ESPN reports Kim for Hillenbrand trade

[Dback Jon]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2003/0529/1560537.html

Say it ain't so, Joe.

This would suck as a trade for the Dbacks.



Thursday, May 29

Deal is done pending Colangelo's approval

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ESPN.com news services


The Diamondbacks and Red Sox are close to completing a major trade, pending the approval of Arizona owner Jerry Colangelo, ESPN's Peter Gammons reports. The deal would send pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim to Boston for third baseman Shea Hillenbrand.

The deal has been conditionally agreed upon. Arizona pitchers Matt Mantei and Brandon Webb are both hurt, but it is not known how much impact these injuries will have on a possible trade.

"There are factors that could still kill it," a source tells Gammons.

Mantei and Webb will undergo MRIs Thursday to determine the severity of their arm problems. Mantei has been bothered by slight stiffness in his elbow, while Webb has been put on the disabled list with tightness in his forearm.

Kim, who has served as the D-Backs' closer in the past, has been in the starting rotation this season. He is only 1-5, but has a respectable 3.56 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 43 innings.

Hillenbrand, who has also played first base and served as DH this season, has been rumored to be on the trading block all season. Hillenbrand is hitting .303 with 38 RBI in 185 at-bats this season. Infielder Bill Mueller, who was acquired by Boston before the start of the season, is hitting .382, which makes Hillenbrand even more expendable.

 

[Forrestham]

I certainly am not elated about the trade but we need a bat. Hildebrand has 38 RBI's whiile hitting 6th which far exceeds any current players on the team. I do hate to lose Kim but we do have other good pitchers and something needs to be done to shake up this team which has been dreadful to watch. With the way they have been playing, nobody is untouchable for the right deal. I think there will be more to come. IF this deal helps us see less Womack and Williams that is a good thing

 

[moviegeekjn]

Say it ain't so, Jerry!!!

 

[Dback Jon]

Hillenbrand's stats for May:

.267 23 86 7 23 7 0 1 13 2 10 0 0 0 3 .278 .384 .661

Count'em - 1 HR, 13 RBI's, .278 OBP, .384 SLG - not a very good spark.

 

[Dback Jon]

So far in May, 7 Dbacks (including Cintron) have hit more HR's than Shea.

 

[Matrix31]

About the RBI. You also have to look at Boston's lineup, he is given much more RBI opportunities then he would in this lineup.

 

[Forrestham]

Matrix you are right. Just got on the Red Sox MLB message board and they are ripping the trade. Too many memories of Kim's post season against the Yankees. We need to get run support somewhere and Hildebrand is affordable to the team which is probably why the deal was made.

 

[RLakin]

Bad deal. Three HRs on the season? Not very good for a guy playing at Fenway.
It will be interesting to see where he plays, though. Ditto for Kim.

 

[Lefty]

Why Hillenbrand? Chad Tracy is the future third baseman and CC will be back. This trade SUCKS!

 

[Freddie]

CC will probably play short if this trade goes through.

 

[mark1]

If Jerry approves this trade as reported, he is an a$$hole, simple as that. No way this trade is of equal value.

 

[Freddie]

So what makes him an "a$$hole"? This team is not winning, he needs to make a move to shake things up.

 

[Dback Jon]

Originally posted by Freddie
So what makes him an "a$$hole"? This team is not winning, he needs to make a move to shake things up.

I would not call him an a$$hole - but this is not a good move.

 

[moviegeekjn]

Originally posted by Freddie
So what makes him an "a$$hole"? This team is not winning, he needs to make a move to shake things up.

Knee jerk reactions to the immediate non-production of the "offense" is NOT the necessary solution for this team... The problems are much deeper and long range planning is necessary.

This would be more like a marketing ploy, to attempt to get more butts in the seats... by portraying it as the D'backs taking positive action to create a contender. They can paint it simply by the media hype they've leaked: " a discontented...high maintenance pitcher on a pitching rich team that really needs a right handed bat" and they can ignore the fact that their new acquisition doesn't have the kind of power numbers to make a significant impact on the current "offense"

 

[IndyDevil]

I said it before, and I'll say it again: NO NO NO!!! This was a bad trade as a rumor, and it will really suck if it goes through - - BK has far more value in trade than just getting Hillenbrand (not that I want to trade BK to begin with), and besides, if Joe Jr thinks a RH infielder batting a career .283 with THREE !@#$% home runs in '03 is the power the D'Backs need, the organization is much worse off than I thought!!

Of course, maybe Forrestham is right, and this is just the first of many deals...

 

[Freddie]

Originally posted by moviegeekjn
Knee jerk reactions to the immediate non-production of the "offense" is NOT the necessary solution for this team... The problems are much deeper and long range planning is necessary.

This would be more like a marketing ploy, to attempt to get more butts in the seats... by portraying it as the D'backs taking positive action to create a contender. They can paint it simply by the media hype they've leaked: " a discontented...high maintenance pitcher on a pitching rich team that really needs a right handed bat" and they can ignore the fact that their new acquisition doesn't have the kind of power numbers to make a significant impact on the current "offense"

I didn't say shake things up in the offense, I meant the organization as a whole.

When our rotation is healthy we would've had six starters.

Schill
Randy
Miguel
Webb
Dessens

That leaves Kim as the odd man out. He wants to start, so they shipped him off. We could have waited until we were healthy, but I am not the boss. If Colangelo doesn't approve the trade then I guess this message is worthless.

 

[Matrix31]

Yeah, but i would much rather have Kim start then Dessens. If you look at our last two trades, we have really got bent over. If this goes through we will have traded Kim and Durazo for Shea and Dessens. Kim is better then Dessens and Durazo is better then Shea.

 

[WizardOfAz]

Worried about Shea's power numbers in Boston:

http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/red_sox/shea05292003.htm

 

[Yotesfan85044]

KDUS 1060 is saying it's a done deal and will be officially announced at 4:30pm.

 

[pinnacle]

kdus pointed out:

Kim is scheduled for arbitration after this season...he makes like $2.5 mil now and will make probably $4.5 million next season (at least)...which given the dbacks position - it would be difficult to keep him..

Hillibrand makes like $500,000 or less per season...

Dbacks thinking: we may not be able to keep bk anyway..we need a replacement for williams for next season..we get something for BK...

 

[outcent]

I for one like it. Just because he didn't hit a lot of home runs doesn't mean to much as long as he is driving in runs. If Chad Tracy comes up then even better. We will then have an excellent bargaining chip next year with two third basemen that make very little money. I mean think about it we may not like some of the trades that were made but I'll take a few bad trades over an owner that stands pat every year. With Webb and Good both coming on this is the best time to get the most out of Kim. Hell as inconsistent as he is he'll probably fudge his next start. Knock on wood if he is still a Dback. LOL In closing lets just see how it works out.

 

[Matrix31]

The problem is, every trade the Jr has made has been bad except toe Gonzo trade. Other GMs know this so they dont offer a lot because they know that once Jr gets his mind set on something he will go after it and will give up a lot to get it, even if its lopsided.

 

[nooch]

I wouldn't mind this trade, if it were to go down. They are in need of a shakeup and would definately send a message that most anyone could be moved. Maybe Shea could give us a boost maybe not, but sometimes you've gotta take that chance. I like Kim but hes to fragile.

 

[green machine]

Originally posted by Matrix31
The problem is, every trade the Jr has made has been bad except toe Gonzo trade. Other GMs know this so they dont offer a lot because they know that once Jr gets his mind set on something he will go after it and will give up a lot to get it, even if its lopsided.

Getting Bautista was a bad trade? Schilling was a bad trade? Hell, even trading Mantei wasn't all bad, none of the players we gave up are that good now, and we won the division that year. Joe Jr. Is no Billy Beane, but he hasn't been all that bad.

adam

 

[green machine]

Many players have improved their career totals here in Arizona. Gonzo did it, Bautista did it, Counsell did too. Hillenbrand is alot like Gonzo was, I think, maybe Shea would blossom here too?

adam