A little Casey McGehee Love!

[RobDeer 45]

Ok, so I have not seen much out there on Casey so I'm wondering if he is going to make the squad? The guy is killing the ball right now and I hope that he makes the squad. I'm wondering if people have seen anything on the chances of him making it and what the overall feeling is on him. Love to hear everyone's opinion.

 

Only negatives I see (from a quick glance) is he's a righty and he's not walking at all. Of course he only has a few k's right now too so the walk thing isn't bothering me as much.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Cubs seemingly have been producing a lot of "late bloomers" recently. Theriot, Fontenot and Hoffpauir come to mind. All of those guys bided their time in the minors. I think at 26, McGehee falls into this category too. I would assume the Cubs exposed him in October because they he was still blocked by Ramirez and DeRosa at the time, and they wanted to clear roster space for an area of greater need.

 

In this case, the Cub loss appears to be the Brewers gain.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the lack of walks. He's walked at least 40 times for 4 straight seasons in the minors, and his extremely low K total this spring, means that he's seeing the ball very well and putting it into play on a very high percentage of his swings so he's just not getting very deep in counts.

 

I think if he does make the team, Macha is going to have to find a way to get him in the lineup enough to keep him sharp. Otherwise, it might be best for him to do some alternating between Milwaukee and Nashville. I'd also like to see him tried in LF just in case Braun needs some time to heal that injury.

[CheezWizHed]

I'd say he has a 50/50 shot between him and Lamb. A hot spring is nice, but you can't base it 100% on a hot spring. Same with Lamb's cool spring. I think the fact that Lamb is a lefty makes them fairly even at this point (McGehee's youth+hot spring vs. Lamb's LHB+previous MLB sucess - poor last year).

 

I like seeing McGehee playing some 2B as flexibility is going to be in his favor. And if he doesn't make the club, he could start at 2B in AAA.

 

Personally, I'm routing for McGehee for the same reason JB mentions: he still has some up-side. We have already seen Lamb's best.

 

If Braun is injured, Nelson should get first shot in LF, IMO.

[fondybrewfan]

All I know is that if Macha leaves off McGehee he is going to have a lot of explaining to do as to why he would keep a far inferior player (Lamb) over a younger, more talented, player who had an outstanding spring. If the ultimate goal is to win as many games as possible I have a hard to justifying having the hottest player in Spring Training in AAA just because he has an option. If he didn't have an option left I think it is a no brainer that he makes the club. Plus it would be great to have some right handed power off the bench. If he isn't on the time we basically have no right handers off the bench because managers almost never use their back up catcher to pinch hit

 

So far I love Casey, maybe he isn't the long term solution at 3rd, but if he makes the team and plays well in his limited time over the first couple of months, I think I would be alright trading Hall if he is still struggling and Doug actually finds a taker for him.

[Ennder]

Lamb is all downside at this point, McGehee has some upside. I'd stick with McGehee for sure. I don't know what kind of deal Lamb has though so money might get in the way.

[1992casey]

All I know is that if Macha leaves off McGehee he is going to have a lot of explaining to do

 

Actually, it'd be Melvin doing the explaining. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

I don't know what kind of deal Lamb has though so money might get in the way.

 

Everything except minimum wage is being paid by the Twins, so money shouldn't be an issue.

[JohnBriggs12]

Lamb has this going for him. He's pinch hit 240 times in the major leagues and in those he's hit a decent .250/.331/.375. That's one of the hardest jobs in all of baseball as you come off the bench cold and usually are facing top notch relievers. Only Counsell among the Brewers reserves has any substantial PH experience and Counsell's been far less effective in that role hitting just .202/.311/.262 in 201 appearences.

 

I don't know that it's all that wise to have just Duffy (.167/.167/.222 as PH), Counsell, Nelson (7 lifetime major league PH appearence), and McGehee (3 lifetime PH appearences), none of whom has proven himself in that PH role.

 

That's not to say McGehee shouldn't be the first option for playing time as a replacement either at 3rd or 2nd. It's just that Lamb, despite a fairly tepid spring, has "been there, done that" as a lefty PH specialist.

 

That's why, in my mind, the failure of Nixon to beat out Nelson or Duffy, really works against McGehee making the roster. Maybe Counsell's found something with his new stance that will make him more useful as a PH, so the inexperience factor on the rest of the bench won't be so glaring.

[GormanHarvey]

I feel like I've posted something along this line a thousand times already, but seeing McGehee and Lamb in person playing at the same time in the same game makes you realize for whatever reason at this point in their respective careers that you are comparing apples and oranges. Lamb looked just plain awful in every sense of the word and in every aspect of the game. McGehee looks like one of those guys that either the "light bulb" finally went on or that he has somehow rededicated himself to the game. As JohnBriggs alluded to earlier, the Cubs have a recent track record of late bloomers and Casey seems to be the latest example. Even the outs I saw him make were hard hit. I think the reason he isn't walking much so far is that he is seeing the ball so well and getting decent pitches to hit that the count doesn't have the chance to get to that point. He sure isn't getting himself out much. Lamb looks lost at the plate and was extremely reminiscint of Counsell when he is at his worst - just rolling over and playing pepper with the right side of the infield. And that tells me Lamb is late getting his hands to the ball which definitely isn't a good sign for him seeing for the most part he hasn't faced too much top-notch pitching this spring.

 

I also don't get the whole arguement that being LH helps Lamb. For one thing we need a RH pinchhitter of the bench much more than we do a LH. We should already have Nelson for that and if necessary Counsell/Duffy. If 3rd base should fall into a platoon (lets hope not) there is already Counsell for that and we know he provides very solid defense and hopefully a rejuvinated bat with his new stance and approach. In addition McGehee seems to hit both RHP and LHP about equally well. And should Macha decide that there is a spot late in a game this year that he really wants to use Rivera as a PH you would have McGehee to catch as insurance should something happen to him. Plus McGehee plays more positions and plays them better than Lamb. IMO is shouldn't even be close, but that's why they make the big bucks.

[strawbossisevil]

JohnBriggs, Lamb's numbers are really such a small sample, plus if his overall ability has decreased, it wouldn't be a surprise if his PH abilities have decreased as well.

 

I don't know that there is any "skill" that a player has to have in order to be a pinch hitter. It is very likely that the better hitters will likely hit better in PH situations. For example, if we had Ryan Braun pinch hitting, he is likely to do far better than Lamb, even though Lamb has more experience.

 

If McGehee is better with the bat then Lamb, he should be the guy pinch hitting for us late in the game, not Lamb because he's done it 200 times.

[giffted1]

I want to see McGehee make the club and do well just to stick it to the Cubs more than anything. I could see the reasoning behind giving Lamb the spot out of Spring Training, though. Lamb's career numbers suggest that he's nowhere near this bad, and McGehee's numbers suggest that he's nowhere near this good. I doubt that Lamb simply fell of a cliff this past year and that the lights just went on for McGehee this spring. I think it's more likely the case that in this small sample the better player is struggling while the lesser player is red hot.

[joepepsi]

I suspect with McGehee it's not so much the lights suddenly came on, as it is he's now 26 and has 4-1/2 years of pro baseball experience. That is, he's in his physical and talent prime. So even though Lamb will probably have the better career, it's quite possible McGehee at 26 is better than a 33-34 year old Mike Lamb.

 

Lamb has also played most of his career at pretty good home ballparks for hitters. MinuteMaid helped to mask some decline, imho.

[lodiness]

Saw him play down at spring training, and he looks tough. In my opinion, he's in Lamb's out. His glove looked good, along with his bat. It's an interesting, and tough decision though.

[Never Outhustled]

MaGehee has had an awesome spring, and will likely be on next springs "Laynce Nix All-Stars" thread. I'm hoping MaGehee is some kind of super scouting find, but he is more likely the next Lyle Mouton. MaGehee has never broke the 777 OPS mark in the minors, so I'll be shocked if he's an asset in the majors. That said, we need a RH bench bat, and we don't have another sensible option right now.

 

Funny thing about MaGehee is, if he's sent to AAA, he likely won't start. Don Money wasn't at he Big League spring games to watch MaGehee tear it up. Money will likely give out playing time based on the players career body of work. That would have Gamel at 3B, Heether at 2B, and Thormon at 1st. MaGehee was an OF in college, but Cole Gillespie will definately take 1 of the starting corner OF spots, probably RF. Hernan Iribarren outhit MaGehee at A and AA before falling on his face last year, maybe those 2 could split LF?

 

Can anyone name a player who played fulltime in the minors through age 25, never OPS'd 780 in a season, and became a productive big league hitter?

[colbyjack]

Can anyone name a player who played fulltime in the minors through age 25, never OPS'd 780 in a season, and became a productive big league hitter?

 

Scott Podsednik.

[Ennder]

Can anyone name a player who played fulltime in the minors through age 25, never OPS'd 780 in a season, and became a productive big league hitter?

 

Mark DeRosa

[sheetskout]

It's sad. I've followed him all spring, but reality and Mike Lamp say there's no room, and Brad Nelson is also a lefty.

[Blancofan1]

Funny thing about MaGehee is, if he's sent to AAA, he likely won't start. Don Money wasn't at he Big League spring games to watch MaGehee tear it up. Money will likely give out playing time based on the players career body of work.

Money was around spring training while we were there and I actually saw him talking to Casey for extended periods of time on a couple of different days. I would love to see him make the big league club over Lamp, but if he doesn't I think he will be starting in Nashville for certain.

[BrewCrewForever]

Can anyone name a player who played fulltime in the minors through age 25, never OPS'd 780 in a season, and became a productive big league hitter?

 

Mark DeRosa

If McGehee came even close to DeRosa I would be very pleased. I'm not saying Casey will be a star but he has had a great spring and flat out deserves to make the club over Lamb. We need a second righty anyway besides Rivera on the bench.

[Never Outhustled]

Can anyone name a player who played fulltime in the minors through age 25, never OPS'd 780 in a season, and became a productive big leaguer?

Mark DeRosa

 

Excellent call Ennder. Not only are their minor league numbers identical, but they're similar physically, and both are versatile defenders. Thanks for keeping my hope alive.

[liveforoctober]

It looks more and more like Mike Lamb will make the team out of spring training and McGahee will start down in AAA.

 

It makes some sense I suppose that without an option, we lose Lamb with McGahee being on the team... and when an injury occurs... we then have to either dig up Irabarren or Gamel, as we won't have Lamb. With Lamb on the roster, McGahee becomes the first call-up, which is optimal. I don't like the idea, it is the same reasoning that is going to keep Tony Gwynn on our team and keep Chris Duffy in AAA.

 

However, trying to make myself feel better about it... McGahee's OBP this spring is his batting average since he hasn't walked yet (.373). After tonight 3 walks, Lamb's OBP is .340, and while I'd rather have McGahee's doubles and Home Run's than Lamb's walks... *sigh*

[Never Outhustled]

It makes some sense I suppose that without an option, we lose Lamb with McGahee being on the team... and when an injury occurs... we then have to either dig up Irabarren or Gamel, as we won't have Lamb. With Lamb on the roster, McGahee becomes the first call-up, which is optimal. I don't like the idea, it is the same reasoning that is going to keep Tony Gwynn on our team and keep Chris Duffy in AAA.

We wouldn't have to call up Gamel or Iribarren. We could call up Adam Heether. Heether has been better than MaGehee his whole career, and even hit well this ST, but didn't get many oppurtunities for some reason. Heether has become an OBA machine. Vinny Rottina also consistently outhit MaGehee before he moved to catcher fulltime last year. Both can defend at 3B better than Lamb.

 

Gwynn should not be kept over Duffy to provide depth because as the season progresses we have developing depth such as Cole Gillespie and Lo Cain. Both could outhit Gwynn right now. Jason Bougoius is also just as good ( or should I say "as bad") a hitter as Gwynn. The Brewers also don't need a backup CF on the roster, as Hart can fill that role.

[joepepsi]

Melvin Mora didn't make it to the majors until he was 27. He did crack the .800 OPS in his final partial season at AAA.

[molitor fan]

The thing that some are forgetting about is McGahee's excellent defense. The last series against the Brewers, McGahee was absolutely Brooks Robinson like, and the announcers made mention of his defensive prowess many times...when we acquired him, it was for this amzinging display in my view.

[SeriesFinale]

JWill posted it in the transactions thread, but Casey made the team over Lamb:

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/42228547.html

[TracyThom]

Brewers made the right choice by keeping Casey over Lamb. Good to see that Lamb's contract was not a factor in the decision.