He will not be the sexiest name on the free-agent market, glossed over because he played in a small market and is not a star. But he hit .300 in 2006, played all four infield positions and would be eager to play for the Giants under the right conditions.
You might remember him, a kid by the name of Rich Aurilia.
OK, he no longer is a kid. He is 35 and in many ways more valuable than he was in 2003 when he left the Giants after nine years as a shortstop. He split 2004 with San Diego and Seattle, then spent the past two seasons in Cincinnati, where he learned to play third, first and second base.
Coincidentally, the Giants might have openings at all three positions with the impending free agency of Pedro Feliz, Shea Hillenbrand and Ray Durham.
Aurilia and the Reds hold a $2 million mutual option for 2007, but in a phone interview from his Phoenix home Saturday he said is not sure he will exercise it. If so, he would become a free agent, with at least one eye gazing toward San Francisco.
"The Giants are definitely on my list," Aurilia said. "It's something definitely on my mind. I hope there would be interest. I'm curious to see who they will bring on to manage the team."
That remains a wide open question. General manager Brian Sabean, true to his word, is keeping his search close to the vest. Bench coach Ron Wotus is the only confirmed candidate, although Lou Piniella, Bob Brenly, Bud Black and Dave Righetti are thought to be under consideration.
Aurilia pursued a contract with the Giants last winter, but they signed Jose Vizcaino instead, partly because Aurilia would have cost them a draft pick. Vizcaino did not.
Aurilia was a fan favorite as the Giants' shortstop, but there are two stumbling blocks to a potential reunion. First, he does not fit the profile of the younger, everyday player the Giants hope to pursue for 2007. However, managing general partner Peter Magowan left some wiggle room there.
"When we say we're going to get younger and healthier, that's' on an overall basis," Magowan said. "That will not prevent us from signing a player or two that fit the exact profile we have essentially been signing the last four, five years, who are elderly, good players at the tail end of their careers, but we think can have a place on our team. It's one thing to have one or two of those guys. It's another to have seven or eight of them."
Another stumbling block: After playing 52 games at third base, 47 at first, 1o at second and 26 at shortstop, some team might offer him an everyday job at one of those positions, and that might trump an offer from the Giants to be the jack-of-all-trades they sorely lacked on the infield this season.
But Aurilia would not rule out that kind of job in a desired locale.
"Does it make it easier when you play one position? Of course," he said. "At this point in my career I take pride in playing every day. When push came to shove this year, and we needed to stay in the race, I was in there every day.
"To me, the decision might come down to where do I have a chance to win? Am I going to be happy there? Will my family be happy there? I don't have a lot of time to go, and I can't rule out the Giants because I had such a good time the last time I was there."
E-mail Henry Schulman at hschulman@sfchronicle.com.
Originally Posted by Reds4Life
In all seriousness though. I don't know who would replace Rich's bat in the lineup if he goes. A lot of people make a big deal of the Red's lack of offense after "the trade," but the Reds would lose a huge part of the remaining offense if Aurillia leaves. Like him or not, he flat out carried this team offensively at times this season. A bidding war isn't the way to go with him, thats for sure, but I would definately try to make a reasonable offer for him. The fact that the Giants and Yankees might be interested in him says something about the player they think he is. At times around here, I think that people lose sight of how valuable he has been to the Reds, especially after sucking it up and playing at any position he was put at when it became apparent that he wasn't the Red's starting SS last year. It takes a big man to just suck it up and go play. Yeah, he complained about it, but in the end, he did what he was asked. How many other players who played like Aurillia did in San Fran would do that. He had made quite a name for himself out there. Now look at it. It ended up making him a more valuable player, not only to the Reds, but other teams.
