any thought on this Trade that didn't happen

[jjfanec]

Hart is making all of $3.25m this year. Hart is likely to make $12m for the next 2 years while Crawford will make $10m next year. Seems like a large reduction in salary to me for very little change in production.

Do you really think Hart and Crawford are near each other in production? Crawford is better than Hart in almost every category. I do not know if you are saying that the Rays would not do it but I think the Crew would be crazy not to. Crawford would look great at the top of the order in front of Weeks, Braun, and Fielder.

[DHonks]

Crawford would be a clear upgrade over Hart. If he can play CF, even better. While his OBP may not be as great as we'd all like, he has the ability to completely take over a game....that's pretty rare as a hitter when you can influence the entire game

[logan82]

He won't be a #1 or #2 hitter right away, but he should be in a couple years.

 

I think this is a good argument to hold onto Hardy for another year and give Escobar an extra year to mature. At least wait a couple months into 2010 to give us an extra year of Escobar service time. Unless of course we get a good return for Hardy.

[endaround]

Crawford's career numbers: .296/.334/.438

 

Hart's career numbers .275/.325/.475

 

Crawford hasn't played CF in 5 years, he doesn't like playing CF.

[dadofandrew]

In my head, I see Hart getting $5-6M next year and $8M or so in '11. It seems to me that if they have to deal Carl to save $, they would not want to replace him with a guy making that much, they'd use Joyce, who they already own, or a pre-arby guy.

[jjfanec]

Crawford's career numbers: .296/.334/.438

 

Hart's career numbers .275/.325/.475

 

Crawford hasn't played CF in 5 years, he doesn't like playing CF.

Crawford's last 4 years have been well above those averages except last year. His first two years are weighing the rest of his numbers down. Corey's numbers on the other hand are skewed by one very good year and his past two years have seen a lower OPS than all but one on Crawford's last 6.

[PlayerHader]

I have it from a quality source that the Brewers were in pretty serious talks for Felix Hernandez at the deadline. They were serious enough that they actually had press releases prepared. Maybe that is something that happens for any trade discussions, but it seems like a sign that things were pretty serious to me.

[gobrew23]

Wow, I would love to have gotten Felix Hernandez in a trade, and still would if we could work something out in the offseason. He would be a huge upgrade.

[kramnoj]

Wow, what would have been the package the Brewers would have given up? You have to assume one of the big two was in there, plus Lawrie and a pitcher or two.

[wibadgers23]

I can't even imagine why type of a package it would have taken to get King Felix, but you're probably right karmnoj. One of Gamel/Escobar plus Lawrie and a couple of our pitching prospects (Braddock/Rogers/Peralta, etc.). Gallardo and King Felix at the top of our rotation for the next few years or more would have been downright mouth watering.

[BrewerProspectus]

Brewers and Rays make a lot of sense together, but I'm not sure they'd be interested in Hardy b/c of Bartlett. If the Brewers could swing a Hardy/Hart/Lucroy for Kaz/Crawford deal, that'd be great--and there's a lot of sense to it b/c it allows the Rays to continue to push to win in this window but also gives them much greater financial flexibility. If that's not possible, i'd like to see the Brewers attempt to work out a Hart for Shields swap and settle w/ a Hart for Kazmir deal if that isn't possible.

[PlayerHader]

I have no idea what the deal was made up of, just that there were serious talks going on. I agree that Gamel, Lawrie, and a couple young arms would probably have been asked for.

[nate82]

Brewers and Rays make a lot of sense together, but I'm not sure they'd be interested in Hardy b/c of Bartlett.

Bartlett will be 30 years old after the end of this season and it will be his 2nd year of arbitration so the Rays only have Bartlett for 1 more year than they would have Hardy for I believe I added Bartlett's years up correctly.

[RobertR]

It's too bad the Ray's picked up Betancourt to play SS. A Hardy for Bannister swap probably made a lot of sense for both teams.

 

I'm tired of Hardy's pouting and whining about where he hits in the lineup. Frankly, Hardy's lucky he hasn't been on the bench a lot more this year. That's probably the only way he'll get some perspective.

 

Edit: Given the A's young pitching and need for hitting, I wonder if Beane might be interested in Hardy.

 

Robert

[Hate those Rodents]

Robert, I think there's a decent chance we can get that trade done in the off-season. You have got to believe that the Royals will hate Betancourt by the end of this season. Hardy is also as much of a "name" player as the Royals are going to get. I'd say this trade still could materialize. Good cal,l.

[logan82]

RobertR wrote:

I'm tired of Hardy's pouting and whining about where he hits in the lineup. Frankly, Hardy's lucky he hasn't been on the bench a lot more this year. That's probably the only way he'll get some perspective.

How much has he complained since the one time last year?

[GB12]

I have it from a quality source that the Brewers were in pretty serious talks for Felix Hernandez at the deadline. They were serious enough that they actually had press releases prepared. Maybe that is something that happens for any trade discussions, but it seems like a sign that things were pretty serious to me.

I'm not sure how much truth is behind this, but there was a 3 team trade for Hernandez that got turned down at the last minute.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/felix-gonzalez-were-part-of-failed-deal.html

The Mariners would have received Adrian Gonzalez, Buchholz and prospects in the deal. They would have sent Felix to the Red Sox and dealt Brandon Morrow, Phillippe Aumont and Carlos Triunfel to the Padres, who would have received prospects from the Red Sox as well. In the end, Baker says the Mariners nixed the deal.

If they turned down Adrian Gonzalez and Clay Buchholz I can't imagine what it would take from us.

[RobertR]

RobertR wrote:

I'm tired of Hardy's pouting and whining about where he hits in the lineup. Frankly, Hardy's lucky he hasn't been on the bench a lot more this year. That's probably the only way he'll get some perspective.

How much has he complained since the one time last year?

 

I haven't been keeping strict count, but there's a couple times this year where he's let it be known that he wanted to hit #2 and was unhappy with his spot in the lineup. (Which is a couple of times too many as far as I'm concerned.) I'd cut him some slack if he backed it up, but he hasn't. At least when Braun and Prince were making some noise about who's a #3 hitter and who's a #4 hitter they were still productive.

 

That's always a bugaboo of mine. I had zero tolerance when Grissom was whining about not hitting leadoff as well. In the big scheme of things, I agree it's not that big a deal, but it shows a lack of perspective. I think I'd make it a matter of policy that if you whined to the paper about where you're hitting, the next game you watch from the bench.

 

Robert

[Invader3K]

If we actually were about to trade for Felix Hernandez, and it fell through at the last minute, well...that's pretty disappointing any way you slice it.

[PlayerHader]

Again, I have no idea regarding the parameters of the deal and who was involved. I just know that there were talks and they were serious enough to begin constructing a press release. I don't even know how serious that means.

[jjfanec]

A king Felix deal could easily happen this off-season as well. There was no real rush to get this done by the deadline since it is probably a deal that would help the Crew make the playoffs next year not this year because 4 games behind 2 different teams is a lot to make up.

[endaround]

Except it likely included a shortstop going to Seattle. That's no longer needed for next year.

[jjfanec]

Except it likely included a shortstop going to Seattle. That's no longer needed for next year.

Except that Wilson was traded to them on the 29th and it sounded like this was more of a deadline day (31st) move (I could be wrong though). It could have easily involved Gamel and not a SS.

[Invader3K]

Yeah, if I had to give Gamel up to get Felix Hernandez, I'd do it. I wonder why the deal ultimately fell through...I'm guessing Zdurencik probably felt he could get more suitors in the off-season. Though I'm not totally sure why he would consider trading him in the first place, either. He isn't a FA until 2012.

[Hate those Rodents]

Does anyone think Seattle was dumb for NOT trading Felix for the fivesome of Bucholtz, Masterson, Bowden, Bard, and DeClarmen? I know I for one would give up Yo for those five. I am wondering if people would give up Felix for those five, as it was reported all five were offered for Felix...

 

Edited, thanks for pointing out my mixup Invader.