Brian Giles

After vetoing a deadline deal to the Red Sox, Giles had his option picked up by the Padres and will be patrolling right field for another season. Though he hit only 12 homers, his lowest total as a full-time player, he set a career high with 40 doubles so he does have a bit of pop left. In addition, he maintains an excellent walk rate so his on-base skills are still top-notch. Giles will not have much help in terms of having runners to drive in or getting knocked in himself, which may actually serve to make him undervalued on draft day, especially if you need a little in the average department.

Giles knocked in a career-low 51 runs last year on a career-low 13 home runs. His .271 average was his second worst since 1998. On a more positive note, he finished strong -- with 11 homers and 27 RBI in August and September -- but that was more of a return to respectability than a sign of big things to come. Giles will turn 36 this winter and his power numbers have steadily declined over the past three seasons. He spent most of 2007 as the Padres' leadoff man, a move coaxed by his career .404 on-base percentage, but even that figure was a mediocre .361 in 2007. He also had microfracture surgery on his right knee this offseason, so check his status in spring training as there's some doubt he'll be ready for Opening Day.

Giles' power numbers lagged for much of the 2006 season, but he rebounded to respectability with a late surge. His .263 average, however, was the worst of his 12-year career and well below his .295 career mark. Giles' .374 OBP is best suited for a leadoff or No. 2 role, but it looks like the Padres will place him third in the order in 2007. He could move from right field to left in an effort to rest his 35-year-old body. There are signs that Giles' career is on the decline, but he still has value.

While he may no longer be a serious home run threat, Giles has a compact swing and displayed an almost Barry Bonds-like batting eye in 2005, rarely striking out and reaching base at a .423 clip. At 35, he's not getting any younger, and Petco's not going to help his power, but this is still a very strong skill set.

For the second consecutive season Giles' numbers tumbled. The home park will automatically be blamed, but his OPS was actually higher at Petco Park than the road. Many outfielders begin fading in their 30s and Giles, now 33, may fall into that category. After four years averaging in excess of a 1.000 OPS, he has declined to .941 and .849 the last two seasons. He still should be a quality bat in the upcoming year, but it's unlikely he'll return to being one of the top fantasy outfielders.

Short and squat like a dwarf from the other fantasy genre, the thick, Popeye-forearms are a clue to the power contained in this 210-pound frame. The 2004 season should be the biggest year of his unheralded career. He's posted a lifetime .980 OPS despite having little in the way of support, and he'll now bat third in the Padres batting order with the likes of sluggers Phil Nevin and Ryan Klesko watching his back. In a brand new ballpark with his new team, he's set for the best year of his career, but even an average Giles performance will put a smile on the faces of all concerned.

Gile is a great hitter, perhaps the best in the NL behind Barry Bonds last year. His 15 stolen bases were a nice roto bonus, too. The only glitch is that his RBIs suffer because the Pirates have no OBP guys in front of him. The Indians kept him from a job for a long time, so he isn’t as young — he’s 32 — as you might think. For 2003, though, he’s as safe a fantasy bet as they come, good for .300/.35/100/10, with 100 walks and 100 runs to boot.