GaryMrMets
12-13-2001, 10:23 PM
http://giants.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/sf/news/sf_news_story.jsp?article_id=sf_20011206_santiago_ news&team_id=sf
News
12/6/2001 6:30 pm ET
Santiago returns to Giants with two-year deal
By Chris Shuttlesworth
sfgiants.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants nailed down another of their targeted free agents Thursday, re-signing catcher Benito Santiago to a two-year deal worth $3.7 million.
The 36-year-old Santiago batted .262 with six homers and 45 RBIs last season after signing a minor-league contract with the Giants on March 18. He made the club out of Spring Training and quickly became the team's everyday catcher, appearing in 133 games and starting in 65 of the team's final 76 contests.
"He did go above and beyond the call of duty, having no Spring Training," said General Manager Brian Sabean. "I expect as much, if not more, out of the catching position now.
"Stability and continuity is a great thing to have, especially ... because of what he did with the staff and his good relationship with the pitchers in general. So it was important [to re-sign Santiago], and we're thankful we finally got it done."
The 1987 National League Rookie of the Year, Santiago is a four-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove winner and a four-time recipient of the Silver Slugger Award. His Giants teammates, coaches and training staff named him the co-winner (with pitcher Mark Gardner) of the "Willie Mac Award," the annual honor given to the team's most inspirational player.
Sabean also said that Santiago would continue to be "the front-line guy ... [but] if he does get some relief, I think he can be more productive."
That relief will likely be in the person of Yorvit Torrealba or Edwards Guzman. While Guzman spent the last four months of the season as Santiago's primary backup, Sabean said the 25-year-old "disappointed the hell out of me. He gained 18 pounds during the season, which is part his fault and part us not doing a good job.
"I don't know what would have happened if Benny had gone down and how ready [Guzman] would have been. So he's going to have to come into Spring Training after hopefully playing this winter to press the issue. The second catcher will be a competitive situation, [and] Torrealba's out of options and outrights. We'll have to consider that at the time."
Head trainer Stan Conte said Guzman is playing winter ball in Puerto Rico and is working out with a personal trainer, as he did last offseason.
"We were very, very pleased with the shape he came in" to Spring Training last year, said Conte, who hopes to see the same results this spring.
"Coming into the big leagues and being a backup was harder on him than we thought," he said.
Chris Shuttlesworth is the site manager of sfgiants.com and can be reached at sitecontent@giants.mlb.com
News
12/6/2001 6:30 pm ET
Santiago returns to Giants with two-year deal
By Chris Shuttlesworth
sfgiants.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants nailed down another of their targeted free agents Thursday, re-signing catcher Benito Santiago to a two-year deal worth $3.7 million.
The 36-year-old Santiago batted .262 with six homers and 45 RBIs last season after signing a minor-league contract with the Giants on March 18. He made the club out of Spring Training and quickly became the team's everyday catcher, appearing in 133 games and starting in 65 of the team's final 76 contests.
"He did go above and beyond the call of duty, having no Spring Training," said General Manager Brian Sabean. "I expect as much, if not more, out of the catching position now.
"Stability and continuity is a great thing to have, especially ... because of what he did with the staff and his good relationship with the pitchers in general. So it was important [to re-sign Santiago], and we're thankful we finally got it done."
The 1987 National League Rookie of the Year, Santiago is a four-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove winner and a four-time recipient of the Silver Slugger Award. His Giants teammates, coaches and training staff named him the co-winner (with pitcher Mark Gardner) of the "Willie Mac Award," the annual honor given to the team's most inspirational player.
Sabean also said that Santiago would continue to be "the front-line guy ... [but] if he does get some relief, I think he can be more productive."
That relief will likely be in the person of Yorvit Torrealba or Edwards Guzman. While Guzman spent the last four months of the season as Santiago's primary backup, Sabean said the 25-year-old "disappointed the hell out of me. He gained 18 pounds during the season, which is part his fault and part us not doing a good job.
"I don't know what would have happened if Benny had gone down and how ready [Guzman] would have been. So he's going to have to come into Spring Training after hopefully playing this winter to press the issue. The second catcher will be a competitive situation, [and] Torrealba's out of options and outrights. We'll have to consider that at the time."
Head trainer Stan Conte said Guzman is playing winter ball in Puerto Rico and is working out with a personal trainer, as he did last offseason.
"We were very, very pleased with the shape he came in" to Spring Training last year, said Conte, who hopes to see the same results this spring.
"Coming into the big leagues and being a backup was harder on him than we thought," he said.
Chris Shuttlesworth is the site manager of sfgiants.com and can be reached at sitecontent@giants.mlb.com