Hall for Iwamura

[splitterpfj]

I have no idea if Tampa Bay would deal Akinori Iwamura, but he would improve the team's OBP and defense. I think he could handle 3B just fine, and the team has enough power around the diamond to accept the move. I think he'd fit well in the 2 spot in the order.

 

I think Braun has the arm and the range to handle any of the OF spots, so stick him in RF, put Hart in CF, platoon Gross and Mench in LF, keeping it warm for LaPorta in another year or so (hopefully). That's a much better team D, without adding a huge contract.

 

Hall could play 2B for the Rays, perhaps Hall and one of our extra starting pitchers for Iwamura and a bullpen arm?

[endaround]

Why not just keep Hall?

 

Iwamura had a BABIP of .359, his OBP is likely to fall a decent amount.

[dadofandrew]

"One of our extra starting pitchers" will very likely be another team's #3 or #4 SP next year...I'd take any one of them over Livian Hernandez, for example.

 

Those guys are significant chips as the Crew tries to add a couple pieces to the puzzle. They will not, nor should they, be treated as throw-ins, ala Dave Krynzel.

[TheBrewer]

umm I dont' think Braun is moving any time soon to the OF just like Weeks..

[splitterpfj]

Why not just keep Hall?

 

Melvin has stated that he wants to add some OBP guys, Hall's career OBP is .320, in 2007, it was .315 - he makes an obvious target for replacement.

 

True, Iwaumura's OBP could drop, but he just turned in a .359, there seems to be little doubt that he'd be an improvement over Hall in this regard, and the move would certainly tighten the defense. Iwamura has an excellent reputation defensively, he would surely improve 3B, and Hart seems to be the strongest defender among our outfielders, it seems to me that he should be playing up the middle instead of in a corner.

 

[endaround]

Hall's BA drove down his OBP and counting on Iwaumura to keep his that high is a big bet. Iwamura is also ranked below average defensively by BP and RZR has him below Miguel Cabrera, so his reputation might be false.

[bklynbrewcrew]

This would be an absolutely horrendous deal.

[Gopher74]

This would be an absolutely horrendous deal.

How so? At 28 I think you can count on Iwamura to have an even better year next year. If you could get him straight up, I'd be all for it.

 

Weeks RH

Iwamura LH

Braun RH

Prince LR

Hart RH

Gross/Dillon Platoon

Hardy RH

Estrada S

Or swap the last two.

 

[bklynbrewcrew]

Hall had an off year and will be much better next year since he is used to playing CF. I dont think most people realize how much it took out of hall to go from career infielder to center fielder. This is not the time to trade him especially when the return would be a stiff like Iwamura.

[pogokat]

"How so? At 28 I think you can count on Iwamura to have an even better year next year. If you could get him straight up, I'd be all for it. "

 

Hall's going to be 28 next year as well...i think this deal could really hurt the brewers...there's a much better chance that hall plays better next year considering his track record from 2005 and 2006 than there is that Iwamura improves to that level... a .350 obp isn't enough of an upgrade to trade off billy

[Gopher74]

Hall had an off year and will be much better next year since he is used to playing CF. I dont think most people realize how much it took out of hall to go from career infielder to center fielder. This is not the time to trade him especially when the return would be a stiff like Iwamura.

A stiff? .285/.359 and 7 errors in his first year in MLB is a "stiff"?

Seems like he'd fall right in line with Melvin's goals. Improve defense, and improve OBP in front of Braun/Prince.

[Zycho32]

This all hinges on whether the Bill Hall of 2006 was an aberration or not.

 

On our side, we would have to think Hall will never return to 2006 standards or get anywhere close.

 

But at the same time, Tampa Bay would have to believe that Hall could return to those numbers.

 

The bitter irony is I don't think they'd actually go for it right now, not with Hall's production this year.

[splitterpfj]

If you read through what Melvin said after the season, and you realize he wants less Ks and more OBP in the lineup, you can't miss Hall's name as an obvious candidate for replacement. I like Hall, and I won't mind one bit if he's still here, I also agree that the position switch probably impacted his batting this year, but he stills looks like a guy who could be gone, to achieve the GM's stated goals.

 

Hall's career OBP is .320, and he is definitely a guy who will swing and miss, even when he's going well. Perhaps you don't trust Iwamura, because there isn't a lot to go on in MLB yet, and you may be right, but I suggested him because I see a solid fielder, with a solid OBP, who hits from the left side, and would fit nicely as the team's 2 hitter. I like all of those things, I think adding a player like that is an obvious improvement for the Brewers. I also like the fact that the team wouldn't have to take on 10 million in payroll to get it done.

 

I have no idea if TB would give Iwamura up, and I suspect Braun will be left at 3B anyway, but I think a deal along these lines may be quite realistic for this off-season. If it's not for an infielder, I could surely see Hall to someone for the same sort of player in an outfielder's uniform. If we're going to start reading rumors about guys like Dave Roberts again, give me Iwamura all day long.

[Postseason2006]

Why is everyone in a hurry to move Braun? Man, o mighty.

[endaround]

Because Braun can't play 3B. If Braun hits like he fields he'd be in high A right now.

[splitterpfj]

While it's always possible that Braun's defense will reach an acceptable level, it's just as likely that it will not. Even if that does happen, it's likely to take more than one season for him to reach that point, as he is so far below average at this point. This team is in a window of contention NOW, it doesn't make sense to use Braun at 3B, when you could get the huge benefit of his bat from the OF, allowing someone else to take stress off the pitching staff by fielding the 3B position at a major league level.

 

Braun's an absolute monster, he's already one of the best hitters in the league, let's maximize that impact by making it harder for other teams to score on us.

[kgbaseball]

Because Braun can't play 3B. If Braun hits like he fields he'd be in high A right now.

But he doesn't hit like he fields, and his bat is way more valuable than how much he hurts the team on defense.

 

[Gopher74]

Because Braun can't play 3B. If Braun hits like he fields he'd be in high A right now.

Well...the same would have been said for Weeks last year, and he made ridiculously long strides this past year.

 

I see the same fielding differences in the two and the same deficiencies. Weeks had more trouble picking it at 2nd than Braun did, but both had issues throwing the ball, despite both having VERY good arms.

 

So I think a big part of it in both cases was footwork, but the biggest problem IMO was on the easier throws. I don't know if they take their time and lose focus and kinda open up, or whatever the case may be, but I do know that Rickie Weeks fixed it, and I think there's a good chance that Ryan Braun can fix it, and given each players physical ability, they could both turn into very good defenders.

 

[endaround]

Weeks hasn't made huge strides, he's still a really bad defender. And he was never as bad as Braun is. Braun is not just the worst defender in the league, he is the worst by a full order of magnitude.

 

Keeping Braun at 3B is like putting TGJ in RF and saying his power will come around as he gets experience.

[dadofandrew]

Braun has all the skills to be a fine 3B, and he will get every chance. Many folks simply do not give young players a chance to develop.

 

Heck with Weeks, Hall was thrown under the bus half a decade ago as being unable to hit or field.

[endaround]

And he has these tools based on what? Find me one scout who says he has the tools needed to play 3B. Blazer will tell that he doesn't.

[pogokat]

some scouts also said he'd never hit more than 25 homers in a season...jack z. will tell you he can play third, and i'll take that opinion over 99% of scouts

[And That]

I still say Braun ends up in the outfield, but if he can get even to below-average at third, he'll be a big asset to the team in the short term. Long-term, he needs to make major strides to stick.

[Gopher74]

Weeks hasn't made huge strides, he's still a really bad defender. And he was never as bad as Braun is. Braun is not just the worst defender in the league, he is the worst by a full order of magnitude.

 

Keeping Braun at 3B is like putting TGJ in RF and saying his power will come around as he gets experience.

Sure he has.