What Impact Will Corey Hart Make For The Struggling Brewers?

[rabe_post]

I think the obvious answer would be minimal due to the fact that the Brewers offence is certainly better than their record, and their starting pitching has underperformed dramatically. But watching all the games this year it seems to me that the Brewers are always one hit away from turning the tide. I don't know the actual number but it seems as though the Crew is leaving about a dozen men on base every game there's a pitcher they can hit. I think adding a 5th hitter who is no stranger to a .300 average will do wonders for the middle-bottom of the order to drive in some of these LOB victims. Hart will shore up the infield, after proving he is a far better defenseman than anyone thought he'd be last year, and hopefully, end the musical chairs in the lineup, which will also allow some rest for those that need it.

 

I think a healthy Hart and Ramirez is exactly what the Brewers need to get back towards the top of the North again. I predict that the Brewers will have an outstanding late June and July this year. After all it's extremely difficult to have five .300 plus hitters on your team and not win. Especially with a bullpen that's been lights out, even with fighting through 4 plus innings a game, a blemish free closer, and a team with high end power and speed. I think the Crew is just one tweak away from brilliance this year.

 

I look forward to hearing what you guys think, this is my first post. And I would like to say HI to all my Brew Crew Brethren out there. This has been the most frustrating team in memory.

[adambr2]

Considering I thought A-Rams return would have a big positive affect (not that he's been a problem), I would say little to none.

 

Hart isn't going to improve this pitching staff. We're 10 games under .500 and already have 5 starters hitting over .300.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

Not nearly as much impact as people think.

[bani1717]

Hopefully his biggest impact comes in a trade later this summer.

[3and2Fastball]

Hopefully his biggest impact comes in a trade later this summer.

 

yeah, I was going to say: Hart coming back and showing that he's fully healthy and hitting well could help us by trading him in July

[splitterpfj]

Assuming he's fully healthy, and not just "good enough to play", I'm sure Hart will help the team.

 

If the starting rotation doesn't start doing MUCH better than they have been, it won't mean much.

[crossface21]

Having great averages is awesome because it means guys are getting on base, but the poor baserunning on this team and lack of timely hitting is wiping out a lot of chances.

[JohnBriggs12]

Assuming he's the Hart of recent seasons, he adds depth to a lineup that runs out of steam after the 5th or 6th spot. Unfortunately, they are so buried now, all he might do is drop their draft position next year a few spots.

[chadomac]

I could easily see Hart coming back and not performing. But even if he does, the starting pitching is why this team is struggling. The starting pitching is pitiful.

[LouisEly]

Let's not forget how much of an upgrade defensively Hart is over Gonzalez/Yuni at 1B. Hart is very good defensively at 1B and his length turns errant throws into outs.

[joepepsi]

You can blame it all on the starting pitching, but I see an offense that can't build a big inning or score more than 2-3 runs a game. Name one time the offense has come through this season and won a game. Jump 3-0 against the Brewers and the game is yours. Who wil be the DH in Minnesota? Gonzalez? Yuni B? Weeks? Will they call up Hunter Morris? Khris Davis? No, I don't think so either. Ron loves the veteran defense/no hit play. He mistakes no hit for plus defense every time. The lineup is pathetic and I see no effort to change it.

[TooLiveBrew]

You can blame it all on the starting pitching, but I see an offense that can't build a big inning or score more than 2-3 runs a game. Name one time the offense has come through this season and won a game. Jump 3-0 against the Brewers and the game is yours.

Most recent was on May 18th @ STL. Fell behind 2-0, won 6-4. Also, after falling behind 2-1 v. LAD on the 21st, they scored four in the 5th & won 5-2.

 

Not saying the offense hasn't been a problem, but I think you're being overly harsh.

[brewmann04]

I agree hope he has a hugh June and July and DM is smart enough to mobe him

[rondoman]

Considering Hart has never batted .300 or above in a season I would say he IS a stranger to a .300 average.

 

Hart is either awesome or horrible. Incredibly streaky.

[umphrey]

If you add Corey Hart and platoon Bianchi/Gennett at 2B, get Lucroy back to above average and add it to what our top 5 have been doing, you have a top 3 offense. None of those things are going to happen though, we will trade Hart in a salary dump or give him a 1 year tender to get some draft picks only to see it fail.

[djoctagone]

my prediction: the brewers will outright blake lalli to the minor leagues to open up a 40-man roster spot for hart. no other team will claim lalli, and even though he has the right to elect free agency (it'd be his second time outrighted off a major league roster), lalli will elect to remain with the nashville sounds.

 

before last week, i thought that mark rogers was the leading candidate to either be released or transferred to the 60-day disabled list to make room for hart. seeing as that happened to accommodate donovan hand, i initially contemplated alfredo figaro being next in line to be outrighted. i've now realized that the brewers really, really, really need figaro.

 

if the brewers make a surprise move, it'll be outrighting the struggling caleb gindl. if he goes unclaimed, he has to accept the minor league assignment, as he's never been outrighted before.

[Outlander]

if the brewers make a surprise move, it'll be outrighting the struggling caleb gindl. if he goes unclaimed, he has to accept the minor league assignment, as he's never been outrighted before.

He has had a decent May and I think he still has a chance to contribute in the future. Hopefully when he saw Prince get promoted ahead of him he realized he had to pick up his game as I don't think Prince is very good. With that said would much rather see Gonzalez outrighted before either of them as he is not good anymore and doesn't even seem to care.

[rabe_post]

Hi guys,

I completely agree with everyone that the starting pitching so far has been ridiculously terrible. So terrible in fact that I don't believe it will continue for too much longer. All the brewer pitchers have proved at some point that they can throw a good game. Gallardo historically doesn't throw 25 pitches an inning and is 47-25 in the last 3 seasons. With 2011 being his best year at (17-10 3.53 ERA), he only had one player hitting over .300, (Braun at .332) and Fielder at .299 that played every day. Now with Segura, Braun, Gomez, Aoki, and Rami, all hitting as well as they are I just don't see why these pitchers can't put up some W's. The Crew has been putting up a good number of hits per game and just lack the "Big Hit" in the middle and bottom of the order. If Corey comes back and hits anywhere near the .270 of last year or .285 of 2011 I think the Crew will have that "tweak" that they need to put them over the top. By the time Corey is up and running, RBI Rami should be playing every day, and Weeks will either start hitting or start riding the pine. Bianchi has shown he's just as good at second as Weeks, and is hitting over .100 points higher in average. In the last couple weeks the Brewers have won most or all of the games that Weeks was left out of, and lost every other. I really don't think that is a coincidence. Lohse went 16-3 last year, Estrada is actually 4-2 so far and the Crew will be getting Narveson back. I know I am just cherry picking the good things, but my point is that these guys (outside of Peralta) have proved they can put up good enough numbers to win games if the batting is there. I'm not saying that Hart is by any means the savior of the brewers, I just think that the timing of his return (as in a couple weeks after) will prove to be the turning point in the Brewers season.

[logan82]

It might just be the point in the season when we turn the corner from terrible to mediocre.

[rabe_post]

I think right now if anything the Brewers will overvalue Hart. With him out of the line-up the crew can't buy a win. Coming off of such a serious injury, I wouldn't think teams are lining up to grab him without knowing how the injury is going to affect his future. I actually think the Crew can't wait to get Hart back. Roenicke has got to be at the end of his rope, looking for a spark to get this team out of the basement. He has tried about every sensible version of the line-up and nothing has worked. He is also undoubtedly looking for some stability in the middle of the order. And at this point I think Hart is the only guy on the bench that could possibly affect the line-up enough to lock one in. Just my thoughts on the matter, thanks for all the posts, you guys make a lot of good points.

[rabe_post]

HAHA you are probably right. I am grasping at straws to try to will this team out of the basement. These guys are getting harder and harder to watch.

[rluzinski]

He will certainly help but one guy just doesn't typically make a huge impact. If Hart is a 3 WAR player, he'll be worth about 2 extra wins over the balance of the season. I agree with others that the biggest impact hart can have this year is by playing well enough to get the Brewers a nice return in a trade.

[chadomac]

when is Hart returning? Should be real soon, right?

[djoctagone]

with francisco taking gonzalez' 40-man roster spot, the next victim in line (in terms of space on the 40-man) seems cemented in blake lalli. i still expect the brewers to outright lalli when hart returns, and option gennett back to nashville (sorry, scooter).

 

this is why the timing of the brewers' move makes sense . . . why else would they be carrying two second basemen, plus two other guys who can play second long term? they have to be eyeing hart's near return in calling up gennett.

[torts]

they havent even assigned Hart to a rehab assignment yet. dont hold your breath for him coming back here too soon