The Brewers - WWJD?
I don’t see those WWJD wristbands around baseball too much - likely because as much as many may well like Je-sus, he no help them hit a curveball. But I wonder if he could help the Brewers front office decide what to do as they muddle along in the midst of another forgetful season - currently sitting with a 40-50 record, nowhere close to the division or the wild card. If they’re active as this year’s trading deadline approaches, it will be as sellers, not buyers. No CC Sabathia walking through that door *this* July, Brewers fans. So, WWJD?
The two names that seem to come up most often are Corey Hart (who only wears his sunglasses at day games, despite persistent rumors to the contrary) and Prince Fielder (who appears to be making a real effort to outweigh as well as outhit his father… oops, check that, he’s already done both). The numbers:
Hart (age 28), RF, 2-time AS - 82G/342PA, 22HR, 66 RBI, 290/351/577–928 (147 OPS+). To put that in perspective, his career rate stats are 276/329/485–815 (112 OPS+). Either he’s breaking out and will continue to produce like this for the next several years in his prime - or he’s having his career year now, and it’s all downhill from here.
Fielder (age 26), 1B, 2-time AS - 90G/401PA, 20HR, 39RBI, 262/397/488–884 (139 OPS+). To put that in perspective, his career rate stats are 281/383/543–925 (140 OPS+). The actual OPS is less, but the OPS+ is similar due to the overal increase in pitching effectiveness this season (which is why OPS+ is such a good metric, because it serves to put numbers in context for more effective comparisons).
Now, Fielder is 5′11″, 270 lbs. His dad was 6′3″, 230 lbs (ironically my exact numbers as well as Jason Varitek’s, yet as my son pointed out to me when we were at a game recently, “Hmmm… except that he has 230 lbs of muscle and you just have flab”. Yeah, thanks pal. I hadn’t noticed. I submit Cecil had more flab than Varitek as well… although sadly, likely still not as much as I do… but I digress.) Prince is 270 lbs at age 26. Do we really think that weight is going to go *down* as he ages? Oh, and Prince wants his contract numbers (FA after 2011, IIRC) to *start* at Ryan Howard’s recently-signed, and universally-panned, contract numbers of 5 yrs / $125 million (second-highest AAV behind ARod, fwiw).
How much would it take to get Hart? How much would you be willing to give up to get Hart? How much would it take to get Fielder? How much would you be willing to give up to get Fielder?
WWJD? WWDD? (What would Danny do? Seriously, weigh in… you’re the Brewers expert: What would *you* do, Danny?) What would the rest of you do?
My wristband says WWPBD -as Papa Bear has long served as my moral and ethical compass, and my go-to guy when facing tough sports decisions (he’s a multi-faceted guru, as you all know). As a gaze upon my WWPBD wristband, the answer comes to me:
First, put out the feelers on both. If someone blows the Brewers away with an offer for Prince, take it. If not, wait and deal him this offseason. The Brewers would have to be idiots to give *that* guy a long-term, guaranteed contract. He’s a tremendous talent - but he wouldn’t be the first guy to eat his way out of pro sports, nor the last. If I’m the Brewers, shoot for the moon at the trade deadline. If you miss, then take the best deal you can get next offseason and move on.
Second, move Corey Hart at this trade deadline. He is having a terrific season and was a worthy All-Star, but I just don’t see this being a long-term trend. I prefer to think his is not PED-assisted, but I submit he’s another Brady Anderson. He wouldn’t be the first guy to have a career year at age 28, only to fall off the table subsequently - and he won’t be the last. Get what you can for him *now*, while his trade value is at its peak.
Then use the what’s acquired in those trades to go into 2011 building around Gallardo and Braun. That’s what I would do. What say the rest of you? (Btw, BA… could you set Je-sus up with a username and password, just in case he wants to chime in with what he’d do. I’ll pounder that we hear from him before we hear from Neumann.)