Giants sign Chris Denorfia, re-re-sign Travis Ishikawa

If the Giants are playing a game in September with Travis Ishikawa and Chris Denorfia in the same lineup, something has gone terribly, terribly wrong. However, the Giants know as well as any team that they should prepare for the terribly, terribly wrong. Sometimes it can go terribly right.

There isn't a player in baseball, if not baseball history, who exemplifies this more than Ishikawa, whom the Giants re-re-signed to a minor league deal on Wednesday. The Giants didn't necessarily need him when he was signed to a minor league deal for his second stint with them, but suddenly he was starting in left field in a World Series they made because of him. Always plan ahead.

Ishikawa was with the White Sox organization this year, but he was released after hitting .201/.277/.344 in 175 plate appearances. The 32-year-old probably doesn't have another helpful season left in him, but I probably would have said the same thing in 2014. When he was the starting left fielder on a World Series-winning team.

I still can't ...

Ahhhhhh.

But it's not just the Ishikawa news that came in, and we have more championship-related memories to sift through. The Giants also signed Chris Denorfia to a minor league deal (via MLB Trade rumors). Denorfia is almost 36, but he's also a right-handed outfielder, which is the kind of player the Giants might actually need sooner rather than later.

While he hasn't hit a pennant-winning home run for the Giants, Denorfia was responsible for some old McC memes back in the day because of this picture, taken when Aubrey Huff hit a division-winning double against the Padres in 2010. Just missed it, really.

Denorfia has always been one of the most Giantsy players to never play for the Giants, so this was more of a formality at this point. He hasn't appeared in the minors this year, but he hit .269/.319/.373 for the Cubs last season. Will we see him soon? That depends on Mac Williamson, I would guess. While the Giants like Williamson's power potential, an extended slump would probably make them prefer the positional flexibility of Denorfia.

As far as minor-league signings go, though, they're entertaining. Denorfia was probably a much better fit three or four years ago, but he's a fine heir to the Justin Maxwell throne. And while I'm not sure if Ishikawa can help a Triple-A lineup now, much less a major league lineup, he sure does come with built-in happy-time memories.

I can't find the Huff double on the Internet, but this will do in a pinch:

Welcome, old friend. Welcome, new friend. I would wish them both the best of luck, but their best luck and the Giants' best luck are probably mutually exclusive.