Conor Jackson

[clancyphile]

Looking over Conor Jackson's numbers, I think that he might be the kind of player the Crew ought to look into getting.

 

In two of the last three years, he has walked more than he struck out, and his career AB-to-walk ratio is 8.28 to 1. He also seems to have some decent extra-base power, and it is on a somewhat upward trend (he went from 42 extra-base hits in 485 ABs to 45 in 415 over the last two years).

 

Would a Vargas-for-Jackson-reliever deal be a good idea?

[kgbaseball]

Conor was auditioning in left field before the trading deadline because there were rumors that he'd be dealt to the White Sox, who obviously don't have a 1b need. He did OK there, but that's to be expected since he's been a 1b.

 

While Conor has probably underperformed in his career so far, he's still only 25, and provides some much-needed OBP. I'm sure Arizona would want a proven, top-to-middle of the rotation starter for him.

[splitterpfj]

If Jackson can handle the OF, adding him might help the Crew. As to your specific proposal, I don't see AZ wanting Vargas back, and even if they did, I doubt they'd add a player to Jackson to get him.

 

Jackson may well be available, he hasn't hit for the power AZ had expected from him.

[kgbaseball]

Or average. He was a .332 .423 .530 hitter in the minors.

[clancyphile]

If Jackson can handle the OF, adding him might help the Crew. As to your specific proposal, I don't see AZ wanting Vargas back, and even if they did, I doubt they'd add a player to Jackson to get him.

 

Jackson may well be available, he hasn't hit for the power AZ had expected from him.

Given the dispapointment aspect, I wonder if the Crew could get him for ZackJack even up.

 

Some dropoff from the minors was to be expected, but if he handles LF, he might be a good pick-up.

[brettac1]

He's an alright defensive 1B, but I'm not sure he's got speed enough to play the OF decently. Just looking at how many "out of zone" plays he made this season (14) on the Hardball Times makes me think he doesn't have it. Baseball Prospectus has him below average, as well.

[dadofandrew]

The braintrust thinks Laporta will be ready soon. Jackson might be worth a risk should you need a long-term solution, but they don't feel they do.

[twobrewers]

It was mentioned in another thread - but I think bears repeating because it is a worthwhile solution.

Kenny Lofton is a FA. He is still a very good defensive outfielder. He has a nice OBP. He can steal bases. Assuming Weeks maintains the power he showed late in the season, he can surely be slid down in the lineup - making Lofton the leadoff man.

Lofton and Gross can split some time in the outfield as a short term solution until we get to the LaPorta era.

It just makes too much sense to me. Plus he wouldn't cost us any players.

[TooLiveBrew]

Seriously, the Lofton idea for our OF makes a little too much sense. Mixing in a trio consisting of Lofton, Gross, Hart, Hall, maybe even Mench, it'd almost be hard for any manager [restrains urge...] to not throw a solid group of 3 guys out there on a regular basis. Gross/Lofton v. RHP, Hall/Mench v. LHP, and letting Billy have another rip at playing full-time as long as he looks good in ST.

[kgbaseball]

If the Brewers go after just one guy this offseason, I pray it's for Lofton. You're absolutely right; he makes too much sense for this team that needs:

- leadoff hitter

- OBP

- outfield defense

 

He'll be cheap, but I wouldn't be surprised if he resigned with the Indians. They're going to be one heck of a team next year again.

[TooLiveBrew]

Any offensive acquisition that allows Rickie Weeks to hit 5th and Hart 6th is worth quite a large $$ amount over the next year or two (probably one given LaPorta's thunder). My guess is that, with Gutierrez (sp?), Sizemore, Michaels, and Dellucci all likely still in the fold, with Nixon a possibility as well, Lofton's price tag might not make as much sense as ours. It's not that they couldn't afford him, it's just that they have two guys that're strong v. LHP & two strong against RHP, with their 'everyside' guy playing in CF. Quite bluntly, their need for Lofton pales in comparison to ours, and due to this, the price may as well.

 

But I digress/hijack. Sorry.

[clancyphile]

Actually, to hijack my thread a little... how would Gross/Laporta platooning in left in 2008 sound?

[Fatter than Joey]

Actually, to hijack my thread a little... how would Gross/Laporta platooning in left in 2008 sound?

 

I am glad that there is a wall in LF to keep all the balls that would get by Braun and the LaPorta in the park.

 

Also -- I think that LaPorta has struggled against LHP so far, (in small samples), so I wouldn't be convinced that Gross and LaPorta would make good platoon partners.

 

I can't imagine LaPorta being a solution for 2008 unless there were lots of injuries.

[splitterpfj]

I can't imagine LaPorta being a solution for 2008 unless there were lots of injuries.

 

I agree, I think there's no chance of LaPorta seeing Milwaukee before September, and that's if everything goes well for him. Even with his excellent hitting, I think they'd take that track with him, and beyond that, he needs to learn to play the outfield before he gets an "M" on his hat.

 

 

[JohnBriggs12]

I think Weeks is fine as a leadoff hitter. Even in a year where he was awful for 2 1/2 months and hit just .235 for the season, he still got on base at a .374 clip. Moving him to a run producer spot (when you already have plenty of those) would be counterproductive.

 

The spot in the Brewer order that needs addressing is the 2 hole, just ahead of Braun and Fielder. Hardy is not a 2 hitter. Gross did fine for about 2 weeks in that spot, then slumped. I see Gross as insurance against injury at this point.

 

Lofton's not a bad idea but I'd hit him second. He's not the only good option that's going to be out there though. I do worry about his age (41 in May) catching up to him. It's going to happen sooner rather than later.

[TooLiveBrew]

Moving him to a run producer spot (when you already have plenty of those) would be counterproductive.

 

I disagree with this. His power stroke is back - or, more accurately stated, that wrist is clean, my friends. I certainly agree that his OBP-skills make him a fine choice to lead off, but to say that moving a guy with high OBP & high power-potential to a run-producing slot is counter-productive, just bc we have others, is incorrect, imho.

 

It's not that using Rickie there is inherently counterproductive since we have run producers, it's just that we don't have a leadoff guy. I'd love to see a couple guys brought in to man the nos. 1 & 2 slots (so Rickie could hit #5), but it's more likely Weeks will just be the leadoff man again.

[theavrock]

I also think the point is that we need to get more guys like Rickie into the lineup. Not matter how many run producers you have or where they hit, it never hurts to have as many OBP guys in the lineup as possible. A combination of Lofton and Weeks in the 1 nd 2 holes with Braun and Fielder coming up behind them is a very exciting thought.

[brettac1]

Leading off a game with a home run or extra base hit is huge. I'd much rather have Weeks leading off (than someone like Lofton or Gywnn, etc.) because he can do that along with work the count and steal a base. It also offsets his K's a little to have him hit up there.

[dadofandrew]

Laporta is going to play every day somewhere until he proves he never will. No way he'll be platooned.

[theavrock]

Leading off a game with a home run or extra base hit is huge. I'd much rather have Weeks leading off (than someone like Lofton or Gywnn, etc.) because he can do that along with work the count and steal a base. It also offsets his K's a little to have him hit up there.

 

I guess I dont understand that logic. If someone, lets just say Lofton so we have a name there, gets on base and Weeks follows that up with a homerun, how is that worse than a Weeks home run followed by someone getting on base. I guess there really is no talking about this if DM isn't even considering flipping Braun and Hall though.

[twobrewers]

I guess there really is no talking about this if DM isn't even considering flipping Braun and Hall though.

Why not? The whole point is that with as many "power" bats as the Brewers have in the lineup, we don't need to place a traditional LF in the outfield. We have no need for another 30HR player. Instead we could acquire a non-tradiational LF, such as Lofton who could then bat leadoff for the Brewers. Hall can stay in CF - as he is the long term answer. And Braun can stay at 3B, since they seem determined to keep him there. (You could argue that Lofton's numbers are good enough to be a LF, but since we are above on our offensive projections at almost every position, we can afford that. Plus it would be nice to have to speed to get to all of the balls that get past Braun)

 

I can't imagine any better way to improve our ball club at a very cost efficient rate than Lofton.

[endaround]

There isn't a rule that forces there Brewers to have a below average player somewhere because they are above average everywhere else.

[theavrock]

I can't imagine any better way to improve our ball club at a very cost efficient rate than Lofton.

 

I can. Sign Lofton to play RF and put Hart in CF. Move BH back to 3b and put Braun in LF. That would both improve our defense and our offense. Billy would be an immediate upgrade to Brauns defense without losing Brauns bat. Braun's tools could translate well to the OF and Hart is an immediate improvement over Bill Hall. The combo of Braun, Hart and Lofton is much better defensively than Hart, Hall and Menchkins. In the IF obviously most anyone would be an upgrade over Braun. In summary our Offense improves (more people OBP wise in front of our big bats), and our IF and OF defense improves. Doesnt get much easier than that.

[homer]

I am glad that there is a wall in LF to keep all the balls that would get by Braun and the LaPorta in the park.

Have you seen LaPorta play defense? Is he bad?

[Fatter than Joey]

Have you seen LaPorta play defense? Is he bad?

 

He certainly isn't known for his defense. He played 1b in college -- so I would be incredibly skeptical of a guy being able to play a serviceable MLB LF after playing only a handful of games in the OF in A-ball.