DENVER–When minor league pitcher Dereck Rodríguez became a free agent this offseason, he said he entertained interest from several different franchises.
Despite never having pitched an inning above the Double-A level, Rodríguez possessed a power arm with fresh, largely untapped potential.
The right-hander received a call from the San Francisco Giants, a club that lacked pitching depth and a franchise with a history that appealed to a player who grew up around the sport. Though he had an idea an opportunity with the Giants might work out, he checked in with a friend who knew a little more about the way the franchise treats its players.