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During the All-Star break the Brewers negotiated a fairly big trade, sending five players- most significantly reliever Ben Malzone- to the Oklahoma City Diamond Kings for three players- most significantly veteran thirdbaseman Roy Hugo- and $30,000 in cash.
The feeling in the Mile High City is that this was a signal to the fans that Brewers leadership has far from given up on contending this season. Although Malzone has good potential in the bullpen and gave the Brewers very fine middle relief performance during the 1967 season, this is an area of surplus for the Brewers and sometimes you have to trade from strength.
Admittedly, Hugo is probably just a loaner for this season as he is a free agent at the end of the season and at his age it is unlikely the team would be interested in re-signing him.
But the team desperately needed an upgrade at third, and this is a priority the owner has made very clear as well, and while this isn't a big upgrade it could be a small bump that yields some bigger results in the second half. At the very least Hugo adds another right-handed bat lower in the lineup with extra base, and even homerun, potential (he doesn't have great power but has hit 9 doubles, 2 triples, and 3 HR's this season), and he has a good eye and doesn't strike out often. (For comparison sake- the combination of Hector Uribe and Willie Chavez had hit 7 doubles, 0 triples, and 0 HR's in the first half.)
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