idea from USS Mariner

[Hate those Rodents]

Just like replacing Overbay with Prince, when people loved Overbay, we can replace Hardy with Escobar and improve. It won't be impossible to replace Hardy's bat and glove.

[Never Outhustled]

Just like replacing Overbay with Prince, when people loved Overbay, we can replace Hardy with Escobar and improve. It won't be impossible to replace Hardy's bat and glove.

Based on what? Escobar has never hit as well as Hardy did in the minor, despite more experience. More importantly, Escobar is nowhere even close to what Hardy did last year. We're contender now, why get worse at SS now?

[Hate those Rodents]

I guess my point is that Hardy can net us the pitching we need and also that we won't lose anything at the plate.

[Never Outhustled]

I guess my point is that Hardy can net us the pitching we need and also that we won't lose anything at the plate.

I understand your point, but Escobar doesn't even profile to hit as well as the struggling Hardy, and Hardy isn't suddenly washed up, he'll hit again. As for aquiring pitching, any team that is trading pitching is going to want prospects, not now talent.

[dadofandrew]

In the offseason teams will deal pitching for JJ. Escobar gives us a SS through 2015, which I believe will coincide with his peak year of 28. Hardy is expensive in '10, and gone soon thereafter. You can't keep all your high priced talent, and they have a very capable, top 10 replacement for JJ.

[JohnBriggs12]

The point is that people think of Escobar as an in his prime Luis Castillo. He isn't that.

People who like Escobar don't think Luis Castillo or even Ozzie Smith. They think Jose Reyes. If the Brewers thought he was Castillo, he wouldn't be untouchable.

 

Luis Castillo was and is a little guy who was strictly a slap and run offensive player that played 2B. Not a bad player but not someone to build a team around.

 

Reyes went from slugging .373 and .386 his first two full seasons, to slugging .487. Escobar isn't little. He's 6'1" with a frame that could easily fill out to 190 pounds. I think the Brewers see him hitting 12-17 HR per season and stealing 50 bases ala Jose Reyes.

[Never Outhustled]

People who like Escobar don't think Luis Castillo or even Ozzie Smith. They think Jose Reyes.

 

 

Except Reyes showed more power than Escobar had in the minors. Escobar isn't Reyes, he's a poor mans Reyes. Escobar might eventually show power in the majors, but that years away, as he doesn't even show power in AAA yet.

 

 

 

Hardy is expensive in '10, and gone soon thereafter. You can't keep all your high priced talent, and they have a very capable, top 10 replacement for JJ.

Al continues to live in the 90s. This team can easily afford Hardy in 2010, and he is safer invest than any free agent will be.

[RightFieldCoder]

I agree that the team can easily afford Hardy in '10. Hall, Suppan, and others will also recieve raises. So you'll continue to see a bullpen and backup starters made of McClungs and AAA fill ins. It's not that the team can't afford Hardy, it's that the franchise might be better suited using that money to pay for an arm.

[endaround]

Hardy will make like $8m at most next season (he's only making $4.65m this season), not sure why people are acting like he'll break the bank.

[Invader3K]

At the rate he is hitting, he'll be lucky to get a minimal raise.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Hardy will make like $8m at most next season (he's only making $4.65m this season), not sure why people are acting like he'll break the bank.

How would he make $8M when his production has declined this year? As of right now, his pay will drop from the $4.65M he's making this year. Even if he picks it up, I'd say he makes $5M max.

[bklynbrewcrew]

I read somewhere recently ( I think it was Heymans column ) where a Brewers exec compared Escobar to a young Alfredo Griffin. If thats the case I would definitely include him in a deal for Halladay. As far as not losing anything if we replace Hardy with Escobar I couldnt disagree more. Hardy is a far better offensive player than Escobar will be for at least 3 or 4 seasons and more than likely ever. I realize Hardy is having a bad season but he is far better than he has shown this year and Escobar at this point is a lightweight with the bat. In time he might develop but as of today he would be a below average offensive shortstop in MLB.

[endaround]

Because he'll get a raise most likely no matter what given he gains a year of service time. Right now it would be slight, but a great 2nd half could get him up to $8m. There is no way his pay will drop.

[twobrewers]

He has a mid-700 OPS in AAA, he won't be an average MLB offensive SS anytime soon.

I doubt many think Escobar can replace Hardy's offensive production.

 

It all comes down the following equation for me...

 

Escobar + $7M + Player Hardy is traded for > Hardy at $7M in 2010

 

I'd be shocked if Escobar outproduced Hardy offensively in 2010.

[Never Outhustled]

It all comes down the following equation for me...

 

Escobar + $7M + Player Hardy is traded for > Hardy at $7M in 2010

True, but Hardy at $7M and Halladay > Escobar + $7M + Player Hardy is traded for