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00:00You will have Raphael Devers, Bob Melvin, the translators, Zach Manassian, Buster Posey,
00:06and Giants chairman Greg Johnson, and guess what?
00:08They're all in position, so here we go.
00:10First of all, welcome everyone.
00:12I'm Dave Fleming.
00:13Great to have such an incredible turnout for what is a very exciting day for those of us
00:19who care about the Giants, for Giants fans, for those of us who work for the Giants.
00:23Just a really cool day here on this beautiful San Francisco afternoon.
00:28A couple quick things for me, and then we're going to get our program started.
00:33I'll just say my initial thoughts when we heard this happen and found out that Rafi was coming here to San Francisco.
00:41We love our pitching.
00:43We love this ballpark.
00:45We've won a lot of games with pitching over the years.
00:47But this is the franchise of Willie Mays and Mel Lott and Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda
00:53and Will Clark and Barry Bonds and Buster Posey.
00:56And I really do believe that the guy who's putting on a Giants uniform for the first time today
01:02has a chance to be, when it's all said and done, considered in that category.
01:06That's how talented this young man is.
01:08We also, with the Giants, have a very proud history of players from Latin America,
01:14starting with some of the true pioneers in the history of the game, like Felipe Alou, like Juan Marichal.
01:22And I think Senor Devers has a chance to carry on that Giants tradition of players from the Dominican Republic
01:29with Willie Adamas, our Latin American players now who've formed such a strong part of our franchise currently,
01:36Camila Doval and Randy Rodriguez and Elliot Ramos and many others.
01:41Just a really cool thing to have Raphael Devers here in a Giants uniform.
01:46I want to introduce some of the folks who are here, including the folks who are up here at this main table.
01:51Giants president Larry Baer is right up front.
01:54Larry is here sitting next to Giants legend Barry Bonds.
01:59Barry came out.
02:00He wanted to be here to greet Rafi and welcome him to the Giants.
02:05Rafi's agent, Nelson Montez de Oca, is here.
02:08Welcome to San Francisco.
02:11To you, you'll notice the Giants team has come up here to be with Rafi.
02:18So we've got almost every Giants player who has made their way up.
02:22I think that speaks pretty loudly about how they feel.
02:25Trainers, front office members are here.
02:27Just an indication of how exciting this day is.
02:32And for those of you who are watching at home, welcome to the ballpark here for a very exciting day.
02:39On the stage here, Giants chairman Greg Johnson is with us.
02:43Giants president of baseball ops Buster Posey is with us.
02:46Giants GM Zach Manazian is with us.
02:49Giants manager Bob Melvin.
02:51Orwin Higueros, my fellow broadcaster, who's such an important resource for our Spanish-speaking players, is here as well.
02:59And finally, I know this is a press conference, but you have to excuse me.
03:02I'm going to give him a round of applause.
03:05Rafael Devers, the newest giant, is up here.
03:07Welcome.
03:07Welcome.
03:07Can't wait to call some of those Devers home runs.
03:18My brother's gotten to do it.
03:19My brother is the voice of the Red Sox and has known Rafael very well for many years and just absolutely loves him.
03:29Loves him as a person.
03:30Loves him as a player.
03:31Is really going to miss him.
03:33And now I get to take over that duty.
03:35So I'm particularly excited about that.
03:37We're going to hear from Buster.
03:38We're going to hear from Greg.
03:40We're going to hear from Rafi himself.
03:42We'll have the jersey presentation, some photo opportunities, and then, of course, we'll open it up for questions.
03:49So without further ado, I'm going to turn it over to Buster.
03:51Buster.
03:52Thanks, Dave.
03:53Rafi, welcome, man.
03:55Welcome.
03:55Today's a great day for the San Francisco Giants and for the city of San Francisco.
04:00First off, I want to thank Greg Johnson and ownership for their willingness to make this deal happen.
04:07When I was first introduced to the Giants organization as a 21-year-old, it was abundantly clear to me that this franchise has a rich history of players.
04:17I go into spring training and look around the locker room.
04:20It's Mays, McCovey, Cepeda, Marichal, Perry, Bonds, Clark, Kent, to name a few.
04:27San Francisco Giants fans love great players.
04:30Great players have the ability to transcend generations, and Rafael Devers is one of those players.
04:37When Zach and I, in the rest of the front office group, we sit around and we talk about players, we look at their skill set.
04:45You know, what can they do offensively?
04:46What can they do defensively?
04:48But inevitably, some baseball speak will come up, and we'll say to each other, but is this guy a dude?
04:56What does it mean to be a dude in baseball speak?
04:59It's not something you can quantify.
05:02It's somebody that has the ultimate feel when the game's on the line.
05:06He's the type of player that makes his teammates around him better.
05:11Rafael Devers is a dude.
05:16He's been to the top.
05:17He's won it all.
05:19And we can't wait to watch him help us bring a World Series championship back to San Francisco.
05:25Thanks, Buster.
05:32I just want to start by saying on behalf of the entire Giants ownership group how excited we are to have Rafi in the orange and black.
05:40And I also want to recognize and thank Buster and Zach and Jeremy for getting this deal over the line.
05:46It was a lot of give and take really over the last month, a lot of phone calls, a lot of lines in the sand, and I think the persistence really paid off.
05:55Rafi, we like to say once a Giant, a Giant forever.
06:00And I think you'll see all the players that have worn the uniform that are still represented in the organization.
06:06And we do have a guy in the front row who's a pretty good lefty in this park.
06:10If you need any tips, he'll be in the cage at any time you need him.
06:13But really, we are just excited and thrilled and really looking forward to having you part of this Giants organization, Rafi.
06:23Thanks, Greg.
06:24Thanks, Buster.
06:24Rafi, a few words.
06:27No, I'm good.
06:30Primeramente, le quiero dar la gracia a Dios por esta oportunidad y a la organización de los medias rojas de Boston por darme la oportunidad de firmarme cuando tenía 16 años.
06:39Y ahora mismo le quiero dar la gracia al equipo de San Francisco por traerme aquí.
06:46Veo mucho los juegos de aquí.
06:48Creo que es uno de los mejores fanáticos.
06:50Y veía a Barribón cuando daba a los palos y pienso mucho en los fanáticos de aquí.
06:56First of all, I just want to thank the Boston Red Sox organization for signing me at 16 and giving me the opportunity to become a big leader.
07:05I'm happy to be here with the San Francisco Giants and obviously happy to represent Latin America and also be happy to be able to meet Barry Bonds.
07:14Y pienso que si me trajeron para acá fue por algo y pienso dar lo mejor de mí en esta organización porque me dieron la confianza de traerme aquí.
07:24Y nada, dar lo mejor de mí como siempre lo he hecho.
07:27Soy un tipo pelotero que le gusta salir a jugar día a día, dar lo mejor de uno.
07:31Y nada, alegre como siempre con Willy, los muchachos, Chappie y son gente que cuando jugaba en contra siempre me daban la buena motivación.
07:40Y ahora lo tengo como compañero, me siento tan alegre por estar al lado de ellos y estamos aquí.
07:45Y also I just want to say that the reason that the Giants brought me here is for a reason and I will give my 100% effort out there on the field.
07:55Happy to meet my new teammates.
07:58I'm always a happy person, especially with Willy out there and also, you know, I saw my teammates from afar.
08:04They always inspire me and I'm now happy to be part of the team.
08:11Thank you, Rafi.
08:12Thanks.
08:12Foster, before we do questions, you want to do the official jersey presentation?
08:30You're listening to the introductory Raphael Devers press conference over at Oracle Park right here on Willard and Divs 95.7 again.
08:38Now it's official.
08:57That looks pretty good, I think.
09:04Okay, I'm going to let Matt mostly steer this, but time for questions.
09:12We have microphones, so we're going to deliver microphones around and maybe you could introduce yourself into the microphone just for those watching at home, if you don't mind, Susan.
09:22Hi, Rafael.
09:23Welcome to San Francisco.
09:24My name is Susan Slessor.
09:25I'm with the San Francisco Chronicle.
09:26How would you describe your day on Sunday and when you found out the news?
09:31What were your first impressions knowing you were coming to San Francisco?
09:33Can you describe how it was your day on Sunday when you told me that you were going to change and how you felt right now in San Francisco?
09:43No, at least it was a normal day until they gave me the news that I was going to change.
09:46Well, Sunday was a normal day for me until I found out that I was traded, but obviously I took the news like a man and I appreciate the fact that they traded me in order to give me the opportunity to continue playing baseball.
10:07Oh, John's got a microphone.
10:14John Shea, San Francisco Standard.
10:17Welcome to San Francisco, Rafael.
10:20Yes, sir.
10:22Why do you see the Giants as a good fit and why did you no longer see the Red Sox as a good fit?
10:32Could you compare the two, like what went wrong there and what is going to go right here?
10:37Que si puedes comparar las dos organizaciones, si puedes compartir con ellos que fue lo que pasó en Boston y que es lo que puede pasar bien aquí con los gigantes.
10:47No, ya la organización de los medias rojas quedó en el pasado, soy un tipo que toma el día a día y que pienso dar lo mejor de mí aquí y el motivo por qué me trajeron aquí pienso que gané y soy un tipo que le gusta gané y competí siempre.
10:59I'm moving forward from the situation in Boston.
11:03Now I'm looking ahead with being a San Francisco Giant and I think that I'm just going to compete.
11:14Carlos.
11:16Hi, Rafi.
11:17Welcome to San Francisco.
11:18Carlos Ramirez over here.
11:20Right here.
11:21NBC Sports Bay Area.
11:22You've only played three games here at Oracle.
11:25It's different dimensions, different weather from Boston.
11:27How do you think your offense will have to change even your approach playing here?
11:32Las dimensiones aquí son diferentes, Rafi.
11:33Bienvenido a San Francisco.
11:35Ha jugado nada más tres veces acá.
11:36Es diferente a Boston, el clima y el parque.
11:38¿Cómo crees que tu ofensiva o tu approach tiene que cambiar en este estadio?
11:42Es la misma pelota, es la misma pelota.
11:44No tengo que cambiar nada, el mismo beso y vengo a dar lo mejor de mí.
11:48It's the same baseball.
11:51You just play the same way and like I said, I'm just here to give my 100%.
11:55Hi, Rafael.
12:03Justin Del Santo, San Jose Mercury News.
12:04Welcome to San Francisco.
12:06One of the big kind of questions for you is, you know, there's a five-time goal glover at third base already.
12:11He's not healthy right now.
12:12But once he returns, it's the matter of position to have you talk to Buster and Bob about potentially playing first base.
12:19Do you see yourself more as a designated hitter?
12:21And what were those conversations with the Giants-Brass like regarding your long-term position with this team?
12:25I'm here to give my 100%.
12:46I don't put any buts.
12:48They're the men in charge.
12:50I am here to play wherever they want me to play.
12:57Susan.
12:58Do you have a preference, though?
13:00Do you feel like you are best at a particular position?
13:04No, como lo dije anteriormente, estoy dispuesto a donde me pongan, da lo mejor de mí.
13:09Like I said before, I am here to play wherever they want me to do and give out my best.
13:14Buster mentioned, you know, the possibility of leading this team to a World Series.
13:19What do you like about this team, knowing what you know about the personnel?
13:22I love the welcome that I got by my teammates.
13:41I feel really good.
13:42That really motivates me.
13:44And everybody that I have talked to so far, they always talk about winning, winning, winning.
13:48So that's an added motivation for myself.
13:51Sam.
13:51Hey, Rafi.
13:53Sam Lubman, 95.7 The Game.
13:54I know all the Giants fans here are ecstatic to see you here, but there was a lot that was
13:58kind of reported in the last, you know, couple days about kind of the end of your time in
14:03Boston, you know, about how you were in the clubhouse or as a teammate.
14:06Are there any kind of, like, misconceptions that have been said that you want to clear up
14:09about the end of your time in Boston?
14:11No.
14:12Ya, como lo dije anteriormente, y eso quedó en el pasado.
14:15No soy muy sentimental en esa vuelta.
14:18Creo que ya eso pasó y vamos a seguir adelante.
14:23Like I said before, that's in the past, but moving forward, I really don't want to talk
14:28about it.
14:28I really like his answers, by the way.
14:36Thank you for that.
14:37Then, Buster, for you, what can you say about how this deal came together on your end?
14:41Like, how much was this you?
14:42How much was this collaborative with the front office?
14:44Was it you who started these talks?
14:46Did the Red Sox reach out to you?
14:47What can you kind of say about how this deal came together?
14:50Yeah, it's something that has been in the works for three or four weeks.
14:55You know, Zach had conversations with their group and then eventually myself and Craig
15:01Breslow the last week to ten days.
15:04And it was good.
15:05It was obviously negotiations.
15:08Things are going to go back and forth.
15:09But, you know, I was texting with Craig today and we're just thanking each other for the
15:16candor and the respect that went into this negotiation.
15:21Pete.
15:22Peter Abraham, Boston Globe.
15:23Rafi, you won a World Series with the Red Sox.
15:25You played a lot of playoff games.
15:27What's your message to the fans in Boston as you leave?
15:30Ah, que le agradezco mucho porque fueron una de las personas que siempre me tuvieron apoyando
15:35y el fanático de Boston es un fanático muy bueno.
15:37Y le agradezco bastante porque siempre me tuvieron soportando.
15:40Desde que me subieron, estuvieron ahí conmigo.
15:44I just want to, my message is I just want to thank the Boston fans.
15:48They supported me throughout my whole time there.
15:51And that I just want to give them a thank you.
15:56Murphy.
15:57Hi, Rafi, Brian Murphy, KNBR.
16:00We broadcast the Giants games, the flagship.
16:02Welcome to San Francisco.
16:03But actually my question is for Buster and for Bob.
16:05Bob, Buster, you told us yesterday on KNBR, I'm going to have a face-to-face conversation
16:09with Rafi.
16:10Bob, I assume you did too.
16:11Can you guys report the discussion of how you guys addressed how you're going to use them?
16:16Go ahead, Bob.
16:17Yeah, we talked to him a little bit today.
16:19And like he said, he goes, I'll play wherever you want me to play.
16:22I'll hit wherever you want me to hit.
16:23So that's how it started.
16:26He's going to DH today.
16:27He's going to hit in the three spot.
16:29But we're going to work him in and get him some ground balls at first and make sure he's
16:33comfortable before we put him over there.
16:35And that's pretty much the way we look at it right now.
16:38A little bit of DH and a little bit of first.
16:42Hi, Rafi.
16:43Chris Alvers from ABC7.
16:45Welcome to the Bay.
16:45This question is actually for Bob.
16:47I'm just curious how much fun you're going to have writing his name in the lineup card
16:50and what that does for the rest of your team as far as having Rafi in the lineup and how
16:55that can help the other hitters.
16:56Yeah, look, I mean, it's incredibly impactful to have a guy like him in our lineup.
17:01So I think the buzz around our clubhouse on Sunday and leaving Sunday and certainly in
17:08the off day and today has been, you know, it's pretty immense.
17:12So, look, you know, you pencil him in where you feel like he's comfortable in the lineup
17:18and where he'll be most impactful and today that's the three-hole.
17:22I imagine it's going to be a lot of the three-spot for him.
17:25But, I mean, you look at our lineup now and when we get, you know, healthy and get our
17:31guys back, it makes us a really deep lineup with the guy in the middle that I know from
17:35the opposing dugout, I always knew where he was and when his spot was coming up and
17:40that's going to be the same way for every manager when we play them.
17:44Mia Wachtel, San Francisco Chronicle.
17:46You said that you were here to play whatever the personnel tells you to play.
17:49What changed your mentality from Boston to now?
17:54You're listening to the Rafael Devers introductory press conference at Oracle Park.
17:59He will DH and bat third tonight for the Giants.
18:03You're listening here on Willard and Dibbs on 95.7 The Game.
18:05Like I said, this is a new organization.
18:08I'm happy to be here.
18:10And, again, like I said, they're the men in charge and I'm here to do whatever they want
18:14me to do.
18:16Rafael, you are wearing number 16.
18:19Does that have any personal significance for you?
18:22Is there something that you like particularly about 16?
18:24I use the number in the minor leagues and I did really well with it.
18:32Rafael, over here.
18:34Matt Lively with CBS Bay Area.
18:36Congratulations.
18:37When you think about Oracle Park and the right field here and the splash hits that might come,
18:41how excited are you to hit in this ballpark?
18:43I can't wait to start playing there.
18:56And like we say in the Dominican, meaning that I'm eager to out there and go play and see
19:01what I can do.
19:07Go ahead, John.
19:08Yeah, Rafael, how familiar are you with your new teammates?
19:14Are you close with anybody?
19:15And also, hitting at this ballpark.
19:19You've only played, I think, three games here a couple of years ago.
19:24I think a lot of left-handed hitters have spoken about the challenge of hitting here, the gentleman
19:29in the front row, notwithstanding.
19:30But how do you see yourself at this ballpark and what can you say about your new teammates
19:37in terms of being close to any of them?
19:39Well, I mean, once I got here, my teammates made me feel comfortable.
20:07I'm able to talk to them, and somebody that I really didn't meet, but I saw from afar, Willie
20:12Adames, just made it easy for me to talk to him.
20:15And I think I didn't feel very welcome.
20:22Like I said before, it's the same baseball.
20:29Nothing changes.
20:31Hitters here, John.
20:34He's a dude.
20:35Rafi, you were part of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry on the East Coast, and I know Yankee
20:42fans are probably happy to see you gone after what you did to their pitching over the last
20:46few years.
20:47How excited are you to be a part of the Giants-Dodgers rivalry, and how excited are you to make the
20:51Dodgers and their fans miserable for what you're about to do to them with the bat?
20:55I know the potential that I have in my mentality is not just to make the Dodgers.
21:03I know the potential that I have in my mentality is not just to make the Dodgers suffer, but
21:26every team that we play against.
21:29For Rafi and Buster, now that you're a Giant and you have Barry here, how would you like
21:34him to improve your offense?
21:37How would you like to pick his brain to be better?
21:39And how would you, Buster, like to have Barry help him get to the next level?
21:43I think just looking at him, my game has already improved a lot.
22:00Yeah, I mean, when you have a guy like Barry Bonds around, arguably the greatest hitter of
22:06all time, it's an added benefit for sure.
22:11I most certainly want to also point out that we have the utmost confidence in Pat Burrell,
22:18Tiny, Oscar, and the work that they're doing.
22:21I've had conversations with Barry since spring training, and they're on the same page, which
22:28is really nice.
22:29I think they're all speaking the same language, and the message is very much in alignment.
22:33Rafael, this team now has a core of guys who are going to be here for a while, who are
22:39signed to long-term deals.
22:41As someone that's been a part of a team that's won a World Championship, how important is
22:45it to have a core that can play together for a number of years and develop that chemistry
22:50and have an understanding of what it means to win a championship?
22:53I think this organization has talent.
23:17They have won championships.
23:20I am here to play, to win, and obviously to win a championship.
23:25Just a couple more.
23:26Susan.
23:27Rafael, the Red Sox come right into town on Friday.
23:31What are your thoughts on seeing them almost immediately after coming here?
23:34Well, obviously, the goal is to win the games, right?
23:57But I will try and get my 100% and try to win the series.
24:02We have happy employees at Oracle Park, by the way.
24:05Susan.
24:05You can tell.
24:06Yeah.
24:07Who wouldn't be?
24:08This is for Bob or Zach or Buster, whoever wants to take it.
24:12But working Rafael out at First Space, who in particular do you want working with him?
24:17You've got guys like J.T. Snow you can call on.
24:20Who do you envision will mostly be working with him?
24:22Well, Matt and Mark, to start, Matt Williams and Mark Hallberg.
24:27But like you said, we have guys around all the time.
24:31Will Clark loves doing it.
24:32Like you said, J.T. was in spring training.
24:34We have plenty of guys to be able to have a resource over at First Space.
24:38Look, if you can play third, you can play first.
24:40And he's done a great job at third before.
24:42So I don't think it's going to be too difficult for him.
24:45But I think more than anything, the fact that he hasn't played in the field this year,
24:49we have to take our time working him in.
24:51And it's a new position.
24:52And so we'll take it day to day.
24:55Shana Ruiz here from Chronicle.
24:57Rafael, what do you think is the most underrated part of your game?
25:00And maybe Buster, what do you think is the most underrated part of his game?
25:02What do you think is the most underrated part of your game that you might need to improve?
25:07Everything.
25:08Everything.
25:08The base one never ends.
25:10I think it's something that every day one learns something new.
25:13I have to improve everything, both in my defense, both in my batting, and my running, and everything.
25:18Everything.
25:19I think you have to learn everything as you go along.
25:23Andy.
25:24Hi, Andy Baggerly from The Athletic.
25:26I have one question for Greg, one for Buster.
25:28First for Buster, your top prospect in your organization is learning first base at AAA.
25:33If Rafi's going to play a lot of first base here, how do you sort of see his development path, Bryce Eldridge?
25:39See his development path is the same.
25:40He's going to keep playing first, keep developing at the plate.
25:44It's a conversation that Rafi and I have had already about Bryce and the future that we potentially see him having.
25:54And yeah, par for the course for him going forward.
25:57And then for Greg, to echo Justice's question about the number of commitments this franchise has made in a very short amount of time.
26:05When you have the Adamas commitment, the Chapman commitment, you're folding in an even larger commitment with this Devers contract you're taking on.
26:12Just what was your sort of thought process as you were sort of getting over the line to approve this?
26:19Yeah, I mean, I think that certainly is always a concern when you lock up that much payroll over a longer period.
26:26But it also, I think it's much outweighed by getting the core group together for that period and getting the kind of player that kind of eases that concern.
26:38And I think to us, to put it in baseball terms, you look for your pitch.
26:42And I think to our group, this is like a hanging slider to get Rafi in here.
26:47You know, it just was too good of an opportunity.
26:51And as I said before, you know, we're opportunistic in how we look at payroll and how we look at the team.
26:57We don't really set any kind of number, you know, year to year.
27:01And this was just, you know, an opportunity that came up, which is too good to pass up.
27:07Murph.
27:08Rafael, just Dave addressed it in his introduction about the Dominican tradition here, going all the way back to Felipe Alou.
27:17And, of course, we talked about Juan Marichal.
27:19How aware of those older names are you and their link to the Giants?
27:24I know that they excel.
27:38I know that they put good numbers while they're worth a uniform.
27:43And I'm motivated to do exactly the same thing.
27:46Good final question.
27:48Thanks, everybody, for being here.
27:49We got a game to get ready for.
27:51Rafi, welcome to San Francisco.
27:52It's great to have you in the orange and black.
27:55Thanks again, everybody.