Bye-Bye Billy

I rarely feel sorry for someone who will earn $6,925,000 in one year by simply playing a game.

It is difficult to conjure up sympathy for someone who gets a $90 per diem for meals on road trips, when I am stretching my budget if I spend $90 in one week on food.

If the point isn’t clear yet, it is nearly impossible to empathize with someone who is provided free beer in the club house, whether the Brewers win or lose.

But the case of Bill Hall has become so pathetic and so sad, even a broke, cynical college student such as myself, currently making $250 for the entire summer (yay unpaid internships!), has to feel for the current plight of the longest tenured Brewer. And plight it putting it mildly, because at the plate, Hall has reached American League pitcher/Ben Sheets levels.

The Crew’s ex-starting third baseman has dipped below .200 batting, has a measly .260 OBP and currently is sitting with a horrific OPS+ of 57.

Jeff Suppan the pitcher, on the other hand, is hitting .238 on the season, getting on base at a .333 clip and has a higher OPS+ with a 67.

The Hall supporters — which at this point can only include his family and friends lying to his face — would counter with Hall at least has some value against left-handed pitching.

Unfortunately, even that aspect of his game has gone into steep decline.

While Hall does hit lefties slightly better — in 61 plate appearances this year he has put up .241/.262/.397 —the numbers certainly don’t warrant continued playing time.

And manager Ken Macha is on his way to realizing that. In the last ten games, Hall has only started four times and has subbed in once.

Making things worse for the eight-year-veteran are the three players who can handle third base at the Brewer’s disposal. Casey McGehee has become a fan favorite and his bat has to be in the lineup every day. Craig Counsel is still batting .303 and in the words of Bill Schroeder, “always makes the correct play.”

Finally, we have Mat Gamel. Though the top prospect has started slowly for his major league career, he still as hit better than Hall with .239/.343/.386, and the youngster deserves a chance, because, you know, he is one of the top two prospects in the organization.

With McGehee, Counsel and Gamel all deserving at-bats, Hall is left with one role; a seven million dollar defensive replacement for Gamel.

And that is why I feel bad for Bill Hall.