate nickname “The Wizard of O.C.”, and then he wound up with the White Sox, and the A’s, and the Twins, and the Reds, and the Indians, and the Giants ... He remained a shortstop to the end, and collected 2,055 hits. He will always be remembered as a pest. An absolute pest.

Giants and Pablo Sandoval agree to a three-year, $17.15 million contract

That can buy 1,715,000 Kung Fu Panda dolls

While the Giants have some work to do in order to keep Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain for the long haul, they have at least locked up a key position player through his arbitration seasons.

The Giants just announced that they have agreed to a three-year contract with third baseman Pablo Sandoval. Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports that the deal is worth $17.15 million guaranteed and includes some performance-based incentives. He’ll make $3.2 million this season, $5.7 million in 2013 and $8.25 million in 2014.

Sandoval was arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter after batting .315/.357/.552 with 23 home runs, 70 RBI and a .909 OPS over 117 games in 2011. The 25-year-old owns a .307/.356/.501 batting line over his first four seasons in the majors. If he can stay in shape and continue to produce similar numbers, he’ll be a tremendous bargain.

Tim Lincecum asks $21.5M in arbitration

That’s still just barely more than what Barry Zito will make.

Giants ace Tim Lincecum asked for $21.5 million in salary arbitration Tuesday and was offered $17 million by the club.

The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner’s request neared the record amount sought in arbitration. Houston pitcher Roger Clemens asked for $22 million in 2005.

San Francisco’s offer was the highest in arbitration history, topping the $14.25 million the New York Yankees proposed for shortstop Derek Jeter in 2001.

“I’m overall optimistic that we’ll find common ground without a hearing room,” Bobby Evans, Giants vice president of baseball operations, said before seeing Lincecum’s filing numbers. “It’s a process that begins long before today in terms of conversations about possible deals that work for both sides. That process has continued in a mutual fashion. At this point we haven’t reached a conclusion.”

Lincecum, the winning pitcher in the Game 5 World Series clincher at Texas in 2010, earned $13.1 million last season and completed a two-year deal worth $23.2 million.

MLB Trade Rumors: Bartolo Colon Agrees to Sign With Unknown Team

Bartolo Colon has agreed to a deal with an unknown club reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter). The right-hander wouldn’t divulge the team because he has not yet passed his physical.

Pretty sure it’s either the All-Stars or the Champs.

BN: A Proposal To Break The Territorial-Rights Logjam Between The A’s And The Giants

With a doff of the chapeau to Mr. Calcaterra, a modest proposal indeed:

All of the two-team territories but one share the same counties: the Yankees and Mets; the White Sox and Cubs; and the Dodgers and Angels. Only the Giants and A’s split the counties surrounding their home cities. The A’s territory includes Alameda and Contra Costa counties; the Giants’ territory includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey and Marin counties, “plus Santa Clara County with respect to another major league team.” San Jose is in Santa Clara county.

St. Louisian Don Mueller, former big-league star, dies

Don Mueller...

St. Louis native Don Mueller, who led the majors in hits in 1954 and roamed the outfield with Willie Mays of the New York Giants, died on Wednesday. He was 84.

Mueller, who played at CBC, was signed by the Giants in 1944 and made his big-league debut four years later.

At age 23, he became a starter for the Giants in right field and hit .291 in his first full season.

...A career .296 hitter, Mueller became known as “Mandrake the Magician.” He finished his career with two seasons with the White Sox in 1958 and 59.

Oakland Athletics Will Be Granted Permission To Move To San Jose, According To Report

Rosicrucia

n

l Park!

The Oakland Athletics may not be in Oakland for much longer, if new reports about the prove true: USA Today writer Bob Nightengale reports that sources say the Athletics will be granted permission to move to San Jose by February.

This move has been a possibility simmering on a back burner for some time now; Rob Neyer wrote about the potential of the San Jose A’s in September. But while it has been a possibility for many years, with the A’s looking to improve their accommodations from the outdated O.co Coliseum to a new ballpark and/or get out from under the shadow of the successful San Francisco Giants, this new approval may accelerate a timeline to get the A’s out of the city they have called home since 1968.

Schulman: Giants: The winter of our disconnect

Coherentism rocks! Sabean’s team-building philosophy rolls!

I’m bringing up ancient history because it is very relevant this morning in illustrating Sabean’s team-building philosophy.

Sabean always has believed that it makes little sense to have one or two big players if the supporting cast is weak. He would rather own a room full of toys than one Xbox 360. He was ripped for that philosophy in 1996, ripped for it again after the 2003 season when he didn’t make a move for Vlad Guerrero and is being ripped for it today. But he is not budging.

...Two months later, we know it’s not going to be this way. If the Giants’ heavy lifting is over, Cabrera and Angel Pagan will have been the primary additions for 2012. I must admit I think folks are underestimating Cabrera’s potential impact. The guy did come to bat 706 times for Kansas City last year and hit .305/.340/.470 with 18 home runs from the second spot in the order and playing 81 home games in a pitchers’ park. An outlier year? Kind of hard to say that when the guy is supposed to be 27 years old.

To compete for another division title, the Giants are banking on a healthy Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez, a fitter and more determined Huff in another contract year, Panda being Panda, a few more hits from Brandon Crawford, the potential emergence of Brandon Belt, better defense and athleticism, and the usual strong pitching staff, which largely remained intact.

NYT: Bonds Avoids Prison - Sentenced To 30 Days Home Confinement

Starts with GWB’s attack in the State of the Union, ends with a whimper. Parallels to Iraq at your own risk.

Baseball America’s Top 10 Prospects: San Francisco Giants

Come back Kenny Kolkhorst, wherever you are.

1. Gary Brown, OF
2. Tommy Joseph, 1B/C
3. Heath Hembree, RHP
4. Joe Panik, SS
5. Francisco Peguero, OF
6. Andrew Susac, C
7. Eric Surkamp, LHP
8. Kyle Crick, RHP
9. Ehire Adrianza, SS
10. Hector Sanchez, C

The current strength of San Francisco’s system is in position players, led by speedster Gary Brown and longball threat Tommy Joseph. Brandon Belt, who graduated to the majors in 2011, could make an impact for years to come. Scouting director John Barr added two polished college hitters in the 2011 draft, with St. John’s shortstop Joe Panik in the first round and Oregon State catcher Andrew Susac in the second.

However, the Giants don’t have another can’t-miss position player like Posey in the system. He’s determined to catch again and club officials will relent to his wishes, but they’ve talked about moving their best hitter out of harm’s way in the not too distant future.

Buster Posey’s leg rehabilitation progressing nicely in Georgia | SFGiants.com: News

Giants catcher Buster Posey is continuing his smooth recovery from extensive left leg injuries and appears poised to intensify his training, head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner said Friday.