Doug Melvin interview on Bill Michaels show this afternoon

[slappzilla]

Said a lot of interesting things regarding this year and next year. One of his more revealing interviews actually.

 

- Said the Brewers hadn't planned on bringing up Segura till sometime next year but the Nats called about Izturis, and his people in Huntsville considered Segura to be MLB ready.

 

- Mentioned rotation next year will consist of "a few young arms". Said SP FA market is thin and the Brewers will more than likely turn to their own (farm) guys.

 

- Said they offered Zack what they could. Cost of quality SP's is through the roof right now, used Hamels and Cain as examples and pointed out what they got without even testing the FA waters. Said committing a lot of $$$ to an SP is tough due to injuries that pitchers tend to suffer. Lot of risk to do so, etc... Said the way to do it is groom from within, cited Gallardo as an example and mentioned there are guys in the Brewers system right now that could follow Gallardo's path.

 

- Said he knew the numbers would be there for Aramis and they will be for Rickie. Slumps are common in MLB, blah blah

 

- Said Hart is more than likely the everyday 1B going into next season. Said him and Ron like him there a lot (no mention of Gamel at all by Michaels or Melvin).

 

 

I wish Michaels would have asked what they planned on doing with Gamel after Melvin said Hart is probably the everyday 1B for next year.

[chuckiehacks]

I wish Michaels would have asked what they planned on doing with Gamel after Melvin said Hart is probably the everyday 1B for next year.

 

Sadly, Bill Michels probably doesn't know that Mat Gamel exists.

[slappzilla]

You're probably right.

 

I sent Michaels an email asking why he didn't ask about Gamel. He usually gets back to me and/or reads my emails on the air. We shall see.

[slappzilla]

Michaels is now reading all the emails from upset fans regarding what Melvin said. I guess all sorts of people emailed in and are ticked off that Melvin isn't going after a FA SP.

 

That's what you get from the avg, uninformed fans. It's Michaels job to address them and explain the reasoning but instead he tends to cater to them.

[brewmann04]

any link?

[slappzilla]

http://www.sportsradio1250.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=5973841

[JohnBriggs12]

Gamel will be dealt, either in the winter or late in spring training after he shows he's healthy. My guess is they will look for a bullpen arm in return. Why is this such a mystery? He waited his turn, it finally came, and unfortunately, he got hurt. In the meantime, they found a solution at first base. That happens. The other option is to keep him as a bench bat in the role Ishikawa has right now. That's less likely but not out of the question.

 

They aren't going to reveal their thought process now, so there's really no point in asking. It's to everyone's benefit if Gamel works to rehab his knee and get himself in shape to play wherever next season.

[slappzilla]

Dealing Gamel for a bullpen arm would be a terrible idea. He's under team control for at least another 4-5 years and has a pretty high ceiling. The person to deal would be Hart. Gamel and Aoki in the RF/1B spots is not the biggest drop off from Hart/Aoki. If you have a suitable replacement, you trade the money, not the min wag guy with big time upside.

[benji]

I wouldn't too much stock into the FA plans are for the off season as well. Its not like Melvin is going to say we are going after some other free agent to be. No one knows how the market will play out. I am pretty sure they will sign a free agent pitcher. I think it is too risky to rely of 3 or 4 rookies for a rotation on a team that wants to contend. They also could make a trade for an ace again.

[RockCoCougars]

I see no reason to trade Gamel. He can theoretically play multiple positions, and would provide a decent bat of the bench. Most importantly, he's cheap. I do have a feeling that it's going to be either he or Green though, and I'd be surprised if both are on the roster next season.

[slappzilla]

Trade Hart. Get nice prospect(s) in return.

 

Gamel at 1B

 

Green utility guy

 

That's what makes the most sense to me.

[Outlander]

Dealing Gamel for a bullpen arm would be a terrible idea. He's under team control for at least another 4-5 years and has a pretty high ceiling. The person to deal would be Hart. Gamel and Aoki in the RF/1B spots is not the biggest drop off from Hart/Aoki. If you have a suitable replacement, you trade the money, not the min wag guy with big time upside.

 

There is no indication that Gamel is a suitable replacement for Hart or that Gamel has a high ceiling. Not sure I understand your biggest dropoff comment, it is a big dropoff, not a biggest dropoff from what?

[thebruce44]

Dealing Gamel for a bullpen arm would be a terrible idea. He's under team control for at least another 4-5 years and has a pretty high ceiling. The person to deal would be Hart. Gamel and Aoki in the RF/1B spots is not the biggest drop off from Hart/Aoki. If you have a suitable replacement, you trade the money, not the min wag guy with big time upside.

 

There is no indication that Gamel is a suitable replacement for Hart or that Gamel has a high ceiling.

 

Well, except scouting reports and his minor league stats.

[Surhoff5]

I for the life of me cannot get over the infatuation with some have in Mat Gamel. The guy has gotten opportunities in the big leagues and did nothing. I know the argument will be that he wasn't given consistent at bats, but guys like Casey McGhee, who were not prospects, made the best of his inconsistent at-bats and got more playing time. Maybe Gamel didn't have a chance because he couldn't adequately play 3B, but he still didn't hit.

 

This year when given a chance, he was not good. I know small sample size, but what in his .650 OPS did you see that looked good? His ZiPS projection was .774 this year and that is not good for an average at best 1B.

 

It's unfortunate he got hurt and I want him to succeed, but I just don't see it. Guys like Brandon Wood, Brett Wallace, Dallas McPherson were way bigger prospects than Gamel and they all failed in the majors. Some guys can just rake at AAA and struggle in the big leagues. He is also 27, only one year younger than Travis Ishikawa (who was a top prospect in the Giants organization)..

 

I will also gladly eat crow if he ever becomes more than an average big leaguer

[slappzilla]

He played in 21 games before he got hurt this year.

 

First two full weeks of the season he was looking good. Fell off the last two weeks before he got hurt though.

 

Either way, it's hard to say anything off that sample size, and you can't knock his minor league numbers.

[brewtank34]

Gamel to me has been the biggest dissappointment this year. Moreso than the BP. Moreso than being 15 games out of 1st in August. I was so excited to see what Gamel was able to provide this year and he screwed it all up.

With that said, you can't trade him. His stock has got to be at its lowest possible. use him in RF and 1B to sub. Who knows...with Segura in the starting line-up next season, Segura could be the lead off and have Gamel be the RF. Use Aoki off the bench. There's multiple options out there on how to use him though...he's cheap and he's got lot to prove. We need more guys like that moving forward.

[slappzilla]

Dude, he played in 21 games. C'mon.

 

more a disappointment than the bullpen? really? More than being 10 games under .500?

 

seriously.

[thebruce44]

I for the life of me cannot get over the infatuation with some have in Mat Gamel. The guy has gotten opportunities in the big leagues and did nothing.

 

Its not an infatuation, its just that to me he hasn't gotten the proper opportunities at the big league level to say he is a failed prospect or that we need to cut ties. I would like to see him get that opportunity. Yes, I realize he should have gotten it this year but he got hurt. I don't think that means he shouldn't get another shot.

[TURBO]

Gamel to me has been the biggest dissappointment this year. Moreso than the BP. Moreso than being 15 games out of 1st in August. I was so excited to see what Gamel was able to provide this year and he screwed it all up.

 

He got hurt man! How does that translate into screwing it up?

 

Gamel is a bigger disappoinment than our bullpen?

 

Ummmmm-k.

[markedman5]

The reality is Gamel may be a suitable replacement for Hart or he may be Billy Jo Robidoux.

 

Hart is a proven commodity. Let's see how much he wants before we just get rid of him for somebody who is unproven at the big league level.

[fondybrewfan]

Gamel strikes me as a talent that is easily replaceable. Could he turn out to be an average MLB player; sure I suppose he could. But if you can trade him for an area of need (Such as a reliever) I say you do it. We have some quality depth in the minors at 1B; especially Hunter Morris at AA. I doubt Gamel ever goes back to 3B and OF doesn't look like a huge need in the next 2-3 years either with the like of Braun, Aoki, Gomez, Schafer, Kh Davis, etc. The emergence of Morris makes Gamel very expendable; but that is just my opinion.

 

I wouldn't give him away for peanuts; but I don't believe Gamel profiles well as a bench bat and having him play in AAA doesn't make any sense either.

[RockCoCougars]

I was so excited to see what Gamel was able to provide this year and he screwed it all up

 

I hear you- he never should have put forth maximum effort chasing that foul ball....

[Dollarbill13]

Regardless of whether Hart is on the team next year, Gamel should be. If they bring back Hart, Gamel can at least play Ishikawa's role as a LH pinch hitter and a spot starter at 1B. At this point, he'd probably at least need to show some success in the majors before he'd have much trade value.

[rluzinski]

I'd be OK with trading Hart or Gamel or neither, depending on the returns. I don't think Gamel is a star in the making but he'll be cheap for years, so if he could develop to be even average, he'll produce more than he'll get paid. Hart is a proven above average player and is getting paid like one. he's also only signed through next year, so there is nothing stopping the Brewers from having gamel be a backup next year and slide him into at least a platoon at 1B in 2014.

 

But this nonsense about Gamel getting all the opportunities in the world and failing needs to stop. It's just so irrelevant. All that matters is how much we estimate his worth could be to the Brewers in the coming years. Because he only has 240 major league AB, it just can't help us very much with regard to that estimate.

[slappzilla]

Hart is a proven commodity, no doubt.

 

Let's see how much he wants

That's just it.

 

Realistically, he'll want the most he can get. To get the most he can get, he'll have to hit the FA waters. Maybe Doug could seal him up for a bit cheaper, but he'll still run 13-15M a year (I think he could command 16M+ a year on the FA market if he goes that far, but that's me).

 

What's the smart thing to do if you're a small market team? Pay the guy the big money to keep him, or stick with the suitable, cheap replacement and use the money you'd use on Hart to fill other gaps?