Comments on: Hardy To The Twins http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/ Daily baseball statistical analysis and commentary Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:38:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/#comment-108846 John Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:27:30 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=11193#comment-108846 Hardy is a Starting Shortstop with power and good defense. Gomez is a CF who is a great defender who hasn't hit at all in two full years and another 1/2 season with the Mets. Starting SS's with power and DEFENSE- Maybe 10 in the Big Leagues total. Tons of weak hitting CF's Twins A+ for filling a need and giving up a Defensive replacement OF Brewers D - CF's who can't hit and are great Defenders are a "DIME A DOZEN" Makes NO sense except to SAVE MONEY - IF they spend the SAVINGS from not HAVING Cameron or Hardy on the books to SIGN a LEGIT #1 Starter, than a C+_ Hardy is a Starting Shortstop with power and good defense. Gomez is a CF who is a great defender who hasn’t hit at all in two full years and another 1/2 season with the Mets. Starting SS’s with power and DEFENSE- Maybe 10 in the Big Leagues total. Tons of weak hitting CF’s

Twins A+ for filling a need and giving up a Defensive replacement OF

Brewers D – CF’s who can’t hit and are great Defenders are a “DIME A DOZEN” Makes NO sense except to SAVE MONEY – IF they spend the SAVINGS from not HAVING Cameron or Hardy on the books to SIGN a LEGIT #1 Starter, than a C+_

]]> By: ralf http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/#comment-107079 ralf Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:57:24 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=11193#comment-107079 Fangraphs is probably the wrong place to bring up something as unquantifiable is the influence of coaches, but I like the Brewers' chances of turning Gomez into a decent hitter. The Twins' philosophy seems to be that if you're fast, you should swing at the first pitch, chop it into the ground, and hope to beat it out. Cristian Guzman, Luis Rivas, Nick Punto, Alexi Casilla, Carlos Gomez- very fast runners and totally useless hitters under Ron Gardenhire. Denard Span is breaking the mold by drawing walks and hitting with a level, line-drive swing, but I never saw any evidence over the last two years that Gomez was encouraged to do the same, despite the fact that his raw bat speed is probably better than Span's. The Brewers have their share of free-swingers, but they seem aware, unlike the Twins, of something that should be obvious to every Little Leaguer: that it's easier to hit while ahead in the count, and if you always swing at the first pitch you'll almost always be behind (*ahem* Delmon Young). Maybe Gomez can learn from watching Prince Fielder what he should've learned from watching Joe Mauer. After all, he's only 23 and he was rushed through the minors. Maybe he'll learn to love the 2-0 count and the line drive. Or maybe he'll just be coming in on a lot of double-switches. Fangraphs is probably the wrong place to bring up something as unquantifiable is the influence of coaches, but I like the Brewers’ chances of turning Gomez into a decent hitter. The Twins’ philosophy seems to be that if you’re fast, you should swing at the first pitch, chop it into the ground, and hope to beat it out. Cristian Guzman, Luis Rivas, Nick Punto, Alexi Casilla, Carlos Gomez- very fast runners and totally useless hitters under Ron Gardenhire. Denard Span is breaking the mold by drawing walks and hitting with a level, line-drive swing, but I never saw any evidence over the last two years that Gomez was encouraged to do the same, despite the fact that his raw bat speed is probably better than Span’s.

The Brewers have their share of free-swingers, but they seem aware, unlike the Twins, of something that should be obvious to every Little Leaguer: that it’s easier to hit while ahead in the count, and if you always swing at the first pitch you’ll almost always be behind (*ahem* Delmon Young). Maybe Gomez can learn from watching Prince Fielder what he should’ve learned from watching Joe Mauer. After all, he’s only 23 and he was rushed through the minors. Maybe he’ll learn to love the 2-0 count and the line drive. Or maybe he’ll just be coming in on a lot of double-switches.

]]> By: nate http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/#comment-106984 nate Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:20:58 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=11193#comment-106984 The brewers of the 90s were brutal. They developed few quality players , and those players would be traded before having their peak seasons. Guys like Sheffield, Greg vaughn, Jeff cirillo, even mark loretta. It is a reference to a very dark time in brewer history and a fear of returning there. The brewers of the 90s were brutal. They developed few quality players
, and those players would be traded before having their peak seasons. Guys like Sheffield, Greg vaughn, Jeff cirillo, even mark loretta. It is a reference to a very dark time in brewer history and a fear of returning there.

]]> By: Sam A http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/#comment-106956 Sam A Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:34:08 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=11193#comment-106956 Agree about he OF defense. That could be brutal to watch everyday. I just remind myself that Gomez was not an everyday player, so we got the Young-Span-Cuddy combo half the time anyway. I'd rather have Hardy every day than Gomez every other day. Agree about he OF defense. That could be brutal to watch everyday. I just remind myself that Gomez was not an everyday player, so we got the Young-Span-Cuddy combo half the time anyway.

I’d rather have Hardy every day than Gomez every other day.

]]> By: Luke http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/#comment-106954 Luke Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:29:32 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=11193#comment-106954 No, Gomez is fast and a bad baserunner. And if power was simply a matter of swinging very hard, he'd be very powerful, but after watching him for two years I saw pretty minimal ability to actually put the barrel on the ball. He's very enthusiastic, but seems hard to teach. Anyway, a fun player, but talent-wise not one I'm going to miss on the Twins. No, Gomez is fast and a bad baserunner. And if power was simply a matter of swinging very hard, he’d be very powerful, but after watching him for two years I saw pretty minimal ability to actually put the barrel on the ball. He’s very enthusiastic, but seems hard to teach. Anyway, a fun player, but talent-wise not one I’m going to miss on the Twins.

]]> By: Mike in MN http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/#comment-106953 Mike in MN Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:29:05 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=11193#comment-106953 Late to the part, I know, but this Twins' OF defense might be the worst in baseball now. With this pitching staff, ouch. Love getting Hardy, hate having Young, Span, Cuddy as my OF defense. Hate it. Hate it. Late to the part, I know, but this Twins’ OF defense might be the worst in baseball now. With this pitching staff, ouch. Love getting Hardy, hate having Young, Span, Cuddy as my OF defense. Hate it. Hate it.

]]> By: JH http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/#comment-106863 JH Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:15:36 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=11193#comment-106863 Only if you think that 3-4 WAR have to come in the form of 1 person or via FA. There are bargains to be had in this year's FA crop, and I don't think the Brewers are done on the trade market, either. Hardy was their most obvious chip, but he was far from their only one. Only if you think that 3-4 WAR have to come in the form of 1 person or via FA. There are bargains to be had in this year’s FA crop, and I don’t think the Brewers are done on the trade market, either. Hardy was their most obvious chip, but he was far from their only one.

]]> By: JH http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/#comment-106862 JH Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:09:07 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=11193#comment-106862 A good defensive outfielder who just put up a .763 OPS in his age-24 season has no remaining upside? That's pretty harsh. Also untrue. A good defensive outfielder who just put up a .763 OPS in his age-24 season has no remaining upside? That’s pretty harsh. Also untrue.

]]> By: JH http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/#comment-106860 JH Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:03:21 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=11193#comment-106860 I think there's virtually no chance the Brewers made this move thinking that Gomez was a finished product offensively. I don't think he's a great bet to reach even 60% of the upside that was discussed 2-3 years ago, but I'd put good money on the fact that the Brewers disagree with me. I think there’s virtually no chance the Brewers made this move thinking that Gomez was a finished product offensively. I don’t think he’s a great bet to reach even 60% of the upside that was discussed 2-3 years ago, but I’d put good money on the fact that the Brewers disagree with me.

]]> By: Steen http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hardy-to-the-twins/#comment-106776 Steen Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:46:03 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/?p=11193#comment-106776 Hardy's LD% and contact% are both trending down. Are we sure his bat isn't slowing down? That would explain why he was able to be had for so "little". Hardy’s LD% and contact% are both trending down. Are we sure his bat isn’t slowing down? That would explain why he was able to be had for so “little”.

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