Brewers sign Mike Lamb, Lou Palmisano DFA'd

[Tbadder]

Nice release, should have happened sooner. Nice pick up, shoulda happened sooner. Message received--better late than never.

[JohnBriggs12]

I didn't realize it but the Brewers can keep him through next year at the minimum with the Twins liable for his contract. As he's only 1 year removed from back to back .800+ OPS seasons with Houston, I think this could be a good pickup. It accomplishes several things besides adding a much needed lefty bat.

 

It basically eliminates a need to pickup Counsell's option. Now Counsell might still make a decent backup in the middle infield, but he's not worth $3 million. It also allows Gamel up to a year at AAA which after he struggled in the 2nd half, he might need both offensively and defensively.

 

Early in his career, Lamb, fittingly enough, was a butcher in the field but he progressed to adequate. If he returns to his 06-07 offensive form, he's a nice addition.

 

As for Palmisano, he got passed up by half the catchers in the organization in one season: Salome, LuCroy, Fryer, and I'd even throw in Corporan who had a decent season too.

[craigharmann]

Goodbye Cap'n Lou.....sad to see you go.

[jwill535]

Isn't Lou just being dropped from the 40 man. He was sceduled to be part of the taxi squad for the AFL. I would imagine that he will except his minor league contract. I could be way off base here though.

[And That]

If Lou isn't claimed, he's still Brewers property. No need to say goodbye yet.

[hawing]

Whatever team picks him up...their catching situation will be WOAH SOLVDD.

 

Thanks for the memories, Lou.

I was going to say, I thought he was a gonna be the future...hopefullly. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[brewmann04]

Well we seem to be pretty loaded @ the catcher position in the minors

[Tbadder]

I didn't realize it but the Brewers can keep him through next year at the minimum with the Twins liable for his contract.

Nice call on this one Briggs. Good forward thinking on Melvin's part.

 

 

(edit: long quote --1992)

[ELCABALLO45]

Is this thing official yet?

 

And im not a big fan of this, he was useless with the Twins.

[thablingster]

Is this thing official yet?

It is, TH has it up on the Brewers blog and ESPN has picked it up.

 

I don't think Lamb can be any worse than any member of our current 3B platoon or any late game PH option.

[djoctagone]

if branyan's injury is so severe, why risk losing palmisano to get lamb? why didn't the brewers transfer branyan to the 60-day disabled list?

 

unless the brewers are counting on branyan in october . . .

[dadofandrew]

Branyan is said to be "close", I think in the JS today. He said he was getting "itchy", which I recall because I remember thinking I hope he doesn't need a shot from the trainer.

[TooLiveBrew]

That's what I'm hoping, dj. Get better asap Russell! If a healthy (enough) Branyan can come back for any potential postseason, I think the Brewers would be thrilled.

[djoctagone]

maybe the brewers had plans to outright palmisano in the offseason and felt the likelihood of him not being claimed was less now (when most teams have their 40-man rosters full) than in the offseason.

[Oldcity]

If a healthy (enough) Branyan can come back for any potential postseason, I think the Brewers would be thrilled.

You'd think so, but considering the way Ned used him in the weeks up to his injury, I'd almost say it's more likely that Yost is hoping he needs another month before he's ready.

[BrewCrewForever]

Blah, big deal Mike Lamb. Not much of an upgrade from Counsell if you ask me. Wish Russell didn't rip that oblique off the bone. Guess this pick up pretty much means they have no intention of giving Gamel any serious playing time at all.

[Hate those Rodents]

Isn't Lamb gawdawful in the field? I seem to remember, maybe the first year of Brewerfan, that we needed a 3Bman and talked about him and how he could hit enough to start at third for us but was horrible in the field. A lot can change in several years...

[JoeHova]

wait, why would the Brewers keep Lamb next season when they have Branyan for the role of lefty power hitter off the bench? Branyan is simply a better player than Lamb. I'll be very disappointed if that's the plan. If only Russ had come up with Texas, his future would be assured.

 

edit: btw, Lamb is assuredly a butcher at 3rd but he doesn't have the bat for 1st, LF or RF. He's like a lefty Wes Helms, though more error prone.

[Mass Haas]

In what is probably an all-time Milwaukee record, there are 39 Brewers in the big league dugout. The only 41-man (Capuano 60-day) roster players, non-injured, not in Milwaukee are Hernan Iribarren and Luis Pena.

[JJHardy7]

You'd think so, but considering the way Ned used him in the weeks up to his injury, I'd almost say it's more likely that Yost is hoping he needs another month before he's ready.

 

It's hard to say 100% if Branyan's injury was nagging or he didn't let the team know in regards to how he was used. If Branyan was 100% healthy, he wasn't used right, but I'd hope that it's possible this injury was lingering and eventually the Brewers decided he wasn't getting better.

[dadofandrew]

He hurt himself worse, but it seems quite possible Russ felt "tight" for a while before that...to be honest, I recall several times when Russ looked "stiff" in the field, barely bending for balls hit to his left.

[Oldcity]

wait, why would the Brewers keep Lamb next season when they have Branyan for the role of lefty power hitter off the bench?

Branyan will be a free agent.

[dadofandrew]

Lamb is also a utility guy, while Russ often struggles with his swing if he's not getting regular time.

 

That said, if Counsell's back, I don't think they'd go with 2 LH reserve IF's.

[mothershipconnection]

Lou Palmisano DFA'd

 

catching WOAH RETURNDD!

[RockCoCougars]

Lamb is one of the few players in baseball that I would play Counsell ahead of. He was beyond atrocious with the Twins this year, probably the worst position player who saw significant playing time in the A.L. Isn't Morgan Ensberg out there at least? A lot of people on this board were high on him this past off season.