We had a little stir this morning in our comment threads over something that was reported at MetsBlog regarding a post entitled, Brewers more likely to trade Ryan Braun than Norichika Aoki. The article leads off like this…
There is a better chance the Brewers trade OF Ryan Braun for Mets 1B Ike Davis than deal OF Norichika Aoki, according to people familiar with the team’s thinking.
I was hoping for a link to something that supported that statement and after a 15 minute search I finally gave up. Instead, I decided to reach out to one of the top Brewers bloggers I knew, Noah Jarosh of the great SB Network site Brew Crew Ball. I knew he would know the scoop…
I sent Noah the quote and asked him what the”buzz” was in Milwaukee regarding what MetsBlog reported, and his response was very clear cut.
He was also kind enough to answer a few other questions I had about Norichika Aoki in general, his thoughts on Ike Davis, how the fans feel about Ryan Braun now that the dust has settled, and whether Cory Hart will be re-signed.
Please enjoy the interview…
Is there anything to the Davis/Braun quote or is this pure speculation by the writer?
If anybody reported that seriously, they should probably be required to give off at least 10 credible sources. There’s no way the Brewers trade Ryan Braun this offseason. He is way, way too valuable at this point still and there is no chance the team would receive fair value for him.
Even if the Brewers wanted to trade him (they don’t), GM Doug Melvin is smart enough that he wouldn’t take a deal for below-average value.
Braun for Ike Davis is laughable, unless the Brewers are getting something like Wheeler and another top prospect or a healthy Harvey thrown in. If Mets fans think that’s way too much, that just shows why Braun won’t be moved.
As one of the most prominent Brewers’ sites, do you have an opinion on Ike Davis?
I, personally, am a fan of the Aoki for Ike Davis rumors. I think that it fits both teams pretty well. Davis is obviously risky, but I like his potential and I like that he looked good after his brief minor league stint in 2013. The power is obviously there, and I think playing outside of New York could help. So, yes, I do like Ike. BUT, I wouldn’t give up much for him. Like I said, he’s a risky bid and is in arbitration. The Brewers already have a guy like that in Juan Francisco. Why give up a key component of the roster for something you might already have?
How do Brewers fans feel about Braun, are they a forgiving fan base?
Brewers fans are fairly forgiving I think. There was obviously a lot of outrage when Braun was first suspended, but as time has gone on (and Packers season has started) that has died down some. There have been plenty of people who have renounced Braun and say they won’t buy his jersey, etc. etc. But I think on opening day, he’s going to get a standing ovation. When he ends up looking like the same old superstar, I think the majority of “outraged” fans will go back to rooting for the guy.
Ultimately, do you think that the Brewers will trade Aoki?
I don’t think the Brewers will end up trading Aoki. Like I said, Doug Melvin is a pretty smart guy, and he has done very well in trades. He won’t trade Aoki unless he thinks he is getting an excellent value for him. I’m not sure he’ll get that at this point. With the Brewers not saying whether they will play Khris Davis or Ryan Braun at a different position, I think the odds are that the Brewers will keep Aoki as either the fourth outfielder or in a semi-platoon with Davis. I’d put 65-35 odds on Aoki staying.
Finally, will the Brewers re-sign Corey Hart or is he pretty much gone?
Hart is closer to 50-50. He says he’ll take a discount to stick with Milwaukee, and maybe he will. But how big of one, when several other teams are knocking at his door? The Brewers probably have around $10 million to work with this offseason. They don’t have a ton of holes, but they have enough that they need to be frugal. If the Brewers can negotiate Hart down to a number they like, I think he stays. But if the Red Sox/Mets/Rangers/etc make a hard push and are not too turned off by his knees, the Brewers can’t afford to match their offers in all likelihood. Power is becoming increasingly rare in the MLB, and Hart has more of it than most free agents on the market. It’s still early to tell what the demand will be for him.
