The Giants have signed right-hander Tommy Hanson to a minor league contract, reports John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). The former Braves and Angels right-hander is a client of the Legacy Agency.
Hanson, now 28, once ranked among baseball’s top pitching prospects and briefly looked the part of a budding ace in Atlanta prior to succumbing to injuries. Hanson finished third in the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year voting, and between the ’09-’10 campaigns, he worked to a stellar 3.16 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a ground-ball rate just north of 41 percent.
Shoulder problems began to plague Hanson in the 2011 season, however, and a Spring Training car accident in 2012 also resulted in a concussion. The Braves would ultimately flip Hanson to the Angels in exchange for setup man/closer Jordan Walden after Hanson worked to a 4.48 ERA with significantly diminished velocity in 2012.
The 73 innings that Hanson tossed in an Angels uniform in 2013 were the last he’s thrown in the Majors. Since that time, he’s signed minor league pacts with the Rangers and White Sox but has not surfaced at the Major League level. He may have a chance to do just that with San Francisco, if he can prove healthy, as the Giants have been beset by injuries to this point in the 2015 season.
Matt Cain has spent the entire season on the disabled list to this point, and Jake Peavy has been sidelined as well. The Giants have primarily relied on Madison Bumgarner, Tim Hudson, Tim Lincecum, Ryan Vogelsong and Chris Heston in their rotation. Vogelsong, however, has posted just a 5.67 ERA, while Lincecum’s somewhat surprising success has come in spite of an average of 87.5 mph on his heater. The Giants, of course, also have swingman Yusmeiro Petit as a potential rotation reinforcement, should further need arise.
So Tommy Hanson and ricky romero hmm anyone else think this might be a bad idea for the giants to get injured pitchers
Seriously, there’s no risk to signing both of them…the Giants signed them for pennies and if both pitchers suck, the team can just drop ’em…’low risk – mediocre reward’ kinda thing…Dontrelle Willis never panned out but Ryan Vogelsong did for the Giants…let’s see what happens, I tend to be on your side that it won’t work out but my optimism has something to hope for both Romero and Hanson
I like the moves, give them a shot as long as there are roster spots in the minors (which there are). Both were above average pitchers, both were injured in 2013, both are still in prime years (28 & 30). You can’t really judge them on last year… only one year after they were injured. Yeah they may never recover but if they do, i would gladly take them.
Hansen 4 yrs prior to injury – 45-32 W-L, 3.61 ERA, 158 IP (avg), 148 K (avg)
Why? Even for Triple A depth. The last time Tommy Hanson was effective was three years ago.
Why not attempt to trade for Dillon Gee, or bring up a Kyle Crick?
Why not? There is absolutely no risk and this by no means effects either of your options.
true, this doesn’t affect my other options. I guess as long as they don’t call up Hanson, it’s okay.
Cause Crick isn’t MLB ready and trading for Gee wouldn’t really help things.
Crick still needs to work on his BB average. He was giving up at least 5 walks a game last year I believe. That wouldn’t bode well in the majors. As soon as he gets his command under control then he will be in the majors. I want to see it but I also don’t want to see him come up too soon and get rocked.
Agreed Crick needs experience, but you know, if you bring up guys like Hanson and Romero….even in a pinch, yeesh.