San Francisco Giants

Barry Bonds generated $31,000 for COVID-19 relief by auctioning off the signed bat he used to hit his 575th career home run.

The 55-year-old also offered autographed game-used cleats, batting gloves and a signed baseball for the winning bidder. 

Money raised from the auction is being donated to Feeding America, Meals On Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry to aid relief efforts amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

The seven-time National League MVP took part in the All In Challenge by putting up some of his San Francisco Giants gear, as well as a catered lunch, at Goldin Auctions in New Jersey. 

Another perk for the winning bidder is a signed personalized baseball from Bonds. He hit home run No. 575 on April 17, 2002, in the Giants' 5-3 loss against the San Diego Padres. It was a solo shot in the first inning off Kevin Jarvis. 

The 2002 season marked the second of Bonds' four consecutive NL MVP years. He also hit his 600th home run, led the league in batting average (.370), on-base percentage (.582) and slugging percentage (.799) and helped the Giants reach the World Series. 

Barry Bonds had a funny habit of reaching career milestone home runs in front of his home crowd in San Francisco. He hit Nos. 500, 600, 700, 660 and 661 (tying and passing Willie Mays), 715 (passing Babe Ruth all-time) and 756 (passing Hank Aaron) all at home. 

Turns out that wasn't a coincidence, as Bonds told author Joan Ryan in her book Intangibles (h/t Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports):

"You either have to know what the hell you're doing or you'd have to be the luckiest son of a b---h on the planet. I was the master. My IQ and skill on the baseball field was such that I could do it whenever I wanted to. Whenever I needed to. Didn't matter who was on the mound. And the only time I was going to do it [hit milestone home runs] was at home in front of my family, and San Francisco is my family."

To some, that may sound arrogant or even unlikely. Modesty was never Bonds' forte. And it wasn't as though he could just hit a homer on command. 

But he was a hitting savant. Not even the accusations of steroid use make that less true. 

His career numbers, aided by steroids or not—in an era when plenty of other players were juicing, it should be noted—are staggering. He hit .298 for his career with 762 homers, 1,996 RBI, 2,227 RBI and 514 stolen bases. He was a 14-time All-Star, seven-time MVP, eight-time Gold Glover, 12-time Silver Slugger and two-time batting champ.

He led position players in wins above replacement 11 times, per Baseball Reference. That statistic alone is staggering. Here's another one: In 2004, he was walked 232 times. His on-base percentage that season was .609 and his OPS was 1.422. Those are absurd numbers. 

Maybe there is some exaggeration in Bonds' claim. Maybe we can attribute some of those milestones coming at home to Bonds simply not swinging for the fences on the road. Still, Bonds was different at the plate than most players in baseball history. Like him or not, you have to respect that fact. 

San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer and the team's owners and executives will reportedly give an additional $700,000 for stadium workers as the league remains on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports reported the news and clarified the $700,000 is in addition to the $1 million Major League Baseball already announced each team will give workers who depend on the income generated from games throughout the season.

The league, along with the majority of the sports world, is on pause during the pandemic and will look to start its season at some point in the summer. Commissioner Rob Manfred said on a March 25 appearance on SportsCenter he was hoping to start a modified spring training in May.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported in mid-March on MLB's decision to provide $30 million total to workers and shared Manfred's statement:

"The individual clubs will be announcing more details surrounding this support effort in their local communities. The timing of these announcements will vary because of the need to coordinate with state and local laws as well as collective bargaining obligations in an effort to maximize the benefits realized by each group of employees. I am proud that our clubs came together so quickly and uniformly to support these individuals who provide so much to the game we love."

Pavlovic explained the Giants' additional money will go to approximately 2,600 employees in two categories.

The first is for event-based employees who work for a third party and handle things such as food during games, who will receive one-time grants of $500. The second is for event-based staffers such as ushers and security guards, who will receive $100 to $250 per month, depending on the length of their tenure.

"They are in many ways, in our view, really the backbone of what we're doing," Baer said. "They're the people that work hard, work diligently and serve our fans, which is the lifeblood of our sport and our business. Without games, obviously many of them will encounter hardship."

Full-time Giants employees are all working from home and remain employed by the team.

This comes after Passan reported MLB agreed to pay all minor league players $400 per week through at least the end of May while their seasons are on hiatus as well. 

The league and the players association also reached an agreement that covers contingency plans for things such as service time in the case of a canceled season, changes to the draft, changes to the international signing period and signing bonus values, among others.

The San Francisco Giants don't want Aubrey Huff around when they are celebrating their 2010 World Series championship during an Aug. 16 game against the Colorado Rockies.

Steve Berman and Dan Brown of The Athletic reported the news, noting the National League West team released a statement explaining its rationale behind the decision not to invite Huff even though he was a major contributor to that team:

"Earlier this month, we reached out to Aubrey Huff to let him know that he will not be included in the upcoming 2010 World Series Championship reunion. Aubrey has made multiple comments on social media that are unacceptable and run counter to the values of our organization. While we appreciate the many contributions that Aubrey made to the 2010 championship season, we stand by our decision."

Berman and Brown noted Huff consistently uses "objectionable" language and imagery on his Twitter account and also "frequently has targeted his critics on Twitter in multiple ways, from taunting the appearance of women who question his views to labeling men who find his tweets objectionable as 'soy boys.'"

Among his notable tweets are one of him holding up a gun range target sheet with bullet holes and saying he was training his sons in case Bernie Sanders wins the 2020 presidential election and another where he said it would be a good idea to fly to Iran and kidnap women who live in the country.

The latter one was followed by a lewd drawing of how he envisioned such a scenario would play out.

"Quite frankly, shocked," Huff said when asked what he thought of the Giants' decision. "Disappointed. If it wasn't for me, they wouldn't be having a reunion. But if they want to stick with their politically correct, progressive bulls--t, that's fine."

He later addressed the matter on social media, saying that his support of President Donald Trump played a factor:

https://twitter.com/aubrey_huff/status/1229686896378499073

Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic previously reported that it is not Huff's political opinions that led to the organization's decision:

Gonna say this once and log off: Giants officials have made it clear to me they are not banning Aubrey Huff because they dislike or disagree with his political views. They believe he has crossed the line when it comes to misogyny, vulgarity and common decency. Words matter.

— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) February 18, 2020

Huff played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers and Giants during his career that spanned from 2000 through 2012.

He was on San Francisco in the final three years of his career and slashed .290/.385/.506 with 26 home runs and 86 RBI during the championship season. He also hit a home run during the World Series win over the Texas Rangers.

Free-agent outfielder Billy Hamilton signed with the San Francisco Giants, the team announced.

Hamilton split last season between the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves. The 2018 campaign began in Kansas City before being designated for assignment on Aug. 16.

"We gave Billy an opportunity," then-Royals manager Ned Yost said. "It didn't work."

The Braves claimed Hamilton off waivers on Aug. 19 but declined his mutual option for 2020 on Nov. 1.

Overall, Hamilton had an underwhelming 2019 at the plate. The 29-year-old posted a .218/.289/.275 slash line with no home runs and 15 RBI. He was most impactful offensively on the base paths with 22 stolen bases.

Defensively, Hamilton spent 114 games (89 starts) in centerfield. 

Prior to signing a one-year deal with Kansas City in Dec. 2018, Hamilton spent his first six MLB seasons with the Cincinnati Reds. 

With San Francisco, his skill set lends itself to helping bolster defense and speed. He could add centerfield depth.

The San Francisco Giants have added infield depth by agreeing with Wilmer Flores on a multiyear contract, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

The 28-year-old could compete for the starting second base job or at least play in a utility role around the infield.

Flores has made over 100 starts at all four infield spots during his career, mostly playing second base in his limited action with the Arizona Diamondbacks last season.

A foot injury and other ailments limited Flores to just 89 games in 2019, but he excelled when healthy with a .317 batting average and .848 OPS, both of which were career highs. He added 18 doubles and nine home runs in 285 plate appearances.

It came after serving as a reliable hitter for the New York Mets, producing a .262/.303/.424 slash line across six seasons. 

Despite his success last season, the Diamondbacks declined his option for 2020, putting him back on the open market for the second straight winter.

Flores will get a chance at another fresh start with San Francisco, trying to remain a consistent presence in the offense.

The Giants failed to get regular production at second base last year, eventually parting with Joe Panik midseason. Donovan Solano and Mauricio Dubon both played well when given the opportunity, but neither has much of a track record to trust going into 2020.

These two, along with Kean Wong, should compete with Flores for playing time in the middle infield spot.

Considering Flores has five career pinch-hit home runs and experience at a variety of positions, he should be useful regardless of his role this season.

The San Francisco Giants are reportedly interested in a reunion with free-agent outfielder Hunter Pence, who spent the 2019 season with the Texas Rangers after a seven-year run with the Giants.

Jon Heyman of the MLB Network reported Thursday that Pence, who's also played for the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies, is on the radar of other teams ahead of spring training, too.

The 36-year-old Texas native was limited to 97 games during his final season with San Francisco because of injuries. He was on pace for a resurgent season with the Rangers last year, earning his fourth All-Star appearance after 15 home runs in the season's first half.

Pence struggled with lingering back problems after the All-Star break, though. He finished the campaign with a .297/.358/.552 triple-slash line and 18 homers in 83 contests.

"I want to play, I was very frustrated, but I have to trust that things happen for a reason," he said in September. "Unfortunately, this is something I just can't will-power through and overcome, so I have to heal it. The goal now is to get healthy to potentially play next year, and if not that to have a healthy life and a quality life."

Pence owns a career .797 OPS with 242 home runs and 120 stolen bases in 1,690 games across 13 years. His 31.3 career WAR ranks 42nd among active players, per Baseball Reference.

The Giants' biggest question marks heading into 2020 are in the outfield. Mike Yastrzemski enjoyed a breakout second half of 2019, but he joins fellow projected starters Alex Dickerson and Steven Duggar in having a limited track record of success at the MLB level.

Pence could provide San Francisco with short-term stability and clubhouse leadership while taking some pressure off that trio for a club that otherwise looks ready to contend for a playoff berth this year.

Veteran Pablo Sandoval agreed to a $2 million minor league contract to return to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Heyman noted the deal includes $750,000 in incentives.

Sandoval began his career in San Francisco in 2008 and remained a Giant until signing as a free agent with Boston in Nov. 2014. The three-time World Series champion landed back in the Bay on a minor league contract when the Red Sox released him. 

Sandoval had a solid bounceback season in 2019, as he hit .268/.313/.507 with 14 home runs, 23 doubles and 41 RBI. Also of note, he threw a scoreless inning on the mound during a May 6 contest against the Cincinnati Reds.

Unfortunately for Sandoval, his season was cut short due to injury. He appeared in just one game after Aug. 9, ultimately undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery on Sept. 4.

While the injury threatened to put an end to his career, the 33-year-old made it clear he intended to continue playing.

"This is not the end of my career," Sandoval said in August, per Kerry Crowley of the Mercury News. "I'm going to come back stronger."

Sandoval also noted that he wanted to return to the Giants in 2020—and it appears as though the two sides were able to get a deal done to make it happen.

The San Francisco Giants announced the hiring of Alyssa Nakken as a Major League assistant coach on Thursday. 

#SFGiants complete 2020 Major League Coaching Staff with the additions of Mark Hallberg and Alyssa Nakken. pic.twitter.com/3mNkoVA0De

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) January 16, 2020

According to Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group, "The hiring of Nakken, a former Sacramento State softball player, is historic as she will be the first female coach in Giants history and the first full-time female coach in the majors."

Excited to see Alyssa Nakken added to the @SFGiants coaching staff. She's been w/ the organization the last 2 years & is a former softball player at Sac State. Her focus will be in the clubhouse & helping create a strong culture. Good to see more women get opportunities in @MLB👏🏼

— Kelli Johnson (@kellijohnson_) January 16, 2020

Giants manager Gabe Kapler said of Thursday's hirings that "in addition to assisting the rest of the coaching staff on the field, Mark and Alyssa will focus on fostering a clubhouse culture that promotes high performance through, among other attributes, a deep sense of collaboration and team," per Mark W. Sanchez of KNBR. 

Nakken earned All-Conference honors three times as a first baseman for Sacramento State. As an intern with the Giants, her "roles ... included developing, producing and directing a number of the organization's health and wellness initiatives and events, including coordinating the Giant Race series," per Crowley. 

Nakken joins a small but growing list of women in coaching positions around baseball. The New York Yankees hired Rachel Balkovec to serve as minor league hitting coach in November, while Rachel Folden was hired by the Chicago Cubs later that month as lead hitting lab tech for the team's Arizona Rookie League team. 

Nakken's addition rounds out the staff of Kapler, who was hired in November as manager to replace Bruce Bochy, who had spent the previous 13 seasons in San Francisco. Kapler spent the previous two years as the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, going 161-163 in that time. 

The biggest free-agent domino has fallen, as ace Gerrit Cole reportedly agreed to join the New York Yankees on a record-setting nine-year, $324 million contract.

Those who lost out on Cole must redesign their free-agency pursuits, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are among them. According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, they will make Madison Bumgarner their focus.

The 30-year-old lefty starter rejected the San Francisco Giants' qualifying offer in mid-November to become a free agent after spending his entire MLB career in the Bay Area.

Since debuting for the Giants in 2009, Bumgarner has won three World Series and was named the 2014 World Series MVP. He was named an All-Star in every season from 2013 to 2016.

Last season, Bumgarner went 9-9 with a career-high 3.90 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across an MLB-most 34 starts.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Monday that teams pursuing Bumgarner were told that he's seeking five years and $100 million-plus. Prior to Cole's deal, MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported Tuesday that Bumgarner is expected "to hit or get very close" to his alleged $100 million demand.

That price tag could now increase with Cole off the board.

Heyman noted that "many teams" are in on Bumgarner but named the Minnesota Twins as "heavy" on him.

Henry Schulman, Giants beat writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, doesn't foresee the Giants letting the Dodgers get Bumgarner:

#SFGiants ownership has given Zaidi a free hand, even allowing moves that are painful for fans, but I can't imagine the owners will let Madison Bumgarner sign with the #dodgers unless their offer is insane. You can quote me on that.

— Henry Schulman BLUE CHECK MARK (@hankschulman) December 11, 2019

Schulman isn't the only one skeptical of the Dodgers' chances:

Giants have been preparing to move on without Bumgarner, but I’ve got to think they revisit those plans if Dodgers show serious interest. They’re well aware that fan base is pissed and that those emotions matter.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) December 11, 2019

https://twitter.com/FareedNBCS/status/1204637937570320389

Bumgarner aside, the Dodgers could instead try to re-sign starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu. According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman said at the winter meetings that the club has "definitely had conversations about" bringing back the 32-year-old lefty.

Friedman continued:

"He's put himself in this position to hit the free-agent market and get a feel for what's out there and what makes the most sense for him and his family. Looking back, he's been a big part of our success over the past couple years. I have a lot of respect for him. The confidence as an organization that we had every fifth day when he took the mound was real. Where that takes us at this point, I'm not sure. But we definitely have interest based on what he's meant to us looking back."

Ryu had a better 2019 than Bumgarner with an MLB-leading 2.32 ERA and 1.2 walks per nine innings. He earned his first All-Star nod, starting the game for the National League, and posted a 14-5 record across 29 starts.

However, Bumgarner has been much sturdier overall.

Bumgarner has exceeded 200 innings pitched in seven of his 11 seasons in the league, including 2019, while Ryu has never hit 200 innings in a season.

Bumgarner, Ryu or someone else, the Dodgers are clearly committed to upgrading their rotation. Cole was the top prize this offseason, but pairing Bumgarner with three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw wouldn't be the worst consolation prize.