Who could we get for X?

[KC Jim]

It's time to change our thinking as this team is not going anywhere this year but I believe the future can be very bright. With the tradeable assets we have what would be realistic returns? No Bill Hall talk, I said assets and preferably players we lose control of.

Who could we get for Trevor?

Who could we get for Cameron?

Who could we get for Looper?

[Hate those Rodents]

Hoffman - I'd guess a Linebrink type hall (that should be fun for those of you re-hashing that trade lately)

Cameron - I'd guess a top ten AA ball prospect and probably an A ball guy in the 12-20 range

Looper - I'd guess the same as Cameron, and the fact of his option possibility might make teams prefer him to a 100% rental

[TCSM]

I don't foresee a team giving us much if really anything at all. Trevor would be a nice asset for any team, but wouldn't net us much due to his FA status after this season. Cameron still shows he is an excellent defender, decent batter still, yet carries one heck of a price tag. Looper might be an ok addition for some teams, but again, would not net us much at all.

[nate82]

I don't foresee a team giving us much if really anything at all. Trevor would be a nice asset for any team, but wouldn't net us much due to his FA status after this season. Cameron still shows he is an excellent defender, decent batter still, yet carries one heck of a price tag. Looper might be an ok addition for some teams, but again, would not net us much at all.

You are severally putting down Cameron's value and his contract is not bad at all for what he is really worth. Cameron is actually worth his contract and that contract is not that much and isn't very expensive at all. I still believe a Cameron to the Yankees is a possible trade or Cameron to the Braves yes I know they have Mclouth in CF but the Braves are looking for a RH platoon to play RF and Cameron could play RF/LF or Mclouth could be moved to RF/LF.

 

The Brewers could get Swisher for Cameron. The Brewers could also send Hart to the Braves for someone like Medlen. I believe Hardy gets traded also probably to the Twins but I would really love to trade Hardy to the Angels for O'Sullivan but that is a pipe dream. Hoffman could also be traded to the Angels and that would be an easy sell for Hoffman to go there.

 

Looper is unlikely to be traded I don't know many teams that are looking for a #4 or #5 pitcher. Hall could also be traded but the Brewers would probably have to eat some of his contract. I really believe Hardy is going to be traded either for Washburn and Morrow or to the Twins for a pitching prospect maybe even Liriano for Hardy straight up deal or even to the Rays for Kazmir straight up. Hardy would be a cheap option for the Rays for the rest of this year and next year at SS and he would be a type A Free Agent for the Rays but the Twins are more likely to trade for Hardy than the Rays though. Hardy just seems like a player the Twins would want and who would help them this year and next year. Liriano also helps the Brewers and it would be selling low on both of the players.

[twobrewers]

Remember that Hoffman is unlikely to be offered arbitration or return draft picks after the season - he won't match the Linebrink return.

 

Note:

The Brewers are still selling out on a regular basis. Mark A has gone through great lengths the build a competitive team in Milwaukee. To the casual fan, "selling" would be a terrible sign that the "same old Brewers" are back.

 

To us hardcore fans, we can see the value of selling off assets. However, I think Mark A recognizes the importance of at least pushing for a playoff spot to the attitude of the casual Brewer fan. Mark A wants to be competitive every year. I'd rather sit still.

[Hate those Rodents]

twobrewers, good post, however I disagree with you on the casual fans.

 

The casual fans have been around about five years now. They understand the game enough i think to be able to understand what's going on and what our best chance out of this mess is. You need only look at the Escobar blog today and every single comment on the JS underneath. I hope MA took a look there and realizes we want to keep our prospects and don't want to buy short term non-solutions for aiding this pathetic pitching staff.

[Never Outhustled]

Who could we get for X?

I have a no trade clause.

[pogokat]

The problem is that punting the season would kill attendance...so the admin has to take into account what the return would be for guys like these up against just how bad the team would be with Jason Bougeoius in Center, Mark DiFelice Closing, and Time Dillard and Mike Burns in the rotation...

 

What would we get back for the guys you suggested trading...mid level prospects...

 

it's simply not worth it...they are better off playing 500 ball and finishing third while selling 2.8-3 million seats than going 10 under and gaining some top 20 prospects...

 

that's why they aren't selling...the only players we could cash in for huge prospects would be yo, fielder and braun, and that ain't happenin'

[trwi7]

They have already sold 2.7 million tickets. Is it really going to hurt ticket sales that much if they trade Cameron (who everybody seems to hate whenever there's a discussion about him on the radio), Hoffman and Hardy would probably cause a backlash, Hardy maybe less so because most of the casual fans have heard of Escobar.

 

But I can't imagine fans saying "let's go to less Brewers games next year because the Brewers won 72 instead of 81."

[Mase]

I think that it is at least appropriate to look into what teams may give us for our players like Cam and Hoffmann now when it probably wasn't a week ago. It never hurts to look.

[trwi7]

I think that it is at least appropriate to look into what teams may give us for our players like Cam and Hoffmann now when it probably wasn't a week ago. It never hurts to look.

Exactly. Melvin wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't at least put them on the market. If they don't bring back the value that he deems appropriate, then keep them. I hope he trades them if he gets a good offer though.

[pogokat]

but he won't...look what we paid for felipe lopez...a former all-star in his walk year with very good numbers---that's about the best we could hope for for cameron

 

 

and top 15 guy with clear problems and a huge question mark guy in the lower minors...that's not worth punting the season over..

[endaround]

Looper-salary relief if lucky

Hoffman- a B prospect possibly better if the Cardinals wild overpaying has set the market

Cameron-Less than Hoffman because fewer teams need a CFer while everyone would take a bullpen arm

Kendall-some nice laughter from the other end of the phone

[TCSM]

Nate, as evident by this off season's rumors with Cam and the Yankees it's obvious we would not get much in return. I personally think he is a valuable asset but that doesn't mean a team will go out and drop a top prospect on him. We would be looking at a AAA with a salary filler at the most, again, as evident by what rumors we were hearing before the season.

[JohnBriggs12]

The problem is that punting the season would kill attendance...so the admin has to take into account what the return would be for guys like these up against just how bad the team would be with Jason Bougeoius in Center, Mark DiFelice Closing, and Time Dillard and Mike Burns in the rotation...

 

What would we get back for the guys you suggested trading...mid level prospects...

 

it's simply not worth it...they are better off playing 500 ball and finishing third while selling 2.8-3 million seats than going 10 under and gaining some top 20 prospects...

 

that's why they aren't selling...the only players we could cash in for huge prospects would be yo, fielder and braun, and that ain't happenin'

You are 100% off the mark.

 

First, the tickets are pretty much sold and the money's in the bank for this season. Second, this team is horrible. They'll easily be 10 back, probably 15. They have a better chance at .500 if they blow it up and go with the Gamels, McGehees, Escobars, Salomes playing regularly and those guys get prepared for next year. Let's see what those guys have. At least that would provide a reason to watch the games. They won't sell additional tickets 10-15 games back in September because fans want to see more of Corey Hart or Braden Looper. Those "casual fans" were booing this group pretty loudly last night.

 

Sure some have limited value and can't be traded. No takers on Kendall? Then release him. No takers on Cameron, same thing. No sense those guys should block anyone. Call the Twins on Hardy. Call the Giants on Hart. What contender wouldn't like Counsell on their bench for the stretch run? We know Lopez has some value. I'm sure any number of teams would have interest in Hoffman.

[twobrewers]

First, the tickets are pretty much sold and the money's in the bank for this season.

Even if you ignore this season tickets sales...

 

What will get you more season ticket renewals in 2010 - and 80-82 team or a 72 - 90 team?

[pogokat]

who is cameron blocking?

[Luke7799.u]

Twobrewers, I would say almost all season ticket holders or those who would buy season tickets are either very big brewer fans and thus most likely knowledgeable about the team and the position it is in or corporations and those purchase decisions have more to do with the company's performance and not the brewers.

 

Miller Park has become a "scene" so to speak. People aren't going to stop coming if we trade a few players. I am in my late 20's and Miller Park is generally considered a place to be to party on weekends if the crew is in town. I don't think that is going to stop if the brewers trade some players this year. It may affect next year a bit as far as enthusiasm goes but people still going to attend games. I really don't think you would see a big dropoff if hoffman, cameron, looper, hart, and hardy are traded. Just from casual conversations outside of Suppan, Hart may be the most hated brewer out there. I don't think I have heard one person casually call him good or praise him this year.

[Invader3K]

Yeah, but Hart has been hitting a bit better later. It's easy to say "Just trade him for anything!" but if we trade him and he suddenly reverts back to his '07/'08(pre-September) level of play, the same people will be screaming about what a bone head Melvin was for trading him.

[endaround]

Yeah, but Hart has been hitting a bit better later. It's easy to say "Just trade him for anything!" but if we trade him and he suddenly reverts back to his '07/'08(pre-September) level of play, the same people will be screaming about what a bone head Melvin was for trading him.

 

Trying to figure Hart out is really difficult. He had a great April followed by a terrible May and has followed that with ok June and July. But even there his patience at the plate has been great something he really hasn't had before (and there was a fear he was turning into Jeff Francouer at the end of the year last season). His OBP is 70 points abive his BA and about 100 pints higher in July. But now his power has wilted a bit and his average is lower. So right now Hart looks to be an average RFer with upside if his power comes around.

[naivin]

Any chance the Yankees would still have an interest in Cameron? Brian Gardner just went on the DL, and their OF defense is...not good. To me there is a very logical fit there. How about Cameron in exchange for taking Hall or Suppan? As much as I like Cameron, I would be more than happy to stick Gerrut out there the rest of the year, if we could pull off a deal like that. Probably would be a pretty tough sell to the masses though.

[Invader3K]

Well, apparently the Yankees asked the Brewers in the off season to eat part of Cameron's salary in a trade...so I doubt even they would be willing to take Hall or Suppan. If they did take one of them, we would get basically nothing in exchange, except for maybe one of their bad contracts like Kei Igawa or something.

[lloydbraun]

I don't see a reason to make any trades at this point. I'm not saying we should not shop players (Cameron, Hoffman, etc.), but I seriously doubt the return would really be worth the PR trouble. I've been a life long Brewers fan and I was there for the 90's. It sucked. This is a new era for the Brewers though and I want to see them win now after so many years of mediocrity. But at the same time, I'm no idiot and I know that we don't have a chance this year. We have some of the right pieces to be a contender next year and the year after. So, why not just stand pat and see how things fall this year and make some moves in the offseason? We can explore options in upgrading our pitching. Or take a chance on a guy coming off injury with some upside such as Duchscherer or Myers. I might be wrong, but I do believe that we have some room for salary freeing up after this season. So maybe (a big maybe) we can go out and try to sign a guy like Lackey, Harden, or Randy Wolf. I don't think anyone can really be mad with staying as is this year, unless a no-brainer trade offer is made to us at the deadline and we decline.

 

In response to the question, I don't think we can get anything for Looper at this point. Our best bet is to upgrade our starting pitching and move him to the bullpen next year(does he have an option for next season?). If anything were to go down w/ Cameron, it would involve the Yankees. Cameron could hit 12-15 Homers in that new stadium. The Yankees system is full of young pitching pitching with high ceilings, but no true studs as of right now. I think the Brewers could definitely swipe a guy like Wilkins De La Rosa or Christian Garcia from the Yanks for Cameron. Hoffman is interesting. He is somewhat more marketable than Sherill because the Brewers would not ask for the moon and the man has some playoff experience that could really help a legitimate contender. I don't think we could get any top 5 prospects, but definitely a combination of prospects anywhere from 6-20.

[brewers4eric]

If I took a guess on the player most likely to be traded in the short term, I would say Craig Counsell. Any of the contenders could use his defensive skills at the end of the bench, plus he has more than his share of playoff experience. I wouldn't see it happening until after the trade deadline as a waiver wire transaction, and it wouldn't net anyone more interesting than a Maxim St. Pierre type player.

 

We've got more than our share of backup infielders. Melvin has typically contended that the best trades are made in the offseason, so I don't really see the Brewers trading a shortstop for pitching until the winter meetings, unless an interesting nugget becomes available on the waiver wire in September.

[Roderick]

Melvin has typically contended that the best trades are made in the offseason,

I think that would probably be in reference to being a "buyer", especially of pitchers. A seller now, gets alot more for a bullpen arm then you would get in the offseason.