Q. OK, Hardy's sabermetrics are on scary trend. How about from a scouting standpoint?
A. A lot depends on whether you consider the Milwaukee Brewers MLB (TM) organization to offer any valid scouting on the subject.
If so, you watched as the Brew tossed him overboard to the sharks and, just to make sure he couldn't scale the hull on the way back, followed it up with a shark-chum bucket chaser.
I mean, he could rebound, like Bill Hall could. But slap me silly! For your own org to send four guys to grab wrists and ankles and heave-ho you, right after a great season?!
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Avast, ye lubbers. Think it over. Imagine that in June 2010, the Mariners sent Franklin Gutierrez to Tacoma, never to return, hey who'll give us something for him? What the deuce would it TAKE to cause that to happen?
Hardy's own team watched that LD% across five years, watched him swing behind fastballs, watched what the pitchers were doing, and then waved him off in disgust.
You and I, behind our monitors, are going to trump that with our, "Hey! This guy's a proven All-Star!" from Seattle? I think not, Peppermint Patty sir.
What, you think the Brewers front office got stupid because Jack Zduriencik and Tony Blengino left? What does their opinion count with you, compared to the opinions of the bloggers in Seattle? The grandmasters have sunk-cost one of their most important young players. Yowch.
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I don't expect Hardy to rebound with the bat, no. When last seen, he was squaring up the pitchers in a whopping 1-in-7 AB's and fly-fishing for low-away sliders like Miguel Olivo.
It's not buying low. Buying low is when a guy has a dip in his sine wave, like Erik Bedard 2009 or Ichiro 2008 or Washburn this winter. Taking J.J. Hardy is accepting a reclamation project. That's okay, but know the difference.
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Q. Well, the Brewers had Escobar ready.
A. Yeah, and the Mariners are going to have Ackley ready. Does that mean they'll "cancel" Franklin Gutierrez with a 9mm if a hot prospect comes up at his position?
J.J. Hardy was one whale of a valuable commodity for the Brewers, mate.
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Q. How was the Nashville takeout, by the way?
A. 70 AB's, hit like Jose Lopez again -- .260/.290/.460, tons of pulled groundballs, 4 homers.
Huge platoon split, plastered LHP, but posted an OBP of .240 against triple-A righthanders.
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Q. The good, the bad, and the ugly leaves us where?
A. If you want a pick-it SS, chip in with the bat where he can, maybe a 10%, 20% chance of recapturing the old glory, I'm good with the guy. (He's also got a 10%, 20% chance of never playing effectively in the big leagues again -- 90% chance, according to the Milwaukee Brewers.)
I don't want to swap him out for Jose Lopez* and I blamed sure ain't giving you Brandon Morrow or Dustin Ackley or Matt Tuiasosopo for him, but he'd be a legit solution to the 2010-11 shortstop problemos.
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Q. You'd rather have Jack Wilson or J.J. Hardy if it were the same $5M in 2010?
A. Well, Wilson is a legit 15-20 runs saved with the mitt; Hardy is 10; Hardy offers a potentially (somewhat) better bat.
It's roughly a push. I'm not trading you one of my best player for the delta between two NL Central glove specialists, but if you can get Hardy cheap, I'll plump for him over Jack Wilson.
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From a WAR standpoint, Hardy used to be a +4 wins and last year was +1, granting the UZR figures. I'm figuring him to bounce back to 2.0 ... but then again, that's Jack Wilson's level, +2.0. And with the same template: good glove, poor bat. Hardy is less extreme with the plus glove and minus bat.
For D-O-V, adding Hardy (or any other glove SS) is an isolated, measured step forward. I wouldn't tear apart the fabric of what I have to get it done, but I'd like to see it in isolation.
My $0.02,
Dr D

