Alex Wood’s one-year contract with the Giants pays out $3MM with another $3MM in incentives, but it’s the structure of those incentives that makes the contract unique, writes Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports.com. Wood’s deal will reward the southpaw for consistency working deep into games. He’ll make $150K after 12 games of 10-plus outs, and another $150K after 14 such games. He’d then get $250K for each of 16, 18, 22, and 24 10-out games, and $500K for 26, 28, or 30 10-out outings. Given the 3 1/3 inning threshold, Wood should have a decent chance of reaching those benchmarks if he’s in the rotation, but the structure leaves open the possibility of earning his incentives even if he works as an opener or follower.
- Speaking of Wood, he almost signed with the Giants last season, but he chose to return to the Dodgers instead to take his best shot at winning a World Series ring, per John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. That worked out about as well as possible, but now Wood hopes to return to the rotation on a regular basis. Wood made just two starts with the Dodgers in 2020, working a total of 12 2/3 innings (which included seven relief appearances). He spent more than a month on the injured list suffering from shoulder inflammation. With the Giants, he’ll have an opportunity to pitch his way back into the rotation. That said, after bringing back Kevin Gausman and signing Anthony DeSclafani, Wood is not without competition for those starting spots. He’ll have to stay healthy as well, which has not been a given for Wood in recent seasons.
- Ehire Adrianza signaled an end to his time in Minnesota with a post on instagram thanking the fans in Minnesota for his four years there. As of now, however, it’s not readily apparent if Adrianza has a new team lined up for 2021, per Chris Miller of the Star Tribune. The versatile switch-hitter has played everywhere on the diamond except for centerfield over his eight-year career. He spent four seasons with the Giants and the last four with the Twins, compiling a career triple slash line of .244/.310/.360, good for an 82 wRC+. The 31-year-old doesn’t offer a lot of pop, but he generally puts the ball in play and walked at a 10.9 percent clip in 2020. He may be a value option for a team that had interest in but missed out on either Jurickson Profar or Enrique Hernández.
3 and a third is now “working deep into games.” Oh boy. Can’t wait for 2/3 of one inning to become a quality start
It is for someone that hasn’t even been able to pitch hardly over the last handful of seasons.
It’s really a shame too, because when Wood has been truly healthy, he’s been absolutely filthy!!
The former Georgia standout began to turn heads in Atlanta when he was making his professional debut climbing up the Braves MiL ranks. He continued his excellent work after he was called up to Atlanta, and had success both as a reliever and a starter. Finally, after the Braves permanently gave him a chance to start Alex Wood took it, ran with it, and never looked back.
Wood quickly turned into one of the more promising young starters in the NL, and then the Braves stupidly traded him away, in what will forever be one of the more lopsided trades in Brave’s recent history..
Wood continued getting better and better as a Dodger, but his jerky mechanics seemed to finally take their toll as he started piling up the injuries. This was the main reason the Braves were willing to trade Wood, because they thought his mechanics would ultimately lead to him becoming injury prone..
Still though, Wood gave the Dodgers a heck of alot more than Olivera gave the Braves…/: Unfortunately, Wood just hasn’t been able to fully bounce back since his crash of injuries, but when he was on he was one of the best LHPs going..
Even if it is just TWO INNINGS, if Wood can regain his former form, the Giants got themselves a real steal!! Here is to wishing Wood the best of luck moving forward, I really hope he can find ally put it all back together!!
The incentive would’ve been for games started, until openers became a thing. With openers, a team can avoid paying out games started incentives while still using the pitcher like a starter. Nothing really unique about it except the need to work around the prevalence of openers.
Who are the giants starters besides those mentioned above?
I know Cueto is one just because the Giants are trying to put together an all-Reds staff. Looking forward to Bauer signing with San Fran to complete the collection
Johnny Cueto, Logan Webb, Tyler Beede and Shaun Anderson to name a few.
@HBan22 A bunch of B list Hacks…..With that rinky dink staff, Frisco is looking at their 5th consecutive below .500 losing season
@Hban, I don’t think Shaun Anderson is a candidate to start. He’s barely got the control to get through an inning of relief at this point. And @ TonyGwynn, NO ONE in San Francisco calls it “Frisco.”
Giantsphan This dude is talking about below .500 seasons as a Padres fan! Hahaha…they have one season this past decade above .500! Hahahahahaa
but everyone outside of it does
But everyone outside of Libtard city calls it Frisco.
Amen about “Frisco”..same thing for “San Fran”
Descalfani, if that’s how you spell it, Gausman, if that’s how you spell it, Cueto, Wood, Beede, Webb. As for the rinky dink TonyGwynnSD19 who thinks that after a decade of being in last place has room to talk because his Padres are all of the sudden relevant cracks me up. Giants are on the rise, they have a great farm, and will be in the mix breaking your heart in our home away from home real soon! Lol
Sorry to burst your bubble over there, but San Fran is a few years away from being competitive. They may have a few good prospects, but I think majority will turn out to be mlb regulars at best. I dont see them as a threat it the NL any time soon.
Btw correcting someone’s spelling is lame.
@Balk while the Giants farm system has improved , it’s far from
‘Great’ it’s a not a Top 5 or even a Top 10 system. Reputable rankings BA, BP rank the Giants farm system at best 12th which is closer to the middle than the top . But being in the middle is a lot better than where they were
The big problem with the Giants farm system is that they have No potential impact arms. There are a few hitters . But there isn’t a clear future Acuna , Tatis type impact bat . Conversely, SF is years away from truly being competitive or even relevant in the NL West
Miss me with your bull crap, the Giants are big spenders and will get the arms they don’t produce. Either through trade or FA. Sorry to burst your bubble, one of the richest organizations out there, on top it’s debatable but I see them in the top ten in farms!
I wasn’t correcting anyone but myself on the spelling, and no one is saying the Giants are competitive this year or next, just pointing out the obvious that one good year by the friars out of the last 10 isn’t room to clown the Giants with three rings this past decade.
A lot of the drafts the Giants have signed haven’t had a chance to prove themselves due to pandemic, so saying they don’t have tatis or acuna hitters to me is a bit premature. Young talent on the farm for the Giants and Ramos, Wilson, Luciano with Hajel etc are looking prime to compete with a few additions via trade or Fa in the next couple of years. Next years draft along with additions will put them in a great spot to compete with the money they will have to spend.
No future Acuna/Tatis impact bat? Look up Marco Luciano.
Light years? After 2021 they have something like $80 MILLION coming off the books to spend on free agents? That’s on top of a full season of prospects getting ABs in the minors? I’m thinking one more year of holding down the fort, then another to set up the next big team. Does two seasons = a light year now?
Dodger fans… coming into the boards in the 3rd and leaving in the 7th…
Writer is apparently not familiar with the G’s. They currently have just 5 and Webb is the ? WOod is being counted on to start.
Honestly nobody haha. Johnny, Gausmen, beedy (recovering from TJ) Webb. Shark is gone and Andy is in the KBO.
As a giants fan and ready to suck for another year or two I’m more than fine with whoever we put out there as long it’s a lefty. Tyler Anderson can come back or someone else I can’t think of to be a lefty who can get us through. 3/4 innings.
Why, is this GM ONLY infatuated w/ Players that are constantly Hurt, or on the IR ?? Why are we NOT at the very least attempting to put a contending product on the Field ?? I see all these good or great players going to all these other teams and all you hear from the Giants is crickets or an occasional signing of an injured player that won’t be even avail til at least half way through the season. I’m sick and tired of hearing we are rebuilding and it will take another 4 or 5 yrs before we can compete. If he can NOT do his job then maybe we have the wrong GM. Every team is getting better in our Division except us. I want to see a couple of Healthy Players being signed that will actually help this club, not a reclamation project, or the Wait til Next year, before this season even starts.
First of all he is the director of baseball ops.
Second, for the first time in his Giants tenure, Zaidi has said he expects to contend this year, rather than saying it would be a plus.
Third, we are getting better. Zaidi has added depth and put together a team who has been surprisingly successful.
@SFGiantsFan09 Contend?….Haha. Yeah, maybe in a Modesto beer league. This Giants team will get hammered in the NL West.
As far as what Zaidi said. Christ, what do you expect him to say? “We’re terrible and we’re gonna lose a lot of games” Come on man get a grip
Dude, you need to get a grip that you and your team has no place to talk. Your team has been in last place up until last year! Don’t act like you have a team because of paper. I’ve been hearing for the last three years the Giants are a lsat place team and they have been better then the Friars except for last year when the Padres took advantage of a shortened season, and still lost. Bet you still get hammered by the Dodgers bud! SMH
TonyGwynnSD19:
Normally I’m a guy that roots for the underdog. I’ll almost always favor a team that hasn’t won a WS over one that has.
But what’s your deal? Normally I would love to see SD dethrone LA, but you’ve been so obnoxious, I’ll make an exception this time.
Your team has won the offseason. So what? I remember other SD teams winning the offseason. It takes some luck, not too many players regressing, and most players staying healthy, to even be in a position to win a WS title.
You act like the Padres have already won a WS. Are you trying to offend fans of other teams? MLBTR is a place fans come to talk baseball, even disagree, but try and do so respectfully
Why do you want to be one of those guys, that uses the anonymity of the internet, only to insult others? Maybe you should just try being less of a jerk, then you might actually have some rewarding exchanges with other fans here.
We will be fine in a few years. Everyone has to remember we won a lot more than anyone else has on the NL west recently. Nobody likes to point out players get older too..
@KHE I think you’re getting a bit heated for nothing, ease up. The Giants are doing just fine and the minor league system is improving and as it does the team will as well. You have to know when to add big contracts and right now isn’t quite the time for SF to do so. Do you really want to be strapped to George Springer for 6/$150 million? Do you want to sink $35 million a year into Trevor Bauer? Do you want to give up four of your best prospects for Lindor? Next year’s free agent class is ridiculous. Just saying to me I view them as a team that spends next off season when there’s just better quality players especially pitching.
It’s interesting the incentives that are contractually allowed vs. not allowed. Wood could not (I believe) have incentives for Ks, ERA, etc., but games and innings pitched is okay. Here, even outs recorded during a single game is allowed.
So, incentives for outs during a game is okay, but not requiring a certain amount of strikeouts. Weird.
It sounds as if versatile Ehire Adrianza already has a deal lined up with his farewell instagram post to Twins fans. Perhaps the 31-year old Venezuelan is looking at a FA contract in Japan or South Korea. Then again, his best MLB season was his last full one in 2019 with the Twins when he posted an OPS + of 103. That recent production and his versatility ought to land him a decent enough MLB contract for 2022.
* Perhaps 2021 as well! lol
He is signing with the Orioles with a chance to win the starting SS position.
You have to wonder why that hasn’t already happened unless BAL offered him a 1-yr, $2M deal with deferred payments.
The signing will come out this week
Always liked Alex Wood. Giants are pretty savvy when it comes to constructing a staff.
I’m really surprised Zaidi signed Alex Wood. He’s not a starter anymore. He only made a few starts here in LA last year. Friedman was way more comfortable running out rookies like Dustin May or Tony Goslin Then with Alex Wood
He was regulated to the Pen. And even coming out of the pen , he wasn’t great. I like the player but I’m not confident in his abilities at this point .
Arguably, the National Leagues top hitters . The premier hitters, Mookie, Bellinger, Tatis Jr, Seager, Machado, Arenado, Story all reside in the NL West. You gotta pitch the ball in this division or you’ll get crushed. SF desperately needs reliable arms and Alex Wood isn’t that . He breaks. Dude has a boatload of physical problems. Back, shoulder, elbow.
Gotta look at it as a giants fan though. We’re not contending by any means right now but we need to run a half way descent team to keep fans going.
Wood may never return to that starting pitcher he once was but he can help the giants as a lefty in general. Another low risk high reward situation. I like this Frankenstein team we have coming together while our prospects come up.
I am going out on a limb here but I do believe Adrianza is signing a contract with the Orioles to play SS. If I am right you heard here first folks!
I wonder, how many players really need “incentives” to play in more games or up to their potentials? My guess is approximately zero. Especially when used to describe the contract of a player who’s been injured a lot, the actual concept is “performance bonus.”