Rays sign Gabe Kapler - 1 year/$1 mil

[reillymcshane]

I know that the Brewers haven't shown much - if any - interest in bringing back Gabe Kapler.

 

I know the club was looking for some lefties for the bench, but Kapler was really valuable last season. He played all three OF slots (not very well in CF, but okay), and obviously hit pretty good - especially for a fourth OF.

 

What other reasons have the Brewers not shown an interest in having him return? Is it his salary demands (I haven't heard what he wants - but I imagine it's got to be $1.5-2 million). Does he want a multi year deal? Is the injury he had scaring away the club?

 

I guess I haven't heard much of ANY team being interested in Kapler, so I thought I'd find out from everyone if there's any info that I've just missed.

 

Without him, we're looking at Tony Gwynn Jr., Brad Nelson and Trot Nixon as options. You have to keep Gwynn as a backup CF - unless you plan on using Hall or Hart there - not something I prefer.

 

Again, just wondering what the scuttlebutt people have heard.

 

Thanks.

[logan82]

Kapler hits from the wrong side of the plate. I am not sure if he wants to play in Milwaukee.

[PeaveyFury]

I think there was a prevailing assumption that Kapler would end up back in Boston, but now that they have Baldelli and Kotsay, that's probably not happening. logan is right, he probably hits from the wrong side of the plate at this point, so I think bringing him back is going to wait until the Brewers can see if they can get a lefty-hitting OF at some point first.

[kramnoj]

Robothal just wrote something about Kapler: http://msn.foxsports.com/...-Brewers-acquire-pitching

 

Free-agent outfielder Gabe Kapler is drawing interest from the Phillies and Mariners as well as the Rays. Kapler would make sense for the Phillies as a right-handed hitting alternative to left fielder Raul Ibanez and occasional fill-in for center fielder Shane Victorino. Eric Bruntlett currently is the right-handed backup outfielder. The Phillies have three left-handed hitting outfield reserves: Geoff Jenkins, Matt Stairs and Greg Dobbs ...

 

My guess would be that Melvin was waiting on making his one or two big moves before committing $1-2M to a 4th OF. He wouldn't want to prevent himself from filling the bigger need at closer or SP because he spent $1M too much on a reserve role.

[endaround]

Yep. Before the market crash of this offseason everything sounded like Kapler wanted at least $2.5m and a chance to start. I think if he came in at $1m the Brewers would resign him but then so would a bunch of teams I think outside of Hall (a big outside of there) the Brewers bench will be making near minimum.

[twobrewers]

I am not sure if he wants to play in Milwaukee.

Are you implying that he didn't like Milwaukee? Or that he wanted a chance to start somewhere - and wouldn't get that in Milwaukee?

 

I thought he really enjoyed Milwaukee. And Milwaukee certainly enjoyed him.

 

Is he 100% recovered from his injury?

[logan82]

I think he wants to start for a team instead of being a backup. I also kind of got the impression that coming to Milwaukee and playing was just so he could get back in the majors. A stepping stone for a better job.

[zurch1818]

According to MLBTR, Kapler is about to sign with the Rays.

[AJhawk50]

Rays sign Kapler

[craigharmann]

Thank you Gabe for last season. Enjoy being a part of Gabe squared again! The Rays are quickly becoming my favorite AL team.

[GAME05]

i was always under the impression that DM was slow to talk with Kapler because he felt that Kapler would be able to get more playing time on another team, and it seems like he will with the Rays.

 

obviously i'm not going to pretend that Gwynn is better than Kapler, but there has to be a point where you either trade the guy or give him an opportunity, and next season is the best time for it, which is why i have no big problem with Kapler leaving.

[RobertR]

Obviously, Kapler produced much more than anyone expected last year. That said, given his handedness and the fact that he was unavailable down the stretch, I'm not too worked up about it. Especially since there are no guarantees that Kapler will repeat what he did.

 

Robert

[brewmann04]

best of luck Gabe

[Nottso]

It makes me a little sad to see him go. Best of luck to him.

[JET15]

Darn, there goes another one of the good guys. Best of luck to him

[3Putt]

I hope we can find more guys like Kapler. Set a great example for the rookies.

[NYChez]

The Rays are now 2/3 of the way towards an all-Gabe outfield. Congrats.

[MJLiverock]

The link AJHawk50 provided mentioned Gabe Kapler may be platooned with Gabe Gross so he still isn't guaranteed a starting job but Kapler does mention he liked the idea of playing for a winner and playing in the Tampa area. Which to me is kinda along those lines in other threads that he (along with many other players) rate Milwaukee on the lower end of places to play even if the team is decent.

[Mike2k33]

I too would like to add my support for Gabe in Tampa. His early April tear helped bridge the gap to Cam and his walkoff vs Washington was great, and unexpected.

[logan82]

Guess the Rays will have the Grapler platoon this year.

[BrewCrewForever]

Good luck to Gabe and the Rays. Hope they can pull out the AL East again.

[Ennder]

I'd say that most likely for the 2nd year in a row Kapler is taking Gross' job away from him. Tampa Bay doesn't really have room for Gross in that OF now.

[TheCrew07]

Man the Rays are having a good offseason, jerks!

[RobertR]

I'd say that most likely for the 2nd year in a row Kapler is taking Gross' job away from him. Tampa Bay doesn't really have room for Gross in that OF now.

Kapler really didn't take Gross' job. Someone in the Brewers got the idea that somehow Gwynn would be more useful on the roster than Gross. That didn't last long. And the Brewers certainly could have used Gross when Braun got injured and Hart went into the tank.

 

I don't think Kapler is going to replace Gross in TB either. He's going to replace Hinske, Gomes, Ruggiano, Haynes, Baldelli, etc. who also played RF in 2007 and backup Upton and Crawford.

 

Robert

[Ennder]

Upton, Crawford, Burrell, Kapler, Joyce, Perez and they will have Zorbist who can play OF or IF. I'm just not seeing room for Gross there especially since he didn't play very well come playoff time last year.

 

I'd agree that we should have kept Gross last year but I don't think there is any way we trade him if Kapler wasn't off to such a hot start so he certainly was a part of the decision.