First-Half Grades: Right Field
Thu, Jul 13, 2006
by Geoff Young
If there were any doubts as to whether Brian Giles‘ power outage last year was a fluke or the beginning of his decline, those have been removed. He simply does not hit home runs anymore and it would be unreasonable to expect otherwise.
Although his slugging numbers are extremely low (.372 SLG, .103 ISO) for a corner outfielder, Giles continues to add value in other areas. On offense he still draws walks and makes pitchers work, and nobody goes harder into second base trying to break up a double play.
In the field, Giles gets the absolute most out of his abilities. He isn’t particularly fast but has a quick first step and generally takes good routes to the ball. He doesn’t have a real strong arm but he’s usually in position to make a throw, gets rid of the ball quickly, and maintains a low trajectory on his throws. Giles doesn’t dazzle with skills, but his fundamentals are strong and he keeps mental and physical errors to a minimum.
The biggest obstacle in judging Giles as a player is his past performance. He is no longer a power hitter, or the elite offensive force he once was. If you can get past that, you’ll find a guy who still does plenty for a ballclub.
Grade: B-
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