In an effort to beef up their bullpen, the San Francisco Giants signed Jeremy Affeldt to a 2-year, $8 million deal. When asked about the deal Affeldt said, "[The Giants] came in with an offer, and it was really close to what we were looking for. The negotiation was pretty quick. They were definitely on an A-list for me. They were really wanting to get me and bring me in to help out." A former Cincinnati Red, Affeldt went 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 74 appearances. He struck out 80 and walked 25 batters in 78 1/3 innings. In his final 34 games of the 2008 season, Affeldt recorded a 2.23 ERA. "It's a very good place to play and I know that division is up for grabs," Affeldt said. "I look forward to helping this team fight for a playoff spot." This is good news for the Giants' organization, seeing as their relievers had a combined 4.45 ERA and tied for 14th place in the MLB last season. They gave up the third-most home runs at 62. Affeldt will get a $1 million signing bonus with $3 million next season and $4 million in 2010.