Offseason moves

[tzill]

Kamp DFA'd for Morse:

Giants Designate Eric Surkamp For Assignment: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

Pill going to Japan:

Giants, KIA Tigers Close To Brett Pill Deal: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

 

[SF11704]

Mmmm ... somewhat confusing moves in my opinion. Would have thought that Pill would bring more than 500K At 29 he's longer a prospect but I would have thought he would bring something back at the MLB lebvel.

Surkamp is even stranger. I thought if you DFA someone you have 10 days to trade him, have huim take the assignment or release him. He has a great minor league record and I would think that quite a few teams would place a claim on him before he clears waivers. Maybe they are looking to trade him at this point and just drumming up interest

 

[MarcoPolo]

Yes, the team has 10 days to trade him, outright him (send to minors), or release him. Since this will be his Surkamp's first outright assignment (if he isn't claimed or traded), he can't refuse the assignment.

If the Giants were going to risk trying to get someone through waivers, now is probably the best time, as a lot of rosters are full at this point. Surkamp *does* have (at least one) option(s) left, so any team that claims him can stick him in the minors right away.

 

[calsnowskier]

Yes, the team has 10 days to trade him, outright him (send to minors), or release him. Since this will be his Surkamp's first outright assignment (if he isn't claimed or traded), he can't refuse the assignment.

If the Giants were going to risk trying to get someone through waivers, now is probably the best time, as a lot of rosters are full at this point. Surkamp *does* have (at least one) option(s) left, so any team that claims him can stick him in the minors right away.

I can see a team like the Yankees or Padres making a claim for him. Getting a guy from a winning org who is a "solid" 6/7 with one more option has decent value.

Not game-changing value, but value, none the less.

 

[tzill]

Yes, the team has 10 days to trade him, outright him (send to minors), or release him. Since this will be his Surkamp's first outright assignment (if he isn't claimed or traded), he can't refuse the assignment.

If the Giants were going to risk trying to get someone through waivers, now is probably the best time, as a lot of rosters are full at this point. Surkamp *does* have (at least one) option(s) left, so any team that claims him can stick him in the minors right away.

True, but they'd still need a 40 man spot for him...kind of unlikely. I'd bet he'll be in Fresno.

 

[MarcoPolo]

True, but they'd still need a 40 man spot for him...kind of unlikely. I'd bet he'll be in Fresno.

Well, as an example, the Athletics just claimed somebody (Gimenez) off waivers and released somebody else from their 40-man to make room for him. So even teams whose rosters are already full could grab him, if they see something they would take a gamble on.

But, as I said earlier, this is the time to try to 'sneak' somebody through : after the rule 5 draft, when rosters are pretty full all around baseball. If he ends up Fresno, he won't use up an option year (unless he is added to the 40-man again, and plays in Fresno after that).

 

[MarcoPolo]

Pill going to Japan:

Giants, KIA Tigers Close To Brett Pill Deal: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

The deal has been finalized, Pill is a Tiger. In Korea.

 

[tzill]

Well, as an example, the Athletics just claimed somebody (Gimenez) off waivers and released somebody else from their 40-man to make room for him. So even teams whose rosters are already full could grab him, if they see something they would take a gamble on.

But, as I said earlier, this is the time to try to 'sneak' somebody through : after the rule 5 draft, when rosters are pretty full all around baseball. If he ends up Fresno, he won't use up an option year (unless he is added to the 40-man again, and plays in Fresno after that).

And the ChiSox just claimed Kamp. So long Eric, we hardly knew ye.

 

[calsnowskier]

The Kamp/Pill deals are very odd. I have to think they have something else planned. Unless it was just a FUBAR on the FO's part that they DFA'd Kamp AND sold Pill to Korea. Why drop 2 guys when all they needed to do was drop 1? Especially when Kamp was not a 25-man requirement?

They MUST have plans for that extra 40-spot.

 

[tzill]

The Kamp/Pill deals are very odd. I have to think they have something else planned. Unless it was just a FUBAR on the FO's part that they DFA'd Kamp AND sold Pill to Korea. Why drop 2 guys when all they needed to do was drop 1? Especially when Kamp was not a 25-man requirement?

They MUST have plans for that extra 40-spot.

I think it was a timing issue; they had to clear a space for Morse and had to cut Kamp to do it, as Pill hadn't been sold to Korea yet. So they cut Kamp to make sure they kept Morse and then Pill was sold.

 

[tzill]

From Schulman:

The Giants are in the process of selling Pill’s contract to a Korean team for a reported $500,000. Pill has reached a deal with that team, the KIA Tigers, as well, but Pill remains on the 40-man until all the paperwork is complete. The Giants did not want to simply DFA him and lose a reported $500,000 transfer payment. Also, if the Korean deal fell through, the Giants still could have tried to trade Pill to a major-league team in return for another possible bench player to fill a position of greater need than first base.

Besides, I’m told, the Giants are actively searching for one more big-league reliever. If and when that man is signed, the Giants would have needed a 40-man spot anyway, and Surkamp was probably going to be the one to go.

In sum, it just looks like Surkamp was not in the Giants’ plans, even though they lack rotation depth (which will be a storyline going into spring training if they don’t make another move).

I don’t have a name for you on the potential reliever, but I’m told nothing is imminent and the Giants are not looking for a closer type, which seems to rule out Grant Balfour and Fernando Rodney.

 

[calsnowskier]

From Schulman:

The Giants are in the process of selling Pill’s contract to a Korean team for a reported $500,000. Pill has reached a deal with that team, the KIA Tigers, as well, but Pill remains on the 40-man until all the paperwork is complete. The Giants did not want to simply DFA him and lose a reported $500,000 transfer payment. Also, if the Korean deal fell through, the Giants still could have tried to trade Pill to a major-league team in return for another possible bench player to fill a position of greater need than first base.

Besides, I’m told, the Giants are actively searching for one more big-league reliever. If and when that man is signed, the Giants would have needed a 40-man spot anyway, and Surkamp was probably going to be the one to go.

In sum, it just looks like Surkamp was not in the Giants’ plans, even though they lack rotation depth (which will be a storyline going into spring training if they don’t make another move).

I don’t have a name for you on the potential reliever, but I’m told nothing is imminent and the Giants are not looking for a closer type, which seems to rule out Grant Balfour and Fernando Rodney.

It is official.


Schumann lurks here. Someone posted on Disney a few times years back claiming to be him, so it is actually not far-fetched...

 

[msgkings322]

It is official.


Schumann lurks here. Someone posted on Disney a few times years back claiming to be him, so it is actually not far-fetched...

Hi Hank!

 

[tzill]

Hi Hank!

I should at least spell the man's name correctly:

SCHULMAN

(sorry Hank)

 

[SFGRTB]

It is official.


Schumann lurks here. Someone posted on Disney a few times years back claiming to be him, so it is actually not far-fetched...

I always wonder if some of the beat writers lurk the fan boards. I feel like now with twitter they get enough of it though.

On Surkamp/Pill, it probably just means that another move is coming. The F.O. is showing a lot of faith in Edwin Escobar as well.

 

[calsnowskier]

I always wonder if some of the beat writers lurk the fan boards. I feel like now with twitter they get enough of it though.

On Surkamp/Pill, it probably just means that another move is coming. The F.O. is showing a lot of faith in Edwin Escobar as well.

Well, after I posed the question here, within hours Shulman did the research and answered the question. The G's basically knew they would not want Kamp in the rotation this year, so losing him was essentially a non-issue. The only roster-spot blatantly open at this point us the last bully, and they are apparently looking outside to fill it.

I agree that Escobar is probably much more of a prospect than any of us realize. The FO seems to be VERY high on him.

 

[Mays-Fan]

Any reliable sources reporting on Sandoval's conditioning progress?

 

[tzill]

Giants about to re-sign Dontrelle Willis to a minor league contract.

John Shea ‏@JohnSheaHey 30m
Could be good no-risk move for #sfgiants to sign Dontrelle Willis, who has been working out a lot and ended 2013 in #angels AAA rotation.

 

[calsnowskier]

Just Fresno depth, I think. But tossing another name in with Petit, Escobar and Kick for #6 options is always good.

Also good to bring a fan into the fold.

 

[MarcoPolo]

It can't hurt, but he has mostly sucked the last few years. As in "not good enough for AAA". So long as it's not a guaranteed (major league) contract, not a problem. So long as he stays in Fresno until he excels (or he HAS to be called up due to injury), no problem.