By Jim Callis
August 19, 2003

With Ray Durham sidelined by a right hamstring strain and the team in the midst of a season-high six-game losing streak, the Giants went for some second-base insurance on Tuesday. San Francisco acquired Eric Young from the Brewers for Double-A righthander Greg Bruso.

Young, 36, has hit 15 homers this season, setting a career high and equaling his total from 2000-02 combined. He has hit .260 in 109 games this year, doing a decent job of reaching base (.344 on-base percentage) and stealing bases (25 in 32 attempts) while batting in the top two spots in the Milwaukee order. Though he runs well and can cover ground, he never has shown good hands and is a subpar defender at second base. An all-star in 1996, when he led the National League with 53 steals, Young is a career .286-73-486 hitter with 433 steals in 1,484 games. He makes $2 million this year and is due either a $3 million salary or $1.0 million buyout in 2004.

Bruso, 23, led the short-season Northwest League with a 1.99 ERA after the Giants drafted him in the 16th round out of UC Davis last year. After starting 2003 at high Class A San Jose, he has shot to Double-A in his first full pro season. Bruso relies on fine command to get hitters out. His changeup is his out pitch, while his fastball sits in the high 80s. Between the two stops this year, he has gone 12-9, 3.26 in 25 games (24 starts). In 160 innings, he has a 122-22 strikeout-walk ratio. Opponents are hitting .235 with 11 homers against him.