The Giants don't make big trades in June

The Giants could use an outfielder. They could use a starting pitcher. They could definitely use a reliever. Is this the sketchiest first-place team you've ever seen? I submit that it is. The sky is crying other shoes that we're waiting to drop. Or something. June, you rascal.

That makes it logical to look for help from outside the organization. To the mailbag!

Good question! While I don't know for certain, I can do a little research and make a list of the biggest moves made in June since Brian Sabean took the team over after 1996. While I know that he isn't the GM anymore, it still feels like this team has everything to do with the foundation he built. It's as good a cutoff point as any.

So what kinds of additions have the Giants made in June since the 1997 season started? We'll rank them in order of the time they spent with the organization:

13. Signed Russ Mitchell as a free agent (6/6/12)
Mitchell played in 47 Double-A games.

12. Signed Shingo Takatsu as a free agent (6/12/09)
Takatsu was 40, and he played in 14 Triple-A games for the Grizzlies

11. Signed Scott Chiasson as a free agent (6/28/05)
Chiasson played 15 games in Triple-A.

10. Purchased Jose Flores from the Cleveland Indians (6/4/06)
Hold on. We'll get to a player and/or transaction that you've actually heard of. Flores played in 21 Triple-A games.

9. Traded Alan Embree and cash to the Chicago White Sox. Received Derek Hasselhoff (6/29/01)
A deal I remember! Hasselhoff was David Hasselhoff's cousin, no foolin', and he played 25 games in Triple-A.

8. Selected Jason Pearson off waivers from the San Diego Padres (6/10/02)
Pearson appeared in 34 games for the Grizzlies in Triple-A

7. Signed Max Ramirez as a free agent (6/21/11)
I could have sworn that he appeared in the majors with the Giants, but that was Julio Ramirez. This Ramirez appeared in 48 Triple-A games for the Grizzlies.

6. Signed Rob Ryan as a free agent (6/22/03)
Rob Ryan played 49 games for the Giants' Triple-A affiliate and is probably a football coach. He was also known for being the sixth-most integral transaction the Giants have made in June over the last couple decades.

I think I've proved my point, but there's no stopping now.

5. Traded Matt Herges and cash to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Received Doug DeVore (6/3/05)
DeVore mashed in 65 Games in Triple-A, but it was the last time he played affiliated ball.

4. Signed Mike Cervenak as a free agent (6/23/06)
The Mayor of Norwich was a long-time Giants farmhand, known for being a long-time Giants farmhand. The organization brought him back for 68 Triple-A games after he was released by a Korean team.

He got two hits in the majors with the Phillies, and that makes me very happy.

3. Signed Bill Hall as a free agent (6/11/11)
Oh, 2011 was the worst, but you already knew that. The Giants were a complete injury-muddled mess, and after Freddy Sanchez got hurt, they were desperate for whatever help they could find. Hall got 16 games with the Giants.

2. Selected Alex Sanchez off waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (6/23/05)
This was a very, very odd one, considering that Sanchez was the first player suspended by MLB for performance-enhancing drugs, just six months earlier. Not only that, but he was waived because of a very public spat with then-manager Lou Piniella.

He played 19 games for the Giants, and he was bad enough to cost them nearly a full win. Good job, effort.

1. Signed Jeffrey Hammonds as a free agent (6/28/03)
This is it. This is the only Giants move that really made a difference with anything. Hammonds was a former All-Star with a clearly defined skill set, a right-handed hitter with power and lefty-destroying abilities. He hit .277/.370/.479 for the rest of the season, and he was 2-for-5 with a walk in the NLDS.

He eventually played 76 games for the Giants over two seasons. He was released the following June.

It's worth noting Bengie Molina's trade to the Rangers was July 1, so it just missed the cutoff. The Giants won a championship because of it, you know.

But if you're looking for the Giants to make a move in June, there's nothing wrong with hoping for it. Just don't expect it. There are still too many teams that aren't sure if they're in or out, and the prices are likely exorbitant. If the Giants get someone, it will be through a minor deal like one of these. Unless they get Carl Crawford. Which they're going to do, you know.

Maybe the Giants will find the next Jeffrey Hammonds out there.

[looks wistfully out window as orchestra begins to play]

Just maybe.