Former Giants - 2020 edition

[LHG]

There's been a bit of movement in the MLB, so I thought, since some of it has involved former Giants, I'd start this thread. Hopefully, things will pick up and we can see MLB games by early May.

Here's the two stories that came out recently:
Connor Joe Undergoes Surgery For Testicular Cancer

 

[SFGRTB]

This isn't a transaction involving a former Giant, but I've been watching some classic Giants' games recently while I work from home and went down the Baseball Reference rabbit hole, looking up how some former players did.

Did you guy remember/realize that in 2013, Nate Schierholtz hit 21 homers for the Cubs, good for second most on their team??

In 2020 that isn't a crazy number, it was still the deadball era 2.0 in 2013. I just found that stat crazy, not only the homers, but the fact that the Cubs gave him that many at bats! Then I looked at their record, and it made sense. Then I looked at the Giants' roster, and he also would have been 2nd on the team in homers.

We probably complained about not having him at some point, but he did help us get Pence, who crushed it that year.

 

[SFGRTB]

There's been a bit of movement in the MLB, so I thought, since some of it has involved former Giants, I'd start this thread. Hopefully, things will pick up and we can see MLB games by early May.

Here's the two stories that came out recently:
Connor Joe Undergoes Surgery For Testicular Cancer

Jesus, that really sucks for Joe. Good for Joe, though.

 

[LHG]

This isn't a transaction involving a former Giant, but I've been watching some classic Giants' games recently while I work from home and went down the Baseball Reference rabbit hole, looking up how some former players did.

Did you guy remember/realize that in 2013, Nate Schierholtz hit 21 homers for the Cubs, good for second most on their team??

In 2020 that isn't a crazy number, it was still the deadball era 2.0 in 2013. I just found that stat crazy, not only the homers, but the fact that the Cubs gave him that many at bats! Then I looked at their record, and it made sense. Then I looked at the Giants' roster, and he also would have been 2nd on the team in homers.

We probably complained about not having him at some point, but he did help us get Pence, who crushed it that year.

I was probably complaining about not having him at that point. But didn't Nate later get busted on a drug test?

 

[SFGRTB]

I was probably complaining about not having him at that point. But didn't Nate later get busted on a drug test?

He did?!

All I remember about the controversy surrounding him was his beef with Boch and something with his brother.

 

[LHG]

He did?!

All I remember about the controversy surrounding him was his beef with Boch and something with his brother.

Former Giant Nate Schierholtz “embarrassed” for making “innocent mistake” that led to drug suspension – The Mercury News

 

[SFGRTB]

George Kontos has been picked up.... by NBCSports Bay Area.

He's retiring from baseball and joining the TV side, as have many other recent former Giants.

 

[calsnowskier]

George Kontos has been picked up.... by NBCSports Bay Area.

He's retiring from baseball and joining the TV side, as have many other recent former Giants.

NBCBA also signed Dontrell Willis for the A’s side

 

[LHG]

I did my annual look at guys who played with either the big league club or on the farm system sometime (or were in spring training) in the past and played elsewhere in the big leagues this year. Here's the roster for 2020 (based on most to least playing time):
Starting rotation - Zach Wheeler, Luis Castillo, Madison Bumgarner, Derek Holland, Jonathan Loaisiga.
Notes: Wheeler and Castillo would have been great additions to the SF club this year. Its a big drop off to the number 3 guy on this list. Hope Bumgarner bounces back next year (except when we face him). Holland was awful for the Pirates. Loaisiga was a swingman for the Yankees but made more starts than Andrew Triggs and Mike Kickham (both with the Red Sox). Mike Leake opted out of playing this year.
Bullpen - Chris Stratton, Nick Vincent, Yusimeiro Petit, Mark Melancon, Nik Turley, Sergio Romo, Pierce Johnson, Drew Pomeranz, Dan Winkler
Notes: This is a vastly superior bullpen than the one that SF carried this year. That includes castoffs from SF such as Vincent, Turley, Johnson and Winkler. Heath Hembree should have made this list over Winkler, based on innings pitched (he threw 2/3 more), but was awful. Rest of those who appeared in 2020 - Josh Osich, Will Smith, Burch Smith, Keury Mella, Travis Bergen, Kyle Crick, Pat Venditte, Joe Biagini, Hunter Strickland, Ray Black, Cory Gearrin, Phil Bickford.
Catchers - Stephen Vogt, Erick Kratz.
Notes: Pretty poor group. Vogt was the backup in Arizona and Kratz was a fill in for the Yankees. Only two other former Giants caught games in 2020 - 2 by Rene Rivera with the Mets and 1 by tzill favorite, Andrew Susac, on the last day of the season with the Pirates. Tom Murphy was on the IL all year.
Infielders - Hanser Alberto, Joe Panik, Ehire Adrianza, Christian Arroyo, Yolmer Sanchez
Note: Another thin group, the infielders didn't do so well. Adrianza and Alberto both went backwards from good showings in 2019. Panik continues his slide as a backup with Toronto. Sanchez only got 11 games in with the White Sox after they brought him back after the Giants released him. Arroyo bounced from Tampa (no games) to Cleveland (1 game) to Boston. He did pretty decently (.736 OPS) with the Red Sox. The rest who appeared in 2020 - Charlie Culberson (7 ABs), Eduardo Nunez (2 ABs), Pablo Sandoval (2 ABs).
Outfielders - Andrew McCutchen, Kevin Pillar, Adam Duvall, Bryan Reynolds, Matt Joyce, Cameron Maybin, Billy Hamilton
Notes: Mirroring the SF team, this group is the strength of the former club. Pillar had a good year split between Boston and Colorado. McCutchen had a nice bounceback with Philly after his injury shortened 2019. But the biggest back on this team is Adam Duvall. His career isn't dead yet. Joyce and Maybin were meh as backups. Reynolds looked awful after a nice 2019 rookie season. Hamilton? He had a nice 10 AB stretch with the Cubs. The rest who appeared in 2020 - Cesar Puello (good 8 AB stint with the Red Sox).

Team with the most former Giants - Boston (Kevin Pillar, Christian Arroyo, Cesar Puello, Mike Kickham, Heath Hembree, Josh Osich, Andrew Triggs)
Team with the least former Giants - 7 tied with 0 (Angels, Royals, Dodgers, Cardinals, Rays, Rangers, Nationals)