Giants Fire Valley Scouting Legend Genovese

George Genovese, a coach and scout in the San Francisco Giants’ organization for the past 34 years, said Tuesday he has been fired, apparently because of strike-related budget cuts.

Genovese, 72, said he has been told that his contract as the team’s Southern California scout will not be renewed in 1995 and that he will not receive retirement benefits.

“I feel betrayed,” said Genovese, who lives in North Hollywood. “I gave my loyalty to the Giants for 34 years. You just don’t treat people this way.”

In scouting circles, Genovese is a Southland legend. Among the players he signed are Garry Maddox, Gary Matthews, Jack Clark, Dave Kingman, George Foster, Bobby Bonds, Royce Clayton and Matt Williams.

Genovese said he signed 43 players who eventually made the Giants’ 40-man roster.

Last month, his storied career came crashing down. On Sept. 16, Genovese said he received a call from Bob Hartsfield, the Giants’ director of scouting.

Hartsfield told Genovese that his contract would not be renewed when it expires Dec. 31 and offered no explanation behind the decision. Last week, Genovese received a letter from Brian Sabean, the team’s vice president of scouting and player personnel. The letter also did not specify why Genovese was released, he said.

The team’s director of public relations, Bob Rose, said Tuesday night that the team had made several layoffs but that most of the personnel was expected to be rehired when the strike is resolved.

Reached at home, Rose said about seven people were laid off in baseball operations, but he wasn’t apprised of any specifics.

The Giants this fall eliminated a rookie-league team in Scottsdale, Ariz., and a short-season Class-A team in Clinton, Iowa.

Budget cuts or not, Genovese also is upset that he wasn’t contacted by General Manager Bob Quinn or owner Peter Magowan.

“I think I deserve a better fate than that,” he said.

Length of service apparently wasn’t a factor in his release, either. “You’d think seniority might play a role in who’s cut back,” he said. “It’s a shock. I don’t know what I’m going to do. Most places you get a watch and a dinner. Here, I got shown the door.”

What stings most, though, is that even after four decades, loyalty wasn’t a two-way street.

Over the years, Genovese received many offers to join other organizations, who were mindful of his eye for talent. He stayed with the Giants, however, even when it meant a smaller paycheck.

Genovese said he hasn’t considered legal action. He said he’d have a hard time suing the team that employed him for all these years.

“I’m hoping (the Giants) will realize the error of their ways,” he said. “Maybe they’ll wake up, or the fans will wake them up.”