MIL signs Gabe Kapler (1yr/$800K, non-guaranteed)

[And That]

Fernando Tatis might might need a job

Linky link.

 

Tatis is a minor league God.

[JohnBriggs12]

My favorite part of Kapler's biography: "Less than month after Boston won the 2004 World Series, Kapler signed with the Yomiuri Giants...he struggled there and was placed on waivers in July."

 

I guess the answer to Cubs signing of perennial Japanese All Star outfielder, is signing a guy who washed out playing 3 months there.

 

As for his contract, wonderful, it's cheap and non-guaranteed, as in you get what you pay for.

 

I have to believe David Bell is calling Melvin as we speak.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

Those are actually pretty pedestrian minor league numbers for Tatis, but they still translate to a 254 / 324 / 402 CHONE projection for 2008.

 

Compare with Kapler's 2007 CHONE projection, which has to be considered optimistic at this point (another year older, didn't play at all last year, etc): 255 / 324 / 382.

 

Yep, Tatis beats him. It'd have been ever-so-slightly more appropriate to jokingly post: "Hey, maybe Gabe Kapler wants to attempt a comeback" on a message board for the poor fans of whatever crazily-run team would've signed Tatis to a contract and a given him a 40 man spot.

 

(Edited last sentence for clarity)

[Fatter than Joey]

As for his contract, wonderful, it's cheap and non-guaranteed, as in you get what you pay for.

 

Why place him on the 40 man instead of making him a NRI?

 

Non-guaranteed makes me feel better... Certainly this move isn't a precursor to another move.

[Tisko]

Please prove us wrong Melvin.

[TooLiveBrew]

Kapler actually submitted a urine sample so he could be tested for steroids, and it came back negative.

Well, if he was tested for steroids - especially in 2004, he could've been using HGH and it would've come back negative.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

Just based on a quick perusal, other dried-up husks with better CHONE projections than Gabe Kapler include such luminaries as:

 

Jay Gibbons

Jose Cruz Jr.

Rob Mackowiak

Timo Perez

 

...and hordes of utility infielders.

 

In the non-dried up husk, head-scratching department, these guys also out-CHONE Kapler:

 

Matt LaPorta (projecting from MLEs based on rookie and low A ball)

Brad Nelson

[SeriesFinale]

Non-guaranteed makes me feel better... Certainly this move isn't a precursor to another move.

Agreed. Should make for an interesting ST subplot at any rate.

[logan82]

How is this guy better than Dillon? Seriously, isn't one old career AAA player on the MLB team enough. At least Dillon played baseball last year.

[RU Rah Rah]

It's a slow day in Brewerfan world when Gabe Kapler can generate 4 pages of posts.

(Laughing.) That very thought crossed my mind as I looked at this thread.

 

[davego]

Oddibe McDowell has to be next.

[pogokat]

Kapler can still be dumped if the team needs to clear a spot...also drew anderson is still on there, so we aren't hurting for a spot...

 

i'd rather have kapler on the roster than mench...he can play d and he's much cheaper...

 

i don't get the dillon paid his dues nonsense..i paid my dues and worked my butt off...i didn't even get to play college ball...so, i feel for joe, but i care about 11 million more times for the brewers than i do joe dillon...

 

anyway, this is a bizarre thread

[bando1234]

Oddibe McDowell has to be next.

 

Surhoff to be the back up catcher & Cory Snyder at 3rd. 84 Olympians collect them all.

 

Honsestly this does not bug me at all. He has more pop than Gwynn, He can play better D than Dillion. Decent speed. A 5th outfielder at best. Comepetion who does not make the team at worst.

 

I never understood the love for Dillon. I have never thought he was going to make the 08 25 man roster. Wouldnt Vinny make a better 25th man.

[Big Reed]

I question the timing of this move more than anything else. Was there some other team in hot pursuit of kapler that forced our hand ot sign him now? if so, what other team is that stupid? In my unknowledgeable opinion, a guy like kapler would still be waiting on the sidelines next March for somebody to give him a call. Why couldn't we wait until next march to call him up? given a choice of outfielders and the money we spent on kapler, I can think of at least 500 more deserving players including Hank Aaron. i'm sure if we offered hank $800,000 he'd show up for Spring training. where is David Clyde these days? If signing kapler means lofton will look elsewhere, I might become a little agitated. I realize kapler was not signed to start, but why not give his Spring training atbats to somebody more associated with the team ? like brad nelson? julio franco's name wasn't included in the Mitchell report. why not sign him? and what about branyon? Even he would be a more logical choice.

 

My only guess is that melvin hasn't completed his big deal yet and the Journal needed a story. so he gave them one. this reeks of the old adage of feeding the dog a bone.

[logan82]

bando1234 wrote:

I never understood the love for Dillon. I have never thought he was going to make the 08 25 man roster. Wouldnt Vinny make a better 25th man.

To be perfectly honest, I don't understand the love for Rottino. Take away the fact that he grew up in Wisconsin and I see no other reason. I have no personal hatred for the guy, but what has he done to put him ahead of Joe Dillon.

[SmartBall]

I see Rottino as basicaly the same as Dillon, but younger, and a 3rd catcher, I would rather see Rottino on the team than Dillon

[logan82]

If we should expect about the same out of either player and provided Rottino has an option I would rather see Rottino in AAA working on being a better catcher for one more year.

[TheBrewer]

folks, your making too much out of this. seriously, your reading too much into it. he's cheap, non guranteed, low risk player, he goes to ST gives the guys some advice, hustles his butt off, if he does well he could be a player on the bench, if not adios. its not like this guy is gonna be our opening day left fielder. give it a break guys. a guy like kapler gets signed over a guy that can do the same thing statistically because he has the vet leadership, the intangibles.

[logan82]

I think he can be our next all-star representative.

[LouisEly]

Good Lord, it's a non-guaranteed contract to bring in a guy to compete for a backup OF job. Relax, have a cream soda.

 

2008 Outfield- Braun, Hall, Hart with Gross and Kapler backing up. Not bad.

 

2008 Infield- Blalock, Hardy, Weeks, Fielder, with Dillon and Counsell backing up. Again, Not Bad.

 

If DM can pull that off, giving up only TGJ and Vargas, that would be quite a coup.

[bigredrobbo]

Meh...

[bobskube]

folks, your making too much out of this. seriously, your reading too much into it. he's cheap, non guranteed, low risk player, he goes to ST gives the guys some advice, hustles his butt off, if he does well he could be a player on the bench, if not adios. its not like this guy is gonna be our opening day left fielder. give it a break guys. a guy like kapler gets signed over a guy that can do the same thing statistically because he has the vet leadership, the intangibles.

This is the perfect explanation. Lets not get out of hand and judge this as anything.

 

Melvin is just giving one of his old guys a shot. That is it. No biggie.

 

I always love the inevitable Rotino-Dillon arguments and such. Let it go guys.

 

 

 

 

[jwaltz]

If Kapler doesn't make the team I wouldn't mind seeing us sign him to coach in the minors.

[SeriesFinale]

Good Lord, it's a non-guaranteed contract to bring in a guy to compete for a backup OF job. Relax, have a cream soda.

 

Well, to be fair to everyone who was "making too much of it," iy wasn't until the third page or so that it was announced that it was a non-guaranteed contract

 

This is an off-season where we signed Jason Kendall and traded for Guillermo Mota...I wouldn't put anything past DM right now

[bando1234]

This is an off-season where we signed Jason Kendall and traded for Guillermo Mota...I wouldn't put anything past DM right now .

 

I really didnt understand the Mota trade when they could have just let Estrada go. Kendall really cant be any worse plus he should be able to play better with the others kids on the playground.

 

I can think of at least 500 more deserving players including Hank Aaron. i'm sure if we offered hank $800,000 he'd show up for Spring training.

 

Yeah I know for a 73 year old he could probally still bring it but as we found out a few threads ago he could still be on the juice.

 

As for the Rottino/Dillon debate. I agree with smartball,

I know this is a Gabe Kapler thread & I really have not talked about Gabe , I just want to see this thread go 6 pages.