Report: Hall's agent requests trade- Latest: Melvin "Not really motivated" to move him

[Trowekamp]

If Hall wants to play everyday I know a club with a huge hole at 3b.. Nashville.. maybe a month of hitting .240 against AAA pitching will convince him Milwaukee is not that bad.

[tigerbrew]

The Rays could use a SS that can hit a lick as they try to hold off the rest of the AL East. Maybe they'd be interested in Hall. Hall and Cole Gillespie for Jeff Niemann?

If they are interested, I'd do it right away. Nice trade idea.

[LetsGoBrewCrew]

I bet Cirillo is rolling his eyes right now. He could be the Brewers right handed 3B and WANT to be in Milwaukee. I know its not going to happen but what if the Brewers traded Hall and threw in Dillion for say a good SP.... and signed Cirillo to be the platoon/starting 3B. I think it would be one of the happiest days of my life.... ok not really, but I'd be really happy.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I don't think Bill Hall's contract would be of concern to most teams in baseball. 6.8 million and 8.4 million due in 2009 and 2010 respectively doesn't really break the bank anymore. With the versatility that Hall has he could have value, but I think he'll have to be packaged with a prospect or 2 to get anything of value or return.

 

If you want to go the "disgruntled player exchange" route, I think the Indians are looking to trade Casey Blake. Blake could be the RH version of the platoon at 3B, while spelling Fielder at 1B with quality defense if needed.

[giffted1]

If they are interested, I'd do it right away. Nice trade idea.

Yeah, we might have to add a little more to get Niemann, but even a slumping Hall would be an upgrade at SS for them. Jason Bartlett and his .581 OPS isn't going to cut it.

[nate82]

The difference just isn't that big when you consider that the LHP-side of a platoon doesn't see nearly as much time as the RHP-side.

But if Branyan is struggling at the plate you don't have a player who can put in against a RHP where you would be confident in getting some success from them. Putting Dillon in place of Branyan is a huge drop off in production compared to Hall replacing Branyan. There is more than just seeing LHP for the platoon. Branyan is going to struggle at some point in the season. Plus I would rather have Hall around to take AB's from Prince, Weeks, Hardy, or Branyan in case anyone of them get injured. I would rather take my chances with Hall than with Dillon.

 

[pebadger]

Don't know why anyone would hold it against Hall for wanted to be treaded to a place where he can play on a more regular basis. From his not unreasonable point of view he's done exactly what the team has aksed of him for the past few years and has not gotten an opportunity to settle in anywhere in terms of position on the field or in the order as the the team keeps changing its plans.

 

As long as he doesn't become a problem in teh clubhouse, this may not be a big deal at all.

 

I'd like to know who called who first in terms of this article, and who, if anyone, may have prompted that call.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

To stroke my own ego: I called we should have traded Hall at his peak in 06.

I did this too, and it was a very, very unpopular opinion at the time. I never liked Bill Hall as a player. Even at the beginning of last season, in the middle of the hot start, I was still an advocate of dealing him, and everyone at another Brewers site ridiculed me, called me clueless and said Hall would get it together. Well here we are now, and it's pretty east to see who was right and wrong.

One thing I don't get is those who are saying the Brewers can't trade Hall because if someone gets hurt they need a replacement. Bill Hall is that guy?? Have you looked at his stat sheet? He is the anti-production. His fielding was bad and his hitting and production at the plate are atrocious. You can find anyone in MLB to do what he's doing right now.

 

[pitchleague]

Am I the only person who thinks Lincecum is untouchable? Man O Man. If they signed a piece of garbage for 120 they won't have trouble paying for the real deal.

nope, I am pretty sure Lincecum is completely untouchable. The Giants would be kicked to San Jose by its fans if they dealt him, unless it was for a package of 4-5 5-tool near-MLB ready prospects.

I say send Billy to Pittsburgh or Kansas City or Japan or something.

 

 

 

[uwisfan]

I wonder if Hall has been noticing the numbers Gamel has put up this year and realized its only a matter of time before he was out of a job...

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I did this too, and it was a very, very unpopular opinion at the time. I never liked Bill Hall as a player. Even at the beginning of last season, in the middle of the hot start, I was still an advocate of dealing him, and everyone at another Brewers site ridiculed me, called me clueless and said Hall would get it together. Well here we are now, and it's pretty east to see who was right and wrong.

Well you must have known something that Melvin and Ash didn't. Hall was looking like a perennial 30 home run guy and also was the team MVP the year before he had 35 home runs so it's not like he just had one good year. Hall could just as easily became that player or still could become that big time player and playing the hindsight game isn't the right one to play here in my opinion. Melvin took a calculated risk by trying to get big time offense out of CF with average defense and it didn't pay off, but like all good GM's he had a contingency plan in signing Mike Cameron.

The Brewers should have traded Sheets after 2004!

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I wonder if Hall has been noticing the numbers Gamel has put up this year and realized its only a matter of time before he was out of a job...

You can bet that he was aware of it. Frankly, I'm tired of Bill Hall's whining. I don't why this guy is being afforded such a soap opera. He has not shown a glimmer of productivity after signing his contract extension. He's nowhere near good enough to have the right to complain about playing time or positional changes. He needs to reassess his ability and understand that his role is most likely career super sub.

 

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

I have a love affair with Dillon. Strictly platonic, obviously. I've got a soft spot for guys who make the league minimum after putting up 3 straight 1.000+ OPSes at AAA. Particularly when they can play a bunch of postitions without embarrassing themselves too badly.

 

It's quite possible that Dillon is the 4th best hitter on the team. The only guys I think are better are Braun, Fielder, and (probably) Hart. Maybe Weeks. Dillon projected as a better hitter than Hall before this season even started. If you adjust your expectations at all based on Hall's disaster of a year so far, Dillon's obviously the better hitter. I don't have a way to look at splits from those AAA massacre seasons, so I can't definitively say that he's better than Hall as a platoon partner. But I'm fairly confident in calling him a better overall hitter.

 

He'll never get the chance to show that, of course. There's quite the institutional bias against 31 year old rookies (or near rookies). So if you don't think minor league stats count for anything in projecting future major league performance, you will very likely never understand why those of us who do like minor league numbers like Joe Dillon.

[uwisfan]

I love Dillon the hitter. It's his noodle arm that bugs me about starting him anywhere on the field.

[trwi7]

nope, I am pretty sure Lincecum is completely untouchable. The Giants would be kicked to San Jose by its fans if they dealt him, unless it was for a package of 4-5 5-tool near-MLB ready prospects.I say send Billy to Pittsburgh or Kansas City or Japan or something.

 

Kansas City would be a great place. With Ken Rosenthal's speculation of the Royals entertaining offers for Zach Greinke and with their current shortstop Tony Pena Jr. sporting an awful .369 OPS. A Hall plus LaPorta trade for Greinke could be a good deal for both sides.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Well you must have known something that Melvin and Ash didn't. Hall was looking like a perennial 30 home run guy and also was the team MVP the year before he had 35 home runs so it's not like he just had one good year. Hall could just as easily became that player or still could become that big time player and playing the hindsight game isn't the right one to play here in my opinion. Melvin took a calculated risk by trying to get big time offense out of CF with average defense and it didn't pay off, but like all good GM's he had a contingency plan in signing Mike Cameron.

 

The Brewers should have traded Sheets after 2004!

Well, my thinking was that the Brewers had Braun in the wings. With the other players in the lineup, I didn't see the sense in keeping Hall. Rather than just let him walk, I wanted to see him dealt in 2006. I kind of had a "gut feeling" that he would not duplicate his 2006 season. I also thought they would need money to keep other players, but I was admittedly surprised that Hall's contract was as small as it was. I thought he would be pricier, which was one reason I wanted him traded ... but even so, I still felt like he was a logical guy to serve as trade bait.

But I still contend that Hall had some very noticeable flaws in his game that were there from day one. When he had some success and became heavily scouted, his flaws became magnified.

 

With Sheets, it's apples and oranges. With pitching you have to take bigger gambles than you do with field players. I'm all for giving the porcelain Sheets a contract extension right now. The odds are that he will get hurt again, but with a pitcher like that, it's a risk you have to take. Field players are more expendable.

[jhart05]

One thing I don't get is those who are saying the Brewers can't trade Hall because if someone gets hurt they need a replacement. Bill Hall is that guy?? Have you looked at his stat sheet? He is the anti-production.

 

 

The problem is there is no one to put out there if something does happen. So the alternative to anti-production is no-production at all.

 

You're looking at Counsell starting everyday if Hardy or Weeks should happen to go down, then Dillon as a backup at all four infield positions. Yuck!

[mothershipconnection]

"If Billy's not going to be an everyday player, it's probably best for him and the team to be traded," Bross said. "They could get a pitcher for him that would really help the team.

 

Not unless that pitcher comes via a big salary dump. How many teams would even take Hall for free right now?

 

The only sub-.500 team with a FA-to-be pitcher who's mediocre but would help us is Cleveland (Paul Byrd), they could use some 3B help with Blake scuffling, but I'd assume they'd much rather trade Byrd for prospects. Hall may interest them in helping bridge the gap to Marte (or Hodges). However, they're only 5 games back in what has not been a strong division.

[splitterpfj]

I don't blame Hall, but I also don't blame the Brewers for the platoon. Yes, Hall has done everything the team asked of him, but his production has slipped a ton - that platoon seems to be working, no?

 

I believe there are teams out there that would deal for Hall, but the return is not going to be overwhelming.

 

The Brewers would have to decide how close to the majors they think guys like Gamel and Escobar are, if they dealt Hall and then lost an infielder, it could get ugly in a hurry.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

One thing I don't get is those who are saying the Brewers can't trade Hall because if someone gets hurt they need a replacement. Bill Hall is that guy?? Have you looked at his stat sheet? He is the anti-production.

 

 

The problem is there is no one to put out there if something does happen. So the alternative to anti-production is no-production at all.

 

You're looking at Counsell starting everyday if Hardy or Weeks should happen to go down, then Dillon as a backup at all four infield positions. Yuck!

At this point I just don't see a drop-off anywhere if the Brewers lose Hall. If someone in the IF were injured you would probably see Escobar get a call.

 

[pebadger]

Frankly, I'm tired of Bill Hall's whining. I don't why this guy is being afforded such a soap opera.

What whining would that be? And how do we know who is initiating the recent Hall talk? It's not certain that Hall initiated the conversation after Branyan was brought up in DC, and it's not certain that Hall or his agent initiated the conversation here. If TH asks Bill Hall direct questions on these matters and he answers them, I don't see how that is a problem if he answers honestly and in a manner that is not disrespectful of his teammates or the organization.

[SeriesFinale]

Funny listening to other team's fans licking their chops upon hearing this news

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Hall has been less than peachy over the last year or so. He was not exactly a team player when it came to moving back to third, his "nothing in the past four years makes sense" comment a couple of days ago, and now a trade request. Compare it to Braun, who almost seemed happy to be moved to the OF. And Braun's complaining would actually be justified, since he, ya know, contributes. I'm just tired of Hall having the floor. To be blunt, he's simply not good enough for his opinion and happiness to matter. I'm sure Joe Dillon would like to play a lot more too but no one is overly worried about him. At this point Hall isn't worth the distraction.

[logan82]

I can see how Hall would want to be traded, but I don't remember when letting anybody outside the organization know about it has ever helped get a trade done. I think Hall would be very attractive to a team in need of help at SS. I don't think he is a good defender at that position, but he can play there and his hitting would not be as painful to watch coming from a SS. You might be able to live with a 25+HR, .300 OBP guy at SS.

[sbrylski]

I know most aren't, but I wouldn't make out Bill Hall as a bad person because of this. Put yourself in his shoes, it makes perfect sense from his point of view to get out of town now. His play has stalled, we just refuse to get him an everyday position (though we've tried), and sticking around here isn't going to get any better for him. He's beginning to stall professionally in Milwaukee. That said, I feel it would have been more honorable to stick it out the rest of the season, work hard for his PT back, and if he must, request a trade privately this offseason.