JJ Hardy

[jwmiller33]

With the Twins woes in the Middle Infield this season, it is tough watching JJ Hardy tear it up for the Orioles this year. Yes, I will admit Hardy had trouble staying healthy and in the lineup last year for us while only playing in 101 games (62%), but having power from the SS/2B is extremely valuable considering the lack of depth at those positions in the majors.

JJ Hardy has 24 homers in 383 at-bats this season while the Twins' entire infield, including everyone to play first base, second base, shortstop, or third base, has 37 homers in 2,328 at-bats.

Hardy is making $5.8 million this year while his replacement [if you can call him that] Nishi is making $3 million and we payed the price of roughly $6 million just to win the right to be able to negociate that contract. I can't blame the Twins for being deterred by Hardy's injuries last year, but I can't help but think of the "what ifs" if we would have JJs 24 HRs in our lineup this year. It is also important to note that Hardy hasn't been entirely healthy this year. He has missed 30 games or about an entire month of the season early on due to an oblique strain. However, that number doesn't seem as bad when you compare it to the 64 games Nishi has missed.

You have to ask yourself, is Jim Hoey and Brett Jacobson worth sending Brenden Harris, JJ Hardy AND $500,000 to the Orioles? Hind sight is always 20/20

I wish Hardy luck and will continue to root for him (especially while he is tearing it up on my fantasy baseball team) just like I do other former Twins like Johan, Hunter, Wilson Ramos, and now Delmon, just to name a few

[mainbutter]

As an Astros fan, I find myself cheering for St Louis and the Phillies more than any other NL teams these days.. just because of where the players are! lol.

Seriously, the Phillies have Pence, Oswalt, AND Lidge.

[Harmonica Bear]

I agree. We could use a healthy Hardy this year. He does have a history of injuries if I remember right. Obviously it was a money value thing. Right up there with the 24 dingers is his fielding %. I think it is or was top 5 if not first. I can handle the lack of power (so used to it, sadly). But our fielding this year...just atrocious.

but yeah hind-sight is 20/20

[DonBo]

If only the old crystal ball worked.....

[greebs]

one thing to keep in mind is that he does play many of his games in parks more hitter friendly than target field; however, he's having a very nice season and hitting that many homers for him is not that unusual as he's had some other seasons with good power numbers. No doubt if he were a twin with those numbers he'd be our mvp this year.

someone mentioned on another thread that he was a gardy type guy in the clubhouse. that's probably the biggest reason he's gone and also the most disappointing. seems we've lost a decent amount of talent for this reason.

[jwmiller33]

one thing to keep in mind is that he does play many of his games in parks more hitter friendly than target field

Another thing to keep in mind is he plays the majority of his games against NYY, BOS, TOR and Tampa Bay [Lester, Buckholz, Beckett, Sabathia, Hughes, Price, Shields, Niemann, Hellickson, Romero, Morrow, etc] which is pretty impressive considering those are some of the top pitchers in the league. He also didn't have a problem hitting a HR in Target Field on Monday night. In his 2 games at Target Field this year, Hardy is 4 for 8 with 2 Runs, HR, RBI, and a BB. Not too shabby for ol' Target Field

[greebs]

one thing to keep in mind is that he does play many of his games in parks more hitter friendly than target field; however, he's having a very nice season and hitting that many homers for him is not that unusual as he's had some other seasons with good power numbers. No doubt if he were a twin with those numbers he'd be our mvp this year.

someone mentioned on another thread that he was a gardy type guy in the clubhouse. that's probably the biggest reason he's gone and also the most disappointing. seems we've lost a decent amount of talent for this reason.

meant to say that hardy was NOT a gardy type guy. funny, you'd think with hardy rhyming with gardy, that hardy would have been one of his favorites.

[PierBridge]

Actually Gardy was ticked off when we didn't sign Hardy for 6 million. And to think we would be 2 or 3 games better at this point with Hardy is disapointing to say the least.

[jwmiller33]

Actually Gardy was ticked off when we didn't sign Hardy for 6 million. And to think we would be 2 or 3 games better at this point with Hardy is disapointing to say the least.

Didn't we trade Hardy? I don't think he left via free agency

[Getanet]

Did anyone see the Pioneer Press story on Hardy? Tucked away at the very end it noted the wrist injury that has bother JJ. He basically revealed the Twins medical staff didn't treat it right. When Mauer had his "bilateral leg weakness" there were a few stories about how he no longer trusts the Twins medical staff as well, based on how they diagnosed and treated his leg issues. With all the moves the Twins will have to make this off season, I wonder if some changes to our medical staff are needed too:

Hardy twice went to the disabled list last season because of a wrist injury suffered while sliding into third base on a game-tying triple against Detroit on May 5. Diagnosed as a bone bruise, it plagued him all season, and, he said, started to flare up in spring training this year.

"I started to feel a little bit nervous, thinking, 'Oh, man. Here we go again,' " Hardy said. "But the trainers worked on it, got rid of it in about a week, and I haven't felt it since."

Asked if the Orioles' trainers used different treatment than the Twins, Hardy said yes, adding, "I don't want to get into that too much and make people look bad."

[PierBridge]

Re-sign and keep is what I meant. I was disappointed to as I didn't think he would have back to back poor seasons. Now of course after 24 dingers the arm chairs "not you" are saying what a disaster it was and its Gardy's fault..

[Dave S]

Looking at the performance of former twins, imagine how good Morneau, Mauer as well as a couple others would be if we traded them off. It sure seems that once these guys are teamed up with different coaches, managers and training staff, their health and performance improves.....sometimes greatly.

Maybe something to be learned from Hardy's quote in an earlier post?

[zepman]

Hardy just hit his 30th HR tonight....

[mrklean]

did the twins even have 30 homeruns this year?

[schmitty3]

Hey that's only what ahh 30 more than Nishi. not too bad...

[Musky Buck]

The worst part is we believe in stellar defensive play and that's why Punto made the majors, hustle and D. Hardy has been known as a super solid D player and a few years back in Milwaukee showed he can pull the homerun ball also. Sad deal and very good friend of Mauer's. We got 2 for 1 in the Nishi deal, his interpretor also .