Cole Gillespie

[LouisEly]

I couldn't find the Cole Gillespie thread - maybe it got deleted when he was traded - so feel free to merge this with that thread in case I missed it (I searched back to June).

 

Since the trade Gillespie has a .424 OBP and a .920 OPS in 132 PAs, and for the season now has a .370 OBP and 11 triples. Those who said that he was better than what his stats were at the time, perhaps still recovering from the injury, might just have been right. I know he is limited to LF due to his shoulder being ground beef, but I think Braun is athletic enough and has a strong enough arm to move to RF (if not eventually CF), and having the flexibility to trade Hart in the offseason (both for pitching and to move his salary) would have been nice. Supposedly SF is high on Hart, and if that could get Sanchez that would have helped.

 

I still think Gillespie's OBP and speed would play well at the top of the order or the #8 spot. Not gonna be a superstar - no team save the Yankee$ has one of those at every position - but I think he could provide equal numbers to Hart.

[dadofandrew]

It looks like Lopez is going to be an A, so I much prefer 2 picks to Gillespie's below average OPS in LF. Remember, everyone hits in Tucson, just like they do in spring training, it's an altitude/dry air thing.

 

He may well be a solid OBP reserve, but that's not a whole lot. His high draft pick status was based on him developing wood bat pop, which never happened.

[DHonks]

Al, I thought the Dbacks AAA club wasn't in Tucson anymore. Sure it's the PCL Western branch, but it's still not Tucson

[twobrewers]

It looks like Lopez is going to be an A, so I much prefer 2 picks to Gillespie's below average OPS in LF.

I agree 100%.

 

Assuming the Brewers offer Lopez arbitration. And Lopez turns it down. Being a Type A free agent actually decreases his chances of rejecting arbitration.

[trwi7]

Al, I thought the Dbacks AAA club wasn't in Tucson anymore. Sure it's the PCL Western branch, but it's still not Tucson

It's in Reno.

[dadofandrew]

I would assume Reno, like most west coast PCL teams, is offensive slanted. Wonder when that move happened...it was in Tucson for years, and that sure seems like a nice match.

 

I do like Cole for what he is, an OF with good OBP, who'll be cheap for a few years.

 

As for Lopez, it sure seems several teams could use a switch-hitting 2B or 3B for a 2-3 year deal, even if he does have a reputation for lapses. Worst case, he'll be plenty tradeable on a 1 year deal, or maybe, he'll be affordable enough to keep (or they'll decide to have him play 3B). No negatives there.

[LouisEly]

He may well be a solid OBP reserve, but that's not a whole lot. His high draft pick status was based on him developing wood bat pop, which never happened.

 

He's no Jason Tyner either. He has 11 HRs and 42 extra base hits on the season despite being hurt. In Huntsville last year, not exactly a hitters paradise, he had 14 HRs and 56 extra base hits and a .858 OPS. Given a full major league season I don't think it would be out of the realm for him to do what Hart has averaged over his career. The point is that the Brewers don't have any home-grown OFs in the upper levels ready to step in now, even in a bench role. Should Cat, Gerut, or Cam not be back they would have to keep Bourgeois in some capacity or go out and get an OF, and I'd rather have Gillespie making the major league minimum and spend the money on pitching then spend the money on an OF.

 

It will be interesting what happens with Lopez. If in fact he is a Type A, will another team actually sign him and give up those picks? If someone does then it would be a good trade. But just because he is labeled a Type A doesn't necessarily mean the Brewers will get those picks. If Lopez accepts arby and they can trade Hart for pitching and move Weeks to RF and keep Cam that would work; but if they can't trade Hat and have to move Weeks to CF and let Cam go then I'd say it was not a good trade.

[JohnBriggs12]

Reno is a hitter's paradise and always has been due to the very light air and elevation. Half the Reno team this year carries OPS' over .850.

 

I was there in 1992 on business and happened to see Stockton (then the Brewer affiliate in California League) play Reno (then an affiliate of the A's). Stockton won. I can't remember the exact score but it was something like 26-14.

 

Pitching in Reno is tough. Breaking balls don't break and the ball travels.

[CheezWizHed]

The way Lopez has played this year makes this a good trade. I like Gillespie, but for a guy that projects to max out as a low end LF starter and more probably a 4th OF, I'm fine with it.

 

If we don't offer Lopez arby, the trade gets worse. The Brewers just can't continue the rental mode. But if Lopez accept arby or we get picks, I think we came out ahead.