I honestly don’t know enough about Oliver Perez — beyond the fact that he’s a young pitcher with high strikeout rates but little or no success thus far at the major league level — to really evaluate the Pirates’ deal of Brian Giles to San Diego, with Perez as the chief consideration in return. But to be fair to the Pirates, remember this:
*The Pirates aren’t any good and won’t be any good for a few more years;
*Giles will be 33 next season, and will never be more marketable.
For all that, I’m suspicious of trading a superstar-level hitter principally for an unproven young pitcher. And you have to conclude this: the deal is a dramatic no-confidence vote in Pittsburgh’s young starting rotation. A team that thought Josh Fogg and Kip Wells and Kris Benson were going to be the anchors of a good rotation would not make this deal. (In Benson’s case, pessimism is clearly warranted by his season-ending shoulder injury).
2 thoughts on “Giles for Perez”
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Not just Perez, but Jason Bay as well, a young OF who has been touted as a stud and is getting PT in the bigs as we speak.
As for Perez, ridiculous K rates, but trouble with the walks. Get the walks under control (a big if) and this kid could be something over the next couple of years.
Either of them alone for Giles is questionable, both of them together makes it a great deal for the Bucs.
PS – Even a team with two or three studs in the rotation would make this deal if they were operating under a budget and weren’t immediately in contention as they get rid of an aging OF and replace him with a young 5 tools guy in addition to the addition of the starter that could conceivably be helping the team out for cheap over the next 3 to 4 years.