San Francisco Giants general manager Brian Sabean says it is "highly doubtful" the team will sign one of the 13 free agents who turned down a qualifying offer, reports Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Giants unwilling to give up draft pick for free agent
The Giants hold the 14th pick in the 2014 draft and would prefer not to give it up for a free agent.
Robert Mayer-US PRESSWIRE
McCovey Chronicles: Giants 'highly doubtful' to give up draft pick for free agent
To sign one of those players, the Giants would be required to give up their first round pick in the 2014 draft. Were they to sign two such players, they would also give up their second round pick. San Francisco is slated to pick 14th in the draft.
“Could things change up the line? Perhaps,” Sabean told Schulman. “We’re not going to be interested in giving up our first-round draft pick, so anybody with a qualifying offer with first-round draft-pick compensation attached to that, we’re probably not going to be in on.”
The Giants are primarily searching for two starting pitchers to round out their rotation, which currently consists of Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, and Tim Lincecum. Ubaldo Jimenez, Hiroki Kuroda and Ervin Santana were the only pitchers on the market to receive and turn down a qualifying offer.
San Francisco will also be keeping an eye out for a left fielder. If they do not want to give up a draft pick, the team can be ruled out on Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Beltran, Nelson Cruz, Jacoby Ellsbury and Curtis Granderson.
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