Steve Phillips isn't currently a GM, but he plays one on TV. Therefore, it's interesting to note who he sees as the top 50 free agents along with where he predicts they'll go. You need Insider to view the whole thing, but I don't think it would hurt much to tell you what he thinks about the Padres.
First off, he lists Giles, Hoffman and Ramon as nine, ten and thirteen, respectively. The only one of those three that he predicts coming back to the Padres is Hoffman which is pretty much in line with what I think we all would figure. I'm still hoping we can hang on to Giles to keep up a steady stream of the homoerotic stories that come out about him (here and here), if nothing else. Not to mention he's really good.
Among the rest of the top 50. Steve Phillips thinks we'll end up with Bengie Molina, Jeromy Burnitz and Kenny Lofton. He also thinks we have a good shot at Brad Ausmus, but that would be under the condition that we didn't sign Molina of course.
Burnitz is 37. Lofton is 38. Molina is only 30, but I still stick by my previous prediction that the Padres are going to make do for a month or two in 2006 and then bring Kottaras up.
So how do Burnitz and Lofton sound? I haven't decided if they're fits or not. Your opinions are appreciated.
Or if you have more funny stories about Brian Giles, then I'll take those too.
Filed under: