Where does Gamel fit?

[sveumrules]

As this offseason progresses it seems more and more evident that the Brewers are going to go all in and try to make one last run with Prince in a Milwaukee uniform. The question this brings up is whither Mat Gamel?

At the outset it seemed like one of Prince or Casey would be traded for pitching help and Gamel would slide into the vacated spot. But the market for Prince never really developed and the Brewers seem to view McGehee as a long term piece as his name hasn't come up in the hot stove at all.

So that leaves one of two (undesirable) options. Trade Mat. This would be a bad idea as his value is nearly as low as it could be and he is the only left handed and potential impact bat we have close to ML ready. The other option would be to use him on the bench this year where he would maybe get 1 or 2 starts a week at 3rd or in RF as well as PH appearances. Again, less than ideal because you're putting Gamel right back in the same situation/role that seemingly got him off track to start with in 2009.

So, what do you think becomes of Milwaukee's favorite zim zam inducer?

[dadofandrew]

I'd say he's depth for 1B/3B/LF/RF who is very likely to begin the season in AAA. He's inexpensive, so he has value in MIL or elsewhere. Still has an option, so I doubt they'll feel a need to make a move. I'd like to see him dominate Nashville and stay healthy, and show the ability to play a position or two without Don Money questioning his desire to do the work.

[sbrylski]

It feels unfair to him, but I don't think there's really anything wrong with stashing him at Triple-A, playing 1B/3B/RF/LF, and waiting for an injury.

 

I think you trade him before doing that, but the Brewers know better than I what his market value is. If he's viewed as just a throw-in, then there is no reason whatsoever to move him.

[bork]

It's not like the Brewers have much power at the upper levels of the minors, so I don't see him getting traded. He'll have a spot in 2012, once Fielder is gone. There really aren't a whole lot of other options to replace Fielder from within (Unless Katin can cut way down on K's).

[logan82]

Do you mean the Katin who has had exactly one good year in the minors in his 3rd trip to AAA?

[Hate those Rodents]

I think Gamel fits with us really well. Prince is gone after the season. If Gamel is still with us in spring training, I am almost certain he won't be shipped. At that point, you deliver him this message:

 

"Mat, Prince is gone after this season. You will fit in either at 1B, 3B, or in the corner OF. Show your dominance at AAA and continue to work defensively at one of these said positions. We may deal Prince by the deadline, and then you get an everyday job in Milwaukee. We may keep Prince until the season is complete, but when he leaves, as long as you are hitting like we know you can, you'll be an everyday player in Milwaukee in 2012."

[sveumrules]

I agree AAA is probably the best and most logical option for Mat to start the year and he could be the first call up if there was an injury at one of the corners, I just worry that he'll maybe start to (some would say continue to) stagnate if that does indeed occur. At the same time with the way he hit the ball towards the end of the season after he had a chance to fully recover from his injury I could see him getting off to a ridiculous start and really raising his stock/pushing the Brewers hand a little bit.

 

If he does start in Nashville what position do you think he'll be playing? 3B mostly with a RF and 1B thrown in here and there?

[chadomac]

How long do we have Gamel before we have to bring him up or lose him? I don't know how that works, but I know he's a "not that young" prospect at this point.

[sveumrules]

I believe this is Gamel's last option year so if he isn't on the 25 man to start 2012 he would then be a free agent.

[BrewCrewForever]

My hope is that unless the Brewers trade Fielder or McGehee, which is very unlikely, Gamel starts at AAA. He tears the cover off the ball and plays a little bit of 3B, 1B and OF. Then he is depth at any of those spots if an injury occurs. In 2012 when Fielder is gone, Gamel will start at one of those spots in Milwaukee depending on where they want him as well as where they like Braun, Hart or McGehee best. Could be some shuffling on defense. Best scenario is Mat becomes at least as good as Prince at 1B so they don't need to shuffle anyone around on defense.

[paul253]

My hope is that the Brewers trade McGehee for at least mid to high ceiling minor league position player then hand Gamel third base. The guy has nothing left to prove in Nashville and needs to be given a shot to play in Milwaukee on a full time basis.

[Marc Newfield of Dreams]

How about RF, with Corey sliding over to CF? Gonna need someone there if Cain heads to KC.

 

A man can dream, no?

[greeg35]

That might be the dream; but without Escobar, reality would include a terrible defense....realistically it will probably be terrible even if we don't move Hart to CF.

[paul253]

If this deal for Greinke is true, I really think McGehee needs to be traded for a center fielder. Right now we have two third basemen and no center fielders (Gomez and Dickerson don't count).

[PilprinBuddha]

Is Gamel really a 3rd baseman?

[Invader3K]

I think at this point you keep both around, with the idea of Gamel probably replacing Fielder at 1B after 2011.

[razzzorsharp]

Shortstop of course.

[RobDeer 45]

I don't think Gamel is a 3b. I'd like to see him at 1st or maybe RF like people have mentioned. I guess it would be aggressive to have an OF of Hart, Braun, Gamel but the bats would be great!

[greeg35]

I may be in the minority; but I think Gamel could still be a very good 3rd baseman in time and given the reps. He has the physical tools to have very good range and has a strong arm. It just takes some guys longer to settle in defensively for whatever reason. I think his physical tools alone make him nearly equal to McGehee defensively already, since Casey is by no means a world-beater on D.

I'd rather see McGehee shift to first or be traded than Gamel. I would go with Gamel at AAA this season, not because he has anything left to prove offensively; but because he needs reps defensively and we really don't have a spot for him at this point.

[Funketown]

I'm actually curious whether or not Mat Gamel would be a better choice for this team at SS than Yuniesky. Yuniesky can probably be projected as -15 on both offense and defense, relative to the average player, for -30 total. Gamel might be -40 on defense, but he may be able to pull a +10 on offense.

 

Yet, doing this with Gamel would clearly be idiotic (unless he has a secret ability to play SS, which would be awesome). That's how bad Yuniesky is.

[rluzinski]

The important question is, do the BREWERS think Gamel is a third basemen anymore? I didn't think so but some are acting like he would still be considered there.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'm actually curious whether or not Mat Gamel would be a better choice for this team at SS than Yuniesky.

 

It's basically not possible to be a worse defensive SS than Betancourt is. Overall, Gamel would actually probably have more value... strange as that is.

[monty57]

With Prince leaving after this year, it makes sense to hold onto both McGehee and Gamel. The question in my mind is whether Gamel spends the season in AAA as 3B/1B/corner OF, or it the Brewers use him as a bench bat on the MLB roster in their effort to "go for it" in 2011. For the long-term benefit of the franchise, it makes sense to stick him in AAA, but he would be a good LH bat off the bench in a playoff run this season. I guess this will probably be determined by how much money Melvin has left available to add a power bat for the bench.

[clancyphile]

How about RF, with Corey sliding over to CF? Gonna need someone there if Cain heads to KC.

 

A man can dream, no?

That could work... I'd go for that. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Warning Track Power]

With Prince's impending deaprture, I can't see us dealing McGehee. I'd have to be blown away with an offer of a SS or CF to move McGehee since we have no upper level 3B and 1B prospects to replace Fielder and McGehee. McGehee and Gamel will likely be our corner IFs beginning 2012 and I am fine with that.