It is the kind of deal that the Brewers have painted themselves into with their pursuit of defensively challenged players. There comes a point where you really have no choice but to trade some of your 1B/DH/LF types for weaknesses at other positions.

Whether it is dealing Prince, trading LaPorta for Sabathia, or whatever is beyond the point that they cannot play three-four 1B (Fielder, Gamel, LaPorta, arguably Braun..though he looks ok in LF) unless MLB suddenly changes the rules to more closely resemble slow-pitch softball.

In his Gold Mine book this spring, Bill James talked about how the Brewers were a very poorly constucted team, even though they had some talent/strong assets, with the end result being a big hunk-o-averageness (which we have seen this year).

They need a future CF badly. They may need a 3B depending on what you think of Hall’s future. They may need a C depending on what you think of Salome. They may need starting pitching, especially if they can’t afford Sheets (or aren’t willing to take the risk). Trading some combination of Fielder, LaPorta, or Gamel is really their only option IMO.

To a lay person (me) he seems like he has the range, the glove, and the arm to do it…

I am an offensive guy by nature in terms of my preferences, but how many games do we need to see this team blow on the defensive side of the ball before we realize that some of these dreams of a lineup of Gamel, Braun, Fielder, Hart, and LaPorta all in the same lineup just isn’t going to happen (of if it does, how many games will we lose on defense)?

I am not averse to stretching Hart in CF per se, but when he is surrounded by LaPorta and Braun and we have an infield with a horrible fielder at first, a below average fielder at second, an average fielder at short, and a butcher at third, it just doesn’t work for me.

If you are a good hitting team, you can maybe carry one non-hitter in your lineup (think Charlie Moore on the 82 team). But, as soon as you start thinking that you can fill your last couple holes with non-hitters, you have now taken away whatever you gained on offense.

This is no different. Maybe you can live with Fielder at first or Gamel at third or LaPorta in the OF or Weeks at second or whatever, but when you start putting them all together…UGGGHHH!

I’m going to throw something through me tv. This is not a team that’s one starter away from contending in my opinion, and I can’t see giving up something significant for a rental pitcher just to stay in the wildcard race.

I know he’s got the injury bug, but he’s probably going to be on the market, and he’s not a FA until after 2009.

I like the Dodgers as a trade partner, too, because they don’t seem to value certain guys the way there should be valued. Could we get Andy LaRoche and/or Matt Kemp from them? Even Andre Ethier is a viable RF/CF option. Ideas?