Brewers deal for Giants second baseman Durham
By Buster Olney
ESPN The Magazine

The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired second baseman Ray Durham from the Giants, continuing with their effort in the push to make the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

Ray Durham's .293 average is a big improvement over the Brewers' current mix at second base.

Durham, 36, is hitting .293 for the Giants, with an on-base percentage of .385, and in theory, he could help the Brewers as a utility player. But it is also very possible that he will press Rickie Weeks, the Brewers' every-day second baseman to this point, for playing time.

Weeks is hitting .218 with eight homers, and Milwaukee ranks dead last among all teams in batting average for second baseman (.222).

ESPN.com's Keith Law is reporting that the prospects going to San Francisco are Steve Hammond and Darren Ford. The seriousness of the Durham talks between the Giants and Brewers was reported by the San Francisco Chronicle on Saturday.

The Brewers are in San Francisco this weekend. Durham was held out of San Francisco's lineup on Sunday, but manager Bruce Bochy said he was available for the game.

"I don't have anything to tell you on that," Bochy told The Associated Press of a possible deal. "Ray's here."

Durham was a late arrival to the ballpark, arriving to the clubhouse in a rush about 2 hours before the game with a bag on his shoulders.

"I've got to do a few things right now," he told AP.

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36? I think someone needs to check that birth certificate. Didn't he play alongside Nellie Fox?

Is this really an upgrade

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Yes, huge upgrade, to the tune of about 100 points of on-base, I believe. Rickie Weeks isn't really very good.

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Look at the stats. How is it not?

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

No doubt the stats show this is an upgrade.

I just have never cared for Durham.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

There's lots of guys I don't care for. That doesn't make them bad ballplayers. Durham is older, but he can still run and makes the Brewers offense better.

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I've heard some talk that Durham may end up being a utility player in Milwaukee, splitting time with Rickie Weeks, and the OF.

I love Ray Durham....

That's what stuck out for me as well. I thought he was old when the Sox moved him. Ray Ray probably still has another 5 years.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

WHO thinks this guy can play the outfield?! him and the hebrew hammer would give Cameron nightmares...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Now the Cubs need to counter with... Brian Roberts?

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Brian Roberts would be a great addition. Love to see that happen.