Ray Durham -- Latest: Trade completed? Ford and Hammond to the Giants for sure, no Taschner

[jjfanec]

Apparently Rosenthal is saying the Brewers were talking to the Giants about Ray Durham and Jack Taschner. This is from a guy on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal blog lineup page. I have not been able to find any more on it. It is interesting. I don't think Taschner fits as much as Durham who is a switch hitting 2b

[brettac1]

Taschner gets mentioned all the time solely because he is from WI, I think. He's not even better than Stetter, and he's already 30. Durham, I could see. However, he is a terrible defender at this point, too.

 

I think it's bogus, like most things on the blog comments over there.

[dadofandrew]

I can imagine interest in both, even moreso if Durham played OF.

[bamberger]

With the White Sox, as I recall. Haven't seen it in SF.

[Dmiles23]

With the White Sox, as I recall. Haven't seen it in SF.

Durham never played in the OF with the White Sox. He's played there once in his career, for 1 inning in 2005.

 

[splitterpfj]

MercuryNews.com reports the Giants are likely to wait until near the trade deadline to decide whether they are in or out of the NL West race, but that they are discussing deals for their veteran players, such as Ray Durham and Rich Aurilia.

 

Durham is quoted as saying he'd prefer to stay with the Giants, but he would not use his "10 and 5 rights" to block a trade to a contender.

[yoshii8]

A veteran like Durham would be a great addition to our team, if we could get him w/out giving up too much. I would like him to split some AB's w/ Weeks against tougher righties and as a pinch hitter/runner. I'm pretty sure at this point in his career he would be a perfect fit in that role. Its always good to add more playoff experience to a younger roster.

 

What would it take to get him?

[JohnBriggs12]

Durham's having a nice bounce back year. Melvin talked yesterday about making sure there were players available in case of injury and I suspect Durham is high on that list.

 

That doesn't necessarily mean they'd deal for him until the injury occured though. Taschner could be that all important 3rd lefty arm in the pen ala Ray King last year for September but they also could use Choate in that role.

[endaround]

Yes the Brewers really need another reliever with control issues. Taschner isn't that good and isn't better than present options.

[dadofandrew]

He walks about 4 every 9 frames, not that bad for a southpaw. As a role player, he and Durham would be cheap and fill spots. They could do worse, but if a guy like Marte has been talked about, Taschner is a backup.

[T B0NE 10]

Ray Durham...no thanks

 

I havent checked Durham's stats this year or been following him but he seemed old and declining a while ago

[piccione88]

Durham has actually been hitting quite well this year, esspecially for a second baseman. Durham is hitting a line of .293/.386/.421, he has a .351 BABIP though, so that batting average should come down some, but he still would be a better option than counsell filling in for weeks, and pinch hitting.

 

 

I cant see us giving up very much at all, sense he would probably have a very limited role on this team, and he has a very large contract, making 7.5 million this year, so he would cost us about 3 million.

[crewcrazy]

That .386 OBP would be pretty sexy hitting ahead of Braun and Fielder. If he could be had for cheap I wouldn't mind seeing him split some time with Rickie at second.

[sweepscc]

Durham has actually been hitting quite well this year, esspecially for a second baseman. Durham is hitting a line of .293/.386/.421, he has a .351 BABIP though, so that batting average should come down some, but he still would be a better option than counsell filling in for weeks, and pinch hitting.

 

 

I cant see us giving up very much at all, sense he would probably have a very limited role on this team, and he has a very large contract, making 7.5 million this year, so he would cost us about 3 million.

If Rickie is still carrying a .320 ish OBP and sub .700 OPS at the end of July I'd imagine Durham would have a very big role to play. We could then send Rickie down to AAA to work on his focus and getting better and bring him up in Sept. if Durham fades.

 

[splitterpfj]

Rickie hit the ball very well last night, and fielded well too.

 

(Oh please, oh please, oh please)

 

I'd welcome Durham as a platoon-mate and bench player, and if things broke that way, he could man second base down the stretch. Given his age, and the hamstring issues he's had at times, I think using him in a part-time role, and then having him fresh later on, is the best way to go.

[mpepy05]

Rickies babip is .248. That would seem to be well below what is to be expected. His K rate is down. Unfortunately, his walk rate is too. But if he could just hit around .250. I think he'll be just fine.

[Hate those Rodents]

Rumor on brewers.com has a thread that says espn has a rumor of Weeks for Durham AND Cain. Man would we be all over that. Sorry no link was provided to me nor do was I able to find it.

[jjfanec]

Rumor on brewers.com has a thread that says espn has a rumor of Weeks for Durham AND Cain. Man would we be all over that. Sorry no link was provided to me nor do was I able to find it.

That would be a terrible trade for San Fran. I am not sure who else I think we would need to give up but I am sure they would want a lot more than weeks. There is probably a reason why there is no link for this.

 

[Ennder]

I just saw this on my fantasy baseball notes...

 

"Henry Schulman, of the San Francisco Chronicle, reports San Francisco Giants 1B Rich Aurilia could be involved in a trade to the Milwaukee Brewers"

[endaround]

And why would that be? The Brewers just taking on salary to avoid having to give up talent?

[TheCrew07]

That's a puzzling one... unless they were going to move Prince in season for pitching like Lincecum or Cain (who I don't want anyway) but why would they do that right now?

 

The time to trade Prince would be the off season if ever...

 

I'm honestly stumped, I'm unable to come up with a logical reason why the Brewers would be interested in him at this point in time.

[kramnoj]

I just saw this on my fantasy baseball notes...

 

"Henry Schulman, of the San Francisco Chronicle, reports San Francisco Giants 1B Rich Aurilia could be involved in a trade to the Milwaukee Brewers"

 

Aurilia is playing 1B for the Giants now, but he was a SS for most of his career and has played 2B and 3B. He was an awful hitter last year but is basically league average this year and has been for most of his career. But he is 36 and bats righty, so I'm not sure he is the ideal target for the Brewers. Durham does have the switch-hitting OBP that the Brewers would like but is awful defensively.

 

Brian Roberts represents the most dramatic improvement that the Brewers could probably make. It would probably come at the cost of Weeks plus one or two more B level prospects. Grudz I think represents the best combination of offense and defense while not requiring much to give up, but he is RH as well.

[crossface21]

Someone posted something over on sportsbubbler.com that the Brewers are in what seems like serious talks about trading for Taschner, and both sides are waiting til after this weekends series is done. If Durham is involved in the deal, the Giants want a major leaguer in return.

 

If we trade for Aurilia, I may crap my pants.

[And That]

Aurilia is alright, but you'd have to be pretty sure he could play 2B before you trade for him.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Obviously Melvin has regretted trading Aurilia all these years...I think Melvin traded Aurilia and Dempster for John Burkett in two separate deals while he was with Texas.

 

Looking at that whole sequence of trades, his current moves seem quite decisive. One of those Burkett deals also involving Rick Helling, whom Melvin reacquired after a year or two.

 

I half expect to see Tatis and Darren Oliver on this team one of these days...

 

I don't see the point in Aurilia, unless they have other plans for Hall and/or Dillon. Durham of course makes some sense, though I'd expect him to be expensive...could Hall go in a Durham deal, making Aurilia Branyan's platoon partner?

 

Trading with Sabean might be the last great market inefficiency now that Seattle sacked Bavasi...