Hardy headed to arby (Latest: Hardy not headed to arby's, signs one year deal worth ~$2.7 mil)

[bork]

Haudricourt reporting that talks have ended with Hardy and they're preparing for arbitration on Monday. It will be Melvin's first arbitration with the Brewers. Hope this doesn't lead to any hard feelings down the road.

 

Isn't Jim Gantner the last Brewer to go the arbitration or is my memory failing?

 

http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/02/14/brewers-hardy-headed-for-a-hearing.aspx

[TooLiveBrew]

Yea, I hope there aren't hard feelings involved. Maybe they're just going to use the hearing's figure to help work out a 2/3/4-yr. deal?

[bork]

Yes, my memory was correct. So Dalton was the last GM to go to an arby hearing?

 

From 2 years ago:

 

According to a longtime Brewers baseball operations employee, it is believed that the team has not gone to a salary arbitration hearing with a player since Jim Gantner in 1991.

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060117&content_id=1297132&vkey=news_mil&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil

[Bring Back the Stein]

I'm really hoping that the statheads-no offense, only praise intended-can weigh in on whether JJ's range is within the market range. It's not my money, so I don't care, inasmuch as it doesn't affect the Brewers ability to be competitive, but my only worry is his health. Anyway, I'll get out of the way and see the comparisons.

[Ennder]

I sure hope this doesn't cause too much bad blood. I think Hardy is an underrated player because of his hip/back problems last year in June/July. Not only did they completely offset that hot April/May but I think they killed his defensive stats as well.

[PlayerHader]

What Hardy did in April/May probably will never be replicated by him again over a two month stretch. He isn't a 50 HR guy like he was on pace for.

[logan82]

I will believe they are actually going to arbitration when the hearing starts. I think they almost went to arby with Ohka a couple years back, but they settled a few hours before the hearing. I think they also said that time talks had ended.

[TooLiveBrew]

What Hardy did in April/May probably will never be replicated by him again over a two month stretch.

 

I agree with you that he won't sustain that for a full season... but he most certainly can do that again over a small stretch like a month or two.

[erbacaine04]

I sure hope this doesn't cause too much bad blood. I think Hardy is an underrated player because of his hip/back problems last year in June/July. Not only did they completely offset that hot April/May but I think they killed his defensive stats as well.

 

While I think the back problems gave him fits.... the thing is I think the Club wins here because the panel looks at the 3 seasons and he had a bad rookie year, an injured 2nd year and a good 3rd year...... He has had a history of injuries even in the Minors.... so I would not be to quick to offer him a long contract...take him year by year...

and we dont know if Hardy's group did not want to Settle or what.....maybe he just wants to try his hand at the higher amount and big deal if he loses....its a 50/50 shot.

 

I think the club wins this one though...but I dont see this being a big deal

 

Only way its a big deal is if it was like the Howard sitution and they are off by 3 million dollars....NOT 650K

[erbacaine04]

What Hardy did in April/May probably will never be replicated by him again over a two month stretch. He isn't a 50 HR guy like he was on pace for.

 

I dont care if he is that guy or not...... I actually want him to be closer to the Aug and Sept Hardy... where he hit .295 and .280.. with 8Hrs over those last 2 months... and somebody who is better at taking walks....

[Ennder]

oh yeah, I don't blame the club at all. I just think Hardy is underrated by fans. He should have been in AAA when he struggled so much his rookie year. He has displayed 20 HR+ power ever since yet everyone seems to think it is a fluke he hit 20+ HR's last year.

 

2nd half of 2005 - 8 HR in 208 PA or 1 per 26 PA

2006 - 5 HR in 139 PA or 1 per 27.8 PA

2007 - 26 HR in 638 PA or 1 per 24.5 PA.

 

Last year was not some huge power spike for him. If he had hit at 1 per 27 PA he still would have hit 24 HR last year.

 

Hardy could be a .280 AVG, 25 HR SS with above average defense and that has a lot of value to it. He also showed better patience in the minors so if he can get the BB's up and get that OBP up around .350 to go with that he would be extremely valuable.

[logan82]

Braun, Weeks and Hardy would have all benifited with another year in AAA. Hardy didn't even play a full year before coming up to the big leagues. Worst case scenario for Hardy should have been staying in AAA for a month or two like Braun did.

[erbacaine04]

I think Hardy was in the minors since 2001

He played half year in 2001(year he was drafted)

Full years in 2002 and 2003

then 2004 he was hurt most of the year with a Shoulder injury?

 

Then he started the year with the Crew in 2005....struggled until PRINCE Fielder got a call-up for Inter-league play and told Hardy that his swing is different from when he was in the Minors....then he took off hitting the rest of the season.

[Brewguru2]

I still say they settle before the hearing.

[sbrylski]

JJ Harby

 

Not funny, I know. Deal with it!

[TooLiveBrew]

What's funny is that I've been trying to figure out some way to work that in, too, sbryl. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[monty57]

I sure hope this doesn't cause too much bad blood. I think Hardy is an underrated player because of his hip/back problems last year in June/July. Not only did they completely offset that hot April/May but I think they killed his defensive stats as well.

While I think the back problems gave him fits.... the thing is I think the Club wins here because the panel looks at the 3 seasons and he had a bad rookie year, an injured 2nd year and a good 3rd year...... He has had a history of injuries even in the Minors.... so I would not be to quick to offer him a long contract...take him year by year...

and we dont know if Hardy's group did not want to Settle or what.....maybe he just wants to try his hand at the higher amount and big deal if he loses....its a 50/50 shot.

 

I think the club wins this one though...but I dont see this being a big deal

 

Only way its a big deal is if it was like the Howard sitution and they are off by 3 million dollars....NOT 650K

I don't think it's the money differences that would cause a problem, it's that the Brewers will have to convince the arbitrator why Hardy is not worth what he's asking. In other words, they will have to rip apart Hardy while he and/or his agent is sitting in the room. Many teams dislike arbitration because players remember what was said about them when it comes time to negotiate again.

[Oldcity]

I don't really think they're going to "rip him apart." They'll probably just find similar players at his age and experience and point to those arbitration figures, and also point out that he wasn't great outside of the first couple months last year. Probably also that he hasn't had great numbers his previous couple seasons. I can't imagine it will get too ugly.

 

And who knows. It still could end up settled at the last minute like Ohka.

[gumby1]

Good call Brewguru. 1250 is reporting Hardy signed for one year.

[logan82]

Also reported at JSOnline. Not surprising really.

 

http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/02/15/brewers-hardy-agree-on-one-year-deal.aspx

[craigharmann]

And DM's record of not going to arby is still intact.

[PeaveyFury]

2.65 million, per Tom H. Actually, it's moderately odd that they were so close to going to arby, and Hardy ends up settling for less than the half way point.

 

http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/02/15/hardy-s-deal-is-for-2-65-million.aspx