Kevin Pillar: Giants environment ‘something I haven’t experienced’ in MLB

Baseball Central reaction to Kevin Pillar's post game comments, where he seemed to "throw some shade" at his former Blue Jays' teammates.

Kevin Pillar seems to be happy in his early days as a member of the San Francisco Giants.

Speaking to reporters after a Giants victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, Pillar praised the environment around his new squad while appearing to take some thinly-veiled shots at his old team, the Toronto Blue Jays.

“It was the most fun I’ve had on a baseball field this year and coming in after a win to see this environment was something I haven’t experienced in all my years in the big leagues,” Pillar said. “So that’s extra motivation to keep winning some games.”

When asked for clarification about what he meant by “environment,” Pillar was to the point.

“You just see guys genuinely happy for each other,” Pillar responded. “There’s no one who’s feeling sorry for themselves after shovelling at the plate a little bit or maybe not getting some outs on the mound.”

On Monday, Pillar posted a lengthy “Thank You” to the Blue Jays organization and its fans on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

I don’t know where to start but the last couple days have been some of the most difficult and challenging days of my career. After trying to get myself and family settled in a new city and organization, I have finally had a chance to process my feelings… Thank you isn’t enough Toronto. I gave you my heart and you gave me yours back. I was just a California kid who always had a dream of playing in the big leagues. Never in my wildest dreams would I be playing 3,000 miles away from home in a different country. On August 14, 2013 I made my MLB debut in Toronto but what I didn’t know is you would be my home for the next 7 years of my life. To AA, Paul Beeston, and especially the guy who drafted me, Kevin Fox, thanks for believing in a 21 year old D2 baseball player. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to prove that I could not only reach the big leagues but become an everyday center fielder. To the staff, trainers, stadium employees, clubhouse staff: thank you for your constant love and support and always making me and my family feel like family. You all touched my heart in a way that I will never forget. To my teammates: thank you for the most unbelievable ride. We had some challenging years but we also had some pretty magical and incredible years. Despite the ups and downs of a season, you guys were the ones who made me want to play as hard as I could every single day, regardless of the score. To the fans: Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have been the most incredible, honest, passionate fans from coast to coast. You will always have a special place in my heart and for that, I can’t thank you enough.

A post shared by Kevin Pillar (@kpillar11) on

Pillar was traded to the Giants from the Blue Jays last Tuesday after spending his entire big-league career with the franchise and playing a key role in Toronto’s playoff core in 2015 and 2016.

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