The Giants have announced several of their non-roster invitees for 2020 Spring Training, thus revealing a few as-yet-unknown signings. Outfielder Joey Rickard is back after being non-tendered. He’ll be joined by hurlers Matt Carasiti and Sam Moll on minors deals.
Otherwise, the team’s tweets (pitchers / hitters) revealed a slate of preexisting minor-league signees and prospects. Of particular note is righty Andrew Triggs, who joined the organization late last season in search of a comeback, and recent top draft choices Sean Hjelle and Joey Bart.
Rickard is the best-known of the new additions. The 28-year-old, a former Rule 5 pick who stuck with the Orioles, landed in San Francisco via waiver claim last year. He’s just a .247/.301/.373 hitter in 978 MLB plate appearances, but did knock around Triple-A pitching last year with a .326/.404/.555 slash over 272 plate appearances.
As for the pitchers, both are 28 years of age, got their starts with the Rockies organization, and will be looking to return to the majors after brief prior action. The right-handed Carasiti got a few MLB appearances in 2019 with the Mariners but spent most of the year at Triple-A, working to a 3.53 ERA in 43 1/3 total Triple-A innings. Moll, a southpaw, returns to the San Francisco org after throwing 49 frames of 2.39 ERA ball with 9.9 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 with the team’s top affiliate.
As a Giant fan, I’m despondent!
Thoroughly whelmed
For years I felt the same with Sebean in charge. Always getting hacks – I believe this might be worse
Richard Moll’s tour de force? Is it Bull from Night Court or the Vietnam Zombie Monster from HOUSE? Maybe his criminal underutilization in Jingle All The Way?
Saw they also signed C Chad Tromp. I guess if you’re not a fan of his that would make you a “Never Tromper”. Bart’s nickname should be Peanut Butter.He and Hjelle could take a picture together with one holding a bat.
Tromp le Monde is an underrated album
Sean Doolittle all the way.
Oh yeah, no question.
Surfer Rubby de la Rosa?
BossaDanielNava?
Eh, it’s a stretch. Sorry!
Lol yeah Ivan Bossa Nova is closer
Def thought of that as soon as I hit post comment, but I as a Sox fan I’ll stand by it
Maybe a Jae-Hwan Kim Deal? Or is he gone to Santiago?
Excellent
Joey BART Train
Rickard is good depth
Low bar.
This is a lousy signing
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? / Thou art more lovely and more temperate. / Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, / And summer’s lease hath all too short a date!
Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines, and often is his gold complexion dimmed. And every fair from fair sometimes declines by chance or nature’s changing course untrimmed.
I really don’t know what the Giants are doing right now. if they the management let us fans know more of whats happening maybe we could be more in tune to understanding them.Don’t understand why they are going after Castellanos when Pullar had more home runs then him.Lets sign Pullar unless its too late. Would really appreciate an answer from Giants Mgmt.I’m born and raised in S F and have been following OUR GIANTS since 58. Happy New Year.and GO GIANTS !
They ain’t going after Castellanos or Pillar; They’re rebuilding. All that talk you heard about Castellanos was just lip service.
Hang in there, old buddy, they’ll have another shot in two or three years.
Castellanos > Pillar
it should be obvious what they are doing, they are rebuilding the farm to create a new foundation for the future. if they can sign a guy that has a possibility of sticking through the rebuild then they will. the giants aren’t afraid of spending but unless you want to harness yourself with a bunch of long term vets there isn’t a point to trying to sign your way out of the hole they are in. after you build the base of young players you can compliment t with veteran pieces
I’m not sure where you’re getting your statistical information from, but I suggest you find a different source. Nicolas Castellanos hit six more home runs than Kevin Pillar did last year.
Well I just looked it up and Castellanos had 16 HRs in 19 I know Pillar had 21 so where are you getting your info?
16 for the Cubs, 11 for the Tigers for a total of 27.
Take a look at last years farm rankings and this years ranking and it will become apparent what they are doing – like picking up cozart with a first round prospect attached for instance.
The giants have money, but don’t have young players. So spend the money on guys like cozart (with a solid prospect attached) and sign guys like Castellanos who could be a trade chip, doesn’t cost prospects and whose contract won’t bog the Giants down if he plays it out. If he’s still around and producing when their farm gets called up, great! Also Castellanos had 27HR to Pillars 21HR and is a career 112 wrc+ to Pillars 86 – huge difference in offensive output. All the more important with Pillars diminished defense.
While they haven’t come out and said what they are doing, the farm system’s big uptick should tell you Zaidi is doing exactly what he was brought in to do.
Giants fans. Lol
Learn how to spell. And Castellanos had more homers than Pillar idiot. He was way better at everything except for defense.
Show some respect young man. SFbornGTSFAN has been a true Giants Fan for longer than you’ve likely been alive. Just because he misspelled a player’s name (which he corrected in his next post), and got a stat incorrect does not mean he’s an “idiot.” Please, be a little kind and read between the lines. This longtime Giants’ fan deserves your respect. Find what we have in common, and please don’t seek what divides us. Lovers of our game, unite!
I don’t care how long someone has been a fan. It doesn’t mean anything when they know nothing about baseball.
Yes his name is spelled Pillar whoever commented on my spelling I’m sure is perfect in everything they spell.Thank you for the nice comment on my spelling
Relax, Mrs. Castellanos.
Yeah his name is spelled Pillar whoever commented on my spelling I’m sure is perfect in everything they spell.
Here’s your answer: Pillar isn’t really that good at baseball and provided no value at an expected $10M contract. He’s an accumulator who never walks. Yaz, a career minor leaguer acquired for free.99 from the worst team in baseball, would have had Pillar’s numbers prorated to Pillar’s number of at bats. Of course, Pillar was also acquired for free, but he got into the a Giants plans better at $5M than at $10M. The Giants essentially took Pillar’s money and bought Gausman, who will probably turn into an interesting prospect at the trade deadline.
It’s all about value for the 2020 Giants. Pillar provided none so he’s gone. We will see this when he finally signs for a fraction of $10M.
Not to mention Farhan was desperate to acquire Pillar after the Joe-Reed debacle. Since he acquired Pillar, he picked up Yaz and Davis who can both play CF (plus Dubon who might get a look in CF) and probably hit about as well because Pillar hits below league average. Yes, Pillar had decent counting stats, but that’s primarily because he got 600 ABs (and I’m pretty sure was the only Giant to get 600 ABs).
So, Pillar provided no value and SF acquired 2-3 younger players that can play his position. He gone.
And if you don’t like Gausman, then the giants took Pillar’s money and bought Will Wilson, the 18th overall pick last year, but I think it’s easier to think of Wilson as a PTBNL to the masterful Melancon deal.
Finally someone with sense.
More Zaidi “dumpster diving.”
All day erryday!!!!!
Sign Tajuan Walker already. I’m all for dumpster diving as they shouldn’t be signing anybody to multi year deals right now but grab someone exciting with former top prospect upside to at least throw the fans a bone.
Dude’s too much of an injury problem. Go Jimmy Nelson and Alex Wood instead.
I’m so sick of our fanbase. We’re rebuilding. Do as much dumpster diving as you want. And our fans act like these guys will be the only guys at spring training. It has NON ROSTER in it for a reason!
Then they will fall in love with the few successes that Farhan gets out of this crew and cry themselves to sleep when they don’t come back on the team (Vogt and Pillar).
and couldn’t you call guys like Dickerson and Yaz dumpster diving as well? seems like Farhan’s strategy has worked well so far.
Yes, it has and under DrZ the recovery time will be reduced.
Exactly. Have no problem with letting them go.
When the time is right (which will be in the next couple weeks) they’ll add transitional players like a Santana or a walker, as well as some bigger names on 1 year deals like a king Felix or a zobrist or maybe a grandy man if he’s cheap enough and hope they have trade value by July. They’re doing what they should and zaidi is doing just fine. You may still actually see belts contract come off in a trade still as well. I like belt, but he’s not a fit in our park. He needs to be in a bandbox. He would hit for big power elsewhere.
Souza more likely than Granderson. Hard pass on Granderson. But agreed. Farhan waiting for value, which there hasn’t been M much of this offseason yet
I prefer Souza too. I just used granderson as a name because everyone knows who he is.
Souza would be a good pick up.
oh please. how is signing Minor League deals dumpster diving?
If you haven’t seen it, around the foghorn has an article about three pitchers that fit what the Giants are looking for. It’s an interesting read and all are buy low players that are hungry and have some pretty good upside possibilities. These guys all benefit from playing at Oracle, and can have real trade value at the deadline if they’re able to show they’re healthy again.
Just a thought………. do you think they would look at Ozuna?
I’m sure they’ll talk to his agent, but nothing serious. I believe they have to give up a pick to get him.
Which team will be worse in 2019, Gigantes or Dubs?
Keep “ churning “ Dr. Z