Giants add former All-Star Jose Quintana for needed innings

The Giants didn’t wait long to add another veteran arm after parting ways with Tyler Chatwood.T

Veteran lefty José Quintana was claimed from the Los Angeles Angels on Monday morning, adding another potential option to soak up innings during the final month of the season. The front office has been aggressive in pursuing depth options since the trade deadline, with righties Matt Shoemaker and Logan Ondrusek joining Chatwood on the Triple-A staff at one point.

Chatwood was DFA’d on Sunday, but Shoemaker and Ondrusek remain in Triple-A as potential fill-ins. Quintana adds yet another experienced arm as the Giants try to keep their narrow lead in the NL West.

Quintana made 24 appearances for the Angels and didn’t pitch well, posting a 6.75 ERA and 1.781 WHIP. He struck out a career-high 12.3 batters per nine innings, though, and a 4.31 FIP indicates there might have been some bad luck in his outings. He also had some success as a reliever, a role the Giants likely envision for him over the next month. Chatwood essentially served as their long man.

How the Giants took a familiar roster and unearthed the best team in baseball

If you’re open to the softer side of analysis, there’s something to be gleaned from that last bit. That is: the importance and power of buy-in.

Certainly, the new regime ushered in by Zaidi and Kapler represents a decisive modernization of an organization that won three world championships under the savvy-but-old-school duo of Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy. If you pull the individual threads that constitute the tapestry of their success this season, many lead back to Zaidi’s ability to identify overlooked talent. Arming those players with the information to maximize their largely untapped potential has led to breakouts for Wade, Darin Ruf, Kevin Gausman and Webb, among others.

“I feel like sometimes guys are kind of taught the same thing. But really, every guy’s different and they do a really good job of telling guys, ‘You’re really good at this, do that,’” says Webb, who has leaned into his sinker to get more ground balls this season. “There’s so many different numbers now.”

The Giants could lead the majors in home runs and not have a 30-homer hitter

The San Francisco Giants haven’t had a hitter hit 30 or more home runs in a season since Barry Bonds in 2004. Every time I hear that fact, I think, “That can’t possibly be right,” and I Google “Who was the last Giant to hit 30 home runs in a season?” The first result is an article written by me reaffirming the fact and still, I think, “No way. I’m telling me that Barry Bonds didn’t do it in 2005, 2006, or 2007? That Buster Posey won Rookie of the Year and an MVP without doing it? That Hunter Pence didn’t do it in 2013? That the juiced ball didn’t let Brandon Belt do it?”

But it’s true. Even in an era where the likes of Paul DeJong, Rougned Odor, and Randall Grichuk can have a 30-homer season, no Giant has even come close. No Giant has hit more than 24 in a season since Pence hit 27 in 2013.

The Giants have the longest 30-homer season drought in Major League Baseball, and it might be extended this year. Mike Yastrzemski and Brandon Crawford share the team lead with 18. Kris Bryant has 19 homers on the year, but 18 of those came with his old team. However, since he would show up on a Stathead search of “Giants with HR >= 30,” he counts for our purposes.

San Francisco Giants acquire Kris Bryant from Chicago Cubs for two prospects

Kris Bryant was the face of the Chicago Cubs for a long time.

His new bosses in San Francisco were thrilled that joining the Giants meant so much to him, despite the emotions of leaving the only major league team he’s ever known.

Bryant grew up in Las Vegas and loved to watch Giants slugger Barry Bonds—and now the versatile star will get a chance to play not only in the home run king’s former spot in left field, but all over the diamond.

The first-place Giants made a big splash just before the trade deadline Friday by acquiring Bryant from the Cubs for two minor leaguers….

Chicago received right-hander Caleb Kilian and outfielder Alexander Canario in the deal, with the Giants picking up the rest of Bryant’s hefty contract that is paying him $19.5 million this year.

The 29-year-old Bryant, who can become a free agent after this season, was one of the top position players available on the market as the disappointing Cubs sold off several stars. He is batting .267 with 18 home runs and 51 RBI.

Giants call up Kazmir to make 1st start since 2016

Scott Kazmir’s comeback tour will make its first official stop at Oracle Park.

The San Francisco Giants called up the 37-year-old left-hander to start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, the team announced.

Kazmir has not appeared in the majors since 2016 but earned the promotion after posting a 2.84 ERA in 6 1/3 innings for Triple-A Sacramento.

The three-time All-Star signed a minor-league deal with the Giants this offseason after touching 92-93 mph during a comeback showcase in front of teams.

Kazmir spent the 2020 campaign in the independent Constellation Energy League after not pitching professionally in 2018 or 2019.

The San Francisco Giants’ 2010s Dynasty Didn’t Follow The Rules. Neither Has Their Rebuild.

A team rising from No. 23 to No. 1 in rotation strength is pretty unprecedented. Since the dawn of the expansion era in 1961, the biggest year-over-year improvement for a team who ranked first in starting pitching WAR came from the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies, who had ranked 21st in 1979. (They and the 1971 Chicago White Sox are the only teams in the era to go from outside the top 16 in rotation WAR to No. 1 overall the following season.) Even if the Giants’ rotation fell to second place, they would join the 2009 Atlanta Braves, 1989 California Angels and 2020 Philadelphia Phillies as the only teams to rise to No. 2 in rotation WAR from No. 23 or worse the season before.

Either way, it’s been a significant turnaround. And what’s particularly notable is that the Giants basically built this rotation in the span of just a few seasons. While the always-entertaining Johnny Cueto has been with San Francisco since 2016, and Logan Webb made his debut late in the 2019 season, the rest of the Giant starters were acquired over the past two offseasons. As a result, 85 percent of the wins generated by San Francisco pitchers have come from players who were not homegrown — i.e., they made their MLB debuts with teams other than the Giants. Among teams this season, only the Texas Rangers (90 percent) have a higher rate of production from pitchers developed outside the organization — but they haven’t been nearly as successful with the strategy, ranking 24th in WAR from starters and 22nd in pitching WAR overall.

San Francisco Giants acquire OF Mike Tauchman in trade with New York Yankees

The San Francisco Giants acquired outfielder Mike Tauchman from the New York Yankees on Tuesday for left-handed reliever Wandy Peralta and a player to be named later.

The 30-year-old Tauchman, a veteran of five major league seasons, had a breakout year for the Yankees in 2019 when he set career bests with a .277 average, 13 home runs and 47 RBIs. But he hasn’t been able to replicate those stats since, slashing .242/.342/.305 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and .214/.267/.286 in 16 plate appearances this season. He hasn’t hit a home run since the 2019 season.

With Clint Frazier and Brett Gardner splitting time in left field, there was little opportunity for Tauchman to find a spot in the Yankees’ lineup.

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

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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.

Interpreting Scott Boras’ Comments On Prince Fielder: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

The big concern for anyone signing Prince is that he will age like his father.

There has been some talk of Boras trying to get Fielder signed to a three or four year contract, so that Prince gets another bite at the free agency apple. That strategy, I would think, would work best for teams and Prince’s long-term earnings. Of course, who knows what silly offer could already be on the table? I am just glad the Red Sox already have Adrian Gonzalez.

Episode 60: ZiP It, Thomas

Noticed on Twitter that Szym did a long Giants podcast, so I figured I’d send it to Repoz since Szym didn’t.

NY Times: Prosecutors Seek 15 Months in Barry Bonds Case

In court documents filed late Thursday, prosecutors objected to a recommendation by a federal probation officer that Bonds get only probation when he’s sentenced for obstruction of justice on Dec. 16.

In the documents, prosecutors asked that Bonds be sentenced to 15 months in prison. ...

Federal sentencing guidelines for conviction on the obstruction charge recommend a prison sentence between 15 and 21 months. But Bonds’ lawyers have cited an investigative report prepared by a federal probation officer for the judge that recommended a sentence of probation.

Defense lawyers said in a previous motion they disagreed, however, with the probation report’s recommendation that Bonds spend an unspecified time under “location monitoring,” a form of house arrest.

Giants Acquire Pagan From Mets For Torres, Ramirez

The Giants and Mets have agreed on a deal that will send Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez to New York and Angel Pagan to San Francisco, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The deal is pending physicals, Sherman reports (via Twitter).

Thanks to Magoo.

Billy Beane dives into A’s stadium issue

Billy Beane should have never written this article.

“It’s now impacting our baseball planning,” Beane said, “so I feel a need to get involved with this.”

According to a major-league source, Beane accompanied owner Lew Wolff to meet with Commissioner Bud Selig in Scottsdale, Ariz., two weeks ago. Beane declined to confirm or deny his presence or that the meeting even took place…

Oakland lost money last season for the first time this century, with an expected shortfall of several million dollars, according to Beane. The team is consistently a recipient of $20 million or more in revenue sharing, and Oakland’s attendance actually went up in 2011, but the payroll also went up $15 million, from $52 million to $67 million.

Many fans point to the deep pockets of A’s ownership, which includes the Gap’s John Fisher, as a reason the team should spend more on payroll no matter what the revenue.

“It’s a business,” Beane said. “And the business should be able to stand on its own two feet.”

Rosenthal: New push in A’s San Jose quest

“Weeks turn into years. How quick they pass”

Finally, there is movement toward solving one of baseball’s most vexing problems.

Baseball is trying to accelerate a decision on whether to allow the Oakland Athletics to relocate to San Jose, according to major league sources.

Commissioner Bud Selig met with top A’s officials earlier this month and plans to meet with San Francisco Giants executives within two weeks, sources say.

The meetings represent the biggest step toward a resolution of the Athletics’ quest to relocate since Selig appointed a three-member committee to study the franchise’s’ situation in March 2009.

...The Athletics, independent of the Giants’ opposition, are “checking off boxes” to ensure that baseball is satisfied with their plan to relocate, sources say.

The team, according to one source, has agreed to expand the capacity of Cisco Field, its proposed 32,000-seat ballpark, as one of the conditions for a move.

Cleared of murder charges, Angel Villalona added to Giants’ 40-man roster

the Giants have added former top prospect Angel Villalona to their 40-man roster.

Villalona, who received a club-record $2.1 million signing bonus as a 16-year-old in 2006, hasn’t played professionally in over two years after being accused of killing a 25-year-old man in a Dominican Republic nightclub in September of 2009. Charges were eventually dismissed as part of a $139,000 settlement with the victim’s family, but Villalona sued the Giants for $5 million earlier this summer claiming they violated the terms of his contract following his arrest. After the two sides settled the lawsuit in September, the Giants were prepared to welcome him back in the organization.

Villalona is currently at the Giants’ complex in the Dominican working his way into baseball shape, but he isn’t completely out of the woods yet. While Giants president of baseball operations Bobby Evans told Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News that he was removed from the restricted list about a month ago, he is still awaiting a work visa to return to the United States.