McHardcobar

by 1BCOACH on Sep 4, 2009 7:19 AM CDT Comment 13 comments

Hate to go "next year" already, but its the in thing. From my seat the Brewers are 1 #2 pitcher away from being a division winner. Some folks will argue otherwise and say all kinds of dumbfounded remarks. I say BS, it's as simple as 1 legitimate #2 pitcher. (Assuming the rotation would be Gallardo, #2 guy, Parra, Looper, Bush.)

Everything else is almost in place. In fact they even have an excess at a very critical (you could even call it 'glamour') position...shortstop. They have Escobar and Hardy...and then McGehee at third. In an ideal world, the Brew Crew would simply trade Hardy and get a legitimate #2 pitcher who goes 13-8 and gives the whole team that extra confidence that they had in 2008. The importance of that confidence I refer to cannot be understated.

However, things aren't that simple. Not sure Hardy can command that type of pitcher in a trade right now. So who can? To me it comes down to who has the most value to another team...McGahee, Hardy, or Escobar? McHardcobar if you will? Hardy is the flex guy that WILL move to third if asked (and McGahee is traded). Trust me. So maybe the question is just who can get the best pitcher in return...McGahee or Escobar? Package one of them with Gamel (seriously, where's he going to play in the Brewers lineup?) and they get that #2 guy. But which one carries more value to another team? (and that is the question...its not who the Brewers would be better off with...its who another team would want.) Your thoughts?

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Huh?

Who’s this McGahee character? And how do you know Hardy would switch position, if he can’t hit the ball worth a damn he’s worth squat. It seems that a lot of Brewer fans seem to over estimate the value of Hardy.

by SgtClueLs on Sep 4, 2009 8:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

thanks proofreader

Way to catch that! You’re the bomb.

I’ll confess the obvious that I’m not a close personal friend of Mr. Hardy nor am I his psychologist. However I do know that he is human and is like the rest of us…he likes money. And getting paid lots of money to play baseball with your friends in Milwaukee is pretty cool. He’ll switch if asked.
And the point you make about Hardy not being worth squat reinforces my point about the other guys having more value…therefore getting more in return. Hardy is a good major league player having a bad year…people have them.

by 1BCOACH on Sep 4, 2009 8:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

"Hardy is a good major league player having a bad year…people have them"

yes, and other teams know this too, which means his trade value isn’t as diminished as some people think it is.

by Mykenk on Sep 4, 2009 9:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he's not worth..

Squat at SS…he’ll be worth even less than that at 3rd. He’s never played a single game in the majors (or minors) at 3rd, and he certainly doesn’t hit like a 3rd baseman. Until he proves he can hit and field there, he has more value at SS.

by TheBurningRom on Sep 4, 2009 9:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

In a vacuum...Yes

You’re right burner…the simple thought of the 2009 JJ Hardy at third is not worthy. However, why he’s playing third is the Brew Crew would trade McGEHEE and Gamel to get a #2 type pitcher.
Wouldn’t you agree that the value of Escobar-ss Hardy-3b and #2 pitcher (which they could get for McGehee and Gamel) is better than Escobar-ss Gamel-3b and relief pitcher?

by 1BCOACH on Sep 4, 2009 9:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No...

I wouldn’t agree to that. Simply because Hardy is unproven at 3rd, and while Gamel isn’t stellar, we at least know he can play there. Gamel also has more arbitration eligible time remaining than Hardy does…so Gamel is cheaper…which is what Milwaukee needs. If the team was absolutely positively sure that a #2 starter was all they needed to make a deep run in the playoffs, I’d say go for. But I have a feeling there are more holes than just the #2 spot…and giving up your #2 prospect isn’t the best way to fill one of those holes….it will just create another shortly down the road when Fielder leaves.

by TheBurningRom on Sep 4, 2009 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

who would trade a #2 picther

for two 3B?

"my goodness"

by BrewHaHeather on Sep 4, 2009 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because McGehee is a Catcher

Duh!

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Sep 4, 2009 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He won't switch

I’m pretty sure when he came back up he said that he’s a shortstop and thats all he’s going to be. I’d rather have gamel as the third baseman anyways. His defense seems like its improving and it seems like he’ll be better offensively.

by B0Jesus on Sep 4, 2009 9:38 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Escobar would obviously net more in a trade than McGehee.

And if you packaged Escobar with Gamel to get a pitcher, you would certainly do better than a “number 2” pitcher.

Also, what does 13-8 mean? Pitching records are very insignificant. Look at Manny Parra (10-10) and Braden Looper (11-6). Looper might just end up 13-8 this year, but I don’t think you would find very many people who would want him to be our second-best pitcher next year.

by NoahJ on Sep 4, 2009 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs