On Friday, that time came to an end.
The Brewers shipped Hardy to the Minnesota Twins, who in retrurn, parted with outfielder Carlos Gomez.
Hardy hit 50 home runs in 2007 and 2008 and has a career average of .262 with 75 home runs and 265 RBI but fell into a deep funk last season, hitting just .229 with 11 home runs.
His performance was so bad that we was sent to Class AAA Nashville in a somewhat surprising late-season move that opened the door for Escobar, a highly-regarded Venezuelan prospect.
Hardy spent exactly 20 days in the minors, losing a chance to become a free agent after next season. When he returned, the majority of playing time went to Escobar who hit .304 in 38 games.
Hardy, 27, was the first of Milwaukee's crop of breakthrough prospects to make it to the major leagues. The team's second-round draft choice in 2001, he missed nearly all of the 2004 season with a shoulder injury at Class AAA Indianapolis and opened the 2005 season as the team's starting shortstop.
He got off to a unimpressive start, batting just .198 in the first half, but rebounded after the All-Star break with a .308 average to finish at a respectable .247. Hardy played just 34 games in '06 after suffering another broken ankle but rebounded with a breakout year in '07.
Hardy earned a spot on the National League All-Star team after hitting .280 with 18 homers and 54 RBI in the first half. He trailed off a bit down the stretch but finished hitting .277 with 26 homers and 80 RBI.
Similar numbers in 2008 (.283, 24, 74) made many wonder which player - Hardy or Escobar - would be the shortstop of the future. Hardy expressed little interest in moving to another position, either second or third base, and Escobar projected strictly as a shortstop.
But after a slow start in 2009 that just kept getting worse, it was evident that, going forward, Escobar would be the answer at shortstop.
"I told (Hardy) that he had an off year but he's young enough to bounce back and still have a very good career," Melvin said. "I didn't anticipate a year ago that we'd be making this deal right now, but that's the way it goes sometimes."
For Hardy, the trade ends a frustrating chapter in his career. He'll likely be the everyday shortstop when the Twins open their new ballpark next season and his new team is the defending American League Central champion.
"I definitely did know I was going to get traded from the day that they sent me down," Hardy said. "I felt like that was their plan. I didn't know who, but once I got the call this morning I was pretty excited about it. I think the change of scenery will be good for me. "
In Gomez, Melvin sees a young player that's just starting to realize his potential, even though he's coming off a subpar season.
Like Hardy, Gomez also hit .229 last season, mainly in a reserve role after losing the starting centerfielder job a month into the season.
His strikeout numbers (72 in 315 at-bats last season) are somewhat alarming, but Melvin says Brewers scouts and baseball people think that Gomez has shown improved plate discipline over his two big league seasons.
"If you look at his walk numbers, they're basically the same in 2008 and '09 with half the at-bats," Melvin said. "He needs to be more selective at the plate, but he's made progress."
Once one of the top prospects in the New York Mets' organization, the 23-year-old was considered a key component in the January 2008 trade that sent Johann Santana to the Big Apple. In his first season in Minnesota, Gomez hit .258 with 24 doubles, seven homers and 59 RBI. Gomez also gives the Brewers options financially and within the starting lineup.
A more traditional leadoff hitter, Gomez could replace Rickie Weeks atop the Brewers' order. Combined with the speed of Escobar, the Brewers could potentially cause trouble on the basepaths ahead of big boppers Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder.
The acquisition of Gomez also means the Brewers will most likely not bring back Mike Cameron for a third season. Cameron earned $10 million last season and without a viable candidate in the minor league system, was considered a possibility to return in 2010.
Gomez will be eligible for arbitration as a "Super Two" player, but will still earn considerably less than Cameron. Hardy earned $5 million last season while Escobar will make around the league minimum, giving the Brewers significant savings that can be spent on improving the pitching staff.
Melvin has stated many times that his primary focus this offseason has been to improve the team's pitching, but wasn't able to find many takers for Hardy.
"This is a trade that can help our ballclub," Melvin said."
" With (Mike) Cameron a free agent this year, it was basically a trade that worked out for both clubs. We pursued pitching from a number of clubs, but they were reluctant to give up pitching at this point in the offseason, especially with the names on the free agent market.
"It's an old-fashioned baseball trade."
Weathers' option declined: The Brewers also announced Friday that the team will not pick up a 2010 option on reliever David Weathers. The veteran right-hander was acquired from Cincinnati on August 9 for what would end up being cash considerations.
In 25 appearances with the Brewers, Weathers went 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA. Overall in 2009, Weathers was 4-6 with a 3.92 ERA in 68 outings with both the Reds and Milwaukee.
