No Milwaukee Brewer has earned his cheers this year more than Jon Corey Hart.
Once the man who turned arbitration into a four-letter word, Hart promised to win back Milwaukee’s fans. Then, to the shock and awe of those fans, he actually went out and did it.
Hart’s gone from Opening Day benchwarmer to offensive juggernaut, delivering a first-half smorgasbord of 21 homers, 65 RBIs and a 20-game hitting streak. And quicker than you can say Roy Hobbs, Hart’s starting in the All-Star Game, where he even made the semifinals of the Home Run Derby.
Frankly, it’s been a wonderful story of redemption for Hart, one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing Brewers season.
And just as frankly, the Brewers should probably trade him. Tomorrow, if possible. While the flames are still shooting from the end of his bat.
I know, I know. There’s gratitude for ya. Brewers fans just endured 18 months watching Hart flail aimlessly through a baseball wilderness. Ever since his other All-Star appearance in 2008, he’d been a shadow of himself. A blue-plate special of bad health and bad habits, particularly with sliders off the plate, left him two steps shy of a Stuart Smalley confidence course.
And now, just when he’s turned it around, just when fans have seen their patience and faith so richly rewarded, you want to ship him out of town?
Well, want really isn’t the proper word. Need is more like it.
See, the Brewers need pitching. Specifically starting pitching. Needed it for years, in fact. And trading players like Hart or Prince Fielder seems to be the only way they can get it.
Milwaukee has tried the free-agent SP route, and what has it gotten them? Braden Looper, Doug Davis, Randy Wolf and, yes, Jeff Suppan. That’s more than $80 million worth of contracts, and the lowest ERA they’ve produced is Wolf’s current mark of 4.56.
Milwaukee has tried the draft-and-develop route, which has been an almost equally dry well. Yovani Gallardo is pure gold, and will be for many years. Manny Parra may become reliable someday, but he’s not there yet and increasingly looks like he was rushed to the majors. Moreover, there’s no cavalry waiting in the upper levels of the minor leagues.
So what options are left? Just wheeling and dealing. And you need some wheels to get the deals.
Which brings us back to Hart. Unless you believe in Milwaukee’s long-shot chances of a playoff run, which seems as likely as another Stuart Smalley movie, the time to trade Hart is now. Not because you’re worried about his future salary (though that’s a valid factor). Not because you’re worried he might return to his inconsistent ways (though that’s a valid concern).
You do it because trading Hart now can get you the pitching of the future.
Hart’s market value will never be higher, and several teams are reportedly interested. If the Brewers can deal him for a young, promising, big-league-ready pitcher, say a Wade Davis from Tampa or a Jonathan Sanchez from San Francisco, they shouldn’t hesitate to do so.
All things being equal, the Brewers should usually be willing to trade offense for pitching. It’s easier to find hitters of the free-agent market, and hitter-friendly Miller Park should be an attractive home base.
Well, unless you’re looking for $25 million a year.
Which brings us to Prince Fielder.
Prince, through his agent Scott Boras, has made it crystal clear that he’s not interested in a long-term future here. Just browse through Boras’ love letter to Milwaukee, as told to the Journal Sentinel’s Tom Haudricourt on Monday.
That should pretty much destroy even the heartiest hopes that the Brewers could keep Fielder. Milwaukee simply cannot afford to give 25 percent of its payroll to one player. Knowing that, and knowing that Fielder won’t help the Brewers make the playoffs this year, the team should maximize his value and trade him as well.
It won’t be easy on the fan base. Trading star players never is. But the goal, as always, is to win, and you can’t do that without pitching.
Brewers fans are used to seeing Fielder and Hart make good fastballs disappear. But for their final act, they should do exactly the opposite and help bring a few to Milwaukee.
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