Where does Gamel fit?

[Funketown]

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.

I think you're underestimating just how bad a SS could (theoretically) be. I bet Gamel could pull off Ryan Braun at 3B bad. Oh, and he'd still probably be better than Yuniesky.

[bjkrautk]

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.

...not to mention the willingness of that bat to take a bench role, as Gamel's role with the 2011 Brewers would be - in essence - the same one that Eric Hinske turned down in order to re-sign with the Braves.

 

[JohnBriggs12]

I believe Gamel will be used to replace Joe Inglett's AB's this year. He'll get more AB's than Joe did, filling in on occasion at 3B and RF, and the usual week or two in LF when Braun strains himself. He's also do the bulk of the DH'ing. Even though Inglett didn't get a ton of AB's, he appeared in over 100 games.

 

Remember they were hot after Hinske. Obviously they thought they could get use out of a bat like Hinske. There's no reason Gamel can't play that role.

[The Truth]

I believe Gamel will be used to replace Joe Inglett's AB's this year. He'll get more AB's than Joe did, filling in on occasion at 3B and RF, and the usual week or two in LF when Braun strains himself. He's also do the bulk of the DH'ing. Even though Inglett didn't get a ton of AB's, he appeared in over 100 games.

 

Remember they were hot after Hinske. Obviously they thought they could get use out of a bat like Hinske. There's no reason Gamel can't play that role.

I think this is the most likely scenario. Maybe Gamel starts the season in AAA but I think he plays the Inglett role, too. As it stands now the Brewers once again have only one starter who bats lefty in Fielder (unless Dickerson platoons in Center and Counsell starts alot vs righties, both of which wouldn't come as a shock)

 

No way would I trade Gamel with Prince being 99% likely to leave

 

[joepepsi]

Macha took a lot crap on this board for the Gamel zim zam in 2009 and supposedly not playing him. But Gamel had 131 plate appearances in approximately two months from mid May to Mid July. The season's 6 months long, so I see no reason why he couldn't get 300 or more plate appearances in 2010 with the Brewers.

 

I understand a player may get rusty riding the pines all summer, but I don't buy the idea that it somehow ruins them long term. I'd rather have Gamel on the big club all 2010, and Roenicke having the pleasant problem of trying to find him at bats. Another season in AAA is more likely to affect his progress negatively, than getting accustomed to life as a big leaguer.

[TooLiveBrew]

Yeah, at this point it's probably better for Mat to get used to a part-time role & acclimate himself to the big leagues. Plus I'm sure he'd prefer to be with the MLB club all season instead of riding buses with Nashville.

[Hate those Rodents]

It would be interesting, if not ideal, to see what would happen if Gomez gets injured in spring training. Is it just "next man in" with Dickerson/Boggs, or do they think about moving Hart to CF and playing Gamel in right?

[Warning Track Power]

It would be interesting, if not ideal, to see what would happen if Gomez gets injured in spring training. Is it just "next man in" with Dickerson/Boggs, or do they think about moving Hart to CF and playing Gamel in right?

My only concern with the idea of Gamel in RF or 3B is where does he end up in 2012 when Prince is gone? Let's try to avoid another Bill Hall situation when he got moved from SS to CF to 3B in consecutive seasons. I am all for getting Gamel playing time in RF and Hart in CF if those are the positions we are expecting them to play in 2012. If the plan is Gamel at 1B or 3B in 2012 and Hart in RF, I would rather have Hart stay in RF all year with Gamel spot starting at 3B or 1B.

 

 

[monty57]

I've seen "Hart to CF" being suggested a lot lately and I don't like it. We're going to be pretty poor defensively even with a real CF. Hart is not a good defensive OF, but is at least capable of playing RF... he'd be terrible in center. Plus, Gamel hasn't spent much time in the OF, so he isn't going to be very good out there. Throw in Betancourt replacing Escobar, and our big additions on the mound will be offset by our league-worst defense.

 

I'd say the depth chart at CF now reads Gomez, Dickerson, Boggs, Hart in that order. If Gamel does make the big league roster this season, I hope he gets a lot of ABs, but not if it means an OF of Braun, Hart, Gamel.