Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Tuesday's game between Pittsburgh and the Padres was rained out.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Unlike many other former Pirates, Brian Giles was glad to be back in Pittsburgh.
Giles, the Pirates' most productive offensive player since Barry Bonds left for San Francisco in 1992, returned to PNC Park on Tuesday for the first time since being traded from Pittsburgh to San Diego last Aug. 26.
Though Giles was delighted to be traded to his hometown -- he starred at Granite Hills High in El Cajon, Calif. -- he became a star in Pittsburgh after four seasons as a spot starter in Cleveland. He also didn't publicly lobby to be dealt despite the Pirates' ongoing run of 11 consecutive losing seasons.
No hard feelings
"There's no hard feelings here," Giles said before the game was rained out and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader (today, 5:05 p.m.). "This organization gave me an opportunity to play every day and show I could be a pretty good major league baseball player. A year ago I was frustrated because we couldn't win here ... and when you don't, there's going to be change."
The Pirates reluctantly dealt Giles for left-hander Oliver Perez, outfielder Jason Bay and pitching prospect Cory Stewart in a dollar-saving move as they looked to cut their 2004 payroll by $20 million.
Giles averaged .308 and 33 homers during his five Pittsburgh seasons, but he and his $8 million salary became expendable after the Pirates disclosed they lost $30 million in their first three seasons in their new ballpark.
Misses Kendall
Giles' only disappointment is catcher Jason Kendall, one of his best friends, didn't accompany him to San Diego.
About a month before spring training began, general managers Dave Littlefield of Pittsburgh and Kevin Towers of San Diego worked out a deal that would have sent Kendall and his $10 million average salary to the Padres for infielder Jeff Cirillo and catcher Ramon Hernandez.
But Padres owner John Moores vetoed the trade at the last minute for money reasons, saying it would leave the team with no financial flexibility.
Kendall is a Southern California native who would have also liked playing back home but, like Giles, hasn't demanded a trade. He also said Tuesday's game had no extra meaning to him, even though the Padres wanted him and Giles now plays for them.
"I couldn't care less about the San Diego Padres," Kendall said. "I worry about the guys in here. Brian's also the type of guy that, once the game starts, he doesn't care who he's playing, just like myself. There's not a lot of those guys left anymore.
"It doesn't matter who you're going against or if your dad or mother's playing for the other team. Once you step in between the lines, let's get it on," said Kendall, whose father, Fred, indeed is a former Padres catcher.
Friends still talk
Though they now play on opposite coasts, Giles and Kendall still talk at least once a week and planned to eat dinner after Tuesday night's game.
"We're still close," Giles said. "He's done a heck of a job grinding it out here, even though I know he's frustrated with all the rumors and the trade talk and it not materializing."
Unlike some of their other recent deals, such as that sending third baseman Aramis Ramirez to the Cubs, the Pirates got comparable talent in return for Giles.
Perez (3-1, 3.16 ERA) has been their best starting pitcher, and Bay is hitting .292 despite missing nearly a month with a shoulder injury.