Phillies Co-Owner Bill Giles Defends Pitcher Brett Myers

by KYW’s Mark Abrams

Bill Giles, one of the owners of the Philadelphia Phillies, is speaking out about the allegations pitcher Brett Myers struck his wife during an incident in Boston a few weeks ago.
 
In Pittsburgh for the all-star game festivities, Giles (right, in file photo) met with a handful of reporters on Monday to address a host of issues surrounding the team's operations.

While he admits he was out of the country at the time of the Myers incident in Boston a few weeks ago, Giles says team president and spokesman David Montgomery told him on Sunday that he doesn't believe the reports and that some bystander saw something that didn't happen.

Giles says -- in fact -- that Myers was trying to help his wife.

Giles says he was told that Phillies marketing manager Debbie Nocito witnessed the June 23rd incident and insists Myers didn't hit his wife Kim and didn't grab her by the hair. So, as far as the team management is concerned, Giles says, the reports are untrue.

Kim Myers filed a report with Boston police alleging her husband struck her twice in the face with his fist. Photos reportedly taken to document the incident show some evidence of an injury.

Myers, in asking for a voluntary leave from the team, said in a prepared statement that his conduct was inappropriate but he disputed the allegations.

Kim and Brett Myers underwent counseling in Jacksonville, and Myers is set to return to the team on Friday. He is listed as the starting pitcher for Sunday's game against the Giants in San Francisco.