New Giants closer Melancon explains why he picked San Francisco

A day after the Giants signed Mark Melancon to be their closer, several critical details about the new closer emerged when he spoke on a conference call.

Ryan Vogelsong did quite a sell job on the Giants when he and Melancon were teammates in Pittsburgh, long before Melancon became a free agent.

Pence, Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford and George Kontos also made telephone recruiting calls.

Getting a record contract a reliever, four years at $62 million, surely highlighted Melancon's reasons for picking the Giants over the Nationals and other suitors, but he cited other reasons.

Just being on the other side you could tell how much character there was in the other clubhouse.

Melancon's contract will be an expensive package for the Giants.

For the third consecutive season, they will be forced to pay a luxury tax for spending more than the collectively bargained threshold.

General manager Bobby Evans said Morris will get a minor-league deal and an invite to spring training once his contract is finalized.

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.