Giants acquire setup man Hawkins
Williams, Aardsma sent to Chicago for reliever
05/28/2005 1:37 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- In a move that adds a premier set-up man to their bullpen, the San Francisco Giants have acquired right-handed pitcher LaTroy Hawkins and cash from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-handers Jerome Williams and David Aardsma, club Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean announced today.
Hawkins, who fashioned a 15-3 record with 41 holds and a 2.00 ERA (35er, 157.2ip) as the primary set-up man on Minnesota's 2002 and 2003 AL Central champions, will serve as the seventh and eighth-inning bridge to Giants closer Tyler Walker, who is tied for the National League lead with six saves since May 12.
"LaTroy's acquisition certainly strengthens and deepens our bullpen, which obviously needs bolstering," said Sabean.
During Hawkins' two-year stint as the Twins' eighth-inning man, his 2.00 ERA was the third-lowest among all American League relievers, while Minnesota closer Eddie Guardado led the junior circuit with a combined 86 saves. In addition, Hawkins' 138 strikeouts were the fourth-most by an American League relief hurler from 2002-03.
A veteran of parts of 11 big league seasons, the 6-5, 215-pound hurler posted 25 saves with a 2.63 ERA (24er, 82.0ip) for the Chicago Cubs in 2004, and had logged a 3.32 mark (7er, 19.0ip) in 21 relief outings this year for the South Siders. Originally a starter at the Major League level, the 31-year-old was converted to a reliever in 2000 and has forged a 24-21 ledger with 73 saves and a 3.10 ERA (138er, 400.2ip) in 366 relief outings. In fact, he's limited opponents to a .246 lifetime batting average (371-for-1,509) as a reliever and has not allowed more hits than innings pitched in each of last four seasons.
Williams, who in 2004 became San Francisco's youngest 10-game winner since 1975, was 0-2 with a 6.48 ERA (12er, 16.2ip) over four games (three starts) before being optioned to triple-A Fresno on April 25. The 23-year-old has since struggled in the Pacific Coast League, going 1-4 with a 9.36 ERA (32er, 30.2ip) in six starts for the Grizzlies. Originally the Giants' sandwich selection (39th pick overall) in the 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Williams owns a 17-14 career record with a 3.93 ERA (121er, 277.0ip) in 47 big league games (46 starts).
Aardsma, San Francisco's top selection (23rd player chosen overall) in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, had made a successful conversion to a starting pitcher this year at double-A Norwich. The all-time saves leader at Rice University was 6-2 with a 2.93 ERA (15er, 46.0ip) in nine games (eight starts) for the Navigators. In 11 games with the Giants in 2004, the 23-year-old went 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA (8er, 10.2ip).
http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/...ent_id=1065885&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf
Williams, Aardsma sent to Chicago for reliever
05/28/2005 1:37 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- In a move that adds a premier set-up man to their bullpen, the San Francisco Giants have acquired right-handed pitcher LaTroy Hawkins and cash from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-handers Jerome Williams and David Aardsma, club Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean announced today.
Hawkins, who fashioned a 15-3 record with 41 holds and a 2.00 ERA (35er, 157.2ip) as the primary set-up man on Minnesota's 2002 and 2003 AL Central champions, will serve as the seventh and eighth-inning bridge to Giants closer Tyler Walker, who is tied for the National League lead with six saves since May 12.
"LaTroy's acquisition certainly strengthens and deepens our bullpen, which obviously needs bolstering," said Sabean.
During Hawkins' two-year stint as the Twins' eighth-inning man, his 2.00 ERA was the third-lowest among all American League relievers, while Minnesota closer Eddie Guardado led the junior circuit with a combined 86 saves. In addition, Hawkins' 138 strikeouts were the fourth-most by an American League relief hurler from 2002-03.
A veteran of parts of 11 big league seasons, the 6-5, 215-pound hurler posted 25 saves with a 2.63 ERA (24er, 82.0ip) for the Chicago Cubs in 2004, and had logged a 3.32 mark (7er, 19.0ip) in 21 relief outings this year for the South Siders. Originally a starter at the Major League level, the 31-year-old was converted to a reliever in 2000 and has forged a 24-21 ledger with 73 saves and a 3.10 ERA (138er, 400.2ip) in 366 relief outings. In fact, he's limited opponents to a .246 lifetime batting average (371-for-1,509) as a reliever and has not allowed more hits than innings pitched in each of last four seasons.
Williams, who in 2004 became San Francisco's youngest 10-game winner since 1975, was 0-2 with a 6.48 ERA (12er, 16.2ip) over four games (three starts) before being optioned to triple-A Fresno on April 25. The 23-year-old has since struggled in the Pacific Coast League, going 1-4 with a 9.36 ERA (32er, 30.2ip) in six starts for the Grizzlies. Originally the Giants' sandwich selection (39th pick overall) in the 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Williams owns a 17-14 career record with a 3.93 ERA (121er, 277.0ip) in 47 big league games (46 starts).
Aardsma, San Francisco's top selection (23rd player chosen overall) in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, had made a successful conversion to a starting pitcher this year at double-A Norwich. The all-time saves leader at Rice University was 6-2 with a 2.93 ERA (15er, 46.0ip) in nine games (eight starts) for the Navigators. In 11 games with the Giants in 2004, the 23-year-old went 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA (8er, 10.2ip).
http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/...ent_id=1065885&vkey=news_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf
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