Casey McGehee's struggles: how much leash does he get?

[mrpackersfan1]

According to MLBTraderumors, the Rangers have interest in Fielder and if that fails they will try for McGehee at 1B and swapping Moreland for Wade Davis. We could sell high on McGehee and actually get a MLB ready prospect (RP)

[BREWCREW5]

We could sell high on McGehee and actually get a MLB ready prospect (RP)

Sell high? McGehee had a terrible year last year and was benched in the playoffs. He could be non-tendered.

[Invader3K]

He was bad last year, but he's probably the definition of a huge upside bounce back candidate. I'm not banking on it, but crazier things have happened in baseball.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't remember. Seriously.

I think you were blocking it from your memory.

Yeah, I definitely was -- thanks Robin19 for reminding me. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

While the 1B/SS/3B aggregate is a useful way to think about how many individuals contribute on offense in baseball, I don't think it's a very useful way to analyze whether or not the team's better off without or with Fielder. He's been the unquestioned leader of the team for at least 3 or 4 seasons now, and is an elite offensive player.

I don't agree that you can just take the aggregate of three positions & make that your target for the following season. And actually the main problem I have with that aggregate comparison is the implication that McGehee's & Betancourt's horrid, puke-tastic offense should factor in, in any way, as a bar or standard to measure against. The issue here isn't that Fielder actually isn't so irreplaceable -- it's that if the Brewers hadn't been content with league-worst production from McGehee & Betancourt, there'd be no chance they could assemble a group at 1B/SS/3B that could match the 2011 numbers. Casey & Yuni were that bad.

The loss of Fielder, even with his defensive deficiencies, is a huge loss. No two ways about it.

[TheCrew]

He's been the unquestioned leader of the team for at least 3 or 4 seasons now, and is an elite offensive player.

Ryan Braun says hi.

[nate82]

He's been the unquestioned leader of the team for at least 3 or 4 seasons now, and is an elite offensive player.

Ryan Braun says hi.

Braun was never really the leader of the team that landed on Prince the last 3 or 4 seasons.

[Rhett16]

Fielder, McGehee, Betancourt 2011 combined:

1876 PA, .259/.327/.433/.759 with really bad defense

 

Justin Upton 2011:

640 PA, .243/.331/.429/.759 with good (I think) defense

 

So upgrading 3B and SS can offset what we'll lose at 1B. SS is the same offense but now plus defense. If we can upgrade 3B and get someone that can throw from first to home, the team might not miss the loss of Fielder.

 

Those are BJ Upton's stats, not Justin Upton.

[logan82]

I don't remember. Seriously.

I think you were blocking it from your memory.

Yeah, I definitely was -- thanks Robin19 for reminding me. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

While the 1B/SS/3B aggregate is a useful way to think about how many individuals contribute on offense in baseball, I don't think it's a very useful way to analyze whether or not the team's better off without or with Fielder. He's been the unquestioned leader of the team for at least 3 or 4 seasons now, and is an elite offensive player.

I don't agree that you can just take the aggregate of three positions & make that your target for the following season. And actually the main problem I have with that aggregate comparison is the implication that McGehee's & Betancourt's horrid, puke-tastic offense should factor in, in any way, as a bar or standard to measure against. The issue here isn't that Fielder actually isn't so irreplaceable -- it's that if the Brewers hadn't been content with league-worst production from McGehee & Betancourt, there'd be no chance they could assemble a group at 1B/SS/3B that could match the 2011 numbers. Casey & Yuni were that bad.

The loss of Fielder, even with his defensive deficiencies, is a huge loss. No two ways about it.

I think Weeks has been a big leader in the clubhouse from what we have been hearing. Plus I think most players had it in the back of their mind that Fielder has been leaving for a while.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't question there are other guys capable of leading, that really wasn't my point.

[logan82]

Nobody can match Fielder.

 

Let me say that again, Nobody can match Fielder despite his defensive deficiencies. All we can hope to do is soften the impact of his loss. The fact that his defense may have hurt other fielders and his defense was well below average may soften the blow a bit will help us. I am not sure how much of a team leader he was in the clubhouse. He may have been been our best hitter but that doesn't mean he meant anything in the clubhouse. He played hard so that set an example but so do Braun and Weeks.

[RightFieldCoder]

Those are BJ Upton's stats

Yes they are. I don't know why I typed Justin. I was looking at BJ's stat page. I feel like the Genie in Aladdin when he felt sheepish. Stupid error on my part. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/embarassed.gif

[thebruce44]

Nobody can match Fielder.

 

Let me say that again, Nobody can match Fielder despite his defensive deficiencies.

Fielder put up an average WAR of 3.9 over his first 6 seasons. WAR doesn't account for how poorly he receives throws, so one could make an argument thats more like a 3.5 WAR per season. He is also most likely to be in decline now, though I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt as say I would expect something like a 5 WAR next season.

Anyway, I don't think its that unrealistic to think Gamel plus another player having a career year could match that. I don't even think its that unreasonable to think Gamel alone might match that one of these next few seasons, though I am a lot higher on him than most.