SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -J.T. Snow signed a one-day deal with San Francisco on Wednesday so he can retire as a member of the Giants after all.
Snow, a special assistant and broadcaster for the club who last played for Boston in 2006, will be activated for Saturday night’s game against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers so the former first baseman and fan favorite can be honored for his nine seasons with the franchise from 1997-2005. He likely will take the field early and make his exit before the first pitch is even thrown, general manager Brian Sabean said.
“That’s probably the most respectful way to do it,” Sabean said, keeping in mind the Dodgers are still in the division race and trying to secure a playoff berth. “He’s promised to take the field but he hasn’t promised to leave the field.”
The bonus is Snow gets a bonus: He will be paid $2,131 for the brief moment back in his No. 6 jersey, the prorated amount of the league minimum of $390,000.
ire as a Giant. This is where I grew up as a player. I really appreciate it. This organization does things with a lot of class. It’s a nice honor.”
The 40-year-old Snow, a six-time Gold Glove winner, announced his retirement in December 2006 during the winter meetings at Lake Buena Vista, Fla., after a 15-year major league career.
Snow played part of 2006 for the Red Sox, who designated him for assignment on June 19 that year. He was batting .205 in only 44 at-bats when the club let him go. Sabean had a hard time seeing Snow go through that.
Last year, the GM thought of doing this but figured now was the perfect time to pull it off considering the club has spent the entire season honoring the 50th anniversary of the Giants’ move west to San Francisco. He doesn’t plan to make such signings a regular thing, either.
“From a personal and professional standpoint, sometimes certain things need closure,” Sabean said. “I think it’s a good statement of what we think of him as a person and a baseball player.”
Snow owns a career batting average of .268 with 189 homers and 877 RBIs, playing 1,715 games with the Yankees, Angels, Giants and Red Sox.
A left-handed hitter with an impressive playoff track record, he thought he might catch on with a contending team for the stretch run in 2006, but it didn’t happen.
s. During Game 5 against the wild-card Angels, the sure-handed Snow made perhaps his most alert play.
Snow had already scored on Kenny Lofton’s triple and David Bell was running home when it became dangerous – Darren Baker, the 3 1/2-year-old bat boy son of manager Dusty Baker, was standing behind Angels catcher Bengie Molina, eager to grab Lofton’s bat.
In a flash, Snow dashed in and scooped up the boy by the collar of his oversized jacket, pulling him from harm’s way.
When the Giants parted ways with Snow after the 2005 season, Sabean, executive vice president Larry Baer and owner Peter Magowan planted the seed about Snow one day working for the club.
Snow’s late father, Jack, a star receiver in the NFL, also went into broadcasting after his playing career ended.
Snow also loves his role working as an instructor with the younger players.
“This guy’s so sharp in so many ways, especially the way he conducts himself, that he could branch out into anything,” Sabean said.
Snow and Hall of Famer Willie McCovey are the only Giants first basemen to make nine straight starts on opening day since the team moved west to San Francisco in 1958.
“It’s been a pretty good ride,” Snow said.
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