Isn't Joe Crede a no-brainer for the Brewers?

[naivin]

If he proves to be healthy, which is clearly a big if, wouldn't trading for Crede make some sense? Here's why I think so...

 

• Cameron is going to miss the first month of the season - Hall can play CF.
• Theoretically Crede would benefit from/require extra days off, and Hall would make that easy.
• Hall's ability to play both IF and OF will result in him getting everyday player AB's even if he is moving around the diamond.
• Crede will cost very little to acquire - he's been injured, and is FA to be represented by Boras, and everyone knows the Sox have to trade him to make room for Josh Fields.
• Depending on how things go, Crede could be very tradeable at the deadline.
• If it doesn't work out, you haven't given up much, and you go ahead with the current plan of Hall at 3B everyday.

To me this move strengthens the entire team, with Bill Hall being your primary IF backup and another option in the OF. He'll get more than enough AB's, and it further strengthens the defense. Again, it is all contingent on Crede's health, but if he looks ok in Spring Training, this would appear to me to be a rather low risk, potentially high reward move.

[jordanmuehl]

Doug and Ned have already stated that they are not going to move Billy Hall around this year -- he will be staying at 3B, regardless of the Cameron suspension. I agree with the rationale behind it. Billy's struggles last year might be able to be attributed at least partially to the move to CF, so I'd try to leave him where he is, especially having moved him around for the past two years.

[naivin]

I understand the thinking on that, but at the same time, he enjoyed his best offensive season when he was moving around the IF. Taking advantage of his flexibility seems to be the best way to maximize his value - especially if that makes you stronger at multiple positions for 162 games.

[jordanmuehl]

True -- he's always been an excellent utility infielder. Maybe he's just got a psychological block about playing in the outfield? = P

[recte44]

I'd be on this like white on rice, especially if the White Sox are so desperate to dump him they'd take Vargas.

[dadofandrew]

$5M for a backup 3B?

 

No. Unless you're just looking to spend money to spend it, Crede has no fit at all on the current team.

[trwi7]

he enjoyed his best offensive season when he was moving around the IF.

No he enjoyed his best offensive season when he was starting everyday at SS.

[SmartBall]

I don't like this move at all, but it might be because I absolutely hate Crede, always have, don't know why. It also might be because he has no place on this team at all, has had one above average season and is allergic to walks. We already have a right-handed third baseman who doesn't take walks except he is 27 and isn't coming off an injury plagued year. Put me down for an enthusiastic pass.

[hauser42]

This makes no sense at all. Hall is set at 3B and Creded would be the backup for this team. Crede also is coming off back surgery and no one knows if he will hold up the whole season. I dont see the ChiSox only taking Vargas for Crede also, they have reported to be looking at Noah Lowry if the move him to the Giants.

[reillymcshane]

Crede does not make sense for the Brewers at this time.

 

He's had one good year - 2006 - an .829 OPS.

His career OPS is .751.

OPS over the last three years is .764

OBP for career is .305

OBP the last three years: 306

OPS vs righties the last three years: .751

OPS vs lefties the last three years: .800

He's right handed

He's almost 30

He's got major back problems.

 

Bill Hall

2006 - an .898 OPS.

His career OPS is .787

OPS over the last three years is .830

OBP for career is .320

OBP the last three years: 335

OPS vs righties the last three years: .791

OPS vs lefties the last three years: .936

He's right handed

He's just turned 28

Ankle sprain last year is the only thing that's ever bothered him.

 

Crede, from my understanding, is an excellent 3B. Hall is probably no more than average.

 

Still, Hall has been a superior hitter in all respects. He Ks more than Crede, but that's about it. Hall has out hit him in every aspect of the game - versus righties, versus lefties, OBP, etc.

 

And Hall is younger, and without injury issue. A good spring for Crede doesn't mean his back won't go in May.

 

Finally, Crede is a FA after this year. Hall has three years on his deal.

 

I wish we'd gotten a lefthanded bat, but I hope the club just let's billy be, and let him rebound. I don't expect him to hit 35 HR, but 20 isn't out of the question. And the team can stop the yo yo of who's at 3B for the next few years. And I don't expect Crede to suddenly hit .300 and 30 HR like 2006 either. Afterall, his previous three years as a starter he was below average.

 

I'd like the team to just stick with Billy at 3B. Get the defense settled. I think it will help immensely.

 

If you get Crede, you're shoving Hall to CF, sometimes to 3B, etc. I don't think that's good at this stage. I'd rather he played full time, and the club knew who was heading out there most every day.

[Brian the Automator]

The club's already pushing an 80M payroll. He's strictly a third baseman, and another righty to boot. As a starter, a team could probably do worse, but as a backup, there's no value, especially for the cash.

[endaround]

A Vargas/Mota for Crede deal (like a reverse Brady/Dessens!) might happen if the Brewers feel they need another infielder, but between Counsell and Dillon you'd think its set.

[hauser42]

A Vargas/Mota for Crede deal (like a reverse Brady/Dessens!) might happen if the Brewers feel they need another infielder, but between Counsell and Dillon you'd think its set.

This could be a trade deadline deal if Hall is not working or there is an injury. Crede has stated he is going to test the market after the season.

[steve267268]

Absolutely not.

While i see the argument in having a decent bat fill in while Cameron is gone, there is almost no other way this could be positive. For starters: Bill Hall. Count me in as another person who believes that last years shift to the outfield may have had something to do with his slump at the plate. You can move him around the infield all you want, it's basically the same thing. Plus, he's not a very good centerfielder in the first place! True, he would get better as the years went on but right now he's not very good. So by starting Crede at third you would risk Hall slumping again and have bad centerfield defense (in a year where Ryan Braun is making his debut in left!) In my opinion, we'd be much better off to stick Tony jr. and Gabe Gross out there on a rotation and see who gets hot. 25 games later Cameron comes in and our lineup is pretty much set.

This lineup is not short on offense, that's for sure!! The thing that has always killed us is defense. Even without Cameron our outfield defense is better now with Hall back at third, and our infield defense is instantly better with Braun going to the outfield. Add to that Rickie, JJ, and Prince are a year older and probably a little better across the board. So when Cameron DOES finally make his Brewers debut... This is going to be one heck of a team... at least as far as Brewer teams are concerned.
2007 < 2008
1B: Fielder < Fielder - Same, but possibly better at the plate and probably better in the field
2B: Weeks < Weeks - probably better at the plate and possibly in the field
SS: Hardy = Hardy - at least the same in the field, and the same at the plate, just not the same way it happened last year
3B: Braun > Hall - Big improvement on defense, big dropoff at the plate but...
LF: Jenkins< Braun - Astronomical improvement at the plate, a small drop in defense but more range
CF: Hall < Cameron - Probably a step better at the plate since Hall slumped last year but what a giant leap on defense.
RF: Hart < Hart - Hart's progress has been slow, but he's developed into quite a player and he's still getting better.
C: Estrada < Kendall - Higher OBP and probably the same everywhere else EXCEPT the clubhouse cancer factor.

Okay so i got WAYYY off topic, but i'm extremely excited about this team. Um, where were we? Oh yeah... We don't need Crede.

[Big Reed]

there are some more rumors on the baseball rumor mills involving crede today. Basically, the White Sox are saying they might not trade Crede and he may be on their opening day roster. Obviously, they were replying to the question of when is Crede going to be traded. They didn't mention any names or pending deals, but it seems as if it's inevitable Crede will be traded before opening day. I have to believe whoever acquires him will get a bargain. With Hall moving back to third, I doubt Crede will be traded to the Brewers. It could have happened earlier in the year, but not now. the brewers made their choice, and that choice was Cameran and Hall.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Giants covet Crede but don't have the pitching (or anything else) needed to get him. But the Brewers do, so is a three way deal possible? Who knows?

[Gopher74]

steve267268 wrote:

RF: Hart < Hart - Hart's progress has been slow, but he's developed into quite a player and he's still getting better.

Hey, great post, and I agreed with everything, but I don't know that Hart's progress has been slow. He's been fantastic at every level of the minors, and he's been very good in the big leagues thus far.

 

But like I said, I agree with everything else, so sorry to nitpick.

[Gopher74]

The Giants covet Crede but don't have the pitching (or anything else) needed to get him. But the Brewers do, so is a three way deal possible? Who knows?

The Giants have a ton of pitching, I just don't think they want to give up what they've got for Crede.

 

I'd go so far as to say that I think the Giants are going to have a top 3-5 rotation in the NL this year, and it could be even better.

 

Cain, Lincecum, Lowry, a Zito are as good of a 1-4 as anyone in the NL has, and Johnathan Sanchez has the stuff to be a very good big league pitcher. That's probably the most likely guy to be dealt for Crede, but I don't know why the Giants would want to move a young arm with the potential that Sanchez has.

 

[JohnBriggs12]

"The Giants have a ton of pitching".

 

That's debatable. Beyond Cain, Lincecum and Zito, they have Lowry who's hurt, Correia who's decent though up and down and 2 guys who were a combined 1-9 last year. Their bullpen is average at best. With no offense to speak of, they are likely to lose 100 games.

[ILuvDaBush]

I'm a big Jonathan Sanchez fan, as he would be filthy and dominant if he were ever to hone his fastball's command. As for Crede...WHY? He's an overrated defender and an overrated offensive producer, with an injury history to boot. I say we give this idea the boot.

[hauser42]

Zito is maybe slightly above average for a SP. He is still living off a couple of seasons with those good A's teams. He is not near the top of line starter that a lot of people think he is. Throw in the huge contract he carries with him and the only plus is that he is an innnings eater. Zito IMO is a slight step up from Suppan.

 

Brewers might be in a 3 way but with Cappy injury it seem less unlikely.

[Gopher74]

"The Giants have a ton of pitching".

 

That's debatable. Beyond Cain, Lincecum and Zito, they have Lowry who's hurt, Correia who's decent though up and down and 2 guys who were a combined 1-9 last year. Their bullpen is average at best. With no offense to speak of, they are likely to lose 100 games.

So we're using wins now to judge pitchers talent? Because after all, we are talking about trading pitchers, so we're talking about their potential and value, and you bring up Sanchez's W/L record? Come on....well, actually you never mentioned Sanchez, I just assumed you were talking about him. Sanchez has filthy stuff. But if you want to use a pitchers win/loss records, then I guess they don't have any pitching. Then again, when you say that they have "no offense to speak of", you'd think it'd be obvious that their pitchers suffered from that.

 

Anyway, I doubt they lose 100 games with that pitching. They're not going to be good, but I don't think they lose more than 90.

 

[Gopher74]

Zito is maybe slightly above average for a SP. He is still living off a couple of seasons with those good A's teams. He is not near the top of line starter that a lot of people think he is. Throw in the huge contract he carries with him and the only plus is that he is an innnings eater. Zito IMO is a slight step up from Suppan.

So you mean every single year of his career save for one season? Well, I guess I think he'll bounce back a little bit. But whatever you want to call Barry Zito, and my post had very little to do with his contract, he's their number 4 pitcher, and there are likely to be very few number 4's in the NL who will be better than him. And if you want to call him their number 3, then there are very few who are going to be equal to Lowry. Nobody ever said he was a top of the line starter. I listed him as their number 4. Not to mention, he's 29 years old, so I don't know why he wouldn't bounce back from last year and match his 3.83 or 3.86 ERA's of the past two seasons.