INDIANAPOLIS — The winter meetings reached the finish line Thursday, and for all their meetings and conversations, the Giants only netted a minor league pitcher in the Rule 5 draft.

Not exactly a jug of milk in the winner’s circle.
But Giants general manager Brian Sabean wasn’t bothered in the slightest. He said the Giants had current offers to more than one free agent, with versatile infielder Mark DeRosa believed to be among them. The Giants also were believed to have exchanged figures with first baseman Nick Johnson and center fielder Scott Podsednik.
“Nobody at this time is close to saying yes,” Sabean said.
That was true for the entire division. The Arizona Diamondbacks swapped two pitchers, getting Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy for Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth. But that was the only move of consequence for NL West clubs, unless Matt Murton owes you money. The Colorado Rockies sold the outfielder’s contract to the Hanshin Tigers.
It’s setting up for a slow-moving offseason, which should play better for the Giants this time. Last year, they jumped the gun with an $18.5 million contract to Edgar Renteria. That didn’t turn out so well.
This time, Sabean likes the Giants’ choices to find a hitter to sidle up next to cleanup man Pablo Sandoval. And the longtime GM said he’ll be patient to get his man at the right price.
“There’s so much anticipation . . . but it’s an artificial deadline,” said Sabean, referring to baseball’s annual swapfest. “More and more teams are patient. I think things will pick up after the meetings. I don’t hold any stock in what we didn’t do or what anybody else didn’t do.”
The Giants kicked around trading for San Diego Padres third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, and there’s no denying that Florida’s Dan Uggla has the right-handed power that best fits their needs. But Sabean declined to answer whether he had revisited a trade for the Marlins’ slugging second baseman.
“I’ll make a blanket statement: We’re not in any trade discussions that are close to happening as compared to the free agents,” Sabean said.
The Giants spoke to the agents for catcher Rod Barajas, who is one of several options behind the plate. The inventory of free-agent catchers and No. 5 starters should increase Saturday, when clubs are expected to non-tender many arbitration-eligible players.
But the primary focus is on a hitter who can help Sandoval. Sabean wouldn’t say if his current offers are pitted against each other — a situation where, for example, DeRosa and Johnson are told whoever doesn’t sign first is out of luck.
“There are moving targets,” Sabean said. “We’re active. They know our interest. If the market changes or there are more signings, it could develop faster.”
The Giants are known to like DeRosa’s professional, right-handed bat and his versatility. They could sign him to play third base, then move him to left field if they acquire another corner infielder.
Asked where he’d look to play DeRosa, Sabean said, “Certain people play one position and have one place in the order (where) they can hit. Certain people can move around in the order and play multiple positions, if you know what I mean.”
Then he added, forcefully, “Don’t get hung up on position. The preference is to get the offense better. The preference is to get somebody ahead of (cleanup hitter) Pablo (Sandoval) and behind Pablo. And there’s the catcher and a fifth starter.”