Brewers acquire CF Corey Patterson [Called up 9/4 - see reply 128ish]

[Hate those Rodents]

So many posters think anyone that isn't Mike Cameron has no shot to help us in CF. That list starts with Braun or Hart playing there, then TGJ, then Patterson, then (insert name). I guess I am just not sure where this team would be without Cameron and with ten million dollars added to our rotation. Clearly, they'd be able to pull off a sub .500 record.

[zzzmanwitz]

So many posters think anyone that isn't Mike Cameron has no shot to help us in CF. That list starts with Braun or Hart playing there, then TGJ, then Patterson, then (insert name). I guess I am just not sure where this team would be without Cameron and with ten million dollars added to our rotation. Clearly, they'd be able to pull off a sub .500 record.

 

Just to be clear, I love Cameron and think this team would be no where without him, but I'm trying to get into the head of Doug Melvin and Mike Cameron. Do I think they both want to make a deal to keep him here? Yes. Do I think they agree on a dollar amount, probably not.

[JoeHova]

So many posters think anyone that isn't Mike Cameron has no shot to help us in CF. That list starts with Braun or Hart playing there, then TGJ, then Patterson, then (insert name). I guess I am just not sure where this team would be without Cameron and with ten million dollars added to our rotation. Clearly, they'd be able to pull off a sub .500 record.

Why would we assume that Melvin would have spent $10 million on pitching wisely? Look at the absolute garbage he has brought in on free agent deals: Suppan, Looper, Gagne, Julio, Riske, etc.

 

Meanwhile, Cameron, according to fangraphs, was worth $18 million on the field last year and is one pace to be worth about that much again this season. In my opinion, the chances of Melvin finding that kind of value in free agent pitching were close to nil.

 

Mike Cameron is one of the best players on the Brewers and he has far outperformed his contract.

[joepepsi]

What good pitcher was available last winter for a one year, $10 million deal? For the most part, the good ones signed long term deals. I suppose you can point to Randy Wolf who signed a one year/$5 million deal, but Cam's contract hardly prevented a deal like that.

 

But it didn't take $10 million and a one year commitment to sign Derek Lowe, it took $60 million and 4 years. I'm not sure that's a deal I want Doug making.

[Funketown]

Corey raking in AAA, say it ain't so. Doug, please don't trick yourself into thinking this guy is a major league talent.

[jwill535]

Given the way they are playing, and if they continue to play this way, I have no problem kicking the tires on Patterson. Who knows, maybe he has learned something from being dumped so many times.

[RockCoCougars]

I'd rather pay a Patterson/Gerut and a righty hitter (Marlon Byrd?) combo less than $4 million combined than pay Mike Cameron $10 million plus next year. Bill Hall is a sunk cost, so maybe he could factor in as well. I know Fangraphs or whatever says Cameron is worth $36 million or something, but what I see is a streaky Marquis Grissom-like hitter who disappears for weeks at a time, albeit with better range in the field.

 

That said, I'm sure people will be pining for David DeJesus and/or Coco Crisp again this off season.

 

I'd prefer to see the money go towards the pitching staff.

[JJHardy7]

How much value does Cameron have? I don't ask this to be a jerk or anything, but I'm surprised he wasn't moved at the deadline if he's worth $18 million or so this year...

 

I like Cameron and would like to see him back, but if he honestly had that much value in the eyes of GMs he'd be in a different uniform today IMO.

[TooLiveBrew]

Cameron, among qualified CF in MLB, ranks 8th in OPS. I have no idea where this perception that he's not a 'good enough' hitter comes from. Every baseball player is streaky with the exceptions of elite guys like Pujols & Fielder (& even they will go through cold streaks). As long as the Brewers can retain Cameron on another one-year deal, I sure hope they do so.

[Invader3K]

I agree with TLB's points. Most players are streaky...it's just Cameron is having some good streaks, while a player like Hardy hasn't hit any of those hot streaks for most of this season.

 

I think a lot of Brewers fans are going to start to miss Cameron in a year or two when an experimental CF in Weeks or Hart is out there missing deep fly balls, or someone like Patterson is shoved into the role of starting CF and hits around .220.

 

Some fans out there are just idiots when it comes to evaluating how good a player is...I think some expect every player to hit around .300 with 30 home runs a year. It's exacerbated by the fact that some radio pundits spout off about how bad he is.

[Tbadder]

1) Gerut has gotten screwed by Macha. He should know better; the man needs some at bats. I wish they'd tank Cat.

2) Agreed, Cam is our best option for CF next year. It's too bad that money might be standing in the way of making it happen.

3) I don't care how well he does in the minors, Patterson has no business in the majors. I'd rather see Bill Hall there next year than Patterson.

4) Non-tendering Gerut next year will be a really bad idea, really bad.

[The Truth]

Does Patterson have a future in the MLB with the Brewers? He's hitting a .999 OPS right now with Nashville (granted only a small sample of 80 AB's), with a .338 BA

[joepepsi]

Lord, please, NO! Corey's 30 years old with 3748 major league plate appearances. He should be killing AAA pitching. But that shouldn't be construed as anything significant. His major league career OPS is .696. He isn't suddenly better.

[The Truth]

What happened to him? At the age of 23 he had an OPS over .800, then a steady decline

[Invader3K]

He could be an OK option as a backup next year, I guess.

[RockCoCougars]

I'll take Patterson at a million or less every time over Cameron for $10 million plus.

[Ennder]

I'd rather go into 2010 with Gerut as our starting CF than Patterson so I sure hope we don't go with Patterson(I don't really want to go with Gerut either btw).

[Never Outhustled]

I'll take Patterson at a million or less every time over Cameron for $10 million plus.

Why would you forfiet 4 wins just to save $10 million? We would need to be incredibly lucky to find a 4 WAR pitcher for 1/yr $10 million, and yet we wouldn't be any better.

[FVBrewerFan]

Except that's a made up stat that can never be proven. $10MM is better spent on pitching instead of a CF that does all his damage at the plate in 10 games or so. This team needs pitching to compete-period. Any dollars spent next year should be on pitchers. The only exception would be an unlikely extension of Fielder's contract.

[MJLiverock]

I'll never understand the hate for Cameron. The guy is a great defensive CFer and has the 7th highest OBP and 4th highest OPS for all Centerfielders in baseball this year. What more do you want from the guy? Yet defensive hacks like Brady Clark are remembered fondly even though in his two "career years" he couldn't match Cameron's offense.

[And That]

Except that's a made up stat that can never be proven.

 

$10MM is better spent on pitching instead of a CF that does all his damage at the plate in 10 games or so.

The irony is thick.

 

Cameron isn't perfect for sure, but he's better than all but a few of the top CF in the game and probably has enough left in the tank to be above average again next year. The drop off in CF from Cameron to anyone else currently in the Brewers employ is drastic, and I doubt it could be made up for with whatever pitching we could get for the cost savings.

[sheethead]

Why would you forfiet 4 wins just to save $10 million? We would need to be incredibly lucky to find a 4 WAR pitcher for 1/yr $10 million, and yet we wouldn't be any better.

$2.5 million extra per win is not feasible for the Brewers. I believe the "hate" for Cameron comes from his extreme propensity to strikeout often and in key situations. Jacking 2-run homers in decided games will not win anyone's loyalty, but it certainly will look awesome on paper when examining his OPS. Cameron is not worth $10 million, imo. He definitely plays a great centerfield, but for the first time in his career I can match every great play with an equally bad one this year.

[jeffy]

Cameron's defense can make all pitchers better as well as the other two outfielders. I suppose some will be happier with some hack who stands on the warning track and scoops up singles that would be outs with Cameron.

[sheethead]

Cameron isn't perfect for sure, but he's better than all but a few of the top CF in the game

 

If by few you mean 8-10 better, then I agree.

 

and probably has enough left in the tank to be above average again next year.

 

I agree, but is he worth another $10 million?

 

The drop off in CF from Cameron to anyone else currently in the Brewers employ is drastic,

 

I agree completely.

 

and I doubt it could be made up for with whatever pitching we could get for the cost savings.

 

Maybe. The Brewers need starting pitching way more than they need OPS right now.

[Baldkin]

If by few you mean 8-10 better, then I agree.

Lets see that list.

He's 4th in MLB in WAR amongst CF's, and he's 4th in OPS. 3rd in BB%. 8th in OBP, behind 3 guys who platoon.

 

The guy is a steal for 10 million.