The Giants have a deal in place with the Korean Baseball Organization's KIA Tigers to sell Brett Pill to the Gwangju-based club, with just financial details left to be finalized, reports. Pill is negotiating with KIA Tigers about a new contract, though the deal will fall through if Pill and the Tigers can't come to terms.
The Giants are expected to receive around $500K in the sale, Baggarly notes, which is roughly twice as much as teams usually receive in such transactions. Earlier today, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle tweeted that the Giants were asking for as much as $1MM for Pill's rights and multiple teams in Korea and Japan were interested.
Pill, 29, has blossomed as a prospect over the last five seasons, culminating in a 1.010 OPS in 298 PA for Triple-A Fresno in 2013. He's received only 259 PA over three seasons at the Major League level, however, and there seemed little hope of more playing time given the Giants' depth at first base, Pill's ideal position. Brandon Belt looks to be the everyday first baseman in 2014, with Mike Morse also a candidate for playing time and Buster Posey also likely to get more time at first over the years in order to protect him from the rigors of catching. Pill has also seen time in left field and the Giants have experimented with him at second and third in the minors to try and find a place for his bat in the lineup.
Oh hell no, does Pill get no say? I would be pissed if a Baseball organization sold me to another country.
Well it says in the write up, that pill is negotiating a new contract with the KIA Tigers…..so this would actually benefit him….some people covering the Giants, said he would get a better contract …if he stayed in MLB he would have to play out his current contract and might not be guaranteed playing time.
This is normally the player’s choice, although if I remember correctly the Cubs sold Marvell Wynne’s contract to a foreign team around 1990 or so without his permission.
Reminds me of Kyle Kendrick
That’s pretty messed up. I would be pretty mad if a Baseball organization sold me to another country without my approval or at least any warning…
They can’t do it without the approval of the player.
Unless it is the Blue Jays :)
“Pill is already negotiating with KIA Tigers about a new contract.”
Well I guess he is fine with the move…
So is Korea the new Japan? It seems like many MLB outcasts, rejects, and retreads are heading there instead of Japan.
Yeah there seems to be lots of players going there this year
One more foreign (position) player allowed this year in their roster. Before 2, now 3.
Korean teams are trying very hard to raise attendance and dispel accusations of xenophobia/racism.
The KBO has increased the amount of foreign players who can be on a
roster. And there considering abolishing the salary cap which isn’t
enforced anyway as Cantu said we given $650,000 with incentives to make
it $1M. They said the Lions offered Justin Germano $1M to stay in Korea
KBO recently officially approved the increase of foreign players per team (3 each, NC Dinos gets 4), 1 must be a pitcher and 1 must be a non-pitcher, 2 are allowed to be active during the same game. Most of their rosters are not full yet so expect more real soon.
Brett Pill “I’m excited to fill the Tigers’ hole at first base left after last month’s Fielder trade.”
“Wait, what?”
Everybody just needs to calm down and take a chill Pill. He has to log some innings before MLB teams see his real value, and that is what he will get overseas.
I rather have had the giants move belt to left and let pill play first, instead of signing morse.
than people would just say its the same team as last year which pretty much is
I wish Brett Pill the best, but he is not an MLB-quality first baseman.
I don’t think much of Morse either, but he’s got considerably more upside, unlikely as it seems that he will get anywhere near it.
I’m surprised an MLB team didn’t want to take a chance on Pill. Hes never gotten more than 114 PA in an MLB season, he could still have a breakout season given regular playing time.
“Hes never gotten more than 114 PA in an MLB season”
There’s a reason for that.
If Pill Is such a good prospect now why didn’t they just trade him to a US team for a piece that they need
I was thinking the same thing, only thing I can think of in that he is already 29 and he has never had MLB success. Still if teams want to take a chance on Ike Davis why not Pill?
I am sure that they explored domestic options before looking overseas. They had discussions with the Brewers during the winter meetings, and frankly Milwaukee seemed like his best bet on this side of the Pacific.
Maybe the Giants can use this to leverage a better return in a trade. With the weak FA market for 1B I would think someone would give up a decent prospect for him… or at least more money than the 500K they will get from Korea.
Only a 500,000 dollar posting fee, ehh???
Hmm. I thought the Brewers would’ve offered up at least something for Pill. Apparently not. Oh well, best of luck to the kid in Korea.
There’s no such thing as a 29 year old prospect.
Pill got a lot of flack simply for being a “competitor” with Brandon Belt. Here’s hoping he gets to go and rake and play baseball and make some mones.
Say what? Tigers? Korea? I don’t like it.
gives him a chance to play a higher level than AAA and likely play daily. Develop some more, and eventually make it back to the MLB. It’s a smart move for him
The Hanshin Tigers in Japan were trying to sign him, that is where I thought he would go. They are also said to have interest in Travis Hafner & Lyle Overbay.
I’m in high school and he hits in the cages with us along with Hunter Pence. It’s crazy.
Sabean can’t find a team who wants Brett Pill? Did he accidently turn the ringer off of his phone? Dude. Pill can’t do much better in AAA. Needs to get a decent look at playing starter innings in the majors.
Plus, the money is better IF you don’t get a major league call up. But does the player still have to return to the major league club that “sold” him if he comes back> I think the same happened to JUustin Huber with the Twins, and after playing 2 or 3 years, he finally became his own free agent, not that it matters at a certain age. But it would be for a more substantial than AAA paycheck. And not lose time to the next hot AA prospect. 30 years old playing AAA ball is not a career that is going to last.