Play Doug Melvin - If you could add one player...

[twobrewers]

Let's pretend we get to play Doug Melvin. If you could add one player - who would you pick and why?

Take into consideration what we would have to give up to obtain the player. For example, Rolen would have been very high on my list - but since we would have had to part with Bill Hall & Chris Capuano & pay his salary - I have no interest in him at that price. Perhaps you think Andruw Jones would be a great fit - but do you really want to give him the 3yr/$36 million dollar contract he is likely to receive?

I am taking Kenny Lofton.

Taking Ash's comments on XM this morning, I believe that Hall to 3B is quite possible. Braun moves to LF. Hart and Lofton play CF and RF. He fits the profile of the "professional hitter". He walked more than he struck out last year. He has a career OBP of .372. He stole 23 bases last year. He is left-handed so he would fit perfectly as a #2 hitter before Braun.

He is also a free agent and can probably be had for a reasonable one year deal. I personally would rather spend $8 on Lofton (a sure thing) for one year - than 3yrs/$30million on Fukudome. (Of course, I think Lofton can be had $5 million or less)

[Fear The Chorizo]

I've been thinking of him as a viable option at a corner OF spot for 08 as well - I think he's not nearly the CF he once was, and either Bill Hall or Corey Hart would play center better than Lofton, but he'd be a nice fit in left (as he was in Cleveland). That would mean Braun stays at 3rd, but if the Brewers are adamant of moving Braun to the OF, they could send Hall back to IF.

 

Something to keep in mind when constantly thinking of Hall as a 3rd baseman - he never played more than 60 games in a season at third base in his career - while he definitely is a super-utility type player, everyone may be assuming that he's good defensively over there when there may not be enough evidence of that...short and third are two very different defensive positions.

 

edit...my bad, originally had Hall playing only 12 games at 3rd in a season, he logged quite a few more at 3rd in 2005, with a .953 fielding percentage

[JohnBriggs12]

My first choice is Raul Ibanez. He's the Cubs plan B if they don't get Fukodome. They plan to offer the M's Sean Marshall. I think the Brewers could beat that offer without giving up core players. I'd give Braun every opportunity to make it at 3rd, but if he can't, I move Hall to third or SS (then Hardy to third), Hart to center, and Braun to right.

 

If they can't deal for an Ibanez, Winn, or another OF, I think Melvin should look at two free agents, Shawn Green and Cliff Floyd as stopgaps/platoons. Green wasn't all that bad last year and at 35 should still have some mileage left. Plus we know he loves hitting at Miller Park. Floyd is a professional hitter. His problem is durability but he could share the lefthanded part of a LF platoon with Gross and give you one nice bat off the bench on days he doesn't start.

[ryanbraun75]

i really want Brad Hawpe. I think that if we used sheets we could get hawpe and another player. I love Brad Hawpe and he is so underrated and would give us that lefty power bat we need for the outfield.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'd love to see if the Brewers can pry Hank Blalock and Gerald Laird away from the Rangers somehow. I don't believe the Rangers are going to give these guys away, though. It's going to take a pretty large deal to get it done.

 

Brewers get:

Hank Blalock (fill 3B vacancy, and is still young at 27)

Gerald Laird (can back-up Kendall, and be the C of the future)

Akinori Otsuka (can fill closer void, probably not a lot of value, given his age)

 

Rangers get:

Bill Hall or Tony Gwynn Jr. (would fill the CF vacancy for the Rangers--Hart or Hall/Gwynn becomes the fulltime CF)

Derrick Turnbow (they want a set-up man, and Derrick has had success.--with the signing of Riske, he is expendable)

Mat Gamel (would be groomed as a 1B in Texas--as a 1B/poor-fielding 3B, he is very much blocked here)

Cole Gillespie (a power-hitting corner outfield prospect that the Rangers can fast-track due to age/success)

Manny Parra/Carlos Villanueva (hurts to give up either, but probably would have to)

 

I consider Gamel probably a step down from Andy LaRoche as a prospect, and that's who is being thrown around in Blalock talks right now.

 

I don't know...maybe I have the Brewers giving up too much. I think Hall has much more value than Gwynn, so maybe if he goes, one of the prospects gets taken out.

[recte44]

Just one player??? Rafael Soriano.

[Brian the Automator]

Marcus Giles. Seems like a nice reclamation.

[And That]

I'd be more than happy with Tad Iguchi at this point. I still hope we pull something off for Nathan or Fuentes also.

[aracko]

I am with TwoBrewers - Kenny Lofton.

 

Allows Weeks power to produce a few more runs by pushing him down in the order just a touch. Improves defense by allowing Hall to go to 3rd and Braun to left. Gives me teh veteran player that I always wish we had when things get tough (most think veterans have little effect in a locker room but I dont buy that) and improves our OBP. We dont have to give up a darn thing for him. He is a Left Handed bat which would help this team. He improves our ability to swipe a base. He has 84 games of post season experience.

 

I dont think he would cost 8 million. He is a midwestern guy.

 

Consider me sold.

[DrWood]

Pat Burrell. He was very available until about a month or two before the end of the season.

 

2nd choice anyone who could close if needed. Heck, wickman would be fine.

[brosto1]

Tony Pena as a pitcher.

Adrian Beltre for a position player.

[PeaveyFury]

It's almost stunning how little Burrell has been mentioned this offseason, considering how great an idea he is.

 

He DOES have a full (I think) no-trade clause that he used to block a deal last year, though.

[DHarris34Phan]

Make a splash and get Andrew Jones. Move Bill Hall back to 3rd.

[PlayerHader]

Hank Blalock but I have no idea what that would cost. I don't know where his is contract wise either.

 

Would Capuano and Mat Gamel get it done? Parra and Gamel?

[And That]

I think Burrell hasn't been mentioned more because he'd make the defense even worse. Again, with OBP and defense both needing to be addressed, he only addresses one of the two needs. We need a guy at third base (ideally) or left field (sub-ideally) that does both of those things.

[Never Outhustled]

Capuano for Fuentes. Then put the best defensive players at each position at that position. That would be putting Hart in CF and Hall at 3B. I'd put Braun in RF, not LF. RF is only harder because of the throws required, but Braun has a very good arm. He'll get to balls quickly in the corner because he has plus speed. That leaves a Gross/Dillon platoon for LF. They'll be reliable defensively and patient at the plate. They'll outhit Iguchi, Crede, Feliz, and outhit Rolen last year. "Grillon" would simply be keeping the position warm for Laporta.

[bball123h2]

Trade for Iwamura from TB. I'm sure a starter or two could get it done.

[Oldcity]

Of the people who are rumored to be available, I honestly think I'd take Rolen. His defense at third would be just an amazing upgrade over Braun while still adding a (likely) strong bat to the lineup.

[madtowndrunkard]

If it were just one player and our offseason was done - I'd go after Haren.

 

 

 

My #1 target right now would be:

 

Andy LaRoche - big upgrade defensively, prototypical #2 hitter, young, cheap, healthy, high ceiling.

 

I think a deal like Sheets, Hall, and a prospect for LaRoche and Broxton could get it done. We'd actually clear a lot of $ off our payroll by doing this. We could still go out and sign the best defensive CF we can find.

[homer]

One guy?

 

FUKUDOME

[pogokat]

Kearns

 

he's the same player as Fukudome...but he costs less and is more proven in the states...

 

some combination of TGJ, Parra, Gamel, and maybe Capuano should net Kearns and Rauch...which would be my dream grab right now...

[Oldcity]

Kearns is definitely a good call. He kinda got lost in the shuffle for me temporarily.

[And That]

Kearns is definitely a good call. He kinda got lost in the shuffle for me temporarily.

Kearns doesn't solve Braun, unless the Brewers are willing to commit to Hall at third. At this point for us to sign an OF, I want to know Hall is going back to the IF.

 

[danzig6767]

I know we won't get him, but i'd be happiest to see Street in a Brewers uniform.

[VegasBrewerFan]

Jeff Keppinger ........Thats right Keppinger I know I'm probably gonna get some abuse for this ,but the guys got a great glove can play anywhere but CF.He's got a great OBP.hes cheap and I'm thinking hes about to have a breakout year.To bad hes in the central love to trade for him.