Con: Obviously written by Le Batard.

 

Cabrera for Giles?

Yes, it's a no-brainer

DAN LE BATARD

 

You know the last time I had an argument like this one?

 

In 1997.

 

When a bunch of Marlins fans blinded by loyalty or ignorance were telling me they wouldn't trade young Edgar Renter?a and all his potential for, um, that thought-to-be-available-at-the-time Barry Bonds guy.

 

Renter?a has turned into a very nice player, while Bonds, I don't need to tell you, has become an unprecedented one.

 

Very quietly last week, too quietly, the Pittsburgh Pirates traded Brian Giles, who is only the most underrated player in baseball and perhaps the most underappreciated one in all of sports. Here's how good Giles is -- he has been one of the top five offensive players the past five years.

 

That's not a matter of opinion. It is a matter of statistical fact. When you combine on-base percentage and slugging percentage, the two best individual measures of a hitter's worth, there's a very short list of players who have been better than Giles the past half-decade.

 

Bonds, Sosa, Jason Giambi, Manny Ram?rez and . . . that about covers it. Statistically, Giles has been more consistent the past five years than hitters like Alex Rodr?guez, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero and Carlos Delgado.

 

He's about the only superstar nobody knows, in other words, because he's been swallowed by all the losing in Pittsburgh, where he would knock in 100 runs every season even though his teammates were, on average, getting on base less than 30 percent of the time.

 

Given that the Padres gave up only two very good prospects to get Giles, the Marlins might have had a chance to grab him if they had thrown left fielder Miguel Cabrera into the trade discussion.

 

Would I have traded the popular and potential-soaked Cabrera for Giles?

 

In less time than it took you to read this sentence. Or, faster yet, in less time than it takes Miller to be wrong.

 

I like Cabrera, his future and his inexpensive price tag. And I hear all the predictions that he is going to grow into a superstar. But, just playing the numbers, what are the odds he's going to become, like Giles, one of the game's five best offensive players? It isn't very likely.

 

Giles is relatively inexpensive, which is always an issue with this club. You could have had him for the rest of this season and the next two for a total of about $15 million. With all the players the Marlins have arbitration eligible, the Marlins won't be able to keep this nucleus together.

 

Giles, the kind of power-hitting lefty the Marlins need, would help them compete this year and beyond. In fact, $15 million for two Giles years is a far better investment than the $10 million the Marlins gave Iv?n Rodr?guez for one. Rodr?guez has been exceptional for Florida, but he isn't the hitter Giles is, not nearly.

 

Very few people are.

Pro, Writen by Jeff Miller.

 

Marlins were wise to value potential

JEFF MILLER

 

You sometimes trade tomorrow for today, and it works out perfectly. The 1997 Marlins did this by acquiring Darren Daulton, who three months later was a beloved former Marlin with a World Series ring.

 

The other half of that deal was Billy McMillon, a player the Marlins liked so much at one point they drafted him with their eighth pick. McMillon since has hit 11 career home runs.

 

You do not, however, under any circumstances, trade Miguel Cabrera. Now, if Tom Hicks calls and he's into the margarita mix and he offers Alex Rodr?guez and $20 million annually in small bills, OK, you make that trade. Then you call the Blue Jays and pick up Carlos Delgado for one of those Jeff Conine bobblehead dolls.

 

But back on this planet, we're dealing with reality, and the reality is Cabrera has shown enough at the major-league level to suggest he is, as teammate Juan Pierre calls him, ''a superstar in the making.'' (Another reality quote: Le Batard once was labeled ``a bobblehead in the making.'')

 

Based on what Cabrera has done before his 21st birthday, it is hard to imagine how he could develop into anything but one of the game's most potent weapons.

 

Over a full season, his numbers this season would translate into 22 homers and 100 RBI, all while learning a new position.

 

Cabrera's potential simply is worth more than Brian Giles' production. Giles is a fantastic hitter, obviously, but how much more than Cabrera would he really provide?

 

Let's repeat a fact: Cabrera is still only 20. When this season began, he was 19. He debuted in the majors four years sooner than Giles. He arrived in the majors sooner than Albert Pujols, Barry Bonds and Manny Ram?rez. When he was 20, Gary Sheffield was hitting five home runs and batting .247 for Milwaukee.

 

This is not meant to guarantee Cabrera will be the equal of any of those players, but this is meant to guarantee he at least has that opportunity. We're talking about a possible all-timer here.

 

Giles would have looked great in this lineup, particularly when the Marlins were melting at the Pirates' knees last week. But he also is 12 years older than Cabrera and is owed nearly $15 million before his contract expires. These are the Marlins, who count pennies like others count blood cells.

 

The 1990 stretch-driving Red Sox traded little-known Jeff Bagwell for Admin Andersen, who helped his new team into the postseason, where Boston did nothing. The 1998 Astros traded Freddy Garc?a, John Halama and Carlos Guillen for 11 Randy Johnson starts. Houston still has won as many World Series as Stanley Cups.

 

Yes, you sometimes trade tomorrow for today, and it works out perfectly. Other times, you don't make that deal, and it works out even better.

is Le Batard saying we should have traded Cabs for Giles?

 

please tell me I am reading that wrong

is Le Batard saying we should have traded Cabs for Giles?

 

please tell me I am reading that wrong

No, your not. It seems that LeBatrard has some kind of infatuation with Giles. He's not going to be the next Barry Bonds!

Giles has a no-trade clause. Plus he listed 5 teams he would have welcome a trade to and Florida was NOT one of them.

What a freaking idiot. I mean seriously. The guy has no credibility for me anymore and probably not ever again.

The notion of trading Cabrera for Giles is absurd when you consider what San Diego traded away for Giles (or rather, what they didn't trade away). The Pads not only kept their best young hitter in Sean Burroughs, but they also kept their second best young hitter in Xavier Nady. And neither Burroughs nor Nady are even in the same league as Cabs as far as potential goes. What exactly did the Pads give up? A hitter who has just now reached the majors at age 24 (Jason Bay), a 23-year-old pitcher who has a 3.72 ERA in AA (Corey Stewart), and a 22-year-old pitcher who, although he has great stuff, has been hit pretty hard in the majors (Oliver Perez). And LeBatard wants the Fish to trade away a 20-year-old who is already producing at a better clip than most 25- and 26-year-olds? Why? What the Pads gave up for Giles would probably be equivalent to the Marlins giving up a package of Josh Willingham, Trevor Hutchinson, and Donnie Bridges for Giles. Maybe even less than that. If the Pads didn't have to trade Burroughs to land Giles, then the idea of trading Cabrera to land Giles is patently ridiculous.

 

And LeBatard's Renteria comparison is silly. Cabrera just very well might become one of the top 5 hitters in baseball. No one thought Renteria had that much ability.

Well said DR. Not to mention Giles is 32, his salary beyond the reach of this franchise to support, and he just came back from a serious injury. Theres no doubt hes one of the top hitters in the game, but for how much longer?

Oh! And Cabs is putting these numbers up in one of the worst hitters parks in MLB.