Giants claim Sanchez off waivers
Outfielder to report to team on Friday
06/23/2005 5:29 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- General manager Brian Sabean announced Thursday afternoon that the Giants have claimed outfielder Alex Sanchez off waivers from the Devil Rays. Sanchez will report to San Francisco on Friday at which point the Giants will make a roster move to make room for the 28-year-old Cuban on their roster.
Sanchez may be known best for being the first Major League player to test positive for steroids under MLB's new drug policy, which requires all players who test positive to serve a 10-game suspension.
A .297 career hitter in his fifth Major League season, Sanchez was hitting .346 in 133 at-bats with, the Devil Rays while splitting time between center and right field. Despite the favorable figures, Sanchez had started only three of Tampa Bay's 11 games in June.
"He'll pinch-hit, pinch-run and play some outfield," said Giants manager Felipe Alou, who is not concerned with his new player's failed drug test at the beginning of the season. "We need to see him and play him and get him into our situation. He has two very good tools -- he can hit and he can run."
The left-handed batter is hitting .329 (153-for-465) since the beginning of the 2004 season with 25 steals. In 2003, Sanchez finished second in the American League with 44 stolen bases in just 101 games with the Tigers, after spending the beginning of the season with the Brewers in the NL. He finished the season with 52 steals.
"We're going to give this guy a chance to play baseball," said Alou. "Every year someone gets traded or released and he comes and gets better somewhere else. That's what we're hoping for here."
Outfielder to report to team on Friday
06/23/2005 5:29 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- General manager Brian Sabean announced Thursday afternoon that the Giants have claimed outfielder Alex Sanchez off waivers from the Devil Rays. Sanchez will report to San Francisco on Friday at which point the Giants will make a roster move to make room for the 28-year-old Cuban on their roster.
Sanchez may be known best for being the first Major League player to test positive for steroids under MLB's new drug policy, which requires all players who test positive to serve a 10-game suspension.
A .297 career hitter in his fifth Major League season, Sanchez was hitting .346 in 133 at-bats with, the Devil Rays while splitting time between center and right field. Despite the favorable figures, Sanchez had started only three of Tampa Bay's 11 games in June.
"He'll pinch-hit, pinch-run and play some outfield," said Giants manager Felipe Alou, who is not concerned with his new player's failed drug test at the beginning of the season. "We need to see him and play him and get him into our situation. He has two very good tools -- he can hit and he can run."
The left-handed batter is hitting .329 (153-for-465) since the beginning of the 2004 season with 25 steals. In 2003, Sanchez finished second in the American League with 44 stolen bases in just 101 games with the Tigers, after spending the beginning of the season with the Brewers in the NL. He finished the season with 52 steals.
"We're going to give this guy a chance to play baseball," said Alou. "Every year someone gets traded or released and he comes and gets better somewhere else. That's what we're hoping for here."
