Photo by Rob Fisher

The San Jose Giants are one of the most successful minor league teams in the country. They’re in the playoffs year after year and continue to draw record crowds. Still, some fans come to games not knowing some of the basics about minor league ball. Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions.

Q: Who are the San Jose Giants?

A: The San Jose Giants are the High A minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. San Francisco employs the coaches and players and assigns them to San Jose, which competes in the California League. Each of the ten Cal League teams is affiliated with a major league franchise: Stockton Ports (Oakland); Modesto Nuts (Colorado); Visalia Rawhide (Arizona); Bakersfield Blaze (Texas); Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels); High Desert Mavericks (Seattle); Lancaster JetHawks (Houston); Inland Empire 66’ers (Dodgers); and Lake Elsinore Storm (San Diego).

Q: Where do the players come from?

A: Some players were drafted following their senior year of high school while others played college baseball. They are discovered by scouts from all over the world including the Caribbean, Latin America, Canada, Japan, and Korea. Some players were signed as free agents or acquired through trades with other organizations.

Q: How much money are they paid?

A: Players drafted in the first ten rounds of the amateur draft can receive signing bonuses into the millions of dollars. But once they join a team, everyone makes the same amount of money: about $1,000 a month. Plus they get $20 a day in meal money while on the road.  Most players live with "host families" in the San Jose area.

Q: How long do they play here?

A: For most players, San Jose is the second or third stop on the road they hope leads to the Major Leagues. Most of them will be in San Jose for about one season, although some get promoted earlier. The next step is usually the Connecticut Defenders of the (AA) Eastern League. After that, it’s on to the Fresno Grizzlies of the (AAA) Pacific Coast League.

Q: What are the chances they’ll make the major leagues?

A: It’s a long, hard road to the major leagues, and most players won’t make it. By most accounts, fewer than ten percent of all minor leaguers reach the big leagues. But recently, the San Jose Giants have bucked that trend, sending many of their players to the majors. Current San Francisco Giants Pablo Sandoval, Travis Ishikawa, Matt Downs, Nate Schierholtz, John Bowker, Fred Lewis, Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez, Matt Cain, Sergio Romo and Ryan Sadowski all played for the San Jose Giants.