Bill Hall traded to Mariners for P Ruben Flores

[Invader3K]

It's up on MLB Trade Rumors. More info forthcoming.

 

Edit: They now have up that Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times is reporting the Brewers will receive minor league pitcher Ruben Flores in return.

 

EDIT: Title. -PF

[trwi7]

No word yet on whether anybody is going back the other way, though I just got it confirmed that it's minor league pitcher Ruben Flores.

Doesn't seem like much in return, but we couldn't really expect much.

[RU Rah Rah]

Ruben Flores in return?

[derflotr]

Hopefully the Mariners will pick up a couple bucks of his contract...anything makes it worthwhile. I'm assuming Ruben Flores is just a throw-in type minor leaguer.

[trwi7]

The only thing I'm hoping for is the Mariners paying most if not all of his salary. Probably not realistic, but until I hear otherwise, I'm going to keep hoping that's the case.

[Invader3K]

Tyler Barnes just confirmed it's Hall for Flores on Twitter.

[Crew2323]

From cnnsi.com

 

The Seattle Mariners acquired Bill Hall from the Milwaukee Brewers today in exchange for minor league pitcher Ruben Flores, SI.com has learned. A source said that the Brewers will pay the remainder of Hall's $6.8 million salary for this season, as well as a large portion of his $8.4 million deal next year, perhaps as much as $7.15 million.

Hall, who was designated for assignment by the Brewers last week, is not expected to join the Mariners until Thursday. Seattle will have to make a corresponding roster move to add Hall to the 40-man roster, but that has not been announced yet.

Hall had spent his entire eight-year career with the Brewers, who drafted him in 1998, but this year he struggled mightily, batting .201 with a .265 on-base percentage and 72 strikeouts in 76 games. Hall has a $9.25 million club option for 2011 that includes a $500,000 buyout.

Mariners first-year general manager Jack Zduriencik, formerly a longtime executive with the Brewers, has seen Hall produce far more in the past, including a 35-home run year in '06. Hall became a necessity for a Mariners team in need of a third baseman after putting Adrian Beltre on the disabled list after Beltre suffered a testicular injury last week. The Mariners entered Wednesday night's game with the Tigers 61-58, 12 games out in the AL West and 6.5 games out of the AL wild card and have lost four of their past five games.

Flores is a 25-year-old right-handed reliever who has spent most of the season at high-A ball, going 2-2 with a 2.30 ERA.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/08/19/hall/#ixzz0OfaEkvSw

[OglivieHomePerm]

Looks like we traded Bill Hall for a Flamenco Guitarist: http://www.rubenflores.com/

[Invader3K]

Sounds like not much in the way of salary relief, but at least they got a pitcher for him, even if it's not a very high ceiling guy.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

6 yr FA so the M's were going to lose him anyway.

[fondybrewfan]

Better than nothing, even if the Mariners just have to pay the veteran minimum, we still are saving like $400,000.

 

Kinda suprised that Jack Z picked him up because he was front row and center to Hall's terrible 2008 season.

[Invader3K]

Haudricourt says the Brewers will end up saving about $1.3 million, so at least that's something.

[Never Outhustled]

So we get nothing for Hall, and we replaced him with a nobody. What was the rush to DFA him again? This move was completely bungled.

[BrewCrewForever]

Saving a little money and getting a player back? Not bad at all with how bad Hall has been.

[Hate those Rodents]

Are you telling me we couldn't have added a Harang/Arroyo/Padilla pretty easily in a deal centered around Hall and adding something minor (or salary)? I sure hope not...

[StearnsFTW]

Ditto. Harang for Hall would've worked for me. Money's about the same, maybe we would've had to throw in a minor leaguer, but given the Rolen trade, I'd think we could've swindled the Reds.

[Never Outhustled]

Saving a little money and getting a player back?

We're not really getting a player when you figure in Flores is a minor league FA after the season, so he is really public property.

[Schlitz001]

Haudricourt says the Brewers will end up saving about $1.3 million, so at least that's something.

My guess is that DM wanted at least some cash for Billy and $1.3 million is no small chunk of change considering most Major League teams have Bill Hall type "talent" in AAA for league minimum salary.

[Brewcrewin07]

Is Doug losing it?? He said "I'm working on something" and gives the impression it's something of note. No Doug, this is nothing. I guess that is what I get for kind of expecting it to be for Harang.

[ilovebeer]

the fact that the Brewers got anything for hall is a good deal.

[jeffy]

So we get nothing for Hall, and we replaced him with a nobody. What was the rush to DFA him again?

 

I think it was about pretending that they were still in it. I sure don't get why it was suddenly a mad rush to get rid of the guy at this point. Why not just put him through waivers and then see if you can work a trade, without having this 10 day deadline?

Just another reason to DFA Melvin, perhaps?

 

[jeffy]

We're not really getting a player when you figure in Flores is a minor league FA after the season, so he is really public property.

So this is a rental for the Timber Rattlers, or what?

[bklynbrewcrew]

This is horrendous. Melvin talks like he has something in the works and he winds up paying nearly all of Hall's contract and gets a 25 yr old A ball pitcher with no upside. Im not on the fence in regards to Melvin any longer, its time for him to go.

[kramnoj]

If the Mariners are stuck with the 2011 option, this means the Brewers are saving about $1.8M, assuming current reports are correct. I'm okay with that.

 

Did Melvin give any indication that this was going to be a big trade? I just see a quote that some teams are interested and that he was working on something. Is there a reason that we should expect any team to pay more than the Mariners did?

[diener34]

Do people honestly think Melvin turned down a MLB type pitcher for Bill Hall? I just can't imagine why any team would give us a pitcher for Hall. Harang and Arroyo and even Padilla are still somewhat effective.

 

I gladly take a savings of 1.3 mil to get rid of Hall.

 

How long did you want Hall and his contract sticking around AAA? And what makes you think his contract will be any more appealing if Melvin waits? His contract sure won't be included in a blockbuster trade and what team in their right mind would give any talent back for him?