Could Bill Hall Provide Infield Help For the Tigers?
Brandon Inge says his knees (particularly his more painful left one) are feeling better, thanks to a new treatment program. (It all sounds sort of Zen, with focusing on other things to block out the pain.) And perhaps his four hits over the weekend indicate that he's learning how to play with his current injuries.
But we know that Dave Dombrowski looked at players who might be able to help out at third base, with rumors of interest in Freddy Sanchez and Marco Scutaro (though exact discussions were never confirmed). And with the Tigers' performance in Cleveland, one would presume that the Tigers are still looking for a bat that could help their offense.
Could Milwaukee's Bill Hall be an option?
He's played 263 games at third base over his career, 261 at shortstop, and also has experience in centerfield and at second base. Is he as good as Inge at third? No, but how many players are? (Hall's career UZR of 7.6 would currently have him among the top 10 among third basemen this season. So would his 3.7 this year.)
The Brewers demoted him to Triple-A last week, as he was hitting .201/.263/.337 with five homers and 20 RBIs in 199 at-bats this season. As a result, he'd lost playing time to Casey McGehee (and the newly acquired Felipe Lopez). Hall was called back up, however, when Corey Hart went on the DL yesterday. So he apparently has another chance.
But the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt thinks it's time for both sides to move on:
The best thing that could happen is a change of venue. Hall has done a decent job of keeping a stiff upper lip and has not been a negative force in the clubhouse, but that could change if he stays with the Brewers for the remainder of his contract.
The Brewers weren't wrong to give Hall a four-year, $24 million contract after he batted .270 with 35 homers and 85 RBI in 2006. But they did him no favors by asking him to move to center field the next season, then back to the infield in '08 after [Mike] Cameron was signed.
Hall didn't do himself any favors, either, by stubbornly refusing to make adjustments at the plate until he hit rock bottom. He got homer happy after the 35 bombs in '06 and continued to try to pull breaking balls, leaving him lost at the plate.
It's doubtful the Brewers are willing to eat all that money just yet. But, in essence, the money is gone, and it's time for Hall to be gone, too.
One big problem is that Hall is still owed $8.4 million for next year, on a deal he signed after that 35-homer season in 2006. (He's hit 34 homers since then.) And he has a $500,000 buyout for 2011.
Haudricourt speculates that Milwaukee would have to eat at least $7 million on that remaining contract to get another team interested. Or... perhaps they could take on another bad contract in return.
Hmm... Nate Robertson is set to be paid almost the exact same amount of money. I'm just sayin'...
(Thanks to allikazoo for sending over the Inge article from MLive.com)
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29 comments
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Comments
This would not be too bad an idea
especially your last sentance there
He’s about an equal hitter to Inge (lots of K’s)….and like you mentioned, prob only a slight drop-off in defense. Only problem is it would block us from acquiring someone better in the offseason.
by Tagne13 on Aug 3, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
larish
As I understood it, Jeff Larish worked hard at third base in the offseason. He’s hitting well a Toledo and wasn’t horrible earlier in the season with the Tigers, has power and walks a lot. Seems like a better option than the injured Inge (.153 BA with 0 homers and 1 RBIsince the All Star break) or trading for a waiver reject.
by ddpg4 on Aug 3, 2009 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
His stats
are worse than most any player we have already…. Blagh. We need a BIG BAT
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
by Detroitchik on Aug 3, 2009 12:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
HA!
Alli you’re the best…I get to go to the gun show Wednesday…
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
by Detroitchik on Aug 3, 2009 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lots of people I know are seeing our lord and savior wieters this month!
tiger fans and others. I’m jealous
by allikazoo on Aug 3, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
not to mention the man above. har har
by allikazoo on Aug 3, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you let me know
and I will get tickets if you ever get to town, Alli. You’d be a great ballpark buddy. :o)
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
by Detroitchik on Aug 3, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
oh I will! hopefully when I do, lots of us will be able to go!
we would definitely have fun, though :)
by allikazoo on Aug 3, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
uhhh...ummmm....no
Billy Hall is about the most frustrating player you can watch, because you know he has it in him, as evidenced by that 2006 season, but ever since he’s just never been able to summon whatever it was that worked that year. As mentioned in the Haudricort piece, he’s been jerked around so much, he might as well be a marionette. He had the CF job prior to the Cameron signing, then got shifted to 3B, but that didn’t last too long before they started giving Russell Branyan some of his at bats.
Once he finds a team with the time and patience to let him settle into a position, and find his stroke at the plate, I think he’ll be just fine. The problem is, with the Tigers, he’d just be another spare part, and I don’t think that would serve either the Tigers, or Hall, well.
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
by ahtrap on Aug 3, 2009 1:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Well.....
…..maybe a change of scenery will do him good.
by BennieBladesFan on Aug 3, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Like Hall...
….he can play 3rd and the OF…..I didnt know he was available though
by BennieBladesFan on Aug 3, 2009 2:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
have a chat with trembley while he's in town
mora is ready to move on. ha ha
by allikazoo on Aug 3, 2009 2:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Mora only plays 3rd.....
….hall plays 3rd and in the OF
by BennieBladesFan on Aug 3, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
WE ARE NOT GETTING ANY HELP PEOPLE
We just have to deal with the facts..Our guys are on payroll and have a job to do. If they do it or not, so what. They still get their paychecks. Geez, if I don’t do my job, I can get fired!!
by VegasTigers on Aug 3, 2009 2:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I just like having excuses to post pics of luke scott
by allikazoo on Aug 3, 2009 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What does that have to do with anything?
There are lots of MLB players that are super religious.
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
by Detroitchik on Aug 3, 2009 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It could upset the locker room
Dont want to take any chances
by BennieBladesFan on Aug 3, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So could one player being a Hugo Chavez supporter...
…oh wait, that’s already happened.
by 13194013 on Aug 3, 2009 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That, Bennie
is one of the most bigoted statements I have ever heard. AND I take offense to it.
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
by Detroitchik on Aug 3, 2009 8:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not a bad option
Bad contract trade- both Robertson and Hall have upside, and the Brewers need pitching while we need hitting. It’s not even that much of a risk- worst case, the players continue to suck. I like it.
by demondeaconsbaseball on Aug 3, 2009 2:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
worst case is that one continues to suck, the other improves
If I was with the Brewers, I’d have a hard time believing that Nate Robertson had more upside than Bill Hall. Just because the two contracts are similar doesn’t mean it makes sense. One still sucks more than the other.
by cloud wall on Aug 3, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just a Little Common Sense
There are a few very simple organizational moves this team could make to improve.
1. Stop benching Marcus Thames. Sunday aside I’m not sure what this guy has to do to earn everyday playing time. .789 OPS against RHP this season.
2. Stop batting bad hitters 2 and 3. I love Polanco and Thomas as much as the next guy but their days at the top of the order are over. At the very least stop hitting Thomas 3rd. Granderson-Polanco-Miggy, thank you very much, followed by whatever wacky combo of Thames-Guillen-Inge that Leyland saw in his Marlboro smoke that morning.
3. Jeff Freaking Larish. Not for nothing this kid had a .790 OPS when he was sent down with an .839 OPS against RHP. He is currently hitting .301/.424/.484 in Toledo with a 1.045 OPS against RHP. If Inge is hurt put him at 3rd. If Guillen goes back to LF, DH him. Is he Luke Scott or Adam Dunn? No. But why he was in Toledo while Josh Anderson, Magglio Ordonez and Ryan Raburn under-hit him in Detroit, I’ll never know.
4. (The longshot) Demote Santiago for Sizemore and see if his bat plays at 2B. Again I love me some Polanco but he ain’t cutting it at the plate this season. I’m not even saying let Sizemore take over but let’s get him some AB shall we?
I know we love our scrap-scrappy dirtbag lunchpail players who “play the game the right way” but that doesn’t score runs.
We don’t need crazy trades, just a little common sense Detroit.
by MacRae on Aug 3, 2009 2:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I know we love our scrap-scrappy dirtbag lunchpail players who "play the game the right way" but that doesn’t score runs.
I may have snarfed my water at that one. sadly a bit accurate, at times
by allikazoo on Aug 3, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not quite....almost
Marcus is NOT someone you want patrolling the OF on a regular basis…and with Guillen back Marcus will only catch DH duties vs. LHP. Also, I’m not sure the Tigers have a #2 hitter better than Polanco right now. Sizemore will no doubt make an appearance in Sept., but using him now….in the heat of a pennant race is not what one does to a young player. Jeff Larish…you make a good point, his bat makes him valuable of the bench even if not in the starting line-up. The current team is wholely responsible for the terrible play on the road this season…there is no 1 player or even a group of players you can point to and blame. Proof of this is the fact that Miggy has nice numbers, but……he has the ability to carry this team for a week or two and has not produced those type numbers. When looking at the bigtime hitters around the AL, Miggy is middle of the pack when it comes to producing runs…he has to step up.
by Reality Man on Aug 3, 2009 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just out of curiosity, who is the better defensive LF option? Ryan “boots” Raburn?
by MacRae on Aug 3, 2009 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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