Giants close to minor league deal with Jae-gyun Hwang

[fullxtension]

The Giants are closing in on a minor league contract with Korean third baseman Jae-gyun Hwang, tweets Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News. The contract, first reported by Naver Sports in Korea, will guarantee Hwang $1.5MM if he makes the big league roster in Spring Training, according to Baggarly. John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that there are additional incentives beyond that guarantee. Hwang is represented by GSI and ACES.

Hwang, 29, hit .335/.394/.570 with 27 home runs and 24 stolen basese last season, demonstrating an ability to sustain the power increase he showed during the 2015 season. Hwang also boosted his walk rate while more than halving his strikeout rate, which likely further piqued the Giants’ interest in his services.

MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

 

[calsnowskier]

I guess this is big enough news to warrant its own thread.

However, there has been some discussion on this in the off-season thread.

 

[fullxtension]

There has been so little for so long. Jay Bruce? Really? Seriously? Why don't you just say that the Giants are considering bringing back Lincecum? This is at least a lotto ticket for the season. Hope we match at least five numbers.

 

[calsnowskier]

There has been so little for so long. Jay Bruce? Really? Seriously? Why don't you just say that the Giants are considering bringing back Lincecum? This is at least a lotto ticket for the season. Hope we match at least five numbers.

Meh...

I don't think the Bruce rumors have any validity. I think that is pure speculation by Adams. I am not sure there has actually been anything beyond tire-kicking between the Giants and Mets on this one. The Mutts want to dump salary, and the Giants don't have any salary space to eat.

 

[fullxtension]

Meh...

I don't think the Bruce rumors have any validity. I think that is pure speculation by Adams. I am not sure there has actually been anything beyond tire-kicking between the Giants and Mets on this one. The Mutts want to dump salary, and the Giants don't have any salary space to eat.

It just feels insulting when they make up something just so they can have a story. It's not entertainment. It's eye wash. If there were the merest of shreds of truth to it, maybe. But pure fantasy is just a waste of time.

 

[calsnowskier]

It just feels insulting when they make up something just so they can have a story. It's not entertainment. It's eye wash. If there were the merest of shreds of truth to it, maybe. But pure fantasy is just a waste of time.

I think it is legit speculation. While mist here are OK with McParker, there are some who are pissed that the Giants have not Yankee'd out and gone outside the org for 20M players at both LF and 3B. On the surface, Bruce to the Giants does kinda make sense.

 

[LHG]

I think it is legit speculation. While mist here are OK with McParker, there are some who are pissed that the Giants have not Yankee'd out and gone outside the org for 20M players at both LF and 3B. On the surface, Bruce to the Giants does kinda make sense.

And that is why people need to go beyond the surface, especially the writers. Don't just screech whatever the masses want (not saying this reporter did so, just thinking in general), assess the need and whether the internal resources are significantly inferior to what is available on the market. Bruce, in my opinion, does not represent a significant upgrade, unless his power plays well at AT&T. If not, he would not be worth the pickup.