Giants Interested in Corey Hart

We know that Brian Sabean is in Milwaukee right now, but what we do not really know is who is he targeting? Prince Fielder? Corey Hart? Does he need more time to make a decision? According to Henry Schulman, Hart is the man that has piqued Sabean's interest. The possible interest in Hart was first reported by Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, but Schulman is now saying it's a real possibility that Sabean is in Milwaukee to work out a deal for Hart. It is my opinion that making such a trade would be a mistake, for many reasons.

Corey Hart is having a great season, an All-Star season. His numbers, .288/.350/.573/.923, are very impressive. But based on his past production, Hart isn't likely to repeat these numbers, and the Giants would be acquiring him at his peak. That means they will have to give too much to get him. And when I say too much, I mean Jonathan Sanchez and a prospect, probably someone like Thomas Neal. A young pitcher with potential and a pretty good prospect is too much to give up for a guy whose career numbers say he isn't a difference-maker.

Like I said, Hart's career numbers do not suggest that he can be a game-changing, middle of the order hitter. Before this year, Hart's only other above-average season was in 2007 when he had a line of .295/.353/.539/.892. Every other year, Hart never had an OPS over .800. At this point in his career, Hart is most similar to Rocco Baldelli, Jim Greengrass, Josh Willingham, Johnny Rizzo, and Ryan Church according to Baseball-Reference. For the most part, that's a pretty unimpressive list. The Giants would be asking him to come in and hit in the middle of the order in a much harder park to hit in than Miller Park. Ignoring his mediocre years and expecting him to keep up with his 2010 production would be risky and unwise.

The last reason I wouldn't be a fan of this deal deals with the future. Hart is 28 right now and will be 30 when his deal expires after the 2011 season. As a 30 year old free agent hitter with a couple of pretty good years and a few mediocre ones, he would not be worth re-signing. In that way, he reminds me of Jason Bay. Bay was a very good hitter but he hit free agency at age 30, got a big contract, and so far isn't producing the way he should be. I don't like the chances of Hart being worth the large contract he's sure to demand when his current deal expires. I know people think Prince Fielder's body is going to break down and he won't deserve the contract he gets, but I'd much rather have a 28 year old Prince Fielder than a 30 year old Corey Hart.

Corey Hart is a very good hitter and he would instantly improve the Giants offense. But he's the wrong guy for the Giants to go after. He would demand Sanchez and Neal which is too much, especially when you could probably get Prince Fielder for just a little more. If the Giants offense is really going be a playoff caliber unit, a game changing slugger is what they need. Prince Fielder is that guy. Corey Hart is not.

Could Giants Field Fielder? (Get it? Field him? Hahaha! Oh yeah! Heyo!)

So the Giants maybe have a real chance of acquiring Prince Fielder from the Brewers. According to Mychael Urban of CSNBA, the Brewers want Jonathan Sanchez and minor leaguer Thomas Neal. Apparently some people over at mccoveychronicles don't think this trade would be a good idea. With that in mind, I will try to outline what exactly we would be giving up and getting HOLY SHIT DO YOU REALIZE WE COULD GET PRINCE FIELDER FOR JONATHAN SANCHEZ WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE ARE YOU INSANE?!?!?!

Jonathan Sanchez is having a good year, with a 3.26 ERA, and a 1.234 WHIP, which is kind of high, but his WHIP is improving every year. Sanchez, age 27, has a career 4.52 ERA in over 500 innings, with a 1.409 WHIP. His career K/BB ratio is 2:1. Sanchez has had moments of brilliance this season, but he also frustrates because it seems like he still hasn't taken that big step he looks capable of.

Thomas Neal, 22, is playing in AA ball this year, with a line of .288/.350/.438. Last year Neal had a terrific year in San Jose, hitting .337/.439/.579. He was drafted by the Giants in the 36th round of the 2005 draft.

Prince Fielder is 26, and will be a free agent at the end of next season. Last year, Fielder hit .299/.412/.602, and was 2nd only to Albert Pujols in OPS, 1.014. Back in 2007, he had an almost identical year. 2008 was a down year for Fielder, with only a .879 OPS. The most similar players at his position around his age include Adrian Gonzalez, Justin Morneau, and Ryan Howard. If he makes it to free agency in 2011, expect him to sign a HUGE contract.

A HUGE contract would also be necessary to keep Fielder from getting to free agency. This is the entire key to this possible trade: Fielder must stay with the team more than a year and a half. Scott Boras is Fielder's agent, so Fielder rejecting an extension is a legitimate concern.

If this were a trade rumor that included Tim Lincecum or Matt Cain, I would understand the OVERWHELMING opposition to this trade that their seems to be among Giants fans. The fact is that the Giants have had a horrid offense for half a decade. Prince Fielder has twice in that half decade had an OPS over 1.000. The Giants also have one of the best pitching rotations in the majors. Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are both #1 starters on most teams. Barry Zito is a good pitcher. Madison Bumgarner is projected to be at least a #3 on a good team. That is a lot more pitching than most teams have. Just imagine you had another pitcher, good, not great, and a team wanted to give you one of the top 10 hitters in the league for him. What is the hesitation here? Jonathan Sanchez is not good enough to stop us from finally replacing Barry Bonds. Can you please name for me a player other than Pujols, H. Ramirez, Mauer, A. Rodriguez, and M. Cabrera that is a better hitter than Fielder? And we're gonna let a 27 year old with a 4.50 career ERA stop us from getting that? And don't even mention Thomas Neal. He may be the most legit prospect, but I would gladly give up a 36th rounder with one good year in A ball to get a 26 year old with a .543 career slugging percentage.

I'm trying to understand this mindset that seems to put SO much into the vast fog of potential, and downplays proven ability and production at the major league level. We can finally get that guy we've wanted for so long, and a couple maybes are going to stop us?

It's actually my inclination to say that the Brewers would want more than this, that the Giants would be lucky to pull this trade off. Then again, the Mets got Johan Santana for Carlos Gomez and a bag of rocks.

Oh, but I forgot, Brian Sabean doesn't like phones. He's Paul Sorvino from Goodfellas. He sits in his house and has Bobby Evans go out into the rain to call other GM's from a pay phone. And Matt Cain has to hold the umbrella.