Is it time we give Bill Hall his apology?

[acwilber]

It was the main subject of the WSSP postgame show last night and I expected a thread on it so allow me to post it.

 

I think it's time we owe Billy Hall an apology. He has kept his mouth shut and has started to play very well and earned his job back. I was one of Mr. Hall's biggest haters when his agent came out with his remarks that he wanted playing time or he was going to leave town. It was mainly based on his spotty play last year which gave me a reason to hate on the guy. Heck, I even took his retro bobble from last year away from the family and put it all alone on the end of my desk.

 

It finally seems he has earned his starting position back against both righties AND lefties. All I really wanted I guess was to be proven wrong and he has done that. Thank you Billy!

[DougJones43]

So, the fact that he's hitting better means the way he and his agent handled things is now okay? And not just that, but the fans now owe him an apology??

 

Would you feel the same way if he still wasn't hitting? I doubt it. I really don't see why on-field production retro-actively makes his previous antics more acceptable. Much like the Brett Favre debacle, people seem to have a difficult time distinguishing between the things a guy does as a player versus as a person. They really shouldn't be mixed, confused, or have an affect on one another.

 

While, as a Brewer fan, I'm happy to see him playing better - Bill Hall is owed nothing by the fans.

[markedman5]

The real question is will LaRussa hit Hall tonight ?

 

If he does I only hope the Umpire doesn't warn both teams until CC nails Pujols in the 8th inning with 2 outs nobody on and the score 10-0 Brewers.

[acwilber]

It hardly makes what he and agent did acceptable. Unlike Brett Fav-ra, Billy has been mumm since and started to play better. Maybe it is the fact that he was informed he was not going to be traded. Whatever the case, he has done it the right way. He is one of the guys I want to see succeed. And one of the guys we need if we are going to "Go for it."

[DougJones43]

It hardly makes what he and agent did acceptable. Unlike Brett Fav-ra, Billy has been mumm since and started to play better. Maybe it is the fact that he was informed he was not going to be traded. Whatever the case, he has done it the right way. He is one of the guys I want to see succeed. And one of the guys we need if we are going to "Go for it."

Okay, so who is supposed to apologize to him, and for what exactly?

[temke]

he is still a knob for coming out and running his mouth when his performance on the field did not back it.

 

good to see him getting back on track. maybe he will have some trade value in the offseason http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[TooLiveBrew]

Nice to see Hall starting to play towards his lucrative contract. Not one Brewers fan owes Bill Hall an apology. If anything, it's the other way around (imo).

 

However, in lieu of an apology, I will accept more good production at the plate... but he might have to apologize for his defense.

[BrewCrewForever]

I have been a big Hall fan since 2004. But I will be the first to admit I was very hard on him this season. Even was willing to trade him when he requested the trade. Figured a Dillon/Branyan platoon would be fine. Hall has heated up in a big way and I was way wrong. I should have never lost confidence in Billy. My bad.

[GB12]

I have always liked Bill Hall as a person and teammate. I think he handled the situation very well. The fans do not owe him an appology at all though. Since signing what was then the largest contract for a postion player in Brewers history he hasn't lived up to expectations on the field. I give him a bit of a break because we did kind of screw him over by playing him at three different positions in three years, but his bat hadn't been what was expected. Now if he continues his comback and starts hitting again he'll move back to a fan favorite. Billy is a very likeable player, but you can't expect a warm response when there's no production to go with it.

[acwilber]

Okay, so who is supposed to apologize to him, and for what exactly?

As a fan we jump all over these guys when they don't produce (and rightfully so). When they get bad enough where a change has to be made and they are out of the lineup, it was understandable for Billy to be upset but maybe that was Ned's way of lighting a fire beneath him.

I would assume it would be like a family disagreement at this point. He apologizes for what was said and we are glad to have him back in the mix while we make our run. Now its time to tear it up.

[lukevan]

I have always liked Bill Hall as a person and teammate.

 

Is that you Prince?

[SeriesFinale]

I never stopped loving the guy but I don't think the fans owe him one (although I disagreed with the actual level of the booing)...I'm not sure he's asking for one, either, really.

[logan82]

acwilber wrote:

As a fan we jump all over these guys when they don't produce (and rightfully so).

Not all fans get on players for playing poorly.

 

I wouldn't apoligize to my kids for making them stand in a corner last week because they did something they shouldn't have just because they were well behaved all of this week. Hall said some stupid things(through his agent). Fans and the media chastized him. I wouldn't apolagize for that just because he is doing what he is supposed to.

[TooLiveBrew]

If Bill Hall is owed an apology for finally hitting over a span of 13 games, then Rickie Weeks deserves an apology too. And Prince Fielder deserves 50,000 dozen roses.

[owbc]

As soon as I saw Hall come out of the dugout to congratulate Russell Branyan on his home runs, I knew things would be all right.

 

Since Hall is my favorite player, I still wore my Hall jersey to the Orioles game where Hall struck out in the bottom of the 9th. I had to defend myself when the nearby fans wanted Branyan and were calling for Yost to be fired for putting Hall in, but I knew Billy would get it back.

 

Hall isn't owed an apology. His agent said the magic "T" word that automatically results in booing. As Yost said, Hall should have been upset, as it showed that he cared. As for Wes Helms...

[glassjawed]

If Bill Hall is owed an apology for finally hitting over a span of 13 games, then Rickie Weeks deserves an apology too. And Prince Fielder deserves 50,000 dozen roses.

I wonder how Boras would calculate the roses into a contract offer?

 

 

(fixed code --1992)

[SenatorShriv]

I was against giving him his current contract and I continue to cringe at the fact that he is a starter on this team. One hot month and two well timed home runs doesn't change that for me. I would love to see him stay hot and earn some of that money, but I think that it is safe to say that a .230 average (even after a very hot month) isn't exactly awe inspiring.

 

That doesn't mean that I wasn't running around my house last night acting like a fool and trying to explain to my girlfriend why I loved Bill Hall more than her!

[Fatter than Joey]

And Prince Fielder deserves 50,000 dozen roses.

 

He'd just crush Doritos on them and eat them

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I have posted on this board that Bill Hall would be back and he is at least for now. Long season to go.

[DougJones43]

The more I think about it, the one who is owed an apology is Russell Branyan. He was called up, puts up a 1.050 OPS vs RHP (with 11 HR) and gets benched because Hall has hit a couple timely homeruns? Now that's cause for complaint...

[GB12]

I have posted on this board that Bill Hall would be back and he is at least for now. Long season to go.

 

I had said that all last season, all offseason, and the beginning of this season that Bill Hall would be back and we shouldn't trade him. Then about a month and a half ago I gave up on him. Poor timing on my part.

[DougJones43]

Then about a month and a half ago I gave up on him. Poor timing on my part.

Don't be too hard on yourself. I mean, let's not get too carried away here from one good month. Hall's OBP is still under .300 for the season - that's Tubby Estrada territory.

[JohnBriggs12]

I never got down on Hall. He made one or two ill advised statements (which he later conceded was a mistake), but I've said for years that despite all his ups and downs, Bill Hall has been the heart and soul of the Milwaukee Brewers for quite some time. He's one of may favorite Brewers of all time.

[Legacy25GT]

Yes we do... Bill Hall has handled the platoon very professionally. The way he requested a trade was professional, the way he kept his mouth shut after that was professional.

[LS Brewer]

I am very happy to see him performing better. However, Billy's recent performance is the reason he was given the extension two years ago. This kind of performance should be expected. Consequently, no apology is needed. He really messed up by letting his agent go public with his frustration.

 

On the other hand, I'll reiterate, the booing of Billy Hall was not called for either.

 

It appears clear now that Billy is back in his spot as a full-time starter getting at bats against righties and lefties. It's funny how that works: if you perform, you get to play. If you fail to perform, you don't get to play.