Melvin interview on 540 ESPN

[dadofandrew]

Escobar will not be sitting on the bench in '09, and probably not ever.

[Invader3K]

Escobar will not be sitting on the bench in '09, and probably not ever.

Which is smart. A young player like that is better served putting in a season starting at AAA, than riding the bench in the Majors.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

A potential lower cost option with Gamel is to start the year with the Hall/Branyan platoon and see how the platoon and Gamel start the year. If they get comfortable enough with Gamel's glove and Hall is performing like last year, move him up late May/early June. They save a year on service time and give Gamel the time he is missing in the AFL. If DM has a better 3B option for 2009, I'd rather see that since that position was among the least productive on the team...but we are stuck with Hall anyway and there are other pressing needs on the club to be addressed. Hall could be valuable as a bench player...he can probably play all 4 infield positions...he's a worse glove than Counsell but at least he's got some pop...when he's not striking out.

 

The other option is doing the same with Escobar, but moving Hardy to 3B in the middle of the season is problematic.

[thebruce44]

Simple: Escobar replaces Counsell as the backup 2B/SS, and the Brewers save about $2.75 million.

 

In my mind, you basically giving up 7 mil on the tail end of Escobar's arby years or at the very least signing him to a long contract a year earlier only to save 2.75 mil. The cons vastly outweigh the pros on that suggestion.

 

Keep things simple is right though. Hall/Branyan to start the year may not be sexy to the fans, but it will get the job done and hopefully be average. Then look at Gamel as plan B depending on what happens with all 3 players.

[joepepsi]

I like the idea of monitoring Gamel closely at AAA, then bringing him up once they are comfortable with his defense. That leaves you with Hall/Branyan and Mike Lamb, who iirc, they can keep next year and the Twins pay his salary.

[JohnBriggs12]

Weeks is not a bad leadoff hitter, I just think he is a worse hitter because he hits leadoff. I think he 'tries to be a leadoff hitter' too much and he would be better served being more aggressive.

 

As for Gamel what do you expect Melvin to say? Is he going to say we desperately need a 3B and we'll overpay to get one? Of course he is going to play down the needs of the team because the winter meetings are coming up and he is going to be looking at trade offers probably including a 3B.

Ennder,

 

I couldn't agree more with your comment on Weeks. I think he hits .275/.350/.450 batting 6th or 7th with a lot of RBIs and fewer K's. CF?

 

Barring a deal, I'd start the year with Lamb/Hall platoon, then bring Gamel up a couple months in provided he's swinging the bat well and his defense is passable.