Hart to nationals?

[TooLiveBrew]

You're right, I overstated myself there. This season, he's been pretty bad, though. .222/.293/.444/.737. Really the only redeeming quality is a strong ISO. 9 BB in 99 PAs isn't bad, either.

 

And a crazy bit of trivia -- Corey Hart's line v. LHP this season (.349/.420/.744/1.164) has come with a very normal BABIP of .306. He has absolutely slaughtered lefties so far, and it really can't be chalked up to luck.

[endaround]

Well a 25% HR/FB rate is unlikely to continue.so his slugging will likely come down.

[TooLiveBrew]

From McCalvy's blog post "Hart improving with more consistent playing time":

 

"While Macha said Edmonds was starting [on Opening Day] because Jimenez fell into the category of "tough righty," it was a surprising move with it being Opening Day and with Hart expected to be the club's everyday right fielder.

 

Though he credits some of his success to the swing he's had of late, Hart sees his more consistent playing time as the most important factor in his recent hot streak. Due to a handful of injuries to other outfielders, Hart has started far more of late than he had been early in the season.

 

"That was stupid, Spring Training doesn't matter, but they decided it mattered this year for some reason," Hart said of his preseason slump. "I'm just working to try to turn their minds around. Hopefully I can keep playing well so I can stay in the lineup.

 

"Coming into this season I think there was a question mark about how long I'd be in Milwaukee. But I want to be here, so hopefully they see me as an everyday guy again."

That quote from Corey kinda surprised me in how candidly critical he came across.

[Hammer]

At least he was honest. I know that he is an employee and he is calling out his bosses but most guys would treat the situation with "kid gloves". Can you blame the guy for having an edge/mean streak at this point? He has been booed (probably rightfully so at times), taken to arby (his fault as well) and has probably read or heard his name in a bunch of "Hart to the XXX" rumors and threads. Hopefully the attitude turns in to a good thing for him.

[endaround]

I think Hart was fairly upset about not starting opening day and then being kicked off the All-Star ballot meant it looked like he wasn't a starter. And no, opening day lineups aren't that important for it, if Pujols jammed his hand in spring training and missed the first game do you think he would be left off the ballot?

[Invader3K]

I kind of agree with him, and I kind of don't. There's no denying he was terrible in spring training this year. I don't really blame Macha for starting Edmonds at all. At the same time, I can understand why he might be carrying a slight chip on his shoulder. Maybe it is actually helping him play better this year, and if so, then that's not a bad thing.

[logan82]

Hart probably should have and was platooned going into the season based on his performance over the previous 2 years. Not sure that it was based on spring results although it may have been. This is coming from a guy who has Hart as 1B favorite player(Weeks being 1A since he is playing better).

[HiAndTight]

I kind of agree with him, and I kind of don't. There's no denying he was terrible in spring training this year. I don't really blame Macha for starting Edmonds at all. At the same time, I can understand why he might be carrying a slight chip on his shoulder. Maybe it is actually helping him play better this year, and if so, then that's not a bad thing.

I actually agree with Hart to a degree. I feel as though he's been jerked around quite a bit. It seems he's never really completely had the backing of the organization the way others have(and I'm not talking about Prince or Braun as they're obviously much different).

 

Hart's a good player. He's not a superstar, but he can be a positive player for a team, and hopefully now he'll get the majority of the starts and start to give that bottom half of the lineup some signs of life.

[Crash2303]

He's leading the NL in homeruns. WE all know he's going to cool off and go through a long drought period- so what are we waiting for? package him and some crap pitchers together and get this thing done. while they're at it- they might as well put fielder in there too.

[RockCoCougars]

I think he's earned the right to be a tad critical of the current regime. You've got to give the man his due, he is one of the few Brewers that have shown up to play this season. Not bad for a guy who was almost run out of town up until a few weeks ago. It's always been my opinion that Hart was never as good as he was hyped to be when he came up, but at the same time, he was never as bad as people made him out to be for the past year and a half.

 

I'm not sure that I would trade him at the moment, because I'm not convinced that you could get enough value back for him. I'm not ready to deal him for two single-A arms at this point.

[logan82]

I don't think Hart is as good as he is hitting right now. He is a good solid player but if we could trade him for a solid, high upside AA or higher arm I would do it. Somebody who could possibly help next year. I doubt we could get that much though. I don't think Hart is part of the long term plans. If he played good defense or we could move him to LF I wouldn't mind keeping him. At least for next year. We don't exactly have any outfield guys banging on the door right now unless we move Gamel there and keep Fielder.

[Tedaldtada]

Lorenzo Cain is ready and Gindl is very close. If we trade Hart, I def. want Cain in the OF somewhere.

[Invader3K]

Sounds like the Nats could really use some help in right field. I would hope Melvin at least explores the possibility, though I doubt he will.

[Invader3K]

Sounds like the Nats could really use some help in right field. I would hope Melvin at least explores the possibility, though I doubt he will.

[endaround]

The Nats shouldn't be buyers, not that will stop them. But they aren't good enough to compete in the NL East, they have a negative run differential. They should be shopping Dunn not trying to plug holes.

[Invader3K]

Yeah, but they have some big time pitching help arriving soon, and would have Hart under control for next season too.

[paul253]

Yeah if they get someone like Roy Oswalt on top of the addition of Strasburg they could shoot up the standings pretty quickly. Not to mention they've been terrible for a good while now and may jump on the opportunity, no matter how small it is.

[3Putt]

Hart really does seem to be changing his approach at the plate and he's running the bases harder but it appears he will always remain a lollygagger on defense. The importance of defense makes moving Corey the right thing to do. Let's get what we can, while we can.

[marty22]

It may be out of reach, but what do people think about these options for Hart? Both teams are in the race and could use another bat and reliever to get lefties out.

 

Hart + Villanueva for Wade Davis of TB

Hart + Villanueva for Kris Medlen of ATL

 

Not sure when Jurrjens comes back, but the braves are starting Eric Hinske in LF. Rays could use hart in RF or DH, and call up Hellickson, although I suppose they could also use Jennings in RF as well. It might be too much to ask for, with both pitchers having 5+ years of service remaining, but just wanted to hear people's thoughts.

 

Both of these teams have a plethora of younger SP prospects that would interest me, but they are all a ways off.

 

Edit: Clarity

[marty22]

Upon further thought, I'd trade Hart for Delgado or Minor of the Braves straight up. Probably Moore or Colome of TB as well.

[HiAndTight]

I still am not confident it would happen, but I would gladly move Hart for any live armed pitcher showing even decent control above Low A ball right now.

 

A Wily Peralta type? I'd gladly move him. Save this team 3 million or so for this season.

 

Tampa may be the better option as they have such an abundance of arms it seems, but a surplus or arms is like a surplus of money. Is it ever really a "surplus"? And Hart isn't enough to get any of their top couple arms in the minors. Maybe Hart+Villanueva AND we pay his salary for the rest of the year for Hellickson. That's a trade I would gladly make as I think Hellickson in the NL could become our 3rd best starter right now.

 

 

Of course off topic a bit, if packaging McGehee+Hart+Villanueva would be needed to pry Hellickson+ perhaps Jake McGee. Pay Hart's salary as well. Then turn around, deal Prince, and put up all of our arms, Bush, Davis, Wolf, and whoever esle on the market as simply salary dumps.

 

I've certainly done an about face on Wolf thinking that with the demand for pitchers in the previous signing deadlines and the difference in demand in season vs the FA market we might be able to move him for little or no loss financially to realizing that this market for the first time in a long time will actually be flush with arms making it unlikely(though I still do feel he's going to end up being a good pitcher over the duration). Bush, Davis and the like need to re-establish themselves.

 

 

In short, the McGee+Hellickson trade ideas are no doubt fantasy. Perhaps throwing in another nice, but not big future piece(Coffey perhaps as a PTBNL when he comes off the DL or hell, even Axford) might get it done.

 

 

I really don't know, I'm sure everyone will tell me there's no chance, but it's something that needs to be addressed.

 

OR frankly even Prince+Hart8 million to the Rays for a package of Hellickson+McGee+Colome. Throw in CV if you must to facilitate the trade?

 

Then look to deal McGehee separately. I continue to covet Gibson from Minnesota hoping that someone that RH'ed hitting power stick that they desperately need+a couple of fillers, CV if not inlcuded with the TB package, Coffey again as a PTBNL, maybe even Edmonds may have some value to them...again, just as a filler.

 

 

 

Just anything to try and get a couple nice young arms into this system. I do believe this time next year our system is going to be, or at least if healthy holds up will be recognized among the upper tier in terms of impact arms, admittedly a big "if". But I truly do love our young arms, but being able to bridge that gap and relieve some of the pressure on the young guys by going out and getting a couple guys who could slide in behind Yo and Wolf and rack up some strikeouts with some swing and miss stuff could change the entire outlook of this whole franchise.

 

Right now we're in a desperate position in which it seems there is pressure on everyone to do something...anything to figure it out. This would almost be akin to giving the whole damn organization an anti-anxiety when it comes to the pitching and just let the guys develop on their own schedule.

 

 

 

And at the risk of rambling, I understand the monumental loss that Prince would be, but I can honestly envision a scenario in which we're a better offensive team in the near future with the likes of Lawrie, T. Green, Cain, Gindle, LuCroy/Kottaras, K. Davis, Escobar, Gomez to go with Braun and Gamel(Who I'm 100 pct convinced is a GOOD big leaguer). My point is losing that giant, game changing bat in the middle hurts, but surrounding your two-three better players(Braun-Gamel-Lawrie) with league average guys as I believe most of those guys to be will disperse the responsibility of every player and could actually work to improve the club as a whole.

 

 

It'd absolutely KILL us this year, and we may finish with 60-ish wins perhaps, but it gives us a definite plan moving forward. We've got a couple Type B Free Agents, plus a very high draft pick(top 2-3) and the turnaround could be very short.

 

As it is, we're stuck in the no mans land that BB talks about where you're not special and you're not working toward being special.

[TheCrew07]

As it is, we're stuck in the no mans land that BB talks about where you're not special and you're not working toward being special.

The first time I read that line I was kicking myself for not putting in that way, I've been talking about working to be average for a long time but I really like how that statement is phrased.

[3Putt]

Gamel's got a hole and his swing and he's attrocious on defense. Move Hart but keep McGehee. McGehee has a terrific approach at the plate and has been proving he's capable for a full year now. Gamel's still just wishful thinking.

[TooLiveBrew]

Gamel's got a hole and his swing and he's attrocious on defense

 

Ok, I ignored this in another thread, but no, he's not atrocious on defense. And what hitter doesn't have a hole in his swing? Gamel has a very solid LH swing with plenty of pop & discipline. The last thing anyone should be doing wrt Gamel is ripping his hitting.

[HiAndTight]

Gamel's got a hole and his swing and he's attrocious on defense

 

Ok, I ignored this in another thread, but no, he's not atrocious on defense. And what hitter doesn't have a hole in his swing? Gamel has a very solid LH swing with plenty of pop & discipline. The last thing anyone should be doing wrt Gamel is ripping his hitting.

I don't want to be rude, but I almost have to ask what in the world are people watching?

 

First of all, if you think Gamel's "atrocious" on defense, you must be going by his scouting reports several years ago in which he's was A-Worse defensively and has since improved, B-playing in the minors on fields well below those he'll play on up here, and C-playing in the minors where Errors are handed out far more liberally.

 

As for his swing, this hole? Griffey had a hole. Bonds had a hole. Gamel's got about the prettiest damn swing from a Left hander I've ever seen. So saying he's got holes in his swing with Gamel, that up and in, which he CAN get to, it's just not a strength, is like saying a pitchers 4th pitch isn't an out pitch. Well, fine, but that applies to everyone.

 

As for Gamel being "wishful thinking", dude, we're talking about a guy who put up a .840-ish OPS when he was starting at 3rd last year(small sample size) and a .760 OPS overall while being severely jerked around.

 

 

 

Now I certainly can and have been wrong many times before, but I don't understand WHAT more you want from a kid who was jerked around as severely as this kid? He looked fluid defensively, had soft hands and showed very good range to go along with a very strong arm. Makes some easy plays errors, no question about that, but looked SOOO much better than his reports suggested, and at the plate, looked patient and balanced and showed such a beautiful, quick, easy stroke and his bats stays in the zone for a LONG time.

 

 

Short of MAYBE Braun, I don't know who we've had in the last 10 years that would have truly thrived the way Gamel was handled. And with regard to McGehee, I think Gamel will be better than him in every-single-facet of the game. And I like Casey. But we're already starting to see him revert back to where he'll likely fall as a career player. A .275-ish/.340-ish hitter who will be around .780 OPS and who has average defense(and I'm one of the few who still believes he WILL end up showing that he's average defensively).