Down goes Gamel [Knee reinjured, out for 2013 season]

[markedman5]

Corey Hart is a good teammate......http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/191713331.html

[Fear The Chorizo]

While that certainly sucks for Gamel and I do feel bad for the guy, I hope the Brewers do the right thing at the end of the season and cut ties with him, if not sooner. Can't see him as a corner outfielder after continued knee problems, as a 3B he can't play there defensively, and as a 1B he won't put up good enough offensive numbers to play everyday. The brewers should make sure all his medical bills are taken care of and then wish him the best. Remember that second wave of talented Brewer prospects knocking down the big league door in 2008? That sure fizzled. Of that whole group, I think the best to expect of any of them is replacement level-caliber production, with the exception of Escobar if he improves offensively.

 

I hope Gamel finds a way to get another shot at a big league career, but it's very hard seeing that happen as a Brewer. Even had he stayed healthy, I think he would've been hardpressed to get PT once Hart made his way back into the lineup.

[JohnBriggs12]

If they went with Morris, he'd likely be optioned out when Hart returns, so I don't see this as stunting him. It might be a little problematic if Morris puts up good numbers, but I think they won't want him sitting on the bench. The issue for me is who replaces Gamel on the bench now going forward? None of the guys they brought in as NRI seem appealing. Outside of Gonzalez, the bench is very inexperienced and even less so now.

 

The good news is bench bats aren't generally that hard to deal for. Roster issues will mean some decent ones should be available later in spring.

[fondybrewfan]

All this bad news is making it really hard to get excited for the upcoming season. And that doesn't even include the fact that the Brewers are actually voluntarily putting out an extremely young and risky starting rotation. For the first time in a really long time I can't get myself pumped. Way to many question marks between Braun, 1B, SP, and the bullpen for me to convince myself they will have a good year.

[Patrick425]

I really hope they go with Hunter Morris, but I'm not optimistic that they will. The Brewers tend to be overly cautious with this type of thing and it's always bothered me. If he comes up, hits .100 for a month and that ruins his confidence for the rest of his career, then I'm concerned about his "make-up" anyways. I'll never understand this "we don't want to put too much pressure on him" or "risk hurting his confidence" stuff. Just reminds me of the commercial (not even sure what it's for) of the soldier in WWII talking to the camera saying something like "Hey this is your grandpa...stop LOLing all the time".

[Thurston Fluff]

I think at this point let some of our bench guys play until Hart comes back. I've always felt it made sense to play bench guys often early in the season anyway so maybe a slight silver lining is this gives some of the bench guys enough playing time early to help them stay sharp all season long.

[3and2Fastball]

Rough news. I hope to see Hunter Morris step up and play the majority of 1B until Hart is back.

[fondybrewfan]

If they can trust Segura to be an everday SS without having ever played at AAA; why is it so inconcievable that they could bring up Morris for 1-2 months without having ever played AAA? If that is the argument against bringing him up; then that is pretty weak. Play the best player you have and that is almost certainly not Gonzalez or Crosby. It should be Halton or Morris

[logan82]

I was really looking forward to Gamel having a good year and taking RF away from Aoki partway through the season.

[3and2Fastball]

It's not like I'm expecting the Brewers to do this, but to me if the Brewers don't feel like Morris is ready yet, then I'd rather have Lucroy at 1B with Maldonado behind the plate than Gonzalez/Green/Halton at 1B

[Thurston Fluff]

If they can trust Segura to be an everday SS without having ever played at AAA; why is it so inconcievable that they could bring up Morris for 1-2 months without having ever played AAA?

 

In a word consistency. Morris put up one fantastic season. Other than that one season he never had an OPS north of 770. Segura by contrast surpassed that in 5 of his 6 minor league seasons. The season he failed to surpass the 770 OPS mark he played in 11 games and had 36 ab's. Segura was by far more consistently good all the way along than Morris has been. Now add in the comparatively little time Morris has had in the minors overall vs Segura and you see more differences than similarities. There really is no comparison between the two cases.

That doesn't even address how long it took Segura to get acclimated to the majors once he got there. If it took Morris only as long he'd be back in the minors before he got anywhere near acceptable numbers for a first baseman.

[brwrsfan]

Are there any realistic FA options still around? I know Carlos Lee is around, and I like him, but are there any 1b/OF types. Would fill the role that Gamel was going to play.

[Big Ern2440]

It's not like I'm expecting the Brewers to do this, but to me if the Brewers don't feel like Morris is ready yet, then I'd rather have Lucroy at 1B with Maldonado behind the plate than Gonzalez/Green/Halton at 1B

 

Lucroy/Maldanado covering C/1B every day for six weeks with Green filling in to spell once a week is infinitely better then Green/Gonzalez platoon. Hopefully Morris or Davis will shine at camp and make the decision an easy one.

[markedman5]

Lucroy has said in the past that he has never played another position at any level and has no confidence that he could do it. I think you can forget about him.

 

If it comes to that Maldanado/Gonzalez/Green will have to do.

[folly412]

I really hope they go with Hunter Morris, but I'm not optimistic that they will. The Brewers tend to be overly cautious with this type of thing and it's always bothered me. If he comes up, hits .100 for a month and that ruins his confidence for the rest of his career, then I'm concerned about his "make-up" anyways. I'll never understand this "we don't want to put too much pressure on him" or "risk hurting his confidence" stuff. Just reminds me of the commercial (not even sure what it's for) of the soldier in WWII talking to the camera saying something like "Hey this is your grandpa...stop LOLing all the time".

 

Agree, give me the kid. If Green wants to stay in camp and try to earn the job, I'd consider him. Otherwise it's a few weeks; maybe you find a way to platoon, but it's not going to cause something that wasn't an issue already if we don't need to wait until 2015 to give Morris a shot.

[brwrsfan]

What does this mean for our outfield? Gamel was slotted for the 5th OF spot was he not? Who is going to fill that role now?

[3and2Fastball]

Lucroy has said in the past that he has never played another position at any level and has no confidence that he could do it. I think you can forget about him.

.

 

I suppose. Although I'm of the thinking that if you are an above average catcher you can play 1st base! He certainly couldn't be any worse defensively at 1st than Prince Fielder was.....

[Thurston Fluff]

I really hope they go with Hunter Morris, but I'm not optimistic that they will. The Brewers tend to be overly cautious with this type of thing and it's always bothered me. If he comes up, hits .100 for a month and that ruins his confidence for the rest of his career, then I'm concerned about his "make-up" anyways.

 

I don't think it's about worrying about his make-up. It's about who is going to produce the most. Realistically what you can expect out of someone in his position? Segura was a better hitter, for a longer period of time and more experienced than Morris and look what his first month was like.

If this was a year long thing where he could be groomed for the position long term, in a baptism by fire sort of situation, I'd be ok with it. The Brewers have shown they will do that with guys like Weeks and Segura so it isn't like it is unprecedented. As it is he's going to be there for a month and, barring injury, never get a sniff until September. That is not what the Brewers need in April.

[Baldkin]

Khris Davis has to be the solution here, right? Am I missing something? All he's played is LF so far in his career, and all he's done is hit in the minors.

 

I'd rather give him the shot there instead of a guy who had a .729 OPS last year, and a career .646 minor league OPS in Maldanado.

[RockCoCougars]

They need to bring in a veteran guy here to at least compete for the job. Someone like Huff or Lee. They may be past their primes, but maybe you catch lightning in a bottle. I don't want them to go into the season with Gonzalez, Green and perhaps Maldonado as their options. Gonzalez is the primary infield backup, and may be needed at short if Segura gets hurt or falls on his face, I'm also not a big fan of using a catcher at first and Green is just blah.

[TooLiveBrew]

I would much rather just go with a Greenzález platoon than throw money at Huff or Lee. I think that platoon could at least match the ~.700 OPS you should be expecting from Huff or Lee at this point (Lee might have better left in him, but not by a lot).

 

Ideally, I hope Melvin can work some more of his patented waiver-wire magic.

[3and2Fastball]

I think Taylor Green can outperform Huff or Lee, and I don't have faith that Green can perform at replacement value for a 1B

[TURBO]

I was really looking forward to Gamel having a good year and taking RF away from Aoki partway through the season.

 

 

I don't understand this logic.

 

What do you have against Aoki? If he has the same season he had last year, how can you hope he loses his job?

 

Aoki seems to get no respect from the majority of posters here. I like the guy.

[pebadger]

I feel sick for the guy.

[chickinbrickin]

I was really looking forward to Gamel having a good year and taking RF away from Aoki partway through the season.

 

 

I don't understand this logic.

 

What do you have against Aoki? If he has the same season he had last year, how can you hope he loses his job?

 

Aoki seems to get no respect from the majority of posters here. I like the guy.

 

Yeah, the only reason I can see for hoping that would happen would be to move Aoki over to CF is Gomez plays like, we'll, Gomez.

 

Aoki is the man