Is it time for Gamel to go to AAA? ... Latest: Gamel to Stay (reply #81)

[CheezWizHed]

I cheered when they called him up. I've wanted him to start most games at 3B. I root for him every at bat. But is it time to send him back to AAA? I'm thinking that he has a good taste of what MLB is about. If he takes that back to AAA and get back in the "swing" of things, we can call him back up later. But right now, he is as bad as Hall at the plate.

 

Plus, I think Heether or Hurricane has earned their way up. I would prefer Heether, but he isn't on the 40-man.

[bklynbrewcrew]

No Gamel should not be sent down. He should be starting everyday and Hall should be benched against righties and lefties and only used as a defensive replacement and pinch hitter. If we are patient with Gamel he will go on a hot streak before too long. With Hall we know what we have at this point. With Gamel we have tremendous upside that shouldnt be wasted on the bench.

[CheezWizHed]

I didn't mean to infer that we start Hall with Gamel in AAA. Hall can still handle LHP, while starting McGehee/Counsell/Heether most of the time. Then let Gamel get back on track at AAA and bring him back up. Kind of like Macha's policy of letting the players write the starting lineup. But extending it into AAA also. Heether is on fire right now. Only problem is that he isn't on the 40 man.

[crossface21]

I love having Gamel and had thought the Brewers should take the approach that they did with Braun when he came up. Use him for his bat, hope nothing too bad happens in the field, then replace him near the end of games as needed with a defensive replacement. However, with how free-swinging Gamel is, he's striking out too much to be effective in many of his AB's. If he could at least put more balls in play, I'd still say to keep him with the Brewers, but if he's going to swing at anything, send him back down to get him playing everyday again and keep him sharp for later in the year if they need him.

[TheCrew07]

It appeared to me that early on Mat was trying too hard to make something happen, he's never K'd this much in the past, I think he just needs to get comfortable and it may take some time for that to happen. Last night he took some awfully defensive swings reminiscent Hardy when he first came up. Sometimes players take a while to adjust, I don't see a reason to send him down when there's not a better alternative readily available. I'd give him another couple of weeks to turn it around and if he's still struggling around the All-Star break, then maybe think about making a move. I'm alright breaking in Gamel this season, especially if our other bats continue to heat up.

 

Heether might be an alternative but he's not a your typical platoon partner nor is he on the 40 man as previously mentioned. They could bring up Iribarren and slide McGehee over to 3B as well.

[RyDogg66]

The problem is that the Brewers probably havent told him what their plans are for him, at least I dont think they have. If they told him "no matter what you do you are staying up all year" or "no matter what you do you are going back down after interleague play" I think Mat could relax and play how he knows he can. If he is pressing to impress it could lead to him not being as selective as he normally is and putting balls into play that are easier outs.

[brewmann04]

without a doubt you can see Gamel pressing,he just need to relax a bit.

[PlayerHader]

I wouldn't be upset to see him sent down, but not simply because of his performance. I do think he is our best option as an every day 3rd baseman, but until Macha is ready to do that he needs to get at-bats every day.

[CheezWizHed]

brewmann04[/b]]without a doubt you can see Gamel pressing,he just need to relax a bit.

Absolutely. But will he be able to relax while struggling at the MLB level on a team that is in first place and fighting for the playoffs? IMO, he is better off for himself and the team to go back to AAA, get his confidence back and come back later in the season. Same idea as with Parra.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't think Gamel should be sent down. Hall has just developed into a terrible hitter, and the Brewers need a bat at 3B that can at least give you a shot against RHP. Gamel's only had 80 PA so far (Macha is partly to blame for that, but so is Mat's lack of production). I think he should & will get a lot longer leash than that before sending him back to Nashville is considered.

[DHonks]

Gamel is doing fine. Now that he's playing every day he should remain the starter.

[owbc]

I would give Gamel a few more weeks, but if he continues to struggle then Hall needs to be playing. Gamel's bad defense already was a contributing factor in one loss this year.

[TooLiveBrew]

But hasn't Hall's offense (or lack thereof) been a far bigger weakness for the team?

[Ennder]

Gamel is doing just fine considering his experience level and I've been impressed overall with his defense considering how bad I thought it was going to be. I don't really see a need to send him down.

[JohnBriggs12]

Unless he has a big series against Detroit or unless McGehee has to go on DL, I'd send him down for the simple reason I don't think Macha will use him enough and he's not done enough to force them to keep him or to play him every day. He'll have over 90 PA by the end of the week. That's a pretty fair first test. It's not that he has failed his test but that he didn't show he's going to rake right out of the box. Remember he's only played 38 games at AAA, so he could use both the extra experience and he'd be playing everyday which is key to his defensive development. Give him 5-6 more weeks at Nashville and re-visit the idea.

 

It's also not like they don't have a logical roster replacement in Iribarren. I have no problem with Iribarren sharing the 2B job with Counsell vs. righthanders with McGehee playing 3B vs. righthanders and sliding over to 2B vs. lefthanders. As bad as Hall's been, he's actually been making a little better contact lately and I still think at some point, he's going to have at least a mini revival like he did in 08 when he torched the Cardinals in July and Hall's saved them a lot of runs with his defense. Plus we're all better off finding something we like in Hall because he's signed through next year and not worth anything in a trade.

[BrewCrewRising]

I agree with John Briggs. If they're not going to use him, they should put him somewhere where he'll develop. If they want to use him in the big club and let him grow, that's fine, but he's not a utility prospect, he's a stud prospect.

[ryanbraun75]

I say there is no way he should be sent down. The only problem with gamel that I can see is that he's trying to do too much and striking out on bad pitches. The best solution would be to sit him down and tell him that he is the guy no matter what and plain and simply play h everyday. Bill hall has done nothin to earn himself the time be gets. Gamel doesn't yet know his role and that could be tough for any young guy to swallow. He needs to be thrown out there and mark my words we will see a possible rookie of the year.

[DonMoney4Mgr]

His K ratio is the highest on the team, and he's been facing mostly righties. The Brewers have a major dilemma at third because they're not getting any production from that spot. I would give Gamel till the end of interleague then send him down if there is not an upswing in quality at bats. Further, maybe the market will clear up in a few weeks to see who is buyers and who is sellers. Everybody, of course, is mentioning DeRosa, but I would love to see Scott Rolen for the next two years if Gamel isn't ready.

[logan82]

Gamel is as ready as he is going to be. Let him play full time.

[strawbossisevil]

The guy is a rookie, give him time to settle in to the big leagues. Most rookies struggle when they get brought up (we´ve been spoiled in having Braun and Fielder rake from the start). I mean, even Wieters is hitting poorly to start his big league career. It isn´t fair to the rookie to expect him to step in and perform at their top level from day one.

[MadScientist]

He's not an upgrade at the moment, so let him get some more work in at AAA until he is a real upgrade. Instead of trying to prove he belongs, he needs to know he belongs.

 

I don't think the Brewers should go for Rolen unless they can get a good trade after this year. I suspect Gamel will be more than ready by next year.

[JJHardy7]

The problem is that the Brewers probably havent told him what their plans are for him, at least I dont think they have. If they told him "no matter what you do you are staying up all year" or "no matter what you do you are going back down after interleague play" I think Mat could relax and play how he knows he can. If he is pressing to impress it could lead to him not being as selective as he normally is and putting balls into play that are easier outs.

 

I agree with this. Mat can hit. We can look at his 80 PAs all we want, but that's no way a fair way to evaluate him. Sure he has to produce, but he needs to know his role. If he's not going to start everyday, he should be in AAA and that's not a knock on Mat. He should be the everyday 3B and let him actually get comfortable. He probably his pressing because he doesn't know his role.

 

Gamel's bad defense already was a contributing factor in one loss this year.

 

Already? The same could be said about several Brewers. The Brewers almost lost the other night because of a mistake by Cameron, but people realize those things happen. Please don't be like ESPN and state his errors from a few years back. He's developed just a little bit since then. I'm not saying he's perfect, but obviously not playing 3B isn't going to keep him as sharp as he should be.

[brewmann04]

Macha will continue to use Hall at 3rd so why not send Gamel down ( I don't agree with it) but he should be tried full time and it not like hall has done anything to impress with his bat.

[FVBrewerFan]

The logic of sending him down doesn't make sense to me. The argument I'm hearing is that he should go down to work some things out, then come back later in the season...right? Well he wsa alredy red-hot when they brought him up from Nashville! So you send him down, he starts hitting more and then you bring him back? Won't he have the same struggles he's having now???

 

Every player not names Ryan Braun goes through growing pains, and all you're doing by sending him down is delaying that natural process. He's looked bad at times, but he has also shown some real patience, and has delivered a few timely hits. He should be starting every day at 3B (DH doesn't give him the experience in the field he needs.)

 

It's NOT the same situation as Parra. Manny has had success at the ML level, he just needs to get out of the spotlight and work on a few things. But Gamel is as ready as he's going to be, now he needs playing time and as many ABs as he can get.

[JJHardy7]

Well he wsa alredy red-hot when they brought him up from Nashville!

 

And then he began pretty much a bench role...I think many here are agreeing with you. It's his role on the team that is the problem, but it's not as if he's a finished product in the field. He needs to play 3B either at MLB or AAA.