SATURDAY: Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com reports that Penny will make the pro-rated portion of a $500K salary while with the big league team (Twitter links). He says the contract language is open-ended, but the target date to have Penny on the roster is May 30th.
FRIDAY: The Giants have signed Brad Penny to a minor league contract reports John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). The Legacy Sports Group client will head to Extended Spring Training next week and is considered a bullpen candidate.
Penny, 33, threw for GM Brian Sabean, manager Bruce Bochy, and pitching coach Dave Righetti today according to Shea (on Twitter). The right-hander started the year with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks but requested his release after just one start. Penny pitched to a 5.30 ERA in 31 starts for the Tigers last season and spent the second half of 2009 with the Giants, posting a 2.59 ERA in six starts.
Depth move…. Surkamp may have to have surgery, so there isn’t much in Major League ready starters in AAA.
I’d like to see him as a 6-7th inning reliever **if** he can still bring it up to 97-98mph.. That straight FB would be decent, as long as he can get that splitter of his over the plate even a couple of times in a relief role *I* at least always thought. Maybe even could tag another mph or 2 even in short bursts like that??
This ain’t 2001 no more, 98 throwers aren’t 6th-7th inning guys. And Penny isn’t going to bring 98.
Why asked if Penny was still touching 97-98 on occasion.
He was maintaining 95-96 when he was with Boston, even when his pitch count was up there and touching 97-98 early on in games.
If he is still able to do that.. SP converting to relief are generally able to throw that ‘touch” speed for an entire IP, or 8-10 pitches at least.
Penny’s problem with his FB was always it being straight and no movement with it at all. Velocity wasn’t the issue and then he had control with his curve and splitter issues, but he was generally able to throw that FB for strikes.. And Hard…
As for upper 90’s 6-7th IP relievers? Sure there are and always have been. Nick Hagedone on Cleveland. Franklin Morales with Boston and Aceves last year when he was throwing 6-7th IP.. That’s just 2 teams.
I love this move. He was great with the Giants in 2009.
He only pitched in 6 games for Giants in 09. Very small sample size.
Yea, seems like a move to counter the Surkamp setback. With Blackley gone to the A’s and Surkamp out there just aren’t really many other options if one of the starters were to go down.
How was he on the Tigers? I don’t remember that? Well… I guess I should be a Tigers fan before I start complaining about Prince Fielder: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/05/kerry-wood-to-retire.html
very unremakable. He was 11-11 with a 5.30 ERA. He had a couple of decent starts but for the most part we here in the D were more interested if his ex-fiance would show up to a couple of games. Bummer. I don’t think she did.
Good pick up, can move into Mota’s role as long reliever and available for a spot start ever now and then. Also adds insurance for Zito’s inevitable 2nd half slump.
mota wasnt the long reliever…..
Listening to Marty Lurie now….sounds like he’s going to replace Mota.
Good to know, I missed it.
The Giants are determined to make sure there is always at least one hated pitcher in their pen.
I like this pick up because of Dave Righetti, who is very underrated as a pitching coach. Uh, oh, here comes a rant-Righetti is very good at what he does-he can deal with youth, ground ball pitchers as well as fly ball pitchers, lefties as well as righties, relievers as well as starters, pitchers with past failures as well as pitchers with a blank slate, plus the Giants are really good at scouting the pitchers they draft. I’ve got to think that some of that credit needs to go to Righetti. Thanks! Rant over.
If the Giants are smart they’ll make him a reliever. Penny should’ve been converted to be in the bullpen 5 years ago. He has the kind of stuff that once hitters see him more than once a game they tee off.
He is good when he is healthy. He isn’t healthy very offten.
After he refused to let Maddux have his usual jersey number when the Dodgers acquired him a few years back, it’s hard to look at Penny in a positive light.
I think it’s mainly a “replace Mota” move, but part of me wonders if maybe the front office is looking to move the slumping Lincecum while he still has a lot of value for a much needed bat. I don’t think that’s really the main motive, but I do wonder if it’s in the back of Sabean’s head if Penny ends up being able to pitch pretty well.
A rotation of Cain, Bumgarner, Vogelsong, Zito, and Penny would knock the Giants out of contention for best pitching staff in the MLB, but it’s still be a pretty good one.
Basically, if you’re a stats nerd, it comes down to whether the WAR differential between Penny and Lincecum is smaller or larger than the WAR differential between whomever the Giants could get for Lincecum and whatever scrub that person would be replacing. Given some of the AAA calibre players on the Giants right now, it may end up being a net gain for the Giants.
Penny will probably throw around 92 and will become the teams middle or long reliever once or if he reaches the ML level. I personally think he will not pitch well and will blow leads.