So the Padres have placed left handed hitting outfielder Brian Giles on waivers and he has been claimed by a yet unnamed team. Within 48 hours the team that claimes Giles will become public as a trade is possibly worked out for Giles unless he is pulled off waivers or let go. I wonder if the team that claimed Giles is possibly the Cubs who were looking for a left handed outfield bat at the trading deadline. With Daryle Ward adding nothing lately it would make sense that the Cubs might pursue Giles and certainly have the money to do so. What do you think?
Update:
It has been reported that Brian Giles was claimed by the Red Sox. Which means that all of the National League teams including the Cubs passed on him. I don’t understand this one. I cannot see why the Cubs would have allowed him to pass and not taken a run at him unless they knew the asking price was too high…since they might have poked at Giles around the trade deadline. I cannot understand why they would not make a move to replace Ward.
Certainly agree that Giles would add more to Cubs roster than the “space eater” Ward who has done absolutely nothing for the Cubs this year.
I would be pretty surprised if Giles fell all the way to the Cubs.
That would mean that all but two teams in baseball were not interested in him, and I don’t buy that.
BUT… with that said…
I would love to see Giles on the Cubs.
What do you mean by Ward ‘adding nothing lately?” He’s a 3-for-3 away from his lifetime batting average this season, and pitchers keep walking him (12 walks in 78 PA).
Having said that, can Giles really pinch-hit? Has he ever sat on the bench for days a time and then had to produce in one AB? Because that’s what the Cubs need right now. Unless the plan is to sit Fukodome or the Johnson/Edmonds platoon, which I don’t see happening.
Personally, I think the Brewers are the ones who put in the claim. Corey Hart is nothing special in RF, and he’s young enough so benching him for eight weeks to rent Giles isn’t that traumatic. But if it’s the Cubs, and we can get him for a B+ type prospect (e.g. worse than Hoffpauir), then so be it.
#2, according to what i have heard, he has to go through the national league, and if he clears go through the american league. so 14 teams would be behind us. i would think the Cards though, as they made a similar move a couple of years ago, and got Larry Walker.
#4, i think it would have to be someone other than Hoffpauir, he would have to clear waivers, so it would be someone not on the 40 man roster.
I was wondering the same thing guys….I think Giles would be a perfect addition. Ward is either hurt, or is on the downside of his career. Remember, the Cubs have fallen in love with the “all-world pinch hitters”. Lenny Harris, John Mabry, Daryle Ward are recent examples that come to mind. Harris and Mabry didn’t turn out so well, and Ward was great last year, but he can’t play the field. He’s average at 1B, and below average in the OF. I think what we’ll start to see more often is the Ronny Cedeno, DeRosa, Theriot, Fontenot types on the benches across MLB, because of their versatility. Ward is PERFECT for the AL as a bench/DH guy. I like the guy, but I would love Giles even more. I really hope we’re the team that claimed him
according to this, it’s the Red Sox that claimed him, and they’re just doing it so Tampa Bay can’t:
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/weblogs/padres/2008/aug/07/red-sox-claim-giles/?padres
red sox claimed brian giles off waviers. they have 48 hours to do work out a trade.
hmmmmmmm….I wonder why the Cubs didn’t claim him..I saw that as well. Do you guys think they will DFA Ward? Honestly, he really hasn’t contributed much, and I know Piniella was upset with Hoffpauir’s defense in Tampa Bay, which is more or less why he wasn’t used much thereafter and optioned out, but Hoffpauir could spell Lee at first to keep him fresh, and certainly is a good bat to have off the bench.
Ward’s line of: 60 games, 66 AB’s, 4 runs, 15 hits, 5 doubles, 2 hr, 9 RBI, 12 BB, 17 K’s, .227 avg, and .346 OBP, and .394 SLG
Hoffpauir on the other hand: 19 games, 37 AB’s, 8 runs, 14 hits, 6 doubles, 0 hr, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 14 K’s, .378 avg, and .410 OBP, and .541 SLG
I’d take Hoffpauir anyday over Ward’s line, even though he has an alarming K/BB ratio. In about half of Ward’s AB’s, Hoffpauir more runs, doubles, a better average, OBP, and slugging
Saying that Ward is adding nothing lately is a pretty clear and identifiable statement. It is not about whether or not he is hitting his lifetime average or whether or not a 3 for 3 will get him there. What has he done for us lately and what can we expect him to do the rest of the way?
I’d take Hoffpauir anyday over Ward’s line
Read up on sample sizes some time.
What has he done for us lately and what can we expect him to do the rest of the way?
Well… the point is that Ward’s career numbers are a better predictor of what he will do the rest of the season than his 90 or so at-bats are that he has had this season.
Dave, I understand what you are saying….what I meant, as I mentioned earlier is that Ward seems hurt or tired…and I can’t see how he’d be tired with all the time off he’s had. Maybe he’s just on the downside as Lenny Harris and Mabry were. I actually like the guy too, unlike my disdain for Howry and Marquis. And I totally, 100% agree with you on sample size. But can you also see what I was saying that in his short time with the Cubs, he’s out-performed Ward in almost every single category in half as many plate appearances as Ward has?
I sincerely hope that Ward can get it together, because he has experience, and like you said, a track record, but it seems like lately he hasn’t been pulling through.
In my opinion, the two most difficult positions to play in the majors is a set-up/closer or pinch hitter, for the simple reason that they each appear in about 60-80 games during a season with one inning each, and they have to perform at a very high level, or they get critcized, whereas everyday players, including starting pitchers know exactly when and about how long they’ll play during the games.
Ward has done an admirable job, but we’re in a penant race, and struggling players get shipped off (see Scott Eyre, Michael Wuertz, Rich Hill, Felix Pie), because we don’t have the patience for them to get their act together
I see what you are saying that Hoffpauir has outperformed Ward. But that doesn’t mean that Hoffpauir will continue to outperform Ward.
I have more confidence that Ward will come through in an important situation than I do about Hoffpauir.
Dave, you’re right about that, and I do too. I’m pretty worried though that Ward isn’t returning to form from last year. Here’s to hoping he does.
What I see as the problem with Ward is that unless he pinch-hits for a pitcher, you have to burn a position player that could have batted later on in the game. He is a liability on defense and is a luxury that they cannot afford later in the season.
Not making a waiver claim on Giles was a mistake for the Cubs. If they would have done so, and were not able to work out a trade, he’d have remained a Padre. At least then, he couldn’t have gone to another contender to help them down the stretch and in the playoffs. With Fukudome’s production sliding each month as the season has gone on (including a .236 BA and .688 OPS in July and a .100 BA so far in August), and Edmonds’ achy knee an ongoing concern, Giles could have helped the Cubs tremendously. He would have added a very patient, high BA and OBP, and very good contact hitter to the everyday lineup. And Giles would have also improved the bench depth by giving the Cubs three CF options. Edmonds could have played the majority of the time (if healthy) against RHP while Edmonds or Fukudome was available off the bench, along with Johnson. Soriano, Theriot, Giles, Lee, Ramirez, Edmonds, Soto, and DeRosa would have been a very scary lineup for the opposition. Keep in mind that while the Cubs do lead the league in scoring and run differential, they have also been shut out six times this season, and have also been held to one or two runs in 18 other contests, many of them against some very mediocre pitchers who don’t compare to the calibar of pitching they will run up against in the post-season. The Cubs have proven themselves to be one of the best teams in baseball this year, but I still think you have to improve your club when given an opportunity to do so. And I believe that adding Giles in exchange for prospects would clearly have done so, by improving the lineup and adding speed and defense off the bench by essentially exchanging Fukudome for Ward.