Brad Hawpe

MLBTradeRumors talks about Brad Hawpe's availability and mentions the Cubs as a good fit for him.

over 2 years ago wrigleyrocker12 24 comments 0 recs |

Comments

Hawpe does a bit of everything on offense, and quite well. But his defense sucks. And if we are playing an OFer that sucks at defense, I want more lumberjack, a la Adam Dunn.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Oct 13, 2009 5:43 PM CDT reply actions

I'd love for Hawpe to become a Cub.

I do wonder how his stats are away from Coors Field.

by Cubbiegoon on Oct 13, 2009 6:51 PM CDT reply actions

.286/.379/.508 at coors

.280/.375/.489 away

"hey

by jesus christos on Oct 13, 2009 8:09 PM CDT up reply actions

There's one of the few Coors hitters...

… who has hit about the same on the road.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Oct 13, 2009 8:13 PM CDT up reply actions

boy

2 hops/hawpes in the outfield?

i like it..

"hey

by jesus christos on Oct 13, 2009 8:05 PM CDT reply actions

Do we have to recreate that LSU national championship team?

I say no to Hawpe, he is horrible in the outfield and he doesn’t play center field.

Just say no to players named Aaron on the Cubs.

by nji232 on Oct 13, 2009 8:14 PM CDT reply actions

If we were able to move Dome

I wouldn’t be against Hawpe being a Cub.

by Cubsfan Waveland on Oct 13, 2009 9:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Has there been any indication...

whatsoever that the Cubs are even considering trying to trade Kosuke?

by kanderber on Oct 14, 2009 7:43 AM CDT up reply actions

Last offseason there were rumors that the Cubs would listen

but I haven’t heard anything this off-season directly; indirectly, there’s only the idea out there that the Cubs want to improve CF defense.

Inspector #23 certifies that the above post is sarcasm free, most certainly not what she said, and chock full of intangibles, although regressing to the intangible mean, as you'd expect.

by DGU on Oct 14, 2009 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions

What do you give up to get him?

That’s the question. If I read that story right he can void his contract after 2010 if he is traded. Not sure you give up too much for a one year player, when we still have to find someone to take MB off our hands. I’d say pass. His defense is average, and since that would most likely leave Fukudome in CF you don’t have a superior CF to cover up for him. I’d rather find a way to get Fukudome back to RF and get better in CF.

by Nibbles on Oct 13, 2009 9:48 PM CDT reply actions

One thing about Hawpe

He only hits 243 against lefties.

"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver

by wrigleyrocker12 on Oct 14, 2009 7:21 AM CDT reply actions

As most have said they'd consider

Hawpe if Dome could be moved, I’ll guess .243 versus LHP is close to .100 points better than Dome.

All said, I’m not sure Hawpe is enough of an upgrade to finagle a Dome trade and give up talent for one year of Hawpe.

if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand

by N Oakley on Oct 14, 2009 9:56 AM CDT up reply actions

Yes Hawpe is an upgrade

Hawpe has had a OPS better than 850 in all the past 4 years.

"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver

by wrigleyrocker12 on Oct 14, 2009 5:27 PM CDT up reply actions

And is God-awful at defense.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Oct 15, 2009 8:36 AM CDT up reply actions

Very slight correction:

Hawpe has hit .242./.321/.429 (.750 OPS) vs. LHP over his career (568 PAs)

For his career, Kosuke has hit: .242/.343/.324 (.667 OPS) in 218 PAs.

So their batting averages are exactly the same, though the sample size is much different. I’d guess that, overall, Hawpe would be an offensive upgrade – particularly, he’d bring more power.

Now, defensively, one might say my mind has been effectively blown. Brad Hawpe’s career UZR numbers in RF (5,728 innings) are -89.9/-19.9 UZR/UZR 150. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen UZR ratings that low for a full-time starter. That’s worse than Adam Dunn in left field over the course of his career.

So…I’d have to give a thumbs down to the idea of trading Dome and replacing him with Hawpe. I’d still rather have Kosuke as an option at the top of the lineup and have his excellent defense in right field. (Again, the Cubs ideal off-season outfield target is a centerfielder.) Hawpe is superior offensively but Dome is improving and may get at least a little closer to Hawpe’s production next year. And defense that bad is, well, horrifying.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Oct 14, 2009 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions

Just out of curiosity, how much of Hawpe's UZR can be attributed to the spacious Coors Field outfield?

In a smaller park, would his range go up, bringing the UZR to a more acceptable level?

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Oct 14, 2009 12:39 PM CDT up reply actions

Hm, that's a good question.

My research indicates that UZR is park-adjusted (see third comment), so those numbers presumably do take Coors Field into account. Honestly, he appears to be so bad at defense that even a smaller outfield would probably only bring him from horrific to bad. Or perhaps “a notch below horrific.”

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Oct 14, 2009 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks.

I was curious about that (I can’t remember everything I read in Baseball Between the Numbers).

With that in mind, I’d rather see the Cubs try and fill CF, and let Fukudome slide back to RF, where his defense is better. One of the easiest ways for the Cubs to improve next year is to fix their OF defense.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Oct 14, 2009 1:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Totally agree.

Mike Cameron is looking like a pretty good fit. Of course, a lot still depends on who the Cubs will be able/forced to take for Milton.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Oct 14, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm holding out hope for a mega-swap involving Granderson and The Suspended One.

But if that doesn’t go through, then yeah, I could see looking at Cameron. But if we get frustrated watching Soriano flail at sliders away, we’re going to love watching Cameron chase fastballs at his shoulders.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Oct 14, 2009 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions

His strikeout rate is 7% higher than Soriano I think

certain people (cough, BLou, cough) won’t be able to handle that.

I still think Cameron is the ideal centerfielder for at least next season if not the next two years. It’s not like he would be blocking somebody in the minors

Just say no to players named Aaron on the Cubs.

by nji232 on Oct 14, 2009 9:14 PM CDT up reply actions