Kicking the Tires: Brad Hawpe

by Ian Casselberry on Oct 18, 2009 10:35 AM EDT in Hot Stove Comment 24 comments

More photos » David Zalubowski - AP

What sort of market will Brad Hawpe attract this offseason? And should the Detroit Tigers get involved in that action?

The Rockies' Brad Hawpe was a popular trade target among some Tigers fans early in the season. But that deal wasn't going to happen as long as Colorado was playing so well, a run which ultimately took them to the playoffs. But now that the season is over, might Hawpe be available again?

The Ghost of Moonlight Graham looks at the possibility, mentioning five teams that might be interested in Hawpe this winter. The Detroit Tigers were not among them.

This season, the left-handed Hawpe batted .285/.384/.519 with 23 home runs and 86 RBIs. Those numbers are pretty much what he's produced in each of the last four years. And against right-handed pitching, Hawpe hit .303/.403/.552 with 17 homers and 66 RBIs in 419 plate appearances, the sort of production the Tigers could only dream of getting from Aubrey Huff.

But Hawpe doesn't come without some problems. One, of course, is his price tag. What might the Rockies want in return for a player who will presumably be in demand this offseason? But Hawpe's contract is also a problem. He's due to be paid $7.5 million next season. (The deal also includes an $11 million club option for 2011, but Hawpe could void that if he's traded.)

Another issue is his defense. As much as Hawpe might contribute with the bat, he might give it right back with his glove. Hawpe's UZR/150 in right field this season was -19.5. Click over to Fangraphs to see where that ranked, and you'll have to scroll all the way to the bottom. He's also only played right field in his major league career, and Detroit would presumably need him in left field.

One more problem, as TGOMG points out, is that Hawpe is essentially a platoon player now.

Hawpe can’t hit left-handed pitching. Hawpe’s career OPS vs. left-handed pitching is 158 points lower than it is against right-handed pitching. If Hawpe plays against a lefty and with his defense, you might as well just bring back Terry Shumpert to play the OF.

To be exact, Hawpe batted .243/.337/.438 against lefties this season in 169 plate appearances. (Shumpert, by the way, batted .235/.304/.372 in his final season with the Rockies in 2002, just to make that reference clearer.) But in the Tigers' case, maybe that would just present an opportunity to play Ryan Raburn.

So here's where we put it to you. Is Hawpe a player the Tigers should pursue this winter? Is he too expensive? Is he not quite the right fit, especially from a defensive standpoint? Can they get similar production out of a Carlos Guillen-Raburn platoon in left field?

(via Purple Row)

0 recs | Comment 24 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Large contract, garbage defense?

No thanks, I’ll pass. We’ve got enough defensive issues at the left corner right now, we don’t need to add to the logjam of players there for $7.5m.

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 18, 2009 11:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A direction best not taken

If they’re really looking for an aging batter, they’d be better off on the free agent market. I’d rather they stick to solutions from inside this offseason, myself.

Mack Avenue Tigers

by Kurt Mensching on Oct 18, 2009 11:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hawpe

Tigers already have too many full time DHs we do not need another one.

by Barry2 on Oct 18, 2009 11:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I must admit, it's one of the names I did think of in terms of guys who might be available

But upon further research, he probably isn’t the best choice. I don’t really mind the fact that he can’t hit LHP (that’s what you have Raburn for; and he’s an outfielder, not a catcher), but his outfield defense isn’t particularly good (and I don’t even buy into all that Fangraphs stuff most of the time). Besides, for a guy who is supposedly such a key part of the Rockies’ offense, he only had 4 ABs in the NLDS, and I don’t think he ever got a start. There are other guys in the NL West that I would be more enthusiastic about (though none of them are realistic possibilities at all).

Tigers Amateur Analysis

by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 18, 2009 12:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If he sucks at defense, we might as well keep Guillen out there and not have to pay someone else a contract

to do the same thing.

by wepri31 on Oct 18, 2009 12:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

or platoon Guillen with Raburn, as Ian asked about. Hawpe is not worth investing in.

by cloud wall on Oct 18, 2009 12:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Brad Hawpe = Jeff Larish?

I’ll admit I love Hawpe and wouldn’t mind seeing him in Detroit. My question is, don’t the Tigers essentially have Brad Hawpe right now in the person of Jeff Larish? Granted, Larish is coming off wrist surgery, but isn’t it odd that we don’t read much about him playing a role on the 2010 Tigers?

Visit The Daily Fungo.

by MikeMcClary on Oct 18, 2009 12:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I wasn't impressed with Larish when he was healthy

He has some good defensive numbers in 2008 (42 games, small sample, etc. etc.) but his offense never showed any kind of pop. I don’t know that Larish will play a big role in the 2010 Tigers. If he’s still around come 2011, they might use him as an Inge replacement.

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 18, 2009 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Larish

Your right about Larish and you can forget about him replacing Inge at 3B because he is 1B. One thing that is amazing about Larish is, his OBP is extremely high with a batting avg of 260 in the minors and 240 in the pros.

by Barry2 on Oct 18, 2009 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he is a first baseman...

but as I recall he was being moved (or at least trained) at 3rd when Miggy moved to first.

My Music: Some Sorta Giant

by madpoopz on Oct 19, 2009 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's worked some 3B, but not a lot

Larish has zero future at 1B. He’s never played 2B, and he’d be awful at SS. Only one spot left.

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 19, 2009 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought I remembered him over at 3rd...

and I remember being semi comfortable with him there.

My Music: Some Sorta Giant

by madpoopz on Oct 20, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's been there now and again

In the majors he’s only logged 13 games and 89 innings at 3B over two seasons, 12 of which came in 2008. In the minors he’s logged only logged 14 games at 3B in two seasons. Not exactly experienced, but I know talk about him potentially playing 3B. Small sample size but it looks like he’s got the range to play over there.

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 20, 2009 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Whoops.

Not exactly experienced, but I know talk about him potentially playing 3B has cropped up.

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 20, 2009 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He projects to have a lot of pop

Like 20-25 homers- think Adam Dunn lite. But he needs to stick somewhere for 500 AB’s or so.

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

by demondeaconsbaseball on Oct 19, 2009 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

to much money for very little...

left handed bat sure. but are we really upgrading anything for that kind of money? We have options in place within the system that provide more upside at a lower cost to the organization. Raburn, Guillen, and Clete are just a few options the Tigers have. Don’t be stupid Detroit.

My Music: Some Sorta Giant

by madpoopz on Oct 18, 2009 1:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wouldn't be worth it

We’d have to deal a damn good prospect for the right to pay him 7.5 million dollars, and we could probably get the same production out of Guillen.

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

by demondeaconsbaseball on Oct 18, 2009 2:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Pass, but I like this infinitely more than Scotty Pods.

By the by: I don’t know what people want out of most LHB’s against LHP’s. Hawpe hit .243/.337/.438 against lefties last year which is an OPS of .775. The league average LHB vs LHP hit .258/.323/.406 for an OPS of .729.

To complain of Hawpe’s “platoon split” is futile. He’s so incredibly good against RHP (where he’s facing what? 4-to-1 or 3.5-to-1 RHP vs. LHP?) that a 160 point drop in OPS means he’s still above average against LHP.

Fire Jim Leyland

And now at Beyond the Boxscore and Project Prospect!

by Mike Rogers on Oct 18, 2009 5:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wonder how much of that is a Coors thing though

I know you can isolate and remove the Coors effect, but I still have trust issues when it comes to Rockies…

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

by demondeaconsbaseball on Oct 19, 2009 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I suppose you can try to use his road splits, but I imagine those probably don't paint a complete picture either

Tigers Amateur Analysis

by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 19, 2009 6:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Road splits don’t paint a good picture because virtually every player (and team) perform worse on the road.

Fire Jim Leyland

And now at Beyond the Boxscore and Project Prospect!

by Mike Rogers on Oct 22, 2009 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m sure some of it is Coors, but not a ton, I don’t think. And if his power drops off, you can’t teach someone walking 13% of their PA’s. That’s absurdly good (league average I believe is around 7.5-9%). So at the least we’re looking at a platoon partner nearly assured to OBP something like .360 at the worst, no? I’ll take that. I believe his power is pretty real, as well.

Fire Jim Leyland

And now at Beyond the Boxscore and Project Prospect!

by Mike Rogers on Oct 22, 2009 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs