San Francisco Giants Add Two More Minor League Signings, Including Old Friend

The San Francisco Giants have signed three players to minor league deals, including bringing back a popular old friend from a World Series run.

More from Golden Gate Sports

• Raiders: Rookie stock report following Week 3 performance
• 49ers sign new long snapper amidst a flurry of roster moves
• Oakland Athletics win Game 2 of Wild Card round with late-inning drama
• 49ers: George Kittle and Deebo Samuel cleared to return to practice
• 49ers expected to place DE Dee Ford on injured reserve

On Friday night, Baseball America’s Matt Eddy tweeted out three minor league signings the San Francisco Giants made. One, shortstop Jimmy Rollins, has been known for a few days now, but the other two are new news. The Giants signed outfielder Justin Ruggiano, who has had limited but somewhat successful big league time over the past two years, and an old friend in first baseman/outfielder Michael Morse.

Morse was a huge piece for the Giants during their 2014 World Series after signing a one-year deal late in the offseason. He provided a good amount of pop in the middle of the year, hitting .279/.336/.475 in 131 games as a left fielder and first baseman. He tied for third on the team with 16 home runs, and led the way with 32 doubles. Most famously, Morse hit the game-tying home run in the eighth inning of NLCS game five off Pat Neshek, one inning before Travis Ishikawa‘s legend-creating home run. He also had the go-ahead run-scoring hit in World Series game seven that year before Madison Bumgarner entered for the five-inning save.

After his strong season with the Giants, Morse was signed by Miami Marlins the following offseason. He couldn’t replicate his success in his hometown, hitting .213/.276/.313 with eight extra-base hits in 53 games while battling injuries. He did, however, earn a nice ovation in his return to San Francisco, where he received his World Series ring in a nice ceremony.

Morse was eventually traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team deal, but never suited up for them before being designated for assignment. He was traded again, this time to the Pittsburgh Pirates. His overall numbers ticked up (.275/.390/.391), but he collected only five extra-base hits in 45 games.

He returned to Pittsburgh in 2016, but played just six games, going hitless in eight at-bats, before being designated and subsequently released. He did sign after that, instead spending time as an on-air personality with MLB Network.

More from San Francisco Giants

• Thank you SF Giants for a fun, wild, surprising 2020 season
• SF Giants lose in heartbreaking fashion and miss 2020 MLB playoffs
• SF Giants: Mike Yastrzemski named 2020 Willie Mac Award recipient
• SF Giants: Chadwick Tromp placed on IL with shoulder strain
• SF Giants: Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners postponed

Nostalgia aside, Morse will probably need to have an outstanding Spring to crack the roster. Morse hasn’t played minor league baseball regularly (not as part of a rehab stint) since 2009, so he may not be very receptive to accepting a minor league assignment. If he is willing to play in Triple-A, he may be a good depth signing, assuming he is healthy again. And the outfield may no longer be a reasonable position for him to play.

If nothing else, Hunter Pence should be extremely happy to have his good buddy Morse back with the Giants, even if just for a short time.

Ruggiano presents a more interesting case. The Giants don’t have a terribly deep outfield, and Ruggiano could play a role at some point this year. He played a good amount in Triple-A last year, so he may be receptive to a minor league assignment, and if injuries hit the Giants’ outfield, he is good depth to have.

The now 34-year-old outfielder has played all three outfield positions with somewhat regularity over the years (187 games in center field, 141 in left field, and 90 in right field), and hits lefties very well form the right side of the plate. He owns a career .527 slugging percentage against southpaws with 27 home runs.  He has hit a home run every 20.6 plate appearances against lefties, a very respectable total.

The Giants seem set on going with younger options in left field with Mac Williamson and Jarrett Parker, and have Denard Span in center field and Hunter Pence in right field with Gorkys Hernandez on the bench. But with Span and Pence’s injury histories, Williamson, coupled with Parker, Williamson, and Hernandez being, for the most part, unproven, Ruggiano could figure into outfield plans at some point this year.

Next: Giants 2017 Position Preview: Shortstop

Plus, this ensures that Ruggiano doesn’t face Madison Bumgarner. Ruggiano has taken Bumgarner deep three times, each in the last three seasons, with three different teams. Ruggiano is one of four players to have at least three home runs against Bumgarner. Those two should have plenty to talk about in the clubhouse.