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

[logan82]

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.

I think Gamel would have been a better hitter than Aoki with a slight step back on defense.

[PrinceEatMeat]

There's only one answer to this problem...

 

3...

http://manginphotography.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/8S8H2617-467x575.jpg

 

T...

http://0.tqn.com/d/baseball/1/0/e/L/-/-/rbranyan1.jpg

 

0

http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/81733748.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF8789215ABF3343C02EA54880B3136AAFAADBD9D27C263EFD16C235E994AA8FA414C9F9

[SRB]

Daric Barton is probably better than Mat Gamel, just to be honest.

 

(But I agree, the only correct answer begins with a Rus- and ends with an -anyan)

[pogokat]

Daric Barton is probably better than Mat Gamel, just to be honest.

 

(But I agree, the only correct answer begins with a Rus- and ends with an -anyan)

 

 

Daric Barton may be the worst 1b in baseball---it's not worth putting aside one of our guys for him.

 

give it to Hunter Morris, he's 25 this year...who knows, maybe he turs into Allen Craig 2013 version

[MVP2110]

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?

 

I would assume either Green plays the corners now like Gamel was slotted to or Khris Davis has an increased chance at a roster spot, this of course is assuming the don't pick up someone like a Carlos Lee or Mike Carp

[DHonks]

Barton is a train-wreck, or at least he was at 20. I'd love to take a flyer on Branyan or Jack Cust for the time being. Branyan is preferable because his connections in MKE and general awesomeness

[3and2Fastball]

Khris Davis: school me on why exactly we think he can play 1B? He's never played there in 4 minor league seasons. He's been a LF his entire pro career

[Ennder]

Barton is a train-wreck, or at least he was at 20. I'd love to take a flyer on Branyan or Jack Cust for the time being. Branyan is preferable because his connections in MKE and general awesomeness

 

 

Oh please no. These guys haven't been viable players for the past 2 seasons, what makes you think they will be now. Just an awful idea to sign either of these guys. If we sign either of these guys I'll start to agree with the Melvin has to go group.

[hawing]

I understand that Russell's best days are very likely behind him, but when he sports the Oakleys...yeah.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

I understand that Russell's best days are very likely behind him, but when he sports the Oakleys...yeah.

Russell has been playing in a Russian League and was responsible for that "meteor" last week. They just aren't used to his supernatural powers.

 

I fully expect to still be lobbying for 3TO's return when Prince Fielder's son is nearing the end of his arby years with the Crew.

[PKBadger]

Barton is a train-wreck, or at least he was at 20. I'd love to take a flyer on Branyan or Jack Cust for the time being. Branyan is preferable because his connections in MKE and general awesomeness

 

 

The Rays just signed Cust to a minor-league deal last week.

 

As we know, Tampa has horrible management so it was unsurprising to see them pick up someone who is no longer a viable player. (Sorry Ennder, had to go there. )

[trwi7]

Khris Davis: school me on why exactly we think he can play 1B? He's never played there in 4 minor league seasons. He's been a LF his entire pro career

 

Because it takes about 3 seconds to figure out how to play 1st base. It's amazing how many people think it takes any time to learn.

[brewmann04]

think thet will go with Green and Alex at 1st and hope Hart comes back healthy

[monty57]

I think this certainly opens up a spot on the roster for Green, who was kind of "on the bubble" prior to this. He fits in as a bench player who can man 1B, 2B and 3B, and he should definitely get a long look at being the primary 1B until Hart's back.

 

However, I think this could be a good way to get Morris initiated into MLB play. He's coming off a good campaign, and he would enter with limited pressure, as he knows that he's a temporary fill-in until Hart is back. He could get a taste of the big leagues and then go down to AAA to work on things to prepare for a potential full-time starting gig in 2014. For Morris' (and therefore the Brewers') future, this would probably be the best way to go.

 

I do share the concern about this weakening the 2013 bench. It may make sense to find a corner OF somewhere, as I don't know that I want K Davis to spend the season sitting the Brewer bench as a 5th OF.

[DR28]

Mike Carp is the best option out there for us... He's a Mat Gamel clone... Carp bats LH and can play 1B, LF & RF.

 

Hopefully Doug makes a deal with Jack.

[gregmag]

Fluff makes good points about Morris, but I ultimately disagree; I think they should give him a real shot.

 

He's an older guy, drafted out of college. It's fairly likely that last year was a fluke -- he was league MVP, to some extent a year like that will be an outlier -- but it's reasonably possible that he figured some things out last year and that he can sustain something like that level of performance (adjusted for MLB, of course).

 

In any event, I don't see any cost to trying him there (with one exception that I'll mention in a minute). None of the vets that people are talking about is a world-beater; they aren't going to make the difference between the playoffs and not. In that circumstance, why not figure out who might -- might -- be able to help you medium / long-term?

 

The one caveat is that we have other young guys who may also be able to help. What I've said about Morris goes just as well for Green or Davis. I'm more of a believer in Green than a lot of people; I think his wrist injury deflated his numbers for a couple of years. These three guys seem kind of clustered to me. Mainly I would like to see one or more of them get a shot.

[trwi7]

I think people are really underrating Khris Davis.

 

Davis is already on the 40 man roster, Morris is not. Yes it would be fairly easy to make room for Morris but why do that for a month or two?

 

Davis has hit everywhere he's been and is less than a year older than Morris (12/21/87 vs 10/7/88).

 

Davis is a career .294/.400/.514 hitter in the minors, Morris is a career .280/.324/.499 hitter in the minors.

[xisxisxis]

I think people are really underrating Khris Davis.

 

Same reason Mike Fiers (who has also suceeded at every level) is overlooked. Neither is a darling of the prospect raters. At some point production trumps ceiling....

 

I actually think Morris should be given the first shot at the 1B job with Davis as a platoon partner for Aoki and backup at 1B. Davis is a LF by training so he can back up Braun for his 10-15 missed games. See what Davis has this year in limited/split advantage situations to see what his role might be for a corner OF spot in 2014.

[JohnBriggs12]

I think people are really underrating Khris Davis.

 

Davis is already on the 40 man roster, Morris is not. Yes it would be fairly easy to make room for Morris but why do that for a month or two?

 

Davis has hit everywhere he's been and is less than a year older than Morris (12/21/87 vs 10/7/88).

 

Davis is a career .294/.400/.514 hitter in the minors, Morris is a career .280/.324/.499 hitter in the minors.

 

 

Davis is not a first baseman. Morris is. So is Sean Halton and he's a career .294/.352/.448 hitter in the minors. That's not all that far off Davis' numbers. Davis now has a better shot at making the team as an extra OF, but you don't put a guy at 1B in the majors who's never played the position. Besides, the one positive for having Gamel in their instead of Hart was it added an extra LH bat to a very RH lineup. I think they'd want to keep a LH bat in there until Hart returns. Carp makes sense because he is a Gamel clone with even more outfield experience. I also don't think it makes a difference adding Morris to the 40 man a year ahead of schedule. Gamel's spot will open up when he goes on the 60 man.

[SRB]

How is Daric Barton a trainwreck with a career .360 OBP (.393 a couple seasons ago) and elite defense. He doesn't hit home runs - so what, he's a different type of player. I don't think he's great but we only need a stopgap for a month or two until Hart comes back. Better than messing up Hunter Morris's development...

[Ennder]

Probably speaking to the .592 OPS he put up in 2011 and .630 in 2012. Those are worse numbers than you'd expect from using Gonzalez there.

[SRB]

Probably speaking to the .592 OPS he put up in 2011 and .630 in 2012. Those are worse numbers than you'd expect from using Gonzalez there.

 

OPS underrates his OBP-skills. Career .330 wOBA (Barton) vs. .298 (Gonzalez), and the former has actually played 1B before (with very good defense)...

 

All of these options are subpar, but Mike Carp is mediocre and Hunter Morris needs more time in the minors. This is a short-term stopgap, why trade players or screw up the potential 1B of the future.

[trwi7]

Davis is not a first baseman.

 

It's not a hard position to play or learn. He could easily be a 1st baseman if they gave him a shot there.

 

So is Sean Halton and he's a career .294/.352/.448 hitter in the minors. That's not all that far off Davis' numbers.

 

50 points in OBP and 65 points in SLG% is a pretty huge difference. Would you say there's not much difference between a .250/.300/.400 hitter and a .250/.350/.465 hitter? Because that's basically the difference between Halton and Davis.

 

but you don't put a guy at 1B in the majors who's never played the position.

 

Bullcrap. When was the last time Hart played 1st base before last year, like 10 years ago? He took about 3 weeks of practicing before he became the full time 1st baseman last year. It's not a hard position to play or learn.

[markedman5]

The main reason why Hart is good at first is because he is 6'6....Davis is 6'.....

 

Fielder(5'11) wasn't good there and he played there all his life.

 

 

I'm not saying Davis couldn't play there but I wouldn't be so quick to say "Hart could do it so so can Davis" either.

[brwrsfan]

The 40 man spot isn't a problem. Gamel will be going to the 60 day DL for sure. Though I'm not sure when exactly they can do that.