Truth & Rumors > MLB

Brewers clearing salary space for pitching

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The Milwaukee Brewers did more Friday than trade one player for another. In sending shortstop J.J. Hardy to the Minnesota Twins for centerfielder Carlos Gomez, the Brewers began remaking their roster as well as clearing salary space to pursue much-needed pitching.

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

J.J. Hardy, AP J.J. Hardy, AP
November 7, 2009  09:50 AM ET

Congrats, Milwaukee! You now have the worst hitter in the majors starting in center field.

November 7, 2009  09:51 AM ET

This better be a salary dump move, otherwise the Twins would have needed a gun to pull off this kind of a robbery.

November 7, 2009  10:50 AM ET

They are hopeless if they don't sign some pitching so I can see them clearing salary space.

November 7, 2009  12:41 PM ET

I wonder if CC is availible?

November 7, 2009  12:44 PM ET

I agree with cards fan the brew crew is going down in the divison being the cardinals cubs and the Astros have a chance with Roy Oswalt and the Wand Wandy Rodrigieuez

November 7, 2009  12:58 PM ET
QUOTE(#4):

I wonder if CC is availible?

He'll let you know when he gets back from Disney.

November 7, 2009  01:09 PM ET

How do the Twins pull these trades off.

I mean, does their front office sit down after the season and actually believe they can trade off a disappointing, backup outfielder for a starting shortstop? A SS who in 07-08 averaged hitting .280 with 25 hrs?

This is unbelievable. And then I read Brewer blogs where dozens of fans proclaim that they LIKED the deal!!! Did the Twins slip something into the Milwaukee water system?

November 7, 2009  01:14 PM ET

I can understand clearing salary, but surely you can get more for Hardy than a bust outfielder who can't hit. Couldn't they at least have gotten a decent minor league pitching prospect?

I know Hardy had an off-year in '09, although it wasn't as bad as many like to portray. He was putting up decent fielding stats and on the way to a 15-16 hr season when he was benched. That's better than several other SS were doing.

But given that he had a career average of hitting around .260 with 20+ hrs and solid fielding stats and is only 27 and has 2 years until free agency, I am shocked that they gave him away for so little.

November 7, 2009  01:56 PM ET
QUOTE(#2):

This better be a salary dump move, otherwise the Twins would have needed a gun to pull off this kind of a robbery.

Well.... but JJ Hardy himself is barely passable at SS.... no loss really.... his .229 avg didn't scare anyone..... I guess the Twins are hoping that he reverts to 07-08 form.... I'm thinking he's just not that good.....

November 7, 2009  01:58 PM ET

Apparently Alcides Escobar is a hot prospect at SS and the Brewers feel comfortable moving that direction..... that's why they can afford to dump Hardy.....

November 7, 2009  02:53 PM ET

There is no question that they could move Hardy. He wasn't the starter over the last 40 or so games of the season.

It is more a matter of giving him away for so little in return. A couple of years ago, Gomez was a hot property. But this last season, he was so bad that you couldn't put him in your lineup.

November 7, 2009  03:14 PM ET

Milwaukee played a mean trick on Hardy this season. When they brought up Escobar, rather than bench Hardy, they sent him down to the minors for 20 days. That was the exact number of days needed to deny Hardy free agency in 2011. They did this so that when it was time to trade him, he would have 2 years left before FA, thereby driving up his potential trade value.

But then they went and gave him away anyway.

November 7, 2009  03:48 PM ET

Carlos Gomez?!?!?! HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!! Milwaukee, enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!

November 7, 2009  04:09 PM ET

Milwaukee fans are happy to see JJ Hardy leave, but don't think the Twins fans will be happy...

 
November 7, 2009  05:17 PM ET
QUOTE(#14):

Milwaukee fans are happy to see JJ Hardy leave, but don't think the Twins fans will be happy...

Carlos Gomez=Brian Mcrae...McRae who someone once said hit like the coachs' son.

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