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Good morning. Pitchers and catchers report in exactly one week. I repeat, pitchers and catcher report in exactly one week. The San Francisco Giants season is really, truly, honestly right around the corner.
So they were cutting things close when it comes to making the most important move of the offseason: Adding a third Brandon.
It’s been six years since the Giants had three Brandons on their team, and finally Farhan Zaidi is doing his job and getting things back no track. Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford will be joined by Brandon Guyer.
Well, probably not. The Giants signed Guyer, a 34-year old outfielder on Monday, though it’s a minor league deal that does not come with a major league camp invite.
If you think the news is exciting, Andrew Baggarly subtly and passively correcting Bob Nightengale is much more exciting:
The #SFGiants sign veteran outfielder Brandon Guyer to minor-league contract with invite to their big-league training camp. He'll earn $1 million if he makes their 26-man roster.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 3, 2020
Contrary to reported information, Brandon Guyer will not receive a major league camp invitation. He'll be in #SFGiants minor league camp.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) February 3, 2020
Guyer was once a pretty decent fourth outfielder. In 2014, as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, he slashed .266/.344/.367, good for a wRC+ of 105, and making him worth 1.7 Wins Above Replacement, per Fangraphs, in under 300 plate appearances. The next year he bumped up his offense to .265/.359/.413 and a wRC+ of 120, to make him worth 1.9 Wins Above Replacement in under 400 plate appearances.
But he’s been bad for a while. 2016 was the last time he hit better than league average, and last year he had a wRC+ of just 97. In AAA. And never got a call up.
So, sadly, the triple Brandon drought will probably live on, unless Guyer quickly reverses course in Sacramento. Which, I mean . . . yeah, that could happen. We all watched the march of the outfielders last year.
The dream lives on.