Bill Hall of the Brewers

[hellborn]

Blows me away that this guy had such impressive stats this season and I didn't hear squat about him. Saw his 35 HR in a list of league leaders and I looked him up.
Any Brewers fans, or anybody, have comments about this guy? I've heard that he might move to the OF, so maybe he doesn't have a great reputation as a SS. You think that his big year with the bat is a fluke, or should we expect more?
He's a little bit old for a guy taking a genuine step forward with the bat, but I'd love to see him have some more big years.

[hudsonharden]

This probably belongs in the Brewers section.

[EvanAparra]

This probably belongs in the Brewers section.
Actually I like it here. Most Brewer fans know who Hall is, but not many others, Id like to see what non-brew fans say about him.

[hellborn]

Actually I like it here. Most Brewer fans know who Hall is, but not many others, Id like to see what non-brew fans say about him.
That's exactly why I posted it here...to keep the audience from just being Brewers fans. I'm curious what the national view of this guy is, as well as that from Milwaukee.
Can you imagine the press the guy would have gotten if he had these kinds of numbers playing in NYC or Boston? I'm sure I would have been well aware of him if I were still living in Chicago, but I'm pretty AL-centric here near Boston.
It's honestly still weird for me to think of Milwaukee as an NL city!

[Rapmaster]

Bill Hall was kinda inclined to make that jump this year. I was thinking more along the lines of 25 dingers and 45 doubles, but he went out and did 35/39. Much better year patience wise, he seems to be a little less aggressive and taking a lot more pitches. He walked more this year (although he did strikeout at an alarmingly high rate) and I guess he had some more quality hacks. He's gonna be 28 next season, what's considered to be a player's prime year.

[EvanAparra]

I think Bill Hall will be an all-star for the next 5 or so years. Just hope he gets better defensively.

[StanTheMan]

I watched Hall play a few seasons here in Indianapolis... AAA ball. He was always pretty decent with the glove. I don't recall him standing out as an exceptional fielder, but at the same time, he looked like be belonged on the middle of the diamond.

He tossed a ball to my kids after the third out one inning a few years back, and my kids liked to see him on Baseball Tonight for the past year and a half or so. After all the Cardinals, Bill Hall is on their favorite players lists.

While having an official International League Ball somewhere in the house, dirty as heck at this point, with the words "bill hall" (yes, all lowercase) and a stick figure drawn on it by a then 5 year old girl, does not make me an expert on the man, I did dig up the following....

In his only full season prior to 2006, he hit .291 with 17 and 62 in 501 AB's. In 2006, he went .275, 35 and 85 in 537 AB's. The .275 could have been higher, I think he slumped down the stretch just a bit... hitting .164 in the last 30 days. He could have had a .300 season with 35 HR's with a little more contact in September. A real nice player. He and Rickie Weeks are a poor mans David Wright and Jose Reyes, IMO.

At 6 foot and 210 lbs, he is pretty big for a middle infielder, which might explain some of the power he's got.

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/player.jsp?player_id=407849

[KCGHOST]

The odd thing about last year is that everything is very similar to 2005, but his HR total doubled. Despite upping his OPS by 50 points from 2005 his WARP3 score only went from 6.6 to 7.0 It looks like his baserunning and fielding fell off from 2005.

[Astro]

He is a shortstop version of Russell Branyan

[plask_stirlac]

That's exactly why I posted it here...to keep the audience from just being Brewers fans. I'm curious what the national view of this guy is, as well as that from Milwaukee.
Can you imagine the press the guy would have gotten if he had these kinds of numbers playing in NYC or Boston? I'm sure I would have been well aware of him if I were still living in Chicago, but I'm pretty AL-centric here near Boston.
It's honestly still weird for me to think of Milwaukee as an NL city!

Yeah, he'd be about as famous as Cliff Floyd... nothing incredible. Then he'd fade into semi-obscurity a la Jesse Barfield or John Valentin.

[hellborn]

Yeah, he'd be about as famous as Cliff Floyd... nothing incredible. Then he'd fade into semi-obscurity a la Jesse Barfield or John Valentin.
Well, to be as famous as Floyd would be a 1000X upgrade for Hall...and, Barfield had his good years in Toronto, faded in NYC. He was best known for that amazing arm, more than the 40HR power he flashed for the Jays.
Funny that you mention Floyd and Barfield...they're both from the Chicago area, actually Joliet for Jesse. And, I saw when looking up Floyd that his given name is Cornelius, Cliff is his middle name. Can't see why he uses the middle name...????
Connie Mack...Connie Floyd...they both work for me.

[THE OX]

At the beginning of the season I was delighted to have such a versatile and hustling "semi-regular" utility infielder/outfielder. Then when young Hardy went down with the ankle injury, I was delirious with joy to have a capable shortstop with home run power and plenty of hustle.

I certainly hope the Brewers management doesn't allow Bill Hall to get away!

[hellborn]

Seems like the thread died as soon as it was moved to the Brewers section.

[brewcrew4]

If the Brewers want to be succesful next year Bill Hall will be key. Im predicting another increase in home runs next year, upwards of 40 and hopefully his average will go up and strike outs will go down. Go Brewers!

[rickieweeks0023]

Well if the brewers are successful we will need to build our bullpen and get one more decent starting pitcher... believe me we were talked about started hot last year and then we started struggling then we traded our big guy who I still miss even though in my opinion he is not worth 5 years for 100 mil.. but i know whenever we play the astros i will kind of get sad when isee him on a different team.. but back to the topic if we are successful bill hall will be a big part of it .. but i don't believe all by his self we need another solid slugger or good hitter .. in my opinion...

p.s- I love geoff jenkins he's been one of the main brewers ive stuck through while we've been losing ... but he needs to go his 7 mil a year would be useful...