Giants beat: Sandoval keeps recruiting players to S.F.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — At this rate, Pablo Sandoval will have to register as a professional recruiter.
A year after Sandoval persuaded minor-league free agent pitcher Dereck Rodriguez to sign with the Giants, he gave the same pitch to outfielder Gerardo Parra and infielder Yangervis Solarte.
“They trust me because we’ve been friends a long time,” Sandoval said. A very long time. Solarte and Sandoval played on the same Little League team in Valencia, Venezuela. They also played on a national Little League team with Parra. What’s more, they all train in the winter at the same Fort Lauderdale, Fla., facility with Rodriguez and nonroster catcher René Rivera (along with Boston’s J.D. Martinez).
More connections: Rivera, Solarte and outfielder Cameron Maybin played together with the Padres, who also had Solarte, Rivera and pitcher Drew Pomeranz at the same time.
That familiarity can help the players feel more comfortable on a new team. Manager Bruce Bochy said Sandoval planted a bug in his ear about getting Parra and Solarte to the Giants.
“They’re funny guys, like me,” Sandoval said. “It’s exciting to have them around.” Numbers game: The Giants have 70 players in camp. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area noticed that the lowest uniform number still available is 55, Tim Lincecum’s, and the club is not giving away that one just yet. Solarte is wearing 22, Parra 8 and Maybin 5 . ... The team holds its first full-squad workout Monday, five days ahead of the Cactus League opener against the Angels.