SAN FRANCISCO – Tim Federowicz spent a couple of hours in limbo Tuesday morning.

He didn’t board the flight to Salt Lake City along with his Triple-A Sacramento teammates. He also didn’t know if the Giants would call him up. He just knew to stay close.

In case the club put Buster Posey on the 7-day concussion list, the catcher nicknamed “FedX” absolutely, positively needed to be in San Francisco overnight.

They did, and Federowicz finds himself back in the big leagues. The Giants were fortunate that the 29-year-old didn’t opt out of his minor league contract at the end of the spring. They need the catching depth now, particularly with Trevor Brown just beginning to play games in extended spring while getting over ankle and hip injuries. Related Articles Giants starter Tyler Andreson ejected for arguing balls and strikes in third inning vs. Mariners

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Federowicz said he stayed because GM Bobby Evans was upfront with him every step of the way, even allowing him to back out of his agreement when the team signed Nick Hundley just prior to spring training.

“He’s been straightforward and he speaks the truth,” Federowicz said of Evans. “I’d love the opportunity to work for somebody who’s truthful and shoots straight. It’s hard to find in this business sometimes.”

Leo Durocher famously said that nice guys finish last. Maybe he had it backwards. Being nice can pay off, too.

Federowicz joins right-hander Neil Ramirez on the Giants roster as players who will receive a Chicago Cubs World Series ring soon. Both played briefly for the Cubs during the 2016 regular season.

Federowicz also had the experience of catching Tyler Beede’s Triple-A debut Sunday. The 23-year-old right-hander held Tacoma to a run on five hits in six innings while striking out three. He didn’t walk a batter.

Federowicz said he might have caught Beede for just one inning during the spring, but the stuff all played up with the adrenaline of actual game action.

“He was nasty,” Federowicz said. “He had really good stuff. I was very impressed. He’s definitely got big league stuff. There’s life on his fastball, he had a sharp breaking ball and he had good feel for all four pitches. He’s fun to catch.”

Perhaps Beede will be flashing that stuff in the big leagues soon, if Matt Cain cannot hold down the No.5 spot in the rotation.

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The emergence of Beede and Ty Blach was among the reasons felt they could subtract some starting pitching depth and designate right-hander Clayton Blackburn for assignment to create a 40-man roster vacancy for Federowicz.

Evans made it pretty clear he expected to trade Blackburn within seven days before they would have to place him on waivers. I’d imagine they already have the framework of a deal in place. If they factored on losing whomever they designated, they might as well get something in exchange.

This might be the chance that Blackburn needs. He was called up last season, but returned to Triple-A without making his debut. There has to be a club out there that can use a 24-year-old with a PCL ERA title under his belt and the ability to throw strikes with four pitches.

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Federowicz will back up Hundley, who becomes the starter for at least a week while Posey is out.

Hundley entered as a pinch runner for Posey in the first inning Monday, immediately after the catcher was struck by a pitch to the helmet. Later in the game, Hundley joked with Manager Bruce Bochy: “It’s about time you hit me cleanup.”

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Bochy said he planned to rest Brandon Crawford, and Posey’s absence didn’t tempt him to change. On Wednesday, it’ll be Eduardo Nuñez’s turn for a day off. Bochy is going to be careful about resting all his regulars and using his bench more often this season.

It turns out Aaron Hill is the emergency catcher AND the third-string cleanup hitter on this team.