In the fold, Giles turns to recruiting

By: BRIAN HIRO - Staff Writer | Thursday, December 1, 2005 11:37 PM PST ∞

San Diego Padres outfielder Brian Giles discusses the new three-year $30 million dollar contract he signed with the team Thursday in San Diego.
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO ---- After he was aggressively recruited by a host of suitors over the past month, now it's time for Brian Giles to do a little recruiting of his own.

"I'm going to dinner with Hoffy tonight," the Padres' outfielder said Thursday at a press conference to announce his return to the team, referring to free-agent closer Trevor Hoffman. "Him and I will have a good talk."

The Padres can only hope it's as productive as the conversation this week between general manager Kevin Towers and Giles' agent, Joe Bick. That talk produced agreement on a three-year contract that guarantees Giles $30 million and will be worth $36 million if the Padres pick up his option for 2009. With the team MVP from last season on the payroll, Towers can turn his full attention to Hoffman ---- the club's other offseason priority ---- and the business of the winter meetings, which run from Monday through Thursday in Dallas.

"This was a huge move for us," Towers said. "Going into the winter meetings without having Giles in the fold, I looked at our club offensively and it was like, 'If we do lose this guy, where do we go? What would we have to give up in the way of a trade to acquire somebody who's even similar to him?' So we thought we better move quickly, get the deal done. Now we can really start working on our bullpen and maybe our rotation."

The main component of the Padres' bullpen, of course, is Hoffman, who saved 43 games last season to climb into second place on the all-time list. The 38-year-old closer was initially expected to be attended to before Giles, but the Padres and Hoffman's agent remain at an impasse in negotiations, separated by one year and at least $15 million.

Giles at his press conference campaigned for the Padres to re-sign Hoffman ---- as well as free-agent catcher Ramon Hernandez, whom club officials have said won't return. Towers insisted that the lucrative sum given to Giles does not preclude a deal with Hoffman or restrict his ability to make further moves.

"We plan on having some discussions within the next week to 10 days," Towers said of Hoffman. "The difficult thing is we just have such a wide gap. A lot of people say, 'Why Giles before Hoffman?' Well, we had a little more common ground. It spurred more conversation and dialogue because we thought there's got to be deal somewhere.

"We're going to do everything we can to bring Trevor back. Negotiations are often difficult, but one thing that needs to be understood is that we think the world of Trevor. I think Trevor thinks the world of this organization. You have to realize this is a business."

The Padres are running up against an artificial deadline regarding Hoffman. Wednesday is the last day for teams to offer salary arbitration to their own free agents. Doing so extends the negotiating period by one month, assuming Hoffman rejects the offer. Declining to offer arbitration would essentially end negotiations and prevent the Padres from being compensated with draft picks for losing their closer.

"I'm sure that's part of the discussions that we'll have with Trevor," Towers said.

Towers said he's not pursuing other free-agent closers, which suggests that Hoffman would be replaced by ace setup reliever Scott Linebrink.

Heading into the winter meetings, the Padres have several balls in the air, with pitchers, a catcher and another outfielder topping their wish list. Towers expects to revisit trade talks with the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers, whom he has been in regular contact with since the GM meetings in early November.

The Rangers are interested in Padres right-hander Adam Eaton, with the Padres reportedly inquiring about some combination of Texas outfielders Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix and catcher Gerald Laird. The Padres and Red Sox left-hander David Wells have mutual interest in reuniting; center fielder Dave Roberts, who will be shifted to left because of the addition of Mike Cameron if the Padres keep him, could be sent back to Boston in a package that also includes third baseman Sean Burroughs.

"We have interest in David. I don't think there's any secret about that," Towers said. "It sounds like (the Red Sox) have other suitors as well. We'll continue to talk about it, but nothing is close at this time."

If they don't land Laird, the Padres will probably pursue free-agent catcher Brad Ausmus, who started his career in San Diego 12 years ago and still lives there in the offseason. Ausmus told the Houston Chronicle recently that he wants to return to the National League champion Astros, but that the Padres are his second choice.

Towers did say he would be comfortable opening the season with catching holdovers Miguel Olivo and David Ross.

The Padres have made another move, but it doesn't involve a trade or free agent. Towers confirmed that Ryan Klesko, the team's home run leader in 2005, will go from left field to first base next season, returning to his natural position.

Contact staff writer Brian Hiro at b_hiro@hotmail.com.