MIL recalls Mat Gamel, Brad Nelson designated for assignment

[TooLiveBrew]

BoKnows is right.

 

BF.net should have this in the FAQ if it isn't already. Any day of MLB service counts against a guy's service time.

 

 

A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a major league club or clubs during the period of a 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service).

 

In other words, if you interpret that last part, days of MLB service on the expanded 40-man don't count... towards a player's rookie status.

 

 

To be a bit more on-topic, this is very exciting news. I'll hope that LouisEly & others are right in that the Brewers won't be losing Nelson. Getting him everyday PT at Nashville is exactly what he needs. In the meantime, GO GAMEL! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[joepepsi]

I used to believe that, based on speculation I had seen elsewhere. I'm not sure what the basis for the belief is. But that belief doesn't appear to be true. If you look at Cot's: http://mlbcontracts.blogs...1/milwaukee-brewers.html it lists Gamel with service time of .028, and that means 28 days.

Well you must be right. I can't find anything to refute your point. Just seems like last September I read September call ups don't count against something--just can't remember what it was! It makes sense they would get credit for service time; this affects when/if they qualify for pensions.

 

I could see it has no effect on Super 2 status though. Here's Keith Law:

Some bullet points on service time...

• One year of major league service is defined as 172 days of service, but a major league season actually runs around 183 days. A player can only accrue 172 days of service during a season, but he doesn't have to be on a roster from wire to wire to get that many days. This means that a team that wishes to hold a player in the minors long enough to push his free agency date back by one season must wait at least eleven days (and probably about two weeks, just to be safe) before recalling him.
• Days spent on optional assignments shorter than ten days don't count against your service time. If you're sent down on Friday and are recalled on Monday, you get Saturday and Sunday's days of service as well.
• The cutoff for "super-two" status (referring to players with between two and three years of service who are eligible for salary arbitration) is not fixed; all players with at least 2 years and 0 days of service but no more than 2 years and 171 days (2.171) of service are ranked in descending order by total service time, and the top 16% are granted super-two status. The cutoff is usually somewhere between 2.130 and 2.135; to the best of my knowledge, it's never been below 2.120, so a player recalled after June 5th or so is in the clear.

http://baseballanalysts.c...08/death_taxes_and_1.php

[TooLiveBrew]

Just seems like last September I read September call ups don't count against something--just can't remember what it was!

 

Rookie status

[Patrick425]

Ok, sorry, still confused...I don't understand what playing time in previous year would have to do with his Super 2 status unless it exceeded 86 days last year. This is how it is posted in FAQ:

 

When does a player become eligible for salary arbitration?

A player with three or more years of service, but less than six years, may file for salary arbitration. In addition, a player can be classified as a "Super-Two" and be eligible for arbitration with less than three years of service. A player with at least two but less than three years of Major League service shall be eligible for salary arbitration if he has accumulated at least 86 days of service during the immediately preceding season and he ranks in the top seventeen percent in total service in the class of Players who have at least two but less than three years of Major League service, however accumulated, but with at least 86 days of service accumulated during the immediately preceding season. So, it doesn't sound like you keep adding days of different seasons to get to 86 days. If he didn't complete 86 days last year, then it starts over this year. If he completes 86 days of service this year, then you have to worry about Super 2 status. At least that's the way I read this. So, I'm not sure why it would make a difference as to whether he's brought up now, July, whenever as long as his total time this season does not exceed 86 days.

[Tbadder]

Ugh! That's it really. I'm just one of those guys who doesn't want my best prospects ticking off nickels and dimes of their MLB clock until they're ready to stay and start.

[strawbossisevil]

The way I understand it, Super Two is not determined until after two years of service time. In order to qualify as a Super Two, you need to be on the roster for at least 86 games in that SECOND year (so for Gamel, we are talking about 2011).

 

If he is in the top 17% of TOTAL service time, and has been on the active roster for 86 days in 2011. Then Gamel would be eligible under Super Two status entering the year 2012 (rather than starting arbitration in 2013 like normal).

 

The 86 day rule seems to be put in place so that someone who is constantly bouncing back and forth between the minors doesn´t end up as a Super Two.

[Patrick425]

The way I understand it, Super Two is not determined until after two years of service time. In order to qualify as a Super Two, you need to be on the roster for at least 86 games in that SECOND year (so for Gamel, we are talking about 2011).

 

If he is in the top 17% of TOTAL service time, and has been on the active roster for 86 days in 2011. Then Gamel would be eligible under Super Two status entering the year 2012 (rather than starting arbitration in 2013 like normal).

 

The 86 day rule seems to be put in place so that someone who is constantly bouncing back and forth between the minors doesn´t end up as a Super Two.

 

This makes sense. So, really the only issue here (other than using up options-which was likely this year anyways), is that he is possibly accumulating more time to count towards being in the top 17% in 2011 (my guess is that he will be playing 86 or more games by 2011).

[FVBrewerFan]

What do you really think the plan is? When Hardy, Fielder, Weeks, and Braun were brought up they started immediately. (Other than September call-ups.) Seems to be the Brewers M.O. with top position player prospects. If that's true, you would think Gamel would be in a strict platoon at 3rd, and Hall would be back to his role of 3B/super utility. Would they really bring Gamel to PH and DH in inter-league games?

[endaround]

They did that for Fielder, Fielder was much younger of course

[JohnBriggs12]

What do you really think the plan is? When Hardy, Fielder, Weeks, and Braun were brought up they started immediately. (Other than September call-ups.) Seems to be the Brewers M.O. with top position player prospects. If that's true, you would think Gamel would be in a strict platoon at 3rd, and Hall would be back to his role of 3B/super utility. Would they really bring Gamel to PH and DH in inter-league games?

That's exactly what they did with Fielder in 2005. They brought him up on June 13th and he started 4 games as DH, 1 at 1B against the Cubs, and the rest of the time he was strictly a PH. He was sent down again after the July 3rd game. He came back for good on August 18th, but only made 2 starts the rest of the season.

[dadofandrew]

I don't get the Super 2 discussion, barring injury, he'll be up for no more than a few weeks. As Briggs points out, they did this with Prince as well.

[mkm13]

The situation with Fielder is different than Gamel's. Gamel plays a much more difficult defensive position and he is still trying to grow in it. You take a month off from playing 1st and is it really a big deal? You take a month off from playing 3rd and that can be a different story..especially for a young player trying to figure it out.

 

Gamel is also a couple years older than Fielder was. By the end of this year they needed to figure out if Gamel can stay at 3rd. IMO if they are going to put him in a bench/pinch hit role for a significant amount of time they have given up on him at 3rd and plan on moving him to a different position next year. I hope that is not the case and they give him a chance before moving him. He had a good 3+ week run at 3rd before being called up.

 

On top of that, he has never been in a pinch hit role before other than a couple at bats, and that is very difficult for a young player.

[TheCrew07]

If Mat hit well he'll make it tough on the team... I've been pushing for him to come up and DH during interleague games so I obviously have no problem with the move. However if he hit well and the team decides to keep him up he'd better get regular playing time. I had no problem with Prince sitting on the bench given his defensive issues, but if they think Gamel is a 3B then they better be getting further experience. If he's going to be a 1B, then it really doesn't matter to me if he thrives in a PH role.

[kramnoj]

I don't get the Super 2 discussion, barring injury, he'll be up for no more than a few weeks. As Briggs points out, they did this with Prince as well.

 

Hall is struggling against RHP again. A 3B platoon with Hall/Gamel would give the Brewers the best offense at that position, and would also give them a better PH option each game. With Gamel getting most starts against RHP, he would be getting regular PT and the rust factor wouldn't be as much of a concern. If Gamel hits and plays decent defense, I don't see why the Brewers would send him down.

[JJHardy7]

Nelson opts for free agency...

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/45092532.html

[naivin]

I was first to point out that Ryan Braun = $***! Eye's jai Rodriguez, so let me be the first to say, Mat Gamel = Paul Wetserberg (Just struck me during the interview on FSWis. unfortunatley I can't seem to find a decent picture of Gamel w/out a helmet, or PW w/out sunglasses. Best I could do...

http://projectprospect.com/files/imagecache/content_image/files/media/content/Mat-Gamel-300x450-b.jpghttp://www.singingfool.com/photos/437/018365_17.jpg

 

 

[Invader3K]

Heh, yeah, he does kind of look like the former Replacements lead singer. Maybe he should come out to "World Class Fad" or something.

[naivin]

Maybe he should come out to "World Class Fad" or something.

I like it. Of course, Knock It Right Out may not be a bad choice either.

[RyDogg66]

Gamel gets #24 I see, so #17 remains semi-retired.

[BrewCrewForever]

This seems like a Prince move from back in 2005. I like it. Excited to see Gamel get some MLB at-bats.

[pogokat]

I can't hardly wait

[naivin]

I can't hardly wait

Very nice.

[BrewCrewForever]

Gamel gets #24 I see, so #17 remains semi-retired.

Yeah I'm beginning to think that number will never be used again in Milwaukee. It may never go in the rafters but it is not going to be issued to anyone. And I'm fine with that, Gumby deserves it. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think anyone has worn it since he did.

[Invader3K]

According to this, that is correct. Makes you wonder if they'll ever just officially retire it, even though Gantner isn't a Hall of Famer. Seems kind of silly to have a number "unofficially retired."

[joepepsi]

Maybe until he's up for good they could just play that lyric, "one foot in the door, the other one in the gutter"...