Lookout Landing: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
New Blog: Voodoo Five for South Florida Bulls Fans!

Mariners Acquire Bill Hall

This is starting to get boring, the Front Office constantly doing things that we talk about. It's finally like Field Gulls. According to Shannon Drayer and others via Twitter, Bill Hall has been acquired for RHP Ruben Flores.

First, Ruben Flores turned 25 this year and is still pitching between A and High-A ball. He missed all of 2008 and has been pitching exclusively out of the bullpen this year and posting pretty unspectacular numbers. He will not be missed in the slightest.

Bill Hall, meanwhile, is owed $8.4 million next year and at least $0.5 million in 2011 (or an additional $8.75 million to exercise a club option). The salary numbers are obviously really curious as to what this means for 2010. The Brewers have to throwing in cash on this deal, they just have to. (Jeff's note: Milwaukee's covering almost all of the cost. Hooray!)

Bill Hall was a fantastic hitter in 2005 and 2006 and absolutely flipped the switch off ever since then. He can play 2B, 3B and CF at an above-average level which is a lot of defensive versatility. We will wait to see how much money is coming back to us, as that is the key to the deal, but Bill Hall can be a $10-15 million guy in value if he relearns how to hit and he (and/or Hannahan) likely takes over the starting 3B job next year should Adrian Beltre depart.

Jeff's input: It's really tempting to look at Hall's track record and say "hey if he can get back to doing what he did in 2006, then that'd be spectacular." But 2006 was three years ago. In 2006, Travis Hafner was the best hitter in baseball and Bronson Arroyo had the fourth-best ERA in the NL. There's always a chance that Hall could suddenly re-discover what once made him so good, and this *is* a change-of-scenery deal, but what we have to focus on is how to make Hall useful assuming he remains what he's been since 2007. And the best way to make this version of Bill Hall useful is to get him the majority of his playing time against left-handed pitchers while playing all over the infield. He's a utility/platoon guy until he proves otherwise, and while that's by no means a problem since the Brewers are footing the bill, it's best not to expect too much.

0 recs  |  Comment 90 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

More from Lookout Landing

Time To Acknowledge The Rumors

Jan 2010 by Jeff Sullivan - 371 comments

Comments

Display:

Through next year

And Dave says the Brewers are picking up almost all of the cost. So there you go.

by Jeff Sullivan on Aug 19, 2009 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I like him because he can play everywhere well

and we have no right handed outfielders

by Poochie on Aug 19, 2009 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I wouldn't count on his bat coming around

I know it’s a change of scenery and all, but the guy hasn’t been an average or above-average hitter in three years. Useful as a platoon guy, likely overextended as a regular.

by Jeff Sullivan on Aug 19, 2009 3:29 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Baker says he'll be on the ML roster

Any idea who gets sent down? Could Jack Wilson be put on the DL retroactive to some date last week?

by BrianL on Aug 19, 2009 3:20 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Josh Wilson?

If they’re going to try and use him in a utility role, then he’s basically the same as Wilson. Only with talent.

A Mariners fan in Seattle

by Coach Owens on Aug 19, 2009 3:39 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Shannon suspects

Bedard to 60-day DL.

I'm more like I am now than I've ever been.

by ralphie81 on Aug 19, 2009 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sex me Z!

My image of him was beginning to lose reception.

by Wilder. on Aug 19, 2009 3:33 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Eh, Beltre was probably gone long ago as this park kills him

and 2010 will really be his last big opportunity to get paid.

by Poochie on Aug 19, 2009 3:40 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

At least this means possible compensation, right?

I just hope that Belte can reach Type A status.

A Mariners fan in Seattle

by Coach Owens on Aug 19, 2009 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Neat!

FUCK THE ANGELS! FUCK THE ANGELS! FUCK THE ANGELS!

by Goose on Aug 19, 2009 3:40 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

But seriously, I love this move.

A Hannahan/Hall platoon at 3B next year means we will still have one of ’em available every day a super-utility player, we will still have great defense at 3B, and we will have more cash to spend elsewhere (Branyan extension, Felix extension (please)).

by lailaihei on Aug 19, 2009 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

A nifty platoon with Hannahan at 3B, back-up to Jack Wilson at 3B and extra OF....

This could be very useful even after taking Jeff’s caveats into account.
Both he and Hannahan have atrocious K rates largely because they’re so completely lost against same-handed pitchers.

by marc w on Aug 19, 2009 3:47 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I've always been a huge fan of Bill Hall

All he does is play hard and although most intellectual communities shun the idea of playing hard with the absence of mathematical reinforcement, if we plug him in at 3rd for the time being, we won’t lose too much defensive prowess platooning with Hannahan but get the potential of a power bat.

With that said, there is little to no substance when I say that. His numbers from the past 2-3 years indicate regressions in almost every relevant category (BABIP, LD%, OPS, etc), but he is moving to a worse pitching division and a slightly better hitters park. I just hope this change in scenery will do something for him. His position flexibility [||] isn’t a bad thing either.

The idea of the brewers paying for most to all of the contract makes this a low risk low reward move too. Not a incredible move and too early to judge the returns, but I like it.

WELCOME TO THE ZONE.

by HHZ on Aug 19, 2009 3:56 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Oops.

I guess we do lose a bit of defensive value at 3rd with Hall platooning.

WELCOME TO THE ZONE.

by HHZ on Aug 19, 2009 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I love low-risk high-reward signings.

If he craps out, then the teams only out a nominal amount, like a million or two.

If he finds where he left his bat speed and gap power, he’s a cheap, great supersub.

by craig3410 on Aug 19, 2009 4:08 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Glancing at Fangraphs

His O-Swing% and O-Contact% jumped in ’07, almost like he changed his approach in order to put more crappy pitches into play (his IFFB% jumped too). Weird.

by Manzanillos Cup on Aug 19, 2009 4:14 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

He's pretty much always swung at an average/above-average number of pitches out of the zone

It’s just that the average has also jumped around due to being measured differently.

by Jeff Sullivan on Aug 19, 2009 5:02 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Interestingly, I could not find much of a difference in his StatCorner stuff.

Whatever, as you pointed out in your comments, the Brewers are basically footing the bill on this one so Bill Hall costs us nothing but a roster spot and at worst, at worst, he’s basically a RH-version of Hannahan. Which gives us the chance to have two great versatile bench bats next season or a halfway decent 3B platoon.

by Matthew on Aug 19, 2009 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

By reading a game thread of your own volition you agree to accept all liability for any and all damage done to your delicate sensibilities.
Start posting about the Mariners »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

Connect_with_facebook

Cbs_fantasy_baseball_promo

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Clement_small
The Banner Unveiled

Recent FanPosts

Small
Official NCAA Tournament Day 1 Open Thread
Griffeydome_small
So, "Bullpen Conglomeration Guy" needs a name...
Carrollrookiesbn_copy_small
3/20 -- Return of Flag Football
Small
OTFPOTM, 2010-03-17 - Words With Friends, NCAA Tournament and Beer!
Small
Looking for Help to Upload Photos
Small
MLB TV Premium/ 1 yr for $19.95
Image_small
Unearthing a nice memory. Can you help me out here?
Small
Kill it now! Riggleman and McLaren back again
Small
What makes A-Rod such a good hitter?
Small
Book on the '95 Division Series

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

SBNation.com Recent Stories

Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Mat Gamel can't field a bunt by Chicago Cubs' Kosuke Fukudome, of Japan, during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Brewers Third Baseman Mat Gamel Diagnosed With 'Slightly' Torn Lat

Texas Rangers'  Nelson Cruz, left, and Chris Davis, center, are congratulated by Toby Hall, right, after they scored on a double by Elvis Andrus against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning of  a Cactus League spring baseball game in Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday, March 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

SB Nation's 2010 MLB Previews: Texas Rangers, Dripping With Promise

In this photo taken on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010, Colorado Rockies pitcher Huston Street throws from the mound during baseball spring training in Tucson, Ariz. Street has not worked out with the team in four days because of a sore shoulder. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) +1 updates

Rockies Closer Huston Street To Start Season On DL

More from SBNation.com >


Sexy People

Small Matthew

Wbc_029_small Jeff Sullivan

Marioavy_small JonBBT