Where do you rank JJ Hardy among MLB Shortstops?/Hardy named NL Player of the Week (reply #91)

[kramnoj]

silversurferr, you are basically speaking as a fan here who loves his player. That's good, that's what fans do. But that's not much of an actual discussion. You are shouting and you are insulting. Hardy right now is a valuable player, the Brewers are a better team for having him. That doesn't mean that he is worthy of an extension and that doesn't mean it's not okay to point out any flaws that he may have.

 

As an average payroll team, the Brewers won't be able to afford the most expensive free agents. One other thing they will have to consider as theymove forward with young talent coming up is how to structure their payroll with players going through arbitration and signing or trading for pitching that they don't have in the farm. Come 2010, the Brewers may have to decide that as good as Hardy is, he just isn't worth $8 million or whatever he would get in his final year of arbitration. Even though he may be expected to be a better player than Escobar, Escobar is probably going to provide more value for the dollar and the Brewers may be able to spend that money to improve themselves elsewhere. Depending on how the offseason goes, that decision could even occur as early as next year.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

On Yount -- he was mostly a poor hitter his first 4 years in the majors. It wasn't so out of the ordinary to employ a poor hitting shortstop in the mid 70s, but if the FA climate was such as it is today, it is very likely that had the Brewers insisted on calling him up at age 18, he would have been on another team by the time he was truly a great player.

 

That 166 OPS+ MVP age 26 season? The one that's pretty much as good as any SS (save Honus Wagner) has ever had, including any of AROD's seasons at short, once you adjust for context? Sure would've be a lot less fun to watch him put up those numbers for the Yankees.

 

As the story goes, the Brewers called him up because they were terrible anyway and they didn't have any better options in the entire system. In so doing, they helped him get to 3000 hits, but they also sabotaged his career rate stats so that only a careful observer really gets how special his prime was. They were also quite lucky that Robin was the kind of 18 year old kid that could handle big league failure psychologically.

[igor67]

I have some doubts that Hardy is a consistent .800+ OPS bat at this point, but what his recent hot streak shows to some extent is that last April and May wasn't a complete fluke. Hardy is going to be a solid all around player. Given that Weeks has been such a complete mystery as a player, I wonder if the optimal strategy medium term wouldn't be to shift Hardy to second and have Escobar at SS. The range advantage is more important at SS and the steadiness is an asset at second.

[Blindcheck]

JJ Hardy can go on crazy Hitting tears...I would love to see him put together a season long tear and see what kind of crazy numbers he could put up.

 

I think he can improve his offensive production and will...

 

I think he can be a .290 hitter with 20 home runs year in and year out.

[brewizard]

Doesn't this uber hot streak prove Hardy isn't consistent?

 

Just like all players are inconsistent. This uber-hot streak proves only that Hardy CAN get uber-hot at the Major League level - something I doubt Escobar can do right now.

 

Anyway, didn't everybody say that when Hardy was a prospect, he had MLB ready defense but his bat may take a little longer? Well, it looks like his bat has fully come around to complement his great defense. And some people want to dump him for another no-hit defensive SS? Wow.

 

endaround- if you take two players with identical lines BA .290 OPS .850, one of whom got there by non-flashy hitting - a double here, a single there, a little every day, and the other guy who got there by sucking for a while and then getting uber-hot with a bunch of homers, which one is the better player? Why?

[kramnoj]

And some people want to dump him for another no-hit defensive SS? Wow.

 

Is there someone here who is advocating dumping Hardy? Can you point that out? Besides, Escobar isn't "no-hit". He would be below average right now, but he doesn't project to be the worst hitter at this position.

[Ennder]

Hardy was very sick and lost 10 lbs just before the season started and he had some problems with his shoulder in May.

 

I'd say those two things are more pertinent than batting 2nd vs 7th. Obviously right now he is just on a hot streak but I expect numbers around last years from him. Higher OBP, fewer HR, more 2B but around the same OPS.

[CutWesHelmsPlease]

I think that over the course of a 162 game season Hardy is proving to be in the top 10 major league starters at shortstop. Is he ever going to be in that elite class like Jose Reyes or Hanley Ramirez or A-Rod or Jeter? Probably not, but what he is doing now is what the Brewers projected him to be in the minors. .260-.290 range with slightly above average power and plus arm, excellent hands, and minus range. I'd take Hardy right now over David Eckstein in his prime or Ryan Theriot or Jack Wilson. Now, I don't think you need to actively pursue trading Hardy because he's not a liability in your starting lineup like Bill Hall but if Alcides Escobar tears the cover off the ball this year and next year in Triple-A you have to start thinking about either moving Hardy to second or trading him, but right now he's just fine.

[BrewCrewForever]

I have said some pretty harsh things about Hardy. I have to apologize to him, he is as hot right now as I have maybe ever seen a hitter. Hope it lasts awhile longer and that he can stay consistent for the rest of the year.

[Tbadder]

I'd say that Hardy rates average as a defender overall, but with a plus arm.

 

I'd rate his offense above average. If he ever learns to hit the curve ball like he hits the fastball, I'd say he's an All-Star. Otherwise a shortstop that is consistently in the top half but never close to elite.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Is there a hotter hitter in the Major Leagues right now than JJ Hardy?

[kramnoj]

Is there a hotter hitter in the Major Leagues right now than JJ Hardy?

 

On July 2nd in this thread Hardy had the 6th highest OPS among SS. He now ranks 2nd. Quite a move in 4 days. He's also currently 5th in Runs Created compared to 14th on the 2nd. That's pretty darn impressive.

[rluzinski]

If you would have told me that Hardy would have the highest OBP in July among the regulars....

 

I give up trying to figure Hardy out.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

If you would have told me that Hardy would have the highest OBP in July among the regulars....

 

I give up trying to figure Hardy out.

Yeah I think that's the best approach on Hardy. You could point to 2 big reasons why he got hot:

 

1) His shoulder got healthy

2) He was moved back to the #2 spot and has protection from Braun and Fielder

 

But nobody could have expected him being this hot. Sometimes you just have to get away from the predictions based on statistics and tip your cap to a person. I am going to do that in this case.

[RyDogg66]

I even stopped calling him VaJayJay.

[brewizard]

I love JJ Hardy. He is an exciting player sometimes. Wow. I never thought he would get as hot again as he was to start last season, or the fall of his rookie season, but he is hotter now than either of those times.

[And That]

Hardy was named NL Player of the Week for last week.

 

Good on you, James Jerry!

[fondybrewfan]

In related news, Hardy has been named the Player of the Month for July. All other players have already conceded with the exception of Branyan, it is against the beliefs of the Church of Branyan to concede.

[craigharmann]

it is against the beliefs of the Church of Branyan to concede.

Branyan doesn't concede, he allows.

 

[berniebrewer4life]

I think he's no longer the rally killer for me, he's now the rally creator!

[FVBrewerFan]

I'm thrilled JJ is raking, but I think the shoulder is a little too convenient explanation. If that's what it takes mentally to turn things around, fine. But Hardy has been very streaky in the past, and this year is really no different. Last year he started out hitting a ton of HRs, then cooled off for a couple months, and got hot again in September. Long term, I think he would be a nice piece of the core. He doesn't daxxle you defensively, but I appreicate how he turns the DP perfectly (giving or receving) and almost always makes a strong, accurate throw to the chest of Prince. He may always go through streaks, but he'll end up hitting around 20HR, hit .275ish, and be a steady, "good clubhouse guy," and fan favorite.

[brewizard]

I just really like the word daxxle. Wow. Awesome word. I am daxxled by it.

 

But seriously, the shoulder is a convenient explanation, but it makes sense. He's feeling healthy, seeing the ball well, and boom. Going to Arizona where he has a home and family probably didn't hurt. Who knows... He is streaky, apparently. I'm not complaining about the upside though.

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Congrats JJ. How long do you think it took them to decide on Hardy for the award? Five seconds? .600 BA and a measly 1.367 OPS. 5 2B and 6 HR in a week. I think some guys would be happy to have numbers like that for the month.

[logan82]

Congrats JJ. How long do you think it took them to decide on Hardy for the award? Five seconds?

I am thinking a minute or two since they probably stopped to look up what JJ stands for.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Jason Grey from ESPN thinks Hardy is good for 10-15 more home runs this year and a .270 to .280 batting average.

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/fantasy/baseball/flb/story?page=clipboard080707