How about moving Hall to 3rd, Braun to a corner spot and acquiring a LH OF Bat?

[MessiahRp]

Hall seemed to be a much better Third Baseman and just by my hunch (no stats to back this up), I have to wonder if the pressure of learning CF on the job contributed to the major down year Hall had. Nobody thinks Hall is year to year as good as he was in '06 but there's no way he's as bad as he was last year.

 

I think you put Braun in a corner spot, make Hart the CF, and maybe acquire a LH bat like Brad Wilkerson to play the other corner spot with Gross and Gwynn on the bench (since I don't see Kapler making the team unless our OF really stinks in spring training).

 

Wouldn't this make more sense than trying to deal for a 3B?

 

Rp

[BuckyTuba]

I think that's what a good portion of these threads are looking at. I'm not going to be the guy who links you to 5 or 6 threads, but I'm just letting you know they're out there.

[MessiahRp]

Sorry if this thread seems somewhat redundant, although for the most part I see the Braun moving part but most everyone of the threads I have read talks of a new starting 3B or dealing Hall, not so much of the moving Hall back to 3rd and acquiring a different OF variety.

 

Rp

[TooLiveBrew]

Hall played better in CF as the year (his first in the OF) concluded. I'd bet on him to be a 25 HR guy in CF next year, with average defense. I think that's worth keeping put... just my 2 cents

 

But if that's the best scenario, it'd certainly improve the squad.

[Invader3K]

I'm kind of worried that if Melvin was going to acquire another bat, he would have done so by now. We basically haven't heard any substantive rumors involving the Brewers and position players since the Gagne signing.

[JohnBriggs12]

I'm kind of worried that if Melvin was going to acquire another bat, he would have done so by now. We basically haven't heard any substantive rumors involving the Brewers and position players since the Gagne signing.

Adam McCalvy still thinks they will get a bat: "I am guessing that there is one significant move to be made that will cause left field to come into focus."

 

There are still bats out there that could be had. It's taking so long to sort through the FA starting pitching and that's holding teams up.

 

As for Hall to third, remember 3B is not his natural position either. In fact, Hall has more games in CF than at 3B. If you move Hall, I contend the place to move him is to SS or perhaps 2B. Hardy's range is below average at short, and he might be better at third. Weeks might be better in the OF than either Braun or Hall. I don't expect either to happen though neither do I expect Hall to go to 3B even though a case could be made to do so too.

[derflotr]

Either way there's still an open corner outfield spot...I guess from the perspective of improving the defense it may have a little improvement, but I don't really see it solving anything.

[MessiahRp]

Either way there's still an open corner outfield spot...I guess from the perspective of improving the defense it may have a little improvement, but I don't really see it solving anything.

 

My point is it would be easier to acquire a LH OF bat than to acquire a LH 3B bat, especially one of any sort of quality. I think moving Hall to 3B does two things though, it makes 3B a more solid defensive play as well as making CF a more solid defensive play and may possibly contribute to Hall having a better offensive year when he's not trying to learn ball angles out in CF.

 

I still think you move Hart to CF, Braun to one corner and get Wilkerson or someone similar to play the other corner and the lineup will be better.

 

As it stands now the 3B options are limited to a really weak group of remaining free agents or overpaying for Scott Rolen who has not been healthy (missed significant time two of the past three years) and while he was decent in 2006 he hasn't been worth the contract we'd be picking up.

 

While Wilkerson has also not been completely healthy or stellar statistically he does provide some pop and would provide a cheap option whom could be acquired on a one year deal.

 

Not to mention I think there are other LH outfielders on the market.

 

Rp

[TooLiveBrew]

My point is it would be easier to acquire a LH OF bat than to acquire a LH 3B bat, especially one of any sort of quality.

 

While this is true, Braun's negative impact via his D at 3B makes the addition of defense even more valuable (believe it or not) than adding a nice bat in LF. Basically, to add [Ethier] to play LF, the combo of LF + 3B would come out as above average, whereas adding [blalock] to play 3B & move Braun to LF would result in 'above-avg.' being the worst-case scenario for the LF + 3B duo.

[MessiahRp]

I would love to get Ethier, I'm not sure if he's an affordable option right now, not to mention what the Dodgers would request for him. It could still work out if we were able to get Ethier for pitching and then we could still move Hall to Third and move Braun to a corner OF spot, sliding Hart to Center.

 

Rp

[TooLiveBrew]

I just intended to use Ethier & Blalock as examples, hence the brackets - sorry. Ethier's still pre-arbitration, and could likely be had at this point for SPing. If Melvin & Co. can't fill 3B, Ethier is the first choice I have for filling LF.

[StearnsFTW]

I think that this is by far the smartest way to handle the situation, but I don't think they want to move Hall again unfortunately.

 

I've seen a lot about moving Braun on various threads, but to me it is imperative that he move to RF not LF. Laporta is a LF (and maybe not even that). What happens next year? Are we having this same conversation about Braun moving defensive positions in consecutive years?

 

Hall to 3rd, Braun to right, Hart to center and a stopgap in LF (or a guy like Adam Lind who could hold down the spot and potentially build value at the same time).

[monty57]

I thought Hall did a good job at third when he was put there full-time after the Koskie injury. I think there's a good chance Hall will end up back at third, but I think that Melvin is trying to exhaust all other possibilities before going that route.

 

I would guess that if Hall does go to third, we'll pick up a new CF rather than another corner OF. Kenny Lofton (.367 OBP / .414 Slg in 490 ABs) is one guy out there who wouldn't cost much, and could be our leadoff hitter, moving Rickie to #2 and allowing Hardy and Kendall to bat lower in the order. In another thread, Coco Crisp's name is being mentioned, and if the Santana trade doesn't go through (trading Ellsbury), I think Boston may be willing to listen to offers for Crisp

 

As far as Wilkerson, he had shoulder surgery that ended his 2006 season, and last year in 119 games hit for a .234 avg / .319 OBP / .467 slg in Texas' hitter friendly park. His career OBP is good, but is he still that player? I'd probably rather just have Gross man the LH part of a platoon. The Brewers have publicly stated that they're looking for OBP out of any OF acquisition. The list of LH OF with high OBP is pretty slim: Griffey, Dunn (although with Hamilton traded they're probably not going anywhere), Abreau, Matsui, Damon (must be nice to have Yankee money), Drew, Cust, Ichiro, Church, Sizemore (all not going anywhere). That leaves very few that may be available: Ethier, Teahen / DeJesus (although I'd bet KC isn't willing to move either unless we give up Hart or Weeks), Crawford (who, again would take too much to land) and Lofton.

 

I've been on the Ethier bandwagon since they signed Jones. I would love to have him, but if he costs too much, I would not mind at all seeing Lofton wearing a Brewers uniform next season.

[StearnsFTW]

I wouldn't mind Lofton either, but I'd definitely play him in left.

 

He throws like me.

 

Lofton/Hart/Braun works for me.

 

Weeks

Lofton

Braun

Fielder

Hart

Hall

Hardy

Kendall

 

Is pretty good.

 

And the defense is better. It's still bad, but it's better.

[TooLiveBrew]

The problem with Lofton is that he requires a platoon-mate, thus tempting Yost to give Kapler ABs v. RHP that don't make sense. If we get a LF, I want it to be a guy who doesn't need to sit v. LHP or RHP

[Baldkin]

I can't imagine management moving Hall back to the IF. He's in the OF as long as he's a Brewer.

[monty57]

Good call TLB, I didn't check the splits. Lofton's .545 OPS vs. LHP isn't exactly awe-inspiring.

 

If we can't find another 3B or LF, which would you prefer:

 

A) 3B Braun, LF Dillon/Gross, CF Hall, RF Hart

 

B) 3B Hall, LF Dillon/Gross, CF Hart, RF Braun

 

C) 3B Hall, LF Hart (vs. RHP) / Dillon (vs. LHP), CF Lofton (vs. RHP) / Hart (vs. LHP), RF Braun

 

D) something else

 

Note: I put Braun in RF due to another poster's astute call that LaPorta will likely be the LF of the future and Braun probably has a better arm than LaPorta. No sense playing Braun in LF for a season and then having to move him again a year later.

[logan82]

A)

 

If we are going to move Braun I would prefer to bring in an established 3B. Hall, in my opinion, is not that guy. If we are going to move Braun to the OF, it has to be in LF for at least a year until he learns the position. Hart has a good arm, good speed, and plays the OF at an above average level. There is more room for error in LF than in RF.

[monty57]

I've never heard that there is more room for error if LF vs RF. The big difference is that the RF has to have a stronger arm, as he has to be able to throw to third, while the LF will rarely, if ever have to throw to first. Many players dislike moving from LF to RF or vice versa because the ball comes off the bat differently. In RF, the ball slices off RH bats, while in LF the ball hooks off LH bats. Some players can easily adjust to this, while others have problems with it. With Braun's struggles, I'd hate to move him from 3B to LF this season and then from LF to RF next season. If LaPorta is truly seen as the LF of the future, and if Braun has the arm for RF (he may not), then it seems like it may be a good idea just to start him in RF.

 

That said, Melvin did make it sound like Braun would move to left. However, when another poster mentioned it, I thought it sounded like it made sense.

[logan82]

My reasoning for "room for error" is that if don't play a ball cleanly in LF there isn't as much chance a player will turn a double into a triple as there is if you do the same in RF. In RF I would think getting to balls and fielding them clean is more important than in LF. I am not talking about errors, just limiting extra bases the runners take. A strong arm will cut down on that somewhat, but arm strength, in my opinion, could be largely negated by misplaying balls.

 

Edit: Let me put it this way. Why would Hart play in RF and Jenkins in LF if the most import difference between RF and LF is throwing? I know Hart has a pretty good arm, but I think Jenkins is almost as strong and probably more accurate.

[TooLiveBrew]

Note: I put Braun in RF due to another poster's astute call that LaPorta will likely be the LF of the future and Braun probably has a better arm than LaPorta. No sense playing Braun in LF for a season and then having to move him again a year later.

 

LaPorta's our 'LF of the future until Prince leaves.' Then he moves back to 1B, the position he played at Florida.

 

RF is a more challenging defensive position on the diamond, and most commonly has the longest throws of the 3 OF spots.