San Francisco Giants: 2008 MLB trade deadline review

In the days leading up to this year’s MLB trade deadline, we’ll take a look back at San Francisco Giants deadlines past. Next up, the 2008 trade deadline.

The losing continued for the San Francisco Giants during the 2008 season as they posted their third straight sub-.500 campaign. They had a 36-47 record entering the month of July, which left them six games back in the NL West standings.

Despite having one of the oldest lineups in baseball, they only found a taker for one veteran piece at the deadline, sending off one of their starting second baseman in the final year of his contract.

Here’s a look at their July activity:

July 20, 2008: 2B Ray Durham traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for OF Darren Ford, LHP Steve Hammond

Ray Durham had an excellent six-year run with the San Francisco Giants. Good enough, in fact, to earn him the No. 5 spot on our list of the greatest second basemen in franchise history.

A former 20/20 player who was two-time All-Star during his time with the Chicago White Sox, Durham turned into more of a run producer during his time with the Giants, peaking in 2006 when he posted an .898 OPS with 26 home runs and 93 RBI.

His production fell off dramatically in 2007, but he bounced back well in the final year of his contract in 2008, hitting .293/.385/.414 with 23 doubles in 87 games before he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers.

He went on to hit .280/.369/.477 as the team’s starting second baseman the rest of the way before retiring at season’s end at the age of 36.

Darren Ford played 33 games for the Giants in 2010 and 2011. He was used primarily as a pinch-runner with just four hits in 16 plate appearances, but nine steals and eight runs scored. Left-hander Steve Hammond never reached the majors.

Summary

This was an era of saying goodbye to longtime members of the San Francisco Giants, and the trade of Ray Durham certainly fit the bill.

The return didn’t turn into anything of significance, but he was headed for free agency during the offseason and had limited value, so that’s not overly surprising.

The Giants finished the season at 72-90 and in fourth place in the NL West standings.

Check back here in the days and weeks to come for more San Francisco Giants trade deadline reviews, all culminating in what promises to be a busy 2019 deadline.