Our old second baseman and reluctant leadoff hitter, Marcus Giles, was always a bit fiery, but I never knew he was violent:
Former Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres second baseman Marcus Giles pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor battery charge for unlawfully using force on his wife in El Cajon last fall.
Giles, 31, was placed on three years probation by Judge Patricia Cookson and ordered to undergo a year of counseling.
Giles' attorney, James Matthew Brown, said his client has been in anger management counseling for the past four months.
And apparently it runs in the family:
Brian Giles, 39, retired from baseball this year after signing a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He is being sued by a former girlfriend for more than $10 million. She alleges that he beat and kicked her while she was pregnant with his child, causing her to have a miscarriage. He has filed a countersuit in the case.
As good as Marcus was for a few years in his mid-20s, he hit a brick wall at 30, and hasn't played in the Majors since he was 29. He was usually a jerk when I tried to interview him, including one time when he walked out on me in the middle of an interview because he didn't like where it was going. I guess I should just be glad he didn't assault me.
0 recs | 35 comments
Sad
Brothers, living a dream playing baseball for a living, beating women. There’s lots of bastards in this world.
bighop - April 2, 2010
How about innocent until proven guilty on the older one? I remember hearing about the case against Brian a couple years back. It sounded sketchy.
FitzFan - April 2, 2010
Wasn't there actual video footage of him hitting her at some club or restaurant?
Erin6 - April 2, 2010
Yep, there was video.
The Keith Lockhart Era - April 2, 2010
Giles on the juice?
Giles was always one of my favorite players, but in retrospect I think he might have been on the juice. Coming out of no where to be really good and then a steep decline? Maybe I’m being unfair, but … thoughts?
playertobenamedlate - April 2, 2010
Exactly my first thoughts too. . .
Isn’t it sad. I hate to jump to that assumption, but if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and beats his wife like a duck, well then . . .
johnboy5368 - April 2, 2010
Yeah, I don’t want to come right out and say it, but I’ve got that same “feeling.”
gondeee - April 2, 2010
Yeah, aren't a lot of guys his size who were hitting 30-35 homers, even if it was in the minors.
The Keith Lockhart Era - April 2, 2010
it's hard to say
that Giles came out of nowhere.
in 1998, in Macon (A), his line was:
.329/.433/.636 (with 38 HRs and 108 RBIs)
for a 2nd Baseman, that’s nasty.
He followed that up the next year at the Beach (A+) with a line of:
.326/.393/.513 (13 HRs and 73 RBIs)
then in Greenville (AA) with a line of:
.290/.388/.472 (17 HRs and 62 RBIs)
then in Richmond (AAA) with a line of:
.333/.387/.488 and then .322/.385/.452 with 9 HRs and 60 RBIs total.
To say “he came out of nowhere” is false. While he was probably on the juice, that’s not the only thing to think about. Juice just makes your skills more pronounced. If he didn’t have the skills he would have never made it. I just think it’s sad how far he has fallen.
apoxonbothyourhouses - April 5, 2010
I talked to a minor leaguer who used to play with Marcus and claimed he and his brother were juicers. This was years ago when Giles was still with the Braves.
BravesFan - April 2, 2010
Just to add to my comment, I won’t say his name, but the ex minor leaguer is now a Financial Advisor in Alabama and his clients include Tim Hudson, Carl Pavano among others. Guys he’s played with. Pretty cool.
BravesFan - April 2, 2010
I’m sort of surprised to hear that, especially the wifebeating and even the interview. We all knew he was fiery but he seemed like a nice guy. I guess you never really know
eaheckman10 - April 2, 2010
I’m pretty sure if Giles tried to assault you you could just keep him at bay by extending your arm and holding the top of his wittle head.
cbwilk - April 2, 2010
Ever laugh so hard food comes out of your nose? Yeah, me neither…until now.
Lizziebeth - April 2, 2010
Unless you’re a woman whose arms are shorter than his and isn’t bulked up on steroids…
Sorry, just kind of a not funny subject for me.
Pay no attention.
I should just shut up.
sddbaker - April 2, 2010
Well, I was talking to gondeee, but yes, you’re right. For whatever good he did on a baseball field Giles is a complete piece of shit for putting his hands on a woman.
cbwilk - April 2, 2010
I’m not bigger than Marcus, and I’ve had some bad experiences in life, so I understand about being sensitive to certain subject matters.
But in no way, shape or form did I take what CB said as making light of the actual wife-beating subject matter. It was merely a joke on Marcus’ diminutive stature in relation to other baseball players.
Sdd, I don’t think you necessarily need to ‘shut up’ if there’s something you feel strongly about! But at least in this instance, maybe you could’ve interpreted the comment a little more carefully, and noted who it was made by. I think we all know CB well enough by now to know that he wouldn’t be condoning this reprehensible behavior.
Lizziebeth - April 5, 2010
sddbaker,
Thanks for speaking up. I totally agree.
HEYJUDE - April 2, 2010
It's stories like this
That make us as human beings prefer to read about the stories of the two Giles brothers being creepy and strange, like shaving their pubes in the locker room showers instead of spousal abuse.
royhobbs - April 2, 2010
eh. I used to like Giles. I never knew he had such a temper.
BigG1392 - April 2, 2010
Ballplayers are humans, too. Unfortunately, their character flaws come through sometimes and the media is there to catch it.
DawgB - April 2, 2010
I’m thinking that this is unacceptable no matter what your role in society is.
Gage23 - April 2, 2010
This,
and his wife came off to me as having a sweet, gentle spirit about her. No excuse!!
HEYJUDE - April 2, 2010
Ugh.
I’m sorry I ever wasted time liking Gilly and feeling bad for him when his wife was having those miscarriages & health scares (oh, I still feel for her of course). I was hoping this would turn out differently, but pleading guilty slams the door on that hope. And gondee’s personal experience just adds to the dismay. Anybody in the market for a gently worn white jersey with #24 and the faint stitching impressions of “G-i-l-e-s” on the back? Ah well, I only wear that one when it’s chilly anyway, and my hair pretty much covers…well, ok, it covers the whole back, but at least when it does part people will think I’m wearing a McLouth jersey…right?
Lizziebeth - April 2, 2010
Pretty sure
that Giles wore 22 when he was with the Braves, so either you haven’t seen that jersey in a while or the person that sold it pulled one over on you. :)
J-Turn14 - April 2, 2010
I think so, too. I seem to remember that discussion when Heyward got #22
DawgB - April 2, 2010
not to be difficult..
but he did wear #24 briefly when he was first called up. Now why do I know that? I cant say, but I guess that information finally became useful.
Shoert - April 3, 2010
Thank you for your support.
Lizziebeth - April 5, 2010
Why...
do I feel sorry for their mom?
sddbaker - April 2, 2010
Who’s to say she didn’t beat them?
cbwilk - April 2, 2010
It's usually the other way around
The boys see dad beating up on mom, and it becomes acceptable to them.
buzzdeadwax - April 2, 2010
Usually, yes. But who’s to say really? If we don’t know we can’t assume anything.
cbwilk - April 3, 2010
that's WAY too simplistic
there are people who beat who never saw their fathers beating their mothers.
and people who don’t beat who DID see their fathers beating their mothers.
apoxonbothyourhouses - April 5, 2010
ROID RAGE
Juicers.
HalleyGator - April 4, 2010
This makes me so sad...
I never had a meeting with Marcus in an attempt to sign an autograph or anything, but I got the impression that he was a real good guy. I really liked him on the field and was sad to see him go. Add to his current troubles what Gondee said above and I have to admit I am REALLY let down. I don’t normally latch on to players, but I really loved how hard he played and thought he was one of the good guys….
Just sad….
demsei - April 5, 2010
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Talking Chop to post a comment.