J.J. Hardy to Twins (1 Viewer)

[trader jake]

Milwaukee has traded SS J.J Hardy to the Minnesota Twins for outfielder Carlos Gomez.

Anyone like this one one way or the other?

 

[jobarules]

oof the johan trade netted them JJ Hardy & some other bums?

 

[harryhood]

Gotta like it if you are an Escobar owner. Lots of speed on that Brewers team now with Gomez and AE.

Hardy's bat has to be better than Orlando C, no?

 

[Eephus]

Gomez is younger and cheaper but if he can't get on base, it doesn't matter how fast he is. The Brewers are also much less of a running team now under Macha.

If Gomez can develop, it could work out to be a good risk/reward trade for Milwaukee but based on what we've seen from each so far, I think it's a good trade for the Twins.

 

[strykerpks]

Not sure...I don't know much about Gomez.

But JJs value really tanked this season. Cameron filed for FA so hopefully Melvin is saving that money to go after pitching.

With Escobar and Gomez, maybe you'll see a shift in their SB approach.

 

[Knightro]

I don't think Gomez and Escobar can hit 1-2 because of the OBP but that duo could swipe 75 bags if they both get 400 at bats.

 

[Eephus]

Too bad you can't steal first base

 

[Wooderson]

The final piece of the puzzle is in place.

2010 New ballpark and world series championship. Go Twins

 

[trader jake]

I don't think Gomez and Escobar can hit 1-2 because of the OBP but that duo could swipe 75 bags if they both get 400 at bats.

Doubt that happens. The Brewers appear committed to 2B Ricky Weeks in that second spot now. Assuming Gomez starts in center I'd guess he hits 7th in front of the catching and pitching spots in the line-up with Escobar hitting lead-off.Maybe (10%?) the Crew goes with Gomez in the 9th spot to get back-to-back speed guys in front of Weeks, Braun, and Fielder.

Too bad you can't steal first base

J.J. is really, really slow...doubt that would help him much. I don't think this trade would have occurred if the Twins were going to still be playing on that fast turf. Hardy is a very solid defensive shortstop but his range just isn't there.

 

[Frostillicus]

I'm happy with it for the Twins. They had to move one of their outfielders, and I'd rather it been Delmon, but I'm guessing his value is pretty much nil.

Sucks to see Gomez go, he improved a little this year (moreso his approach at the plate than his numbers) and was great to watch on defense. Plus, as was pointed out, this kind of kills any value from the Santana trade. The only guy left is Guerra down in A ball.

 

[Please See Mine]

I don't think Gomez and Escobar can hit 1-2 because of the OBP but that duo could swipe 75 bags if they both get 400 at bats.

Doubt that happens. The Brewers appear committed to 2B Ricky Weeks in that second spot now. Assuming Gomez starts in center I'd guess he hits 7th in front of the catching and pitching spots in the line-up with Escobar hitting lead-off.Maybe (10%?) the Crew goes with Gomez in the 9th spot to get back-to-back speed guys in front of Weeks, Braun, and Fielder.

Too bad you can't steal first base

J.J. is really, really slow...doubt that would help him much. I don't think this trade would have occurred if the Twins were going to still be playing on that fast turf. Hardy is a very solid defensive shortstop but his range just isn't there.

9th spot? And bat the pitcher 8th?

 

[Statorama]

Not bad for each team.

(aren't the twins going to regular grass next year in the new stadium? JJ's range shouldn't be an issue if so)

 

[guru_007]

Gomez is also really good defensively.

I'd really don't know why the Twins gave up on him so quickly. I know he's had a hard time so far adjusting to major league pitching, but the dude's only 23/24 years old?

Also, he's 6'4", I gotta think some power will come to him sooner or later to go with his speed. I dunno, maybe Gomez is all over-hyped.

 

[Shakespeare]

Glad to have Gomez out of the AL Central. He was a pain in the ###.

Romeo & Juliet, Act 3, Scene IV.

 

[Frostillicus]

Glad to have Gomez out of the AL Central. He was a pain in the ###.Romeo & Juliet, Act 3, Scene IV.

Really?

 

[Bud Kilmer]

I'm happy with it for the Twins. They had to move one of their outfielders, and I'd rather it been Delmon, but I'm guessing his value is pretty much nil.Sucks to see Gomez go, he improved a little this year (moreso his approach at the plate than his numbers) and was great to watch on defense. Plus, as was pointed out, this kind of kills any value from the Santana trade. The only guy left is Guerra down in A ball.

I missed his approach improving. He never looked good. He'd have a good at bat and then the next one would be terrible. Honestly, the Twins probably should've sent him to AAA for the year. He needs more seasoning and was moved up through the system too quickly. I think he could be something but he might be the quintessential tools guy who never figures it out.I like the trade for the Twins. It addresses the extra outfielder that Gardy had to juggle all last year and give them a decent SS if Hardy can prove 2009 was a fluke.

 

[Balco]

I like the trade for both teams.

Hardy had an abysmal year, he never seemed to get in a rhythm, consistently was shuffled in the batting order, and spent time in the minors. A complete lost year. Prior to this season, he had solid underlying stats, and he is still young. He should be pretty cheap for the twins and provide nice pop at shortstop.

Gomez, like Hardy, pretty much had a lost season. However, unlike Hardy, Gomez doesn't really have an offensive track record. No one questions his defense, but he has a lot of work to go on the offensive end. THe BRewers greatly improve defensively next year with Escobar replacing Hardy, and with Gomez patrolling center field.

 

[Frostillicus]

I'm happy with it for the Twins. They had to move one of their outfielders, and I'd rather it been Delmon, but I'm guessing his value is pretty much nil.Sucks to see Gomez go, he improved a little this year (moreso his approach at the plate than his numbers) and was great to watch on defense. Plus, as was pointed out, this kind of kills any value from the Santana trade. The only guy left is Guerra down in A ball.

I missed his approach improving. He never looked good. He'd have a good at bat and then the next one would be terrible. Honestly, the Twins probably should've sent him to AAA for the year. He needs more seasoning and was moved up through the system too quickly. I think he could be something but he might be the quintessential tools guy who never figures it out.I like the trade for the Twins. It addresses the extra outfielder that Gardy had to juggle all last year and give them a decent SS if Hardy can prove 2009 was a fluke.

No doubt he still had some pretty brutal at-bats and looked lost a lot of the time, and I completely agree with you that he would have been better served with a year in AAA, but he was at least showing some plate discipline this year. He increased his walk percentage from 4.2% to 6.5%, and swung at just 30% of the pitches he saw outside the strike zone, compared to 37% last year. It wasn't exactly a huge leap forward, but it did show that he was working on and improving those things, and that makes me a little nervous about trading him when he's still just 23 or whatever. Plus, he seems like an emotional guy, and being traded might light a fire under him.

 

[Shakespeare]

Glad to have Gomez out of the AL Central. He was a pain in the ###.Romeo & Juliet, Act 3, Scene IV.

Really?

Yes, really. But now that the Twins will have to play real baseball in a real park with real grass, the chop the ball into the ground for a single player may not be as much of a pain in the ###.

 

[the moops]

I found this amusing.

Link

According to the same source, Milwaukee wanted either starter Clay Buchholz or reliever Daniel Bard for Hardy. The Sox were not willing to offer either pitcher. Milwaukee was not interested in righthander Michael Bowden, whom the Sox would have been willing to part with

I can understand them not wanting Bowden, but to even fathom the thought that Hardy is worth Buchholz or Bard is ridiculous.

 

[trader jake]

9th spot? And bat the pitcher 8th?

Yeah, last season Macha batted the pitcher 8th and Escobar 9th after the young SS was called up from the minors. I doubt this would be a long-term plan but I could envision him throwing it out there under certain circumstances. I'm guessing we'll see Gomez batting 7th a majority of the season in front of the catcher.

No doubt he still had some pretty brutal at-bats and looked lost a lot of the time, and I completely agree with you that he would have been better served with a year in AAA, but he was at least showing some plate discipline this year. He increased his walk percentage from 4.2% to 6.5%, and swung at just 30% of the pitches he saw outside the strike zone, compared to 37% last year. It wasn't exactly a huge leap forward, but it did show that he was working on and improving those things, and that makes me a little nervous about trading him when he's still just 23 or whatever. Plus, he seems like an emotional guy, and being traded might light a fire under him.

Interesting stats on Gomez from 2008 to 2009. Baseball is a game of small percentages that can add up to big gains. If he continues to progress at the same rate in 2010 that increased production will be huge for the Brewers at the bottom of the line-up.