Dealing Ben Gamel

[clancyphile]

Do you think the Brewers should deal Ben Gamel?

 

If so, what should they look for? Pitchers? Prospects?

[brewmann04]

Not sure what you might be getting in return?

[pacopete4]

No. Keep your depth. It’s what will make this team good.

[walleye]

All your going to get in a lottery ticket so keep em for depth.

[adambr2]

Gamel is worth next to nothing in trade. You don't get the luxury of picking and choosing what you might want if you dealt him. The only reason to deal him is if you think his roster spot is best used on someone else.

[brewcrewdue80]

This would likely happen once Gamel reached Arb and/or ran out of options. I believe he has 1. What would Milw get in return for him? Probably some International pool money from Baltimore or other various team, but Baltimore I know seems to always trade from that. I think that would be your best deal.

[TJseven7]

No. Keep your depth. It’s what will make this team good.

 

What depth does he actually provide with this current team build? He's mediocre in CF as is Garcia. He hits LHP better despite being a lefty and every single OF we have other than Yelich hits LHP better than RHP. He's not a defensive replacement vs Yelich in LF or Garcia in RF.

 

If you play him vs RHP he's pretty broken, so whats the point? You want Cain Braun Garcia and Yelich in vs LHP. Broxton is at least speed and defense plus. Taylor will be back shortly enough to be the injury call up if someone goes down.

 

He's a decent player who doesn't fit.

[pacopete4]

Injuries happen. People underperform. Lots of things can occur in a season. He’s a guy that can fit all over your outfield and plays it pretty well. You’re not going to get much for him in a trade so keep your depth and use it to your advantage.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I bet if stearns included Lutz as a sweetener with Gamel we could get a low A prospect or two, right Clancy?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Gamel has an option remaining as well, and considering we employ Cain, Garcia and Braun, we aren't exactly immune to injury concerns in the OF. I would highly doubt he goes anywhere.

[bill hAll Star]

No. Keep your depth. It’s what will make this team good.

 

What depth does he actually provide with this current team build? He's mediocre in CF as is Garcia. He hits LHP better despite being a lefty and every single OF we have other than Yelich hits LHP better than RHP. He's not a defensive replacement vs Yelich in LF or Garcia in RF.

 

If you play him vs RHP he's pretty broken, so whats the point? You want Cain Braun Garcia and Yelich in vs LHP. Broxton is at least speed and defense plus. Taylor will be back shortly enough to be the injury call up if someone goes down.

 

He's a decent player who doesn't fit.

 

Gamel has an option left and he's a likely better than Taylor and Broxton. Pretty simple.

 

And if injuries don't hit too hard, he's perfect to have as the late game bench bat for a late-game hit where you need the ball to go in play as opposed to Broxton, Taylor, or Ray.

[Jopal78]

Even if Gamel is blocked and the Brewers do him a favor by trading him to a team where he might play more the only thing they'd be getting back is the 1.4 million dollar salary relief and any Gamel trade would most likely be officially for 'future considerations'.

[KeithStone53151]

Ben Gamel will find his way into baseball games. We do so much double switching and this rotation seems all but certain to have a lot of 5 inning starts. There will be plenty of defensive replacement, pinch hitting, double switch, fill in for injury situations...Gamel will get plenty of opportunity to help this team win.

[tmwiese55]

Yea the biggest value he had when we got him is the options. He still has one so I think it makes sense to keep him this year for depth considering how injury prone all of our OFs are in front of him. He's competent on D everywhere, competent to have a good late game AB if needed, and enough if due to injury you need him to start a small chunk of games. Basically, he's not awful and you never know if you might need him. But, yea I could also see doing him a favor if another team says they want him and have an MLB job for him all year.

[monty57]

Gamel seems like a good fit for the extra roster spot. He can play all three OF positions fairly well so he can sub in on defense, he can make contract if used in a pinch hit situation, and he could even pinch run if needed. Unless we have someone else we really need to give that spot to, Gamel is more valuable to the Brewers as the "26th man" than anything they'd get in trade for him at this point.

 

We have some injury-prone OFs, so I'd guess that Gamel will get a decent amount of playing time even as the 5th outfielder, especially if Braun plays a lot of 1B.

[MNBrew]

Dealing away your bench depth before we're 4 games into ST leaves a lot of time where that move could backfire -- and that's before the season even starts, let alone over the season when that need for depth could make this move look bad. Taylor's injured, Ray's never seen the MLB regular season yet, so who's really proven like Gamel is behind where Gamel currently sits on the depth chart?

 

I'm not opposed to this move eventually if the right opportunity comes along and with sufficient depth already on hand, but if you do this, there's still risk the Brewers are still looking for another Ben Gamel type to fill Ben Gamel's roster spot/role . . . . so I still wonder what the wisdom in trading Gamel away would be.

[KeithStone53151]

For the type of role Gamel is filling, he's much better suited for it than a young player with minimal mlb experience. Especially considering he has experience from last year filling a very similar role and was very good at it. But let's be real, nobody is going to come barreling down the door to offer us a ton in trade for Gamel. Puig and Melky Cabrera are available for $ only, and there are plenty of other guys currently on minor league deals that will probably shuffle around toward the mid/end of March. And from what I've heard, Gamel is an incredibly hard worker and great in the clubhouse. He's the total package of what you're looking for in a 4th/5th OF and far more valuable to us than what another team might offer for him.

[MDCrew]

I think his most value is depth if you trade him you are looking at an Eric Yardley or Ray Black option at best.

[MrTPlush]

Avisail Garcia - 117 games played

Ryan Braun - 124 games played (36 years old)

Lorenzo Cain - 148 games played (34 years old)

 

Not hard to figure out why they brought Ben Gamel back. Mind you the above is games played, not starts. A very healthy Braun (for his present standards) played 144 games, but started only 113 games and many of those he got pulled early from last year. Keon Broxton is terrible with the bat and Tyrone Taylor would likely be pretty terrible too. You don't trade away a valuable veteran depth piece that can swing that bat a bit for little to nothing.

 

He makes a ton of sense for this team and when one of our ancient/injury prone OFers goes down we will be blessed Ben Gamel is around.

[RollieTime]

Avisail Garcia - 117 games played

Ryan Braun - 124 games played (36 years old)

Lorenzo Cain - 148 games played (34 years old)

 

Not hard to figure out why they brought Ben Gamel back. Mind you the above is games played, not starts. A very healthy Braun (for his present standards) played 144 games, but started only 113 games and many of those he got pulled early from last year. Keon Broxton is terrible with the bat and Tyrone Taylor would likely be pretty terrible too. You don't trade away a valuable veteran depth piece that can swing that bat a bit for little to nothing.

 

He makes a ton of sense for this team and when one of our ancient/injury prone OFers goes down we will be blessed Ben Gamel is around.

 

This is also why I was advocating for an additional OF add. Braun will need 50 games off while also playing half his games at first, Cain and Yelich will both get 15 games off. Garcia won’t play everyday either. That’s not even including injuries. I would much rather have another solid bat that can start 100 games than Gamel personally. But I do agree that at this point, we need to retain Gamel as he is most likely the next guy up in the pecking order.

[wntrtxn21]

Avisail Garcia - 117 games played

Ryan Braun - 124 games played (36 years old)

Lorenzo Cain - 148 games played (34 years old)

 

Not hard to figure out why they brought Ben Gamel back. Mind you the above is games played, not starts. A very healthy Braun (for his present standards) played 144 games, but started only 113 games and many of those he got pulled early from last year. Keon Broxton is terrible with the bat and Tyrone Taylor would likely be pretty terrible too. You don't trade away a valuable veteran depth piece that can swing that bat a bit for little to nothing.

 

He makes a ton of sense for this team and when one of our ancient/injury prone OFers goes down we will be blessed Ben Gamel is around.

 

This is also why I was advocating for an additional OF add. Braun will need 50 games off while also playing half his games at first, Cain and Yelich will both get 15 games off. Garcia won’t play everyday either. That’s not even including injuries. I would much rather have another solid bat that can start 100 games than Gamel personally. But I do agree that at this point, we need to retain Gamel as he is most likely the next guy up in the pecking order.

 

Holt can play a very credible corner OF spot with Gyorko going to 3B. Plus Smoak at 1B with Braun in OF is also in the cards I'm sure. CC has plenty of options if injuries hit or guys need time off.

[TJseven7]

Avisail Garcia - 117 games played

Ryan Braun - 124 games played (36 years old)

Lorenzo Cain - 148 games played (34 years old)

 

Not hard to figure out why they brought Ben Gamel back. Mind you the above is games played, not starts. A very healthy Braun (for his present standards) played 144 games, but started only 113 games and many of those he got pulled early from last year. Keon Broxton is terrible with the bat and Tyrone Taylor would likely be pretty terrible too. You don't trade away a valuable veteran depth piece that can swing that bat a bit for little to nothing.

 

He makes a ton of sense for this team and when one of our ancient/injury prone OFers goes down we will be blessed Ben Gamel is around.

 

This is also why I was advocating for an additional OF add. Braun will need 50 games off while also playing half his games at first, Cain and Yelich will both get 15 games off. Garcia won’t play everyday either. That’s not even including injuries. I would much rather have another solid bat that can start 100 games than Gamel personally. But I do agree that at this point, we need to retain Gamel as he is most likely the next guy up in the pecking order.

 

If

Yelich starts 140 games (22 off)

Cain starts 130 games (32 off)

Garcia starts 120 games (42 off)

Braun starts 110 games

 

You have 14 surplus OF starts minus every start Braun has a 1b. Gyorko and Holt can also play 1st.

Gamel started 66 games last year. His platoon makes it so that all 4 options out hit him vs LHP and RHP.

 

Do you want to start Gamel over Sogard or Urias? I don't want Gamel starting over Gyorko or Holt because they split well.

[brewcrewdue80]

The team dealt Grisham who I figured would make the most likely CF replacement to Cain. Gamel is the #2 CF. He only had 65 starts last season. Gamel has the option. 100% he is on the Brewers for this season. But some of that may be in the minors. I would wonder on Holt playing a Corner OF at times with Avisail Garcia as Backup for Cain in CF and Gamel optioned down to the minors. This would be more of, expect a Garcia/Braun, Cain, Yelich OF split, and if Cain happens to go down to injury, Garcia moves to CF, and Holt or Braun replaces Garcia's OF spot. Think of it this way. Braun is having his last season with the team. Using Gamel's option this year won't matter so much next season as he can replace Braun as the OF. Next up well, I'd think is Corey Ray for the Optional OF role in 2021.

This reasoning makes it out to be dealing Gamel, isn't in the cards for the next 2 seasons. 2seasons from now will bring to us the 1year remaining on Yelich/Cain, gone will be Holt, Garcia, Kneble, Smoak, Sogard, Pina, Claudio, and Phelps.

 

Stearns would be set up prime for a tear it down rebuild 2021-22 offseason. Depending on how Gamel had played in 2021 he may have more value then, than he has now.

[TJseven7]

Even though I just pointed to Holt being capable of 1b, I read your post about Holt in the OF and it dawned on me.

 

Vs RHP our only quality 3b is Holt. He is going to be there every single game vs a RHP starter. The only time he could sub into the OF is vs a LHP starter where he's not at his best. It's possible but it doesn't make a lot of sense to play him in the OF vs a LHP starter. Nor does it make any sense to play him in the OF in that situation.

 

The only way Gyorko moves over to 1st is if Urias is at SS pushing Sogard to 3rd. I'll be really disappointed if they have this much split material and don't heavily lean into those platoons.

 

Gamel still doesn't fit. Garcia plays CF acceptably. Gamel plays CF acceptably. Not that Broxton is better but at least he has plus tools we can work in to our benefit.

[brewcrewdue80]

Even though I just pointed to Holt being capable of 1b, I read your post about Holt in the OF and it dawned on me.

 

Vs RHP our only quality 3b is Holt. He is going to be there every single game vs a RHP starter. The only time he could sub into the OF is vs a LHP starter where he's not at his best. It's possible but it doesn't make a lot of sense to play him in the OF vs a LHP starter. Nor does it make any sense to play him in the OF in that situation.

 

The only way Gyorko moves over to 1st is if Urias is at SS pushing Sogard to 3rd. I'll be really disappointed if they have this much split material and don't heavily lean into those platoons.

 

Gamel still doesn't fit. Garcia plays CF acceptably. Gamel plays CF acceptably. Not that Broxton is better but at least he has plus tools we can work in to our benefit.

 

The thought would be that Urias is healthy and playing. Sogard would be the Lefty portion on the 3b. And really it's not an everyday lineup. It's the way to just play around your roster with Gamel in the minors having been optioned. Holt would be the 5th OF with Garcia backing up Cain. Braun/Holt backups on Garcia/Yelich in corners. for however long they had to deal with Gamel down in the minors to be recalled. Obviously, if it were to a DL it'd just be a game or 2. But say an IF injury occured and Holt doesn't mix for an OF backup, they may call up Taylor or Ray briefly before calling back up Gamel when he was able to be. You're really looking at 2 Perez on the team with Holt/Sogard and probably even Urias when Healthy.

 

Pretty much way to some it up, the team may not have the biggest need for Gamel in 2020, but that need may be more in 2021. Say Ray or even Taylor were used for a mid-season trade, you'd still have Gamel post-Braun.