JJ Hardy optioned to AAA- Latest: Per McCalvy, JJ will be left at AAA and add another year before free agency

[BrewCrewForever]

I would say Melvin should be able to get something decent for Hardy based on Hardy's numbers before this season and that fact now that the team that gets him will have him for at least 2 seasons. Great move to keep him in Nashville till 9/1. Can't wait to see Escobar at SS everyday in 2010.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Hardy was probably the most valuable position player on the team last year. His value is obviously a lot lower now, but GMs have long memories and often trust scouts more than numbers...a guy who's shown he could hit like an all-star and field the position at the major league level will have some appeal. Somebody will be willing to buy low on Hardy, figuring they can fix what ails him....shortstop is a tough position to fill and some pretty good teams have holes there. Whether we'll get the value we expect is another story...

 

I don't see how Hardy can complain, though. He had ample opportunities...he's one of the biggest nosedives on the team this year, and one of the biggest causes of the disappointing year.

[BREWCREW5]

If Hardy wants to blame someone for him losing out on millions by the free agency year...he can look in the mirror. He was terrible this year in MLB and in AAA.

[trwi7]

He was terrible this year in MLB and in AAA.

Exactly. That last part is good too. He's currently hitting .250/.288/.446 in Nashville. The power is nice, the OBP is still putrid. He doesn't really deserve to be called up with those numbers.

[rotoherb]

Melvin is going to continue to say that he hasn't made his mind up about the starting SS for next season because telling everyone that he's going to trade Hardy isn't going to help get the most in return. This move virtually guarantees that Escobar will be the starting SS next season and Hardy will be traded.

[LouisEly]

Hardy was probably the most valuable position player on the team last year. His value is obviously a lot lower now, but GMs have long memories and often trust scouts more than numbers...a guy who's shown he could hit like an all-star and field the position at the major league level will have some appeal. Somebody will be willing to buy low on Hardy, figuring they can fix what ails him....shortstop is a tough position to fill and some pretty good teams have holes there. Whether we'll get the value we expect is another story...

Hopefully that is the case, and I would be willing to toss in one or two of the plethora of A-ball arms to up the value of that return. They'll have plenty of pitching in 2012 - they need some right now.

[trwi7]

This move virtually guarantees that Escobar will be the starting SS next season and Hardy will be traded.

I guess I don't see it like that. I think it means it's more likely Hardy is starting. This gives Melvin options. If he doesn't like the offers for Hardy, he can just keep him, hope he has a good first half and then trade him for the return of 1.5 years of his worth instead of .5 years.

[MNBrew]

Wow, what a screw job on Hardy. I can't see him ever playing for the team again after this fiasco. He's been disappointing this year no doubt, but not bad enough to get completely buried like this and his service time messed with.

The flaw in this premise is that Hardy is ENTITLED to FA at the end of 6 years. You have to play well enough to earn that, and this year Hardy flat out HASN'T done so.

 

I'm sure Melvin wasn't looking to create this situation. I'm sure 100 to 1 that he by far would've preferred for Hardy to have another All-Star caliber year. Then he'd be in a perfect position to sell high, to deal from strength -- to be able to use that classic Sexson & later Overbay line of "I'm not motivated to move him." But Melvin not only knows the stats, he has the ultimate inside scoop on what's going on, how Hardy's really handling it all, etc. -- not just like us where we think we know what all's going on -- and he obviously saw enough to know that the Brewers just couldn't afford Hardy any more chances to get himself right in Milwaukee -- it wasn't working at all -- and that for the good of the team he had to get him down to AAA so his struggles wouldn't contribute to costing the team any more games.

 

The JS guys wrote a lot in July esp. about how Hardy looked totally lost. When you just can't get un-stuck, something has to give. The only person Hardy really has to blame is himself. If he comes out blaming the Brewers on this, he's really just proving that Brewers made the correct call in the first place.

[diener34]

At this point I don't care how it works out to get done, but I will be really upset if Escobar is not the Starting SS next season.

[phxMILWfan]

If Hardy wants to blame someone for him losing out on millions by the free agency year...he can look in the mirror. He was terrible this year in MLB and in AAA.

 

Absolutely agree. Why should the team march him out there every day when he isn't producing? He WAS a good player last year. This year he played like a player that belongs in the minors.

[Nottso]

The flaw in this premise is that Hardy is ENTITLED to FA at the end of 6 years. You have to play well enough to earn that, and this year Hardy flat out HASN'T done so.

Exactly. The only way this could be construed as a "screw job" would be if Hardy were playing well and was sent down ONLY to mess with his service time, which obviously isn't the case here.

[RightFieldCoder]

If Hardy went down to AAA and dominated, he would have to be called up on 9/1 or earlier. Instead, he stunk down there. He had his chance to play his way back up here and he blew it. And if he wanted to be in Milwaukee long term, he should have seen the writing on the wall and agreed to a move to 3B.

[PilprinBuddha]

I disagree with those who think his bat isn't good enough for 3b. He has had a bad year, but the past couple he has been solid with decent power numbers.

[brewizard]

I don't think there is any proof anyone ever asked him to move to 3rd base. And I don't think there is any proof that Hardy said no to such a move. Everyone who says otherwise seems to be making this up out of whole cloth...

[RockCoCougars]

I still say this is dirty pool. If I'm Hardy, I file a grievance with the union, and would refuse to report to the team in September. As I said before, his numbers weren't bad enough to warrant a demotion to Nashville when also considering his defense. You just don't see teams sending tenured vets down to the minors like this. The timing of this leads me to believe that this was the plan all along. After seeing this, now I'm beginning to understand why Sheets hates the team. Players talk, and I'm sure many will shy away from the Brewers due to nonsense like this.

 

I'm all for holding players accountable for performance, but it's tough for any team to do that to some guys when they are running Suppan out there every fifth day and Kendall gets 600 plate appearances a year.

 

Not sure how much of these moves are attributable to Attanasio, but I'm starting to waver on Melvin. I'd bet a good chunk of cash that Macha will be gone after this season, Melvin maybe should go as well.

[kramnoj]

As I said before, his numbers weren't bad enough to warrant a demotion to Nashville when also considering his defense.

 

Maybe not for other teams, but the Brewers had a top 10 prospect that was universally regarded as a defensive whiz.

 

just don't see teams sending tenured vets down to the minors like this.

 

Alex Gordon was sent down. A reason that this doesn't happen more often is that it's unusual for a former all star to have such a bad season and have a top prospect waiting at the same position.

 

After seeing this, now I'm beginning to understand why Sheets hates the team.

 

Sheets saw the future and knew this would happen? Sheets may have bad feelings about how he was treated medically, he may have bad feelings about contract negotiations, but you would need to explain how this results in Sheets hating the team.

[silversurferr]

Nonsense? They have to do what is best for the team, ie., what will win the most games when it counts. That means getting Escobar ready for next year. I like JJ, but if you watch Escobar, he is the real deal. He runs like a gazelle and has much more range than JJ. I was there last night and saw him make at least 2 plays that JJ could only dream about. The extra year of team control is a plus because it gives JJ slightly more trade value than a .230 hitting, limited range, SS.

 

with one year left...

 

 

(merged consecutive posts --1992)

[Fatter than Joey]

The extra year of team control is a plus because it gives JJ slightly more trade value than a .230 hitting, limited range, SS.

 

People keep saying this, as it is an obvious given -- I do not see it as such.....

 

Could someone tell me what they think we could get for:

 

1.) Hardy with 1 year of control

2.) Hardy with 2 years of control

 

It is sufficient to say "I think we could get a player like X" -- don't worry about the trade making sense for both teams...

 

I really question that there is a lot of difference between the 2.

[dadofandrew]

If a team only wants JJ for a year, they can just non-tender him. For a team looking for a 2 year solution, JJ fits in perfectly. He may not be worth a lot more, but he is worth more. That's why team control is so important, and why teams hold guys back 'til late May/June all the time.

 

Also, for treams like KC or PIT...with little chance of competing, Hardy has little appeal...except he now is around for '11 as well. He can help you next year, and maybe help you contend in 2011. That may add a couple more teams to the mix, which in theory, adds to his demand.

[Fatter than Joey]

He may not be worth a lot more, but he is worth more.

 

Again, --Please let me know what you think that extra year is worth... in a more tangible manner, than hand-waving.

 

I am not doubting you are correct, I just wish to know what people think that we will end up with keeping JJ under control for that extra year.

[jeffy]

I still say this is dirty pool. If I'm Hardy, I file a grievance with the union, and would refuse to report to the team in September.

I'm guessing he is not stupid enough to not show up, as I assume it would mean not collecting millions in pay next season. Instead, he'll be there trying to prove that he deserves the SS job over Escobar.

 

The team has the right to send him down, what is he going to grieve?

 

Dear MLBPA:

 

I was having a bad year and my team sent me down to AAA. I think this was really mean and not very nice, as it will mean I have to wait a whole extra year before I am a free agent. Meanwhile they are only paying me millions per year to play. Is there anything you can do about this horrible, horrible treatment I have been subjected to?

 

Sincerely,

James J. Hardy

[craigharmann]

I don't understand why people are upset with this. I'm ecstatic. Trading Hall for a bag of balls, and sending Hardy down says that the team cares about one thing....performance on the field. Think back to about 8-10 years ago.....JJ would be the starting SS, and Hall would be the starting 3B. Wouldn't matter what they were or weren't doing on the field. And ultimately, performance is what dictates playing time or a job. Not your salary, not because you've got steely blue eyes and the females think you're attractive. If only they would do the same thing with Soup...

[brewizard]

If only they would do the same thing with Soup...

 

Except, with Soup, it is quite obvious that performance has nothing to do with a starting job and salary has everything to do with it. So Hardy being in AAA doesn't make sense in the way you say it does.

[monty57]

If the Brewers had a top pitching prospect knocking on the door at AAA, then maybe Soup would be sent down. It makes no sense to send Suppan to AAA or DFA him (while still paying him) so that someone like Mike Burns can pitch. Yes, the Suppan contract looks bad. However, as sad as it is to say, Suppan is one of the five best MLB ready pitchers in the Brewers' organization at this time.

As far as JJ, it does suck for him, but as others have stated, if he had been playing at a reasonably productive level, he never would have been sent down. It is good for the Brewers, in that he should be more tradeable (sorry, FTJ, I have no idea how much more), and he could possibly be the starter next season, keeping Escobar in AAA until mid-season so we get another year of his service. Then trade JJ while he still has another year and a half of "team control," and have Alcides step in.

[Ennder]

I'd rather throw Suppan out there than Burns or CV, at least when he's healthy. As much as I dislike Suppan he isn't anywhere near as bad as people make him out to be. Most teams in baseball would throw him out there as their #5 over who they currently have. The joke is how much we pay him to do it and how many other guys we have that aren't much better than him.