The Giants have finalized a minor-league deal with Jeff Suppan, tweets Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea.com. Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News, who first reported that the sides were close, adds that the deal would pay Suppan $1MM for making the team and includes a late-March opt-out clause (Twitter links).
The 36-year-old will provide the team with insurance in case Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Madison Bumgarner or Barry Zito got injured.
Suppan posted a 7.84 ERA in 15 appearances with the Brewers before they released him last year. The right-hander then appeared in 15 games for St. Louis and posted a 3.84 ERA for the Cards. Fielding independent pitching stats suggest Suppan's season ERA (5.06) should have been around 5.00. Overall, he logged 101 1/3 innings and posted 4.5 K/9, 3.3 BB/9 and a 40.3% ground ball rate.
The 2011 version of Todd Wellemeyer
You beat me and about 300 other potential posters to the punch on that one
I was just so excited to see a Giants player acquisition. 😀
Um no…Wellemeyer was signed to BE the 5th starter. Suppan will just be sent to AAA or he will opt out. No way he beats out any of the starting 5. Well maybe Zito, but 19 million says Zito stays.
Um ya… Wellemeyer was signed to a minor league contract and ultimately beat out a group of pitchers including MadBum in spring training for the 5th spot. He was not signed to be the 5th starter. Suppan will end up being cut right about the same time Wellemeyer was cut last year to free up a spot on the 40 man roster.
He could easily earn a spot in the bullpen as long relief. I think his ability to start would give him a slight edge on Mota for the last bullpen spot right now.
I think the key factor is that Mota only has a minor-league contract. If he doesn’t look like a total mess, the Giants will probably want to hang on to Suppan and keep him in SF as a long-reliever/emergency starter.
This years starting 5 is set. There is ZERO chance of him making the rotation. Totally different from the Wellemeyer situation.
Wellemeyer signed to a minor league contract following a terrible previous season. No risk signing and added for insurance.
Suppan signed to a minor league contract following a terrible previous season. No risk signing and added for insurance.
I can totally see your point now. These are 2 TOTALLY different singings.
mlbtraderumors.com/2010/02/giants-sign-todd-wellem…
You are totally right on this 55saveslives. Thank you for correcting me on this.
Wellemeyer signed to a minor league contract that could escalate to $1mill if promoted to the Giants. Had a miserable 2009 season and was not resigned by the Cardinals.
Suppan signed to a minor league contract that could escalate to $1mill if promoted to the Giants. Had a miserable 2010 season and was not resigned by the Cardinals.
Last year the Giants had no 5th starter. It was Wellemeyer’s job to lose going in to S.T. he won.
This year the Giants have a 5th starter. Suppan is competing for a AAA spot and emergency spot starter at best.
Sorry if this is going to fast for you.
Chris Haft of MLB.com writes that the San Francisco Giants have signed right-handed long reliever Todd Wellemeyer to a Minor League contract with an invite to big league Spring Training. Giants vice president of baseball operations Bobby Evans said, “We’re looking at him right now more as a long man” — a reliever capable of pitching multiple innings.
Sorry avila but you should quit while you’re ahead on this one.
That the Wellemeyer and Suppan signings were under similar circumstances – or, to phrase it differently, the type of offseason signing that happens all the time for starters in the twilight of their career – is not relevant. Because this year in Spring Training, Bumgarner won’t be throwing 87.
Suppan is around strictly as insurance for a team that has ZERO starting pitching depth beyond its big-league roster. At this time last year, they had Joe Martinez and Kevin Pucetas available if Wellemeyer, and Bumgarner in the minors in case a rotation spot needed to be filled. This year, they have nobody. That is the only reason for this move. Bumgarner is no longer a “prospect,” and his spot in the rotation is guaranateed.
“It just gives us a chance to look at him versus the other options we have,” Giants vice president of player personnel Bobby Evans said of Suppan. “You’re always trying to add to the depth and give the club some options.”
I.E. he was signed to be a 6th option in Fresno.
SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Giants and free agent right-hander Todd Wellemeyer agreed Wednesday to a minor league contract. The 31-year-old, a 13-game winner for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008, will get the opportunity to compete for the No. 5 starter spot.
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What happened last year was Madison Bumgarner didn’t work out in the offseason due to him getting married and dealing with his half sister’s death. Giants knew Madison wouldn’t be ready so they signed Wellemeyer. Bobby Evans did a good thing by not throwing Bumganer under the bus for not coming in to S.T. in shape.
I havent heard madbum but i like it , maybe it will catch on. and since i live in the city i will do my best to spread it around, even though you guys arent my team.
MadBum has been around for days
15 wins
ERA 3.08
K 140
WHIP 1.118
Suppan has never had a whip lower than 1.26 or more than 128 strike outs… Stats more like:
2 wins
ERA 6.50
K 16
WHIP 1.60
I’ll take the insurence.
you’re crazy, Zito is way better.
no, YOU’RE CRAZY!!!
Huh? Look at the numbers… Zito is way better than this bum.
Whoops, wrong reply.
if he pitches well zito could lose his spot to him i think
Thats like saying if Lincecum, Sanchez, Bumgarner, and Cain were injured, Zito could be the ace.
You’re crazy, Zito is way better.
Zito’s paycheck insures he is a lock
He’s also a flat out better pitcher.
Zito is grossly overpaid, but he is above average for a 4th/5th starter. Suppan is barely above replacement level.
Suppan will not crack the MLB rotation barring an injury. I am not saying Zito is awesome but Zito is WAY better than Suppan.
You’re crazy, Zito is way better!!
hopefully clayton tanner has a solid year in fresno. he could also be fifth starter insurance.
hopefully. he’ll start in fresno and get every chance to be a future #5 starter option for us. he reminds me of a young kirk reuter
Damn what a lethargic offseason,suppan and tejada
What did they need to do? They are a team that wins (the world series!) on pitching and defense. That hasn’t changed. They have depth, on the bench and in the bullpen, and Suppan is insurance for an injury. This season is about developing Brandon Belt, ala Posey, and making in season adjustments to the roster like last year.
You’re crazy, Zito is way better!! 🙂
Couldn’t agree more. I am sad that Uribe is gone. Tejada will hopefully fill at least 80% of that void.
I don’t think its much of a problem because Uribe was unlikely to fill more than 80% of his 2010 production anyway
Sometimes, the best moves are the moves you don’t make. Apart from Werth and Crawford, this is an awful and overpaid FA class.
How’d he get past the Dodgers?
You have to be an EX-Giants to get picked up by the Dodgers. This signing assures that Suppan will get picked up in LA next offseason.
This is the right time to add a couple of experienced starters to the Spring Training staff. The Giants would be well served to have a couple of capable starters in Fresno during the season as insurance for the starting five. I doubt Suppan would be my first choice, but the concept is solid. They should look at J D Martin from the Nationals as another addition to camp.
Galaraga would have been better, but I think he’ll get a starting job somewhere.
suppan is better hitter than half the team maybe they plan on giving pat burrell a break in left from time to time
I hope the Giants never need him.
I know it’s just a “depth” signing, and I’m sure someone will throw in an “innings eater” comment, but almost anybody on San Jose’s A+ roster would provide you with the same or better pitching than this guy.
Brian Sabean to all other GMs: No Supp for you!
He filled in admirably for the Cards last year. Every team has to make minor league signings like this; spring training for every team features castoffs and retreads giving it a go.
And he’s definitely better than Wellmeyer aka the walk machine.
If he turns out to do as poorly as Wellemeyer, at least he’ll suck more quickly than Wellemeyer. Watching him pitch was like waiting for paint to dry on your taxes while waiting for a bus in hell. Insufferable.
Maybe he’ll try throwing lefthanded this year… since throwing righty is obviously not his thing.
This signing will push the Giants over the top from world series contender to long lasting dynasty. Nothing can possibly stop them from dominating baseball now. The other teams in the division should just forfeit the season…
His ERA was almost 8 last year and didn’t he start that game in MIL where ISHI hit a grand slam and we pummeled the brew crew. Bad deal, I bet he doesn’t make the team.
what? He posted a sub-4 ERA with the Cardinals after his release from the Brewers. Where did you read the ERA of almost 8 from?
7.84 with the Brewers.
I think that was Narveson.
Huff, Torres, and Posey homered. Posey went yard twice, and hand a grand slam to gobble up 6 RBIs. The Giants won 15-2. Suppan did not face the Giants last year.
Ishikawa’s grand slam was against Ubaldo. He wasn’t really the same after that game.
Low risk
and absolutely zero return
Whats he on the depth chart? 111th?
Come on Suppan. Just retire already!
Yikes! The Giants staff just passed the Phillies 2011 staff and all those great Braves staffs in the ’90’s for best rotation in the modern era. Watch out Tim Lincecum, you’re going to have to compete for the opening day nod this year, Jeff Suppan is in the house!
As a Brewer fan and a guy who saw virtually every start he made over a three year span, let me just say that Suppan provides “insurance” just like your medical plan does.
No matter the price, it’s way too much and you NEVER get what you pay for.
Least he can eat some innings for Fresno.
By Opening Day, the only thing he’ll be eating is potato chips on his couch.
Surprised he didn’t sign with the Cards on a minor league deal. Seems like he thrives with Dave Duncan.
I have seen this pitcher for years. I think he can definately be a back up plan say one of the Giants starters is on the disabled list. My prediction is Barry Zito is so full of gusto to be playing to 2011 he will put up much better numbers. Seeing your team win a World title and not being a part of it has Zito itching to show his team what he can do.