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Hillenbrand settles in quickly, Giants win fifth game in a row
By Daniel Dullum July 22, 2006 |
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SAN FRANCISCO-Mid-season trades have long been a part of the business side of baseball, especially at this time of year, when teams are searching for that extra bat or pitching arm that can get them over the hump and into the post season. While it’s never easy for a player to deal with the upheaval that accompanies a mid-season transaction, Shea Hillenbrand is determined to make the most of the experience. “It was tough up until today,” the San Francisco Giants’ new first baseman said. “Because of the unexpected, you don’t know. I had a great welcome from my teammates, it shows how classy they are, what good people they are. It made me feel good that [pitcher] Vinnie Chulk came over with me, and I think we’ll mesh right in and its full steam ahead. Just go out there, compete, and stay in first place.” Hillenbrand joined the Giants on Saturday, less than 24 hours after he was acquired from Toronto, where he was designated for assignment earlier in the week for derogatory remarks he allegedly made about the Blue Jays franchise. His timing was excellent – joining the Giants as they won their fifth game in a row, vaulting into first place in the National League West for the first time since April 26. “I haven’t played for I don’t know how long now, but I felt good,” Hillenbrand said after the Giants’ 4-3 win over San Diego at AT&T Park. “I was just a little tired toward the end of the game, because of all the adrenalin and expectations and all of that. But we won the game, we’re in first place and we’re ecstatic about that, I’m going to sleep good tonight!” Giants manager Felipe Alou was also happy about the turn of events since the All-Star break, saying, “[Being in first place] means something. Seven days ago, we were supposed to be that bad. … I don’t really worry about it. I left all my worries behind me now.” Especially that power vacuum at first base. While Hillenbrand became expendable in Toronto, he's a welcome addition to the often-anemic Giants attack, filling a season-long power void at first base. A six-year major league veteran, Hillenbrand was hitting .301 with 12 homers, 15 doubles and 39 runs batted in at the time of his exit from Ontario. Hillenbrand outlived his usefulness in Toronto when he allegedly wrote, "Play for yourselves" and “This ship is sinking" on a Blue Jays clubhouse whiteboard, but denies writing the latter statement. His disenchantment with the Jays began when he felt the team’s management snubbed his family when they adopted a baby girl, Dakota Grace, and received no congratulatory message. The first baseman left the Blue Jays for a few days to attend his daughter's birth and became more upset when he was omitted from the starting lineup for two games upon his return. Understandably, Hillenbrand was more receptive to talking about the new phase of his career, and what he brings to the Giants as they move into first place in the National League West. In his San Francisco debut, Hillenbrand went 1-for-4, including a single in his first Giants at-bat. “The main thing is that we won,” Hillenbrand emphasized. “[Jason] Schmidt did an unbelievable job, battling his butt off. He stayed out there through six and did a great job.” Jason Schmidt, the winning pitcher for the Giants, returned the compliment, noting the way Hillenbrand’s addition energized the ball club. “I think it’s great,” Schmidt said. “It’s always nice having a new face in the clubhouse, it gets everybody excited. It uplifts everybody, and makes it feel like management is pushing towards the goal a little bit. Nobody is giving up on us, and after getting out and beating the ball around hard the last few days, I think we deserve it as a team to get a new face and it’s really going to add a lot to us. “its perfect timing,” Schmidt, who picked up his first win in seven starts, continued. “We went out and got, probably, the best guy on the market right now, so we’re really excited.” San Francisco outfielder Steve Finley, who was a teammate of Hillenbrand's with Arizona, said the team would have no problem welcoming the new Giant. "He did a good job with us in Arizona. The guy can hit," Finley said. "He's a family-oriented guy, so I could see how he reacted to [the management’s indifference]. I wouldn't be very happy either." Thus far, the Giants' faithful at AT&T Park are happy with what they're seeing of Hillenbrand. He received rousing ovations both during the starting lineup introductions and his first at-bat in the second inning, when he singled to left to ignite a three-run rally. The Giants' new first baseman went to third when Padres' centerfielder Mike Cameron dropped Pedro Feliz's fly ball and scored on Eliezer Alfonzo's two-run single. Hillenbrand likes the makeup of the Giants overall, and thinks the team has a legitimate chance to challenge for a playoff berth. “I think it’s a really good situation,” Hillenbrand said. “We have a lot of veteran players that have been around the game a long time, they know how to play the game right, play the game hard, and that’s what you need. It’s a business atmosphere with some fun, and we go out there with the common goal of winning every ballgame we go out and play.” Winn added, “We’re putting it all together. We’re getting solid pitching, consistent hitting up and down the lineup, and we’ve done some other little things like bunting and stealing bases. And the relievers have come in and done a good job. We’re playing well as a team; it’s not one guy carrying it” And it doesn’t hurt having a brand new bat in the mix, especially one with a .290 career batting average. “I think it’s great,” Winn said. “Sometimes it takes a few days for a guy to get in, but it was nice to get him in here at home, and he’s going to be a great addition to our lineup.” The only downside to the Giants' deal is that old problem of having to give something up to get what you need. Thus, the Giants -- not exactly a pitching rich organization --had to surrender promising reliever Jeremy Accardo to make the trade a reality. Vinnie Chulk, a right-handed reliever, also joined San Francisco in the deal. Chulk was 1-0 with a 5.25 ERA in 20 games with the Blue Jays. He was also in uniform Saturday for the Giants. BARRY'S WORLD The San Francisco Chronicle reported in its July 22 editions that Barry Bonds’ medical records have been subpoenaed and received by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. The records were received on July 19, a day before the original grand jury in the Bonds case expired. The records detail Bonds’ three surgeries on his right knee in 2005, one on his left knee in 2004, and another on his left elbow in 1999, the same year Bonds had his initial surgery on his right knee. U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan decided against seeking an indictment against the Giants’ left fielder for either perjury or income tax evasion. A new grand jury will likely be impaneled within the next week as federal attorneys continue to investigate the charges against Bonds, which also include possible use of performance-enhancing chemicals. Bonds’ attorney, Michael Rains, tried to block the U.S. Attorney’s actions, but a U.S. District Court denied the motion on July 18. Meanwhile, Greg Anderson, Bonds’ former personal trainer, was released from prison hours before the grand jury expired. Anderson, one of four people indicted by the grand jury for the steroid scandal that involved the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) was jailed for contempt of court for refusing to testify against Bonds and could return to prison if he doesn’t testify before the new grand jury. Anderson’ attorney has already said his client will not testify in front of the new judicial panel. Bonds has never admitted to using steroids, and testified in front of the original BALCO grand jury in December 2003 that he may have unknowingly used steroids he called “the cream” and “the clear.” In his testimony, Bonds said he thought the substances supplied by Anderson were “arthritis balm” and “flaxseed oil.” DIAMOND DUST: Giants OF Moises Alou left the game after the fifth inning with a strained left hamstring. … Before the game, San Diego made a trade with the Chicago Cubs, acquiring veteran RHP Scott Williamson in exchange for a pair of Class A pitchers -- Fabian Jimenez and Joel Santo. Jimenez, 19, and Santo, 22, were on the Cubs' Fort Wayne roster. The 30-year-old Williamson, the 1999 NL rookie of the year, is 2-3 with a 5.08 ERA in 31 games with the Cubs. He's expected to join the Padres on Monday. |
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