Joe Crede

[brewtank34]

I'm officially starting the "Crede at 3B" fanclub. Membership dues are minimal....all you have to write emails to DM once a day and promote Mr. Crede.

 

Seriously though... Why not get Crede for 3B? I'm pretty sure we need better defense MORE than we need someone who has a .20 higher OBP than others. Defense and Pitching wins Championships!!! Go get Crede now!!!!!

[crewcrazy]

My only concern is that if you end up getting Crede, who do you hide in the 8-hole in the batting order between him and Kendall? What about days where Counsell starts at 2B or SS? I guess I just don't trust Yost to set the lineup correctly if the Brewers got a low-OBP defensive whiz. I'd be more comfortable with Morgan Ensberg hitting 7th or something than I would Pedro Feliz or Crede.

[brewtank34]

I don't trust Yost to manage the line-up well regardless of whether we get Crede or someone else.
W/Crede playing 3B
Weeks
Hardy
Braun
Fielder
Hart
Crede
Hall
Kendell

With Counsel playing 3B
Weeks
Kendell
Braun
Fielder
Hart
Hardy
Hall
Counsell

[Tbadder]

Now, I may be wrong about this, tell me if I am, but it's my inpression that Ensberg is Crede's equal in the field but carries a much better OBP. If that's the case--go get Ensberg and have done with it.

[trwi7]

Now, I may be wrong about this, tell me if I am, but it's my inpression that Ensberg is Crede's equal in the field but carries a much better OBP. If that's the case--go get Ensberg and have done with it.

 

Crede is much better than Ensberg on defense but the whole point is moving Braun off of 3rd. The new 3rd baseman doesn't have to be Gold Glove caliber, just decent with a pretty good OBP which Ensberg is.

[RobertR]

I think people are probably making too big a deal about OBP. The Brewers got a .318 OBP out of left field (and a .771 OPS) last year so he's unlikely to make the OBP issue worse. Combined with Kendall, a full year of Braun, and improvements by young players and I don't think OBP is going to be much of an issue. The Brewers had a good offense last year and acquiring Crede isn't likely to make it any worse. And it will make the infield defense a lot better. Heck, he should be good for about a 100 OPS+, maybe better considering he's coming from a stronger league, and there's nothing wrong with that out of a third baseman, even if it is heavier on slugging than you'd prefer.

 

Here's what I see as the pros and cons of Crede

 

PROS

1) He's available and Kenny Williams isn't afraid to make deals. Plus the Brewers match up well with the White Sox.

2) He's very good defensively and would immediately improve the Brewers biggest weakness drastically.

3) There's no long term risk.

4) He's likely to be solid offensively (100 OPS+ approximately).

5) 30 isn't old.

6) A solid year and he might net you some bonus draft picks.

 

CONS

1) How healthy is he?

2) He's not the LH hitting, OBP heavy player the Brewers really want.

3) He's only signed for one year and the Brewers will likely have to go through this all over again if they don't resign him.

 

He's not the ideal player for the Brewers, but I've no doubt in my mind that if the Brewers were to acquire him, and he's healthy, they'd be an improved team. If it costs Vargas or Gwynn and a non-elite prospect (Zach Jackson?) that's not necessarily very expensive either.

 

Robert

[dadofandrew]

I have little doubt Crede is on the list as a backup plan. As Robert points out, the Crew could do a lot worse, and many teams will.

[Gopher74]

I have little doubt Crede is on the list as a backup plan. As Robert points out, the Crew could do a lot worse, and many teams will.

Not to beat this to death or anything, but I absolutely agree. He's certainly not ideal, but if he can come close to what he's did in 06 or even 05, with the defense he brings, it'll be a huge upgrade for us as a team. I'd be happier with Enseberg if he could post a .396 OBP, but that's not a sure thing, and his defense isn't good if he can only put up a .320 again.

 

[Tbadder]

Is Crede worth draft choices if we take him for a year?

[colbyjack]

Is Crede worth draft choices if we take him for a year?

 

If he has a big year, sure. I'm guessing he would have to put up strong numbers just to be classified as a Type B FA since he didn't play much at all last year (the Elias rankings are based off of the numbers from a player's past two seasons IIRC).

 

Robert makes a strong case for Crede, one that is hard to argue with, and part of me would love to see the Brewers make that trade just so they can somewhat put the offseason to rest and start looking ahead to the season. There is still time for moves to be made, but the lack of activity sure has tested my patience.

[endaround]

Of course trading for Crede would cut off doing anything else. Which is why as long as the possibility of Rolen still exists moving on Crede makes little sense. Ensberg could still work depending on his contract, but Crede would pretty much cut off anything else. My guess is that little will eb done until arby contracts get worked out so teams actually know how much Capuano and Vargas will cost.

[RobertR]

FWIW, I wouldn't expect a Crede deal anytime soon either. You have to see him healthy before you trade for him and there's not much point to doing it now. Maybe in February.

 

I wonder if Ensberg would settle for a NRI? There doesn't seem much interest in him, it would still leave options open, and he'd have a lot of incentive to really show something in Spring Training.

 

Robert

[JohnBriggs12]

Hawk Harrelson said this about Crede on WMVP this morning: Crede is as tough a hitter in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings as anyone in the AL"

 

Now Harrelson is prone to exaggeration about guys on his team but his career "close and late" splits: .282/.340/.476 are considerably better than his career averages of: .259/.305/.446.

 

His RISP (.292/.348/.456) and hitting with men on (.283/.335/.469) are also much better than his batting with bases empty(.240/.280/.427).

 

I think the consensus is that Crede won't be traded until he proves he's fully recovered sometime in spring. The Sox don't want to have to discount him too much coming off of surgery.

[And That]

Crede's warmed on me a little bit, but mostly because he's not Ryan Braun. His back worries me... things being equal between he and Rolen, I'd still much rather have Rolen. It also depends how much the White Sox want for Crede once and if he's healthy - if he has a strong start to spring, his price will start to rise dramatically. I'd like to think Vargas and Gwynn or Iribarren or someone like that would be enough, but maybe not.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'd feel a bit dirty if we could snag him for just Vargas + TGJ... but then I think about how Claudio's SLGA would play in U.S. Cellular, and then I just sorta feel bad for him if we trade him there. But not bad enough to be opposed to this particular deal. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[JohnBriggs12]

Just thought it would be interesting to look back at this thread now that Crede is pounding the ball at a .341/.391/.707 clip and leading the majors in RBI.

[Oldcity]

The Sox should probably trade him immediately before he inevitably slows way down. Of course, they'll probably keep him as long as they're winning some. Maybe even past the deadline if they're still "in it" but not really in it.

[trwi7]

Just thought it would be interesting to look back at this thread now that Crede is pounding the ball at a .341/.391/.707 clip and leading the majors in RBI.

 

Kapler is pounding the ball at a .423/.448/.962 clip. Do you expect either to keep up this production?

[Gopher74]

Just thought it would be interesting to look back at this thread now that Crede is pounding the ball at a .341/.391/.707 clip and leading the majors in RBI.

Kapler is pounding the ball at a .423/.448/.962 clip. Do you expect either to keep up this production?

Nobody said that he was going to keep his production up, simply that he's started out very hot and is healthy. Also, Kapler's played a handful of games. Crede's the White Sox starting 3rd basemen.

 

Crede also is a much, much better bet to keep up a high level of production. He's a very good player who showed signs of breaking out a couple years ago when injuries set him back. He's got good power, and is a great defensive 3rd basemen. I think that he'd have been a great guy to add before he got so hot as now it just wouldn't make any sense. It'd cost us a big time prospect, and a lot of money when we don't need him for Hall. But as a bench player before the season, he'd have been a great pickup.

 

[endaround]

How? What would the point be? Crede is making a lot of money for a bench player ($5.1 m), is coming off injury and the Brewers have Dillon.