SAN FRANCISCO -- Seeking bullpen depth, the Giants signed right-hander Guillermo Mota to a Minor League contract with a non-roster invitation to Major League Spring Training camp.
The Giants appear to have a decent complement of relievers, including closer Brian Wilson, setup stalwart Jeremy Affeldt, right-handers Sergio Romo and Brandon Medders and left-hander Dan Runzler. But Romo's and Runzler's relative inexperience prompted the Giants to search for an experienced reliever. Mota, who owns a 36-39 record, a 3.89 ERA and eight saves in 609 relief appearances spanning 11 seasons, fits that description.
Mota, 36, has played for Montreal, Florida, Cleveland, Milwaukee, the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"He has pitched in some tough divisions," said Giants vice president of baseball operations Bobby Evans, referring to Mota's stints with National League East clubs. "And he has pitched in our division and is familiar with our division."
In Mota's second tour of duty with the Dodgers in 2009, he finished 3-4 with a 3.44 ERA in 61 appearances. He struggled in five games against the Giants, going 0-2 with a 14.54 ERA. That included an Aug. 12 encounter in San Francisco, where Juan Uribe delivered a 10th-inning walk-off homer.
Unlike Mota, pitchers Byung-Hyun Kim and Horacio Ramirez, Major League veterans signed to Minor League contracts Monday, will not be in big league camp. That doesn't mean the Giants will ignore them, though. Pointing out that the Giants frequently summon Minor Leaguers to pitch in Cactus League exhibitions, Evans said, "I would expect at some point we'd see them in big league games."
Evans declined to comment on the status of contract talks between the Giants and right-hander Tim Lincecum, who has filed for salary arbitration. Lincecum wants $13 million; San Francisco has countered with $8 million.
"Conversations are ongoing" was all Evans would allow.
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