Free Agents you like for the Brewers other then SPs

[Hotdog]

Granted the Brewers will probably spend their free agent money on a starting pitcher or two. But what if the Brewers trade a combo of Hart, Mcghee, Gamel, or one of their relievers with some trade value Coffery or Villanueva. I wouldn't mind seeing:

 

Rick Ankiel--Brings a left handed power bat to the line up with a plus arm in the outfield. Injured for part of the season could be a value signing.

Rocco Baldelli--If Gerut and Counsel are two of the back ups the Crew will need a right handed bat off the bench.

Fernando Rodney--How about a power reliever for the pen would make a good partner for Trevor Hoffman.

[paul253]

Jason Bay. I know it would be a long shot, but I heard Boston is considering offering him a 4 year $60 million dollar deal. If we go maybe $2 million a year above that I think it'd be a possibility. Its probably a risk, but offensively he is still a stud. It would require a trade of Corey Hart, but I don't think anyone here would shed any tears over losing Hart. He'd be the perfect #5 hitter behind Fielder. With the departures of Cameron and Hardy and probably/hopefully Kendall, plus next year's departures of Riske, Hall, Suppan, and likely Fielder, we can afford to take on a big salary and signing a hitter is a lot less risky than signing a pitcher.

[JohnBriggs12]

Miguel Olivo. They need to restore some power to the lineup. Catcher is the one place this can be done. Olivo will be in some demand so he's not bargain basement but he shouldn't cost and arm and a leg either.

[Never Outhustled]

The guy I'm zeroed in on is a catcher whose OPS is over 700 over the last 4 years., and he throws out 45% of baserunners. What should a guy like that make, $5 million?

 

Unfortunately for Henry Blanco, he has to fight through age discremination, so he played for just $750K last year. He's in better shape now than he was in his twenties, and I'm guessing he would relish the oppurtunity at a fulltime gig.

[Hate those Rodents]

I'd take Blanco at under a million for a year or two. It's better than Kendall and allows us to keep the kids in AAA rather than rush them.

[marty22]

I would love Blanco as a timeshare with Lucroy, but I don't know if I would trust him fulltime. Greg Zaun is another guy that would fit really well with Lucroy in my opinion; I remember him saying he relished the opportunity to mentor Wieters, maybe he'd be interested in doing the same with Lucroy/Salome

[WisconsinSportsRule]

I'm sure Blanco could teach Lucroy a thing or two.

[And That]

Randy Winn. He's coming off a poor year at the plate and turns 36 next June, but he still plays very good defense, has decent speed, and would make a very solid veteran 4th OF/RH bat off the bench. And he'll cost a fraction of what he's been paid in the past.

[TooLiveBrew]

I like the idea of buying low (if that's possible with a Boras client) on Ankiel. He'd be a nice option in RF if Hart has to be dealt for pitching.

 

I also agree on Blanco. That would be a really shrewd signing.

[brewcrewfan08]

Besides pitchers I think the only major whole we have is at Catcher. We need someone that can hit a little, to make up for any lack offense that is lost from CF. I dont necessarily mean power. I have no idea who would fit this bill in the FA market, but we need a veteran back there.

[logan82]

Kendall is the best or second best FA catcher in terms of OBP. Despite how disappointing Kendall was, I think it will be hard to upgrade at catcher more than minimally on offense without a trade.

[colbyjack]

I'll second Winn. He along with Javier Vazquez have been on my short list of players I'd love to see the Brewers acquire, although his salary always seemed to be rather high given his lack of power for a corner outfielder. He can play CF, but is an absolute stud in RF defensively, and is actually a switch hitter. I think he'll probably get paid to start somewhere, and I wouldn't mind if that were in Milwaukee. His age is a little concerning, but his defense could help off-set his lack of power, and he along with Gomez would blanket more than two-thirds of the outfield.

 

X, you're making a great case for Blanco. I've soured on Olivo given his terrible defense, and Yorvit Torrealba seems to have a similar profile. Blanco would be a nice one or two-year stop-gap, and as noted, a good mentor for Lucroy and/or Salome.

[NievesNoNO]

You guys have talked me into Blanco. Olivo certainly seems like a decent option as well.

Infielder types:
Counsel
Juan Uribe or
Chad Tracy

OF:
I would love Randy Winn
Marlon Byrd

and Juaquin Benoit as my reliever turnaround project. (If he's recovered from whatever injury he had?)

[nate82]

I like Xavier Nady if Hart gets traded. A Nady and Gerut platoon in RF would be nice.

[TooLiveBrew]

I think Nady's a good role player target if he's healthy. Have you been reading rumors about the Brewers shopping Hart, Nate, or is it just your thought that Hart makes sense to flip for pitching?

 

Nady's '09 elbow injury resulted in Tommy John surgery. I'm not sure how that works for position players, but this was his second TJ surgery (first was in '01). Iirc, for pitchers, the recovery time from TJ is ~ one year. Nady's surgery was in early July, and according to a CBS Sports note, he thinks he'll be ready to go for OD 2010.

[nate82]

I think Nady's a good role player target if he's healthy. Have you been reading rumors about the Brewers shopping Hart, Nate, or is it just your thought that Hart makes sense to flip for pitching?

Hart is an odd case it is his last year on the Brewers so he could be non tendered also. I think Melvin is going to try and trade Hart because he is playing a position that the Brewers could easily replace at a lower cost with either Gamel or a free agent and then have a platoon in RF. Hart just looks to me as an odd man out. I wouldn't be surprised if Hart gets traded or is non tendered.

[RockCoCougars]

I had Ankiel on my list, but I don't see it happening now with Gomez in the fold. Blanco would be OK as a backup. Though he looks like Johnny Bench compared to Kendall, he won't provide the offense that I think is needed from the Catcher position. I think that with Escobar and Gomez in the lineup, the team needs a catcher with a little bit of pop in their bat. The Brewers haven't had a catcher hit a dozen homers for the last 10 years. I think that would be a good goal for next season.

[JohnBriggs12]

Blanco? The guy's 38 years old (will be 39 in August)hasn't had 300 AB's since 04, and has a history of back problems. Sure he'd probably make a good backup still if you think Lucroy or Salome is an everyday player. But I don't think the Brewers are there yet, and besides, with Escobar and now the 24 year old Gomez in CF, they need a veteran starter behind the plate. Blanco is not capable physically of playing 4-5 games a week. Olivo is still basically in his prime, has good power and RBI production and throws out runners above the league average. He'd likely be much more productive over a full season than Blanco or either of the rookies.

 

The FA out there I like is Marlon Byrd but unless Hart is dealt, I don't see that happening.

[pingman]

Ankiel would be valuable....he can play both RF & CF at a very high level (IMHO one of the two best OF arms in the league along with Francoeur) ....gives the manager flexibility to pinch hit for Gomez late in the game when you have Ankiel to play CF (sorry fans, Gerut doesn't cut it in CF)

 

....unfortunately, there isn't such a thing as a bargain Boras client

[Baldkin]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/bay-vs-cameron

 

Great article on how 'overrated' Jason Bay is in this market and how much value you may get for a guy like Cameron.

 

I would love to hold on to Cameron if the team can move Hart.

[RockCoCougars]

I think it's laughable that Fangraphs believes Cameron is a better player than Bay. Obviously they haven't watched him play everyday. To me the best part of the Hardy deal is that all the Cameron supporters won't be able to preach doom and gloom due to the lost defense in center.

[Hate those Rodents]

Agreed RCC. Can we just have a fangraphs thread and otherwise keep the word/site away from other threads? Since so many people don't agree with a lot of what is said there, any thread bringing up something from fangraphs turns into the same old debate and we lose the conversation of what the original thread is supposed to be about.

[The Truth]

Offense from the Catcher position? Angel Salome is, I believe, the answer. If he can stay healthy

 

Hart isn't going to bring much in terms of pitching. Maybe if he has a great 1st half we can deal him at the All-Star break... perhaps Hart could be included in a mega deal but I just don't see huge value in trading Hart

[TooLiveBrew]

I think it's laughable that Fangraphs believes Cameron is a better player than Bay. Obviously they haven't watched him play everyday. To me the best part of the Hardy deal is that all the Cameron supporters won't be able to preach doom and gloom due to the lost defense in center.

What's laughable about stating that a premium defender at a premium defensive position, with top-10 offense at his position, is more valuable than a terrible defender at the easiest defensive position aside from 1B? Is it laughable to say that Chase Utley is more valuable than Prince Fielder? Fielder's advantage in OPS over Utley was far bigger than Bay's over Cameron last season.

[ILuvDaBush]

And the law of supply and demand would dictate that Cameron has an even higher implicit value in this market, given the dearth of premium defenders in this class as well as the lack of .800+ OPS from full-time FA CF's.