Ray Durham To Brewers

I think the giants got a ptbnl. Hope it's someone at least moderatly talented.

It's a salary dump for Giants...whoever they get will probably be a throw away...

Good Riddance to Ray and his rally killing double plays and butter fingers!!

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that left-hander Steve Hammond is in the deal the Brewers have worked out with the Giants. That means it's for more than just Ray Durham. It appears that it could be a two-for-two, with the Brewers picking up Durham and lefty Jack Taschner for Hammond and outfielder Darren Ford. Hammond is clearly a more valuable property than Ford. He lacks great stuff, but he could come in hands as a fifth starter or reliever.

nice....stove611 i see you are a rotoworld reader.

next, weeks for fuentes

I'm sure everybody already knows this, but Steve Hammond is a Triple-A Pitching prospect, not a Single-A Outfield prospect as above.

Seems a bit of a high price for Durham.

I don't know much about the prospects the Giants are getting from Durham, but from the sound of it, it seems like a pretty good deal for the Giants. Isn't Darren Ford a top prospect for the Brewers? I guess he wasn't since it only got them Durham. As for Durham, I wish him the best in Milwaukee. He may not be the same player he was five years ago, or the same player that hit 26 homers and 93 RBIs, but at least he's hitting for a good average. Or at least for now. However, despite Rickie Weeks having better power numbers, Ray Durham is having a better year so far.

"The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that left-hander Steve Hammond is in the deal the Brewers have worked out with the Giants. That means it's for more than just Ray Durham. It appears that it could be a two-for-two, with the Brewers picking up Durham and lefty Jack Taschner for Hammond and outfielder Darren Ford. Hammond is clearly a more valuable property than Ford. He lacks great stuff, but he could come in hands as a fifth starter or reliever."

Thats not what the JS is saying at all..

"I don't know much about the prospects the Giants are getting from Durham, but from the sound of it, it seems like a pretty good deal for the Giants. Isn't Darren Ford a top prospect for the Brewers? I guess he wasn't since it only got them Durham. As for Durham, I wish him the best in Milwaukee. He may not be the same player he was five years ago, or the same player that hit 26 homers and 93 RBIs, but at least he's hitting for a good average. Or at least for now. However, despite Rickie Weeks having better power numbers, Ray Durham is having a better year so far."

No, Ford is not a top prospect. I don't even think he was in the top 10 Brewers prospects.

boringname - Thanks, that was leftover from a previous update. Steve Hammond is indeed a lefty pitching prospect.

Ford's a fast, defensive minded outfielder who can't hit and Hammond is at best a fifth starter. I think it's a great deal for the Brewers considering the gaping hole at the top of their lineup. The Cubs are going to have their hands full trying to hold them off down the stretch.

This is definetly a nice pick up for the Brewers. Though I as a Cubs fan am not worried yet. If they do something to shore up the bullpen that will make it a bit more of a challenge. They have a good closer but it is hit and miss getting to him.

Grudzlinek (sp?) or Mark Ellis would have been better acquisitions for the Brew Crew since Durham is an older version of Weeks.

Both of those guys are starters, Durham is being brought on as a back-up/pinch-hitter guy. And plus, how is Durham an older Weeks? Weeks has far more raw power, speed, and better on-base skills.

yea the cubs will have a TERRIBLE time trying to keep the brewers from winning the division

It's nice that Weeks has "skills". Unfortunately for the Brewers, the RESULTS (.322 OBP) tell a different story. As for "far more power", I don't think anyone who has 8 hrs and a career high of 16 hrs --not to mention a .367 slugging percentage-- has far more power than ANYONE...much less a guy who has nearly 200 career dingers and a slugging percentage that is 50 points higher this year. I think I'd play Durham, his iron glove can't be much worse than Weeks'. I'm sure the "backup" line their giving out is to avoid bruising Weeks confidence. The bottom line is if Weeks doesn't turn it around soon, Durham will be playing. That's what they got him for. The Brewers are trying to win now, they're not trying to develop players with "raw skills".

That's nice crunchy. I'm just saying, on raw ability, Weeks is far more intriguing. In fact, I think Durham is a great pick up for the Brewers. He will be a very valuable piece for the team this year. And I'd rather have him at the plate than Weeks (unless Weeks gets his act together). All I said, and it's true, is that Weeks has more raw ability than Durham has ever had. That's all. Calm done.

This will likely be the most insignificant trade before July 31st. One team gets a mediocre hitter who will be a bat off the bench and the other gets two prospects with a longshot of making the majors.

Cobweb, I understand what you're getting at, but I have to respectfully disagree...at least a little. Weeks is more intriguing at this stage of their careers based on what he is capable of doing. But I will bet if you asked the Brewers if they'd be satisfied if Weeks had a Durham-like career -- they'd take it in a heartbeat. This is a guy who may finish with 200 hrs and 300 SBs. I understand what you mean by raw ability, but I think that's a subjective measure. I don't think it's a given that Weeks has more baseball talent than Durham did in his prime. Weeks has yet to approach anything Durham has done on the field. I'm a Chicago guy and a Cub fan...but Durham was one heck of a player for the Sox for many years.

...And by the way, I'm actually a pretty calm guy, sorry if it didn't come off that way...

Very steep price un my opinion. Didn't the Brewers almost net STareet for Ford?

Props to the calm guy for being calm... lol

How on earth would you know how I'm feeling ballerwhiteboy? I'm just stating a baseball opinion that differs from someone else's. Try not to read too much into it.

Brewers have a Weeks Durham combo at 2B
Cubs DeRosa Fontenot
I'm picking the Cubs 2Bmen over the Brecrews anyday.

Crunchy1 will say that he will take Weeks/Durham over the cubs. Watch. Durham is kinnda over his time too.