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Giles' dad saw son's baseball talent at early age

Glenn Giles flying to Philadelphia for Sunday's series finale vs. Cardinals

PHILADELPHIA -- Glenn Giles never played baseball, but he might make a pretty good scout.

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The father of Phillies relief pitcher Ken Giles, Glenn was the person who recognized his son's talent for baseball and encouraged him to pursue it. But here's the kicker: Glenn saw this talent before his son was even in preschool.

"He never played baseball, so it was just one of those things like a freak of nature," Ken Giles said. "He saw talent and he was like 'This is what he's going to do.' I was probably like an infant and I was throwing a ball and stuff at almost like two years old."

The elder Giles was correct in thinking baseball is what his son would end up doing, and Sunday he will get the chance to see this firsthand. The Phillies are flying Glenn into Philadelphia for the series finale against the Cardinals to represent all of the Phillies' fathers on Father's Day.

Ken said this has been in the works for a few weeks. The Phillies asked him if he thought his father would be willing to be the liaison, and Ken said knowing his father that wouldn't even be a question.

"My dad jumps all over those kind of opportunities, so of course he was going to say yes," Ken said.

Ken went on to say that his father watches every Phillies game he can on television and even traveled to Denver to see him pitch in May. Despite this, he said his father doesn't brag about him so much as people brag to him about how proud he should be to have a son in the Major Leagues.

Glenn will be staying with Ken this weekend and will be introduced before Sunday's game around the time of the first pitch. And though he has time to spend with his dad on Father's Day, Giles said the one thing he wants to do for his dad will come on the field.

"Just pitch well in front of him," Giles said. "That's all I can ask for."

Nick Suss is an associate reporter for MLB.com.
Read More: Philadelphia Phillies, Ken Giles