Span enjoyed time in S.F., could be traded by Rays
Denard Span knew he might be traded. After all, he had been packaged in one aborted deal already this offseason.
However, a day after the Giants shipped him to Tampa Bay as part of the Evan Longoria deal, the outfielder still had trouble wrapping his head around a move he did not want.
“I’m not sure about my feelings about being traded,” Span said via text Thursday. “I had a feeling something might happen but hoped that it wouldn’t because I wanted to finish off my contract in S.F.”
Asked if he was consoled by getting to play in St. Petersburg, Fla., near his Tampa home, Span said, “Yes, if I get to.”
The Rays might flip Span to another team. They did not acquire him out of need, but to help make the Longoria trade work financially for the Giants.
In Wednesday’s deal, the Giants sent Span, infielder Christian Arroyo and two additional prospects to Tampa Bay for Longoria and cash, which the Associated Press pegged at $14.5 million.
Span had completed the first two seasons of a three-year, $31 million contract with the Giants, who traded him to reduce payroll for luxury-tax purposes as part of their bid to retool after a 98-loss season.
The Giants also hope to acquire a center fielder who can cover more ground in their vast outfield.
Span, who turns 34 in February, hit .268 with a .330 on-base percentage in 272 games for the Giants. He knew he underperformed and hoped to repay the team and the fans over the final year of his deal.
“I was looking forward to helping the franchise turn around a bad season, as I was motivated to show the Giants the real DENARD SPAN,” he said in the text. “My time in S.F. was difficult because I never got to show the fan base and organization my true skill set because of the injuries I suffered a few years back.
“I enjoyed my short time there. The organization and my teammates were first class. I hope that one day I can either play or coach in a Giants uni.”
The Giants had planned to send Span to Miami as part of a trade for Giancarlo Stanton. The teams agreed to the deal, but Stanton refused to waive his no-trade clause to come to San Francisco and instead engineered a trade to the Yankees.