Shea Hillenbrand Traded to Giants

Shea Hillenbrand was traded to the San Francisco Giants along with flotsam Vinnie Chulk for reliever Jeremy Accardo.

Just a word of warning to Giants fans - Hillenbrand has not really been a second half player in his career.

After the all-star break his batting average drops by 23 points, his OBP by 26 points and his slugging by 41 points. Hillenbrand may be an upgrade at 1st but he's not an upgrade for the Giants over Pedro Feliz at 3rd. Accardo has an almost 4-1 K/BB ratio this year which is very good for a reliever. Plus the Blue Jays save about $2.5 million. Jettisoning Hillenbrand while strengthening the bullpen and saving money for a possible second half salary addition make this a very good move by the Blue Jays.

Time will tell if the upgrade at 1st was worth the downgrade in the bullpen for the Giants. My guess is that this was just a treading water move by San Francisco.

EDIT: I just read a phrase in a book that seems to fit Shea Hillenbrand to a tee. "He was a man of hot blood and of cold brain." Props to Barbara Tuchman.