Hardy for Gomez

[Milt on Tilt]

The Hot Stove season didn't waste any time. This has already been a busy two days. Today the Twins acquired J.J. Hardy from the Brewers in exchange for Carlos Gomez. Gomez is a super two. Hardy is under team control through 2011.

[wu-tang clan]

I guess Bill Smith chose Delmon over Gomez. I wish the best of luck to Gomez in the future, he is the fastest man in baseball currently and has amazing potential in CF defensively. He just needs to develop his swing. JJ Hardy is a nice aquisition as well. I like the move.

Thought I'd add, Deolis Guerra is the only remaining player from the Santana trade now.

[Domenic]

This is a great deal for the Twins . . . and a real head-scratcher for the Brewers.

The Twins have some solid OF depth in the system (Cuddyer, Young, Span, Hicks, Revere) and Hardy, at the very least, makes the middle of the Twins infield incredibly formidable defensively. If his bat can bounce back, which I have no reason to believe it wouldn't, then the Twins will have gained a very valuable player.

With the Brewers needing pitching, I'm not sure why they dealt for Gomez. They do need a CF'er, but Gomez's bat all but negates his value defensively. . . and it could be even worse in the NL, where the Brewers will essentially have two pitchers hitting at the bottom of the order.

[ol' aches and pains]

Originally Posted by wu-tang clan

I guess Bill Smith chose Delmon over Gomez. I wish the best of luck to Gomez in the future, he is the fastest man in baseball currently and has amazing potential in CF defensively. He just needs to develop his swing.

He needs to learn how to run the bases, too. I don't care how fast he is, he doesn't know what he's doing out there.

[Milt on Tilt]

As demonstarted in the Game 1 of the ALDS. I just don't think he's an intelligent player.

[KCGHOST]

If J.J. reverts to his 2008 form this will be a good deal for the Twinkies. If not, it will just be expensive.

[TonyStarks]

Originally Posted by Domenic

This is a great deal for the Twins . . . and a real head-scratcher for the Brewers.

The Twins have some solid OF depth in the system (Cuddyer, Young, Span, Hicks, Revere) and Hardy, at the very least, makes the middle of the Twins infield incredibly formidable defensively. If his bat can bounce back, which I have no reason to believe it wouldn't, then the Twins will have gained a very valuable player.

With the Brewers needing pitching, I'm not sure why they dealt for Gomez. They do need a CF'er, but Gomez's bat all but negates his value defensively. . . and it could be even worse in the NL, where the Brewers will essentially have two pitchers hitting at the bottom of the order.

So what's this trade mean to Orlando Cabrera, who was a nice player down the stretch? Is he out of a job or is someone moving to 3B?

[Domenic]

Originally Posted by TonyStarks

So what's this trade mean to Orlando Cabrera, who was a nice player down the stretch? Is he out of a job or is someone moving to 3B?

Orlando Cabrera is a free agent - I'm not sure that he'll latch on as a starter anywhere, as his glove doesn't appear to be able to carry his mediocre bat going forward.

[Evangelion]

One of the centerpiece players in Santana, Carlos Gomez, already traded away. So far, it doesn't look like the Twins got much for Santana from the Mets at this point. Hardy an interesting young player with upside, but looking back, the Twins have nothing much to show for trading the best pitcher in MLB.

[ol' aches and pains]

Originally Posted by Milt on Tilt

As demonstarted in the Game 1 of the ALDS. I just don't think he's an intelligent player.

That's the game I had in mind.

[brewers08]

I approve this trade. JJ looked completely lost at the plate last year (I always thought he was overrated), with escobar coming up he was expendable. Gomez is still young, and has some upside. Now we can part ways with Mike Cameron, free up 10 mil to go after some pitching.

[Domenic]

If this is true, then I further call this move into question:

Originally Posted by Tony Massarotti

According to the same source, Milwaukee wanted either starter Clay Buchholz or reliever Daniel Bard for Hardy. The Sox were not willing to offer either pitcher. Milwaukee was not interested in righthander Michael Bowden, whom the Sox would have been willing to part with, and the Sox did not have a center field prospect who could match Gomez’s skill set.

I'm not sure how they could seek Buchholz and Bard, turn down Bowden, then end up with Gomez - particularly due to the fact that the team needs pitching more than anything else.

[Evangelion]

Originally Posted by Domenic

If this is true, then I further call this move into question:

I'm not sure how they could seek Buchholz and Bard, turn down Bowden, then end up with Gomez - particularly due to the fact that the team needs pitching more than anything else.

I'm still not sure why the Twins settled for Gomez in the Santana deal. I thought they could at least obtain F-Mart, but nope, they ended up with Gomez. It seems the rest of the league views Gomez highly, which baffles me.

[Milt on Tilt]

Originally Posted by Evangelion

I'm still not sure why the Twins settled for Gomez in the Santana deal. I thought they could at least obtain F-Mart, but nope, they ended up with Gomez. It seems the rest of the league views Gomez highly, which baffles me.

I just want to point out that although he is very good defensively, his inability to get good reads on balls prevents him from being an elite fielder. His ceiling is now Brett Gardner.