Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Trading Gonzalez Was a Bad Choice

As I'm up past my bedtime watching Milwaukee and San Diego, wondering why, oh why, Craig Counsell is batting 6th again tonight, I thought I'd pass along the result of a quick chat I had with Brad tonight about the Padres.

We got to talking about Adrian Gonzalez, who is pretty much the most ignored superstar in baseball, playing out West for a struggling franchise.

Guy's numbers are ridiculous in 2008 - .281/.355/.518 with 28 HR and 88 RBI coming into tonight. He's on pace to improve on last year's breakout season, when he hit .282/.347/.502 with 30 HR and 100 RBI.

Consider these factors working against Gonzalez:

- he hits in Petco, which is where sluggers go to die (I'm looking at you, Brian Giles)
- he plays for a team with no protection in the lineup - unless you call Kevin Kouzmanoff protection. Why does anybody pitch to this guy?

But it gets better for San Diego. Guess how they got him?

Oh, they traded Adam Eaton, Akinori Otsuka and some throw-in for Gonzalez and Chris Young. That's about as lopsided a trade as you can get in baseball. Although Young has been hurt this year, he was great in 2007 and 2006, posting ERAs in the low 3's both years. And we know that Gonzalez has been a steal.

Adam Eaton? He started 13 games for Texas in 2006, posting a 5.12 ERA. Moved on to Philly the next year, where he continued to suck out loud.

Otsuka? Good year in 2006, posting 32 saves and blowing only 4. Then in 2007 he got hurt and is now out of baseball.

I know there were reasons why Texas probably thought this was a good move at the time. They needed a closer. Texiera was blocking Gonzalez. But the trade looks really foolish right now.

A funny side-note on Gonzalez? He was actually traded for a closer once before - Texas got him from Detroit in a July 2003 deal for Ugueth Urbina. Yes, that Ugueth Urbina.

By the way, I think the Brewers just broke the record for the most times grounding out to the pitcher in one game.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

No.
More.
Counsell.

Do we really want to go into the post-season with Craig Counsell as our starting third baseman? Out of position, wrong place in the batting order simply because he IS out of position; if they're done with Hall and Branyan (which I don't understand, Counsell's BA is just as bad as Billy's) call up Gamel. You'd lose defense, but at least you could hit. Or, alternatly, PLAY BILL HALL. Please.

Ok. I feel better.

Anonymous said...

Worse than Counsell - Laynce Nix is probably going to be batting 3rd this week at some point. Ugh.

Anonymous said...

?!?!?

Nonononono. Please no.

Anonymous said...

Worse than Nix batting third - Ned Yost is still making critical decisions that affect the team

Anonymous said...

What's Counsells VORP at third vs. hall/Branyan?

Anonymous said...

Counsell: -2.7 VORP
Hall: -2.1 VORP
Branyan: 11.1 VORP

I personally prefer Hall to Branyan (defense), but that's pretty much what I thought.

Clown said...

It's kind of a joke to expect this team to do anything in the post season with no regular position player at 3B.

I'm actually amazed at how well we've done this year with the 2B and 3B situations.

Anonymous said...

I know we bash on Weeks... but he's really not THAT bad. It's just with the talent he has we (rightfully) expect more.

I wish, on some level, that we would have been able to have more patience with Braun at third. I don't regret the move to any extreme, but he could have gotten better with a little work.

Play Hall at third, cut the Counsell crap (we tried it last year, though I'm sure Special nEd has forgetten). Or, alternately, start playing JJ at third and bring up Escobar.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, one more thing.

If they're insistent on playing Craig at 3rd, bat him 2nd, hardy 3rd, and Kapler/Nix 6th.

Anonymous said...

No. My lineup is:

2B
SS
LF
1B
RF
3B
CF
C
P

No exceptions

Anonymous said...

Isn't that just stupid? I can't stand it. Square peg, round hole.

Anonymous said...

Are the Brewers on a seven game losing streak based on these comments? I know JSonline is an awful paper sans McGinn, but this journalism just won't stand. Wait! You are telling me we are bitching about winning seven in a row and the papers aren't wrong. I am shocked! Considering the season has been over twice maybe three times based on analysis of the Brewers play I am even more shocked

Furthermore, I think bringing up two minor leaguers (in AA no less) with no experience in the middle of a playoff push would not be considered a panic move at all. Hell we should sign Bonds as well.

Anonymous said...

A while ago (immediately after the cubs series) it was asked of us by someone anonymous "why so much critizism? Only in it when they win it?"

Now, after a nice winning streak against horrible teams, we are asked "why are you being critical, they're winning?!"

The answer is this- We are fans with opinions. Yes, it's wonderful that they're doing well. That doesn't mean that I have to like that a backup middle infielder is currently underperforming and out of place at third base. It doesn't mean that the batting order should be determined by position instead of ablitity.

I love the Brewers. I love baseball in general. That doesn't mean that I can't be critical of my favorite team or any other team.