SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants most certainly will look back on July 31, 2012 with great fondness. They wrapped up a deal to acquire Hunter Pence from the Phillies, an eventual catalyst in a pair of World Series runs. It was a little harder for Tommy Joseph, a Giants catcher in Double-A Richmond, to get excited.
He woke up that Tuesday morning in Virginia Beach, ending an off-day trip with his teammate and their fiancés. By the end of his drive back to Richmond for that night’s game, he was the centerpiece of a megadeal.
Bobby Evans, the Giants assistant general manager at the time, called Joseph to deliver the news: He was now a Phillies player. More specifically, he was a player on Double-A Reading, the team Joseph thought he was driving to the ballpark to face as a member of the Flying Squirrels. Now he would switch employers, uniforms and teammates. But not before he walked across the hallway to his new clubhouse.
“It was definitely a crazy day,” Joseph said. “A roller coaster ride.”
He walked down a corridor to his new home, shaking the hands of his new teammates, while his old ones remained around the corner. Nearly four years since that day, the shock has worn off for Joseph. Injuries delayed his development, and ultimately caused Joseph to shift to first base. He’ll finally get a shot to play at AT&T Park when the Giants (47-27) and Phillies (31-43) begin a three-game series Friday night. It’s just not the way Joseph imagined it would happen.
“You hate to see what he had to deal with,” manager Bruce Bochy said, “but now he’s gotten over that. I couldn’t be happier for him.”
The Giants selected Joseph in the second round of the 2009 draft, and sent him to Philadelphia three years later with outfielder Nate Schierholtz and right-hander pitcher Seth Rosin. The last time Joseph was at AT&T Park, he was participating in a post-draft conditioning clinic with the Giants’ other top picks, including Brandon Belt.
The two still keep in contact on occasion, as do Joesph and Brandon Crawford. He’s crossed paths with several Giants now in the major leagues. Of course, that list doesn’t include Pence. Joseph’s never met the Giants effervescent right fielder. He just remembers how frequently Phillies players brought up Pence at spring training in 2013, and of course how he helped the Giants win a World Series the year he was traded for.
“To be traded for a guy that’s well loved everywhere he goes, plays hard every day, and is a world champion,” Joseph said, “it’s pretty cool.”
Irony can be cruel, and now Pence is out with a significant injury while Joseph finally reached the majors after overcoming his own. But the deal, struck 1,424 days ago as of Friday, has finally come full-circle. Tommy Joseph has arrived to San Francisco.
“Obviously the trade worked out, and now it’s worked out a couple of times,” Joseph said with a smile. “…I think (the Giants) would do it 100 times over, (but) I’m very happy with where I’m at.”
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The Giants are rolling hot into this Phillies series. They’ve won 11 of their last 12 games, and send Jake Peavy (3-6, 5.47 ERA) to the mound against Zach Eflin (0-2, 10.80 ERA). Buster Posey is out of the lineup with a scheduled night off, and Bochy said Sergio Romo will pitch again on his minor-league assignment after having a rough outing Thursday. The manager estimates Kelby Tomlinson still 7-10 days from starting a minor-league rehab assignment, while Ehire Adrianza is roughly a month out.
Giants lineup vs. Zach Eflin
CF – Denard Span
2B – Joe Panik
1B – Brandon Belt
SS – Brandon Crawford
LF – Angel Pagan
RF – Gregor Blanco
3B – Conor Gillaspie
C – Trevor Brown
RHP – Jake Peavy
