Mike Lamb re-signs with 1 year deal worth about league minimum

[And That]

Link to the JS.

 

To be announced later today. The article states that the Brewers plan to platoon Lamb and Hall.

 

I think that's what they would do if the season started today, but the season is a long way off.

 

For those keeping tabs at home: no, I do not believe this qualifies as earth shattering news.

[BrewCrewForever]

I figured this would happen. I don't mind a Lamb/Hall platoon too much. Maybe it starts as a platoon and they call up Gamel like they did Braun in 2007? If nothing else Lamb is a nice left handed bat off the bench who can play play 3B and 1B if needed.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Good signing. Hopefully his defense can at least be league average.

[joepepsi]

He's caught 3 games in his career, so he can be the backup catcher since Kendall MUST play every game!

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I don't think Macha will be as stupid with Kendall as Yost and Sveum were.

[BrewCrewForever]

I don't think Macha will be as stupid with Kendall as Yost and Sveum were.

Totally agree, Kendall will get a lot of starts but no where near as many as last season. People will actually know that Mike Rivera is on the team!

[crewcrazy]

Not a bad move...hopefully he produces like he did in 2007 in mostly a platoon-ish role. He provides a nice contrast to Hall's style at the plate...it looks like he normally walks a decent amount and doesn't strike out that often, so those worried about the lineup not making enough contact could be happy to see him as the left-handed half of the platoon.

 

Odds are, though, he's replaced by Gamel by the All-Star Break. At least if he's not, he'll still be cheap this year.

[TooLiveBrew]

Hopefully his defense can at least be league average.

 

The Chone 2009 projections have him as a -5 at 1B & a -12 at 3B, fwiw. Not very encouraging.

 

For reference's sake, Hall is listed at -3 at 2B & -1 at 3B. Branyan: -1 at 1B; -5 at 3B

[joepepsi]

I don't think Macha will be as stupid with Kendall as Yost and Sveum were.

Totally agree, Kendall will get a lot of starts but no where near as many as last season. People will actually know that Mike Rivera is on the team!

I think starting Kendall both games of a doubleheader should forever after be considered the litmus test for bumbling stupidity.

[homer]

Are those CHONE projections based on full time duty and not a platoon?

[brewjihad]

UZR has him at -3.4 per 150 at third in his career. Bill Hall at third is at 7.1/150 career. I really hope they have a better plan than this. Lamb's career line vRHP is only .281/.336/.422/.758, and he had an absolutely terrible year last season with the Twins at .233/.276/.322. I could handle his production at third if he was a plus defender, but he's a below average hitter vRHP and a below average defender at third.

 

I'm really not a fan of this platoon plan, I hope Melvin has something in the works.

[PeaveyFury]

This is officially official:

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/35805999.html

[endaround]

About the only thing good about this is that he'll be making minimum.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Does Melvin have a plan to improve this team or is he just gonna sign a bunch of journeyman and wait while sabathia strings him along?

[TooLiveBrew]

There have been zero teams to make big moves yet. Unless you count the lord & savior Casey Blake's signing as a big move.

 

Obviously questioning whether or not Melvin has plans to improve the team is over-the-top hyperbole.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Ive been known to be a little over the top with my criticisms but I am very worried about what this team will look like if we lose CC and Sheets. In my opinion Melvin seems to be doing way too much dumpster diving in his signings while Sabathia strings him along. We need to move on from CC and sign Sheets and Wood/Fuentes and we will be ready to have a good season.

 

Watching the Cubs on the verge of trading for Peavy for scraps and seeing Melvin probably missing out on CC and Sheets has me in a panic. I really hope Im wrong and Melvin has a plan but as of now I dont see one.

[crewcrazy]

Ive been known to be a little over the top with my criticisms but I am very worried about what this team will look like if we lose CC and Sheets.

...

Watching the Cubs on the verge of trading for Peavy for scraps and seeing Melvin probably missing out on CC and Sheets has me in a panic. I really hope Im wrong and Melvin has a plan but as of now I dont see one.

So what happens if the Brewers forget about Sabathia, sign Sheets, and Ben has to miss a significant part of 2009 with an injury (the current elbow thing or otherwise)? They'd be where they are right now. I have no problem with Melvin filling other smaller holes in the mean time -- it's not like he's doing nothing at all.

 

As far as the Cubs being on the verge of getting Peavy, I guess that depends on which report you're reading. It seems like most of the bigger writers (Stark, Olney, Rosenthal, etc) are saying it's not even close to going down. The latest reports I've seen indicate that the Cubs are going to need to get another team (or two) in on the deal just so the Padres get what they want, and they'd have to give someone like Mark DeRosa away to those teams.

[rluzinski]

If this really is a league min signing, what's the problem? He's not even an average thirdbasemen but he's not getting paid like one. And Melvin has months left to upgrade.

[monty57]

For the $400,000 the Brewers will owe, I'd guess they'd be willing to dump him if a better option comes along. As of right now, I guess I'm glad that the worst case scenario will be that we'll have a somewhat serviceable platoon at 3B to keep the spot warm until Gamel is ready, wheter that's mid-season 2009 or opening day 2010. I would guess that this move shows that the Brewers want Gamel to start 2009 at AAA.

I still expect some big news to come in the next few weeks. First, either (1) Sabathia or Sheets re-signs or (2) they make a trade for a decent young starting pitcher. When that is done, I'd expect them to go after one of the many closers that are available and look to upgrade in other areas, including 3B.

Until then, I think Melvin is being defensive and making sure we're not stuck playing Hall every day at 3B next year.

[JohnBriggs12]

Ive been known to be a little over the top with my criticisms but I am very worried about what this team will look like if we lose CC and Sheets. In my opinion Melvin seems to be doing way too much dumpster diving in his signings while Sabathia strings him along. We need to move on from CC and sign Sheets and Wood/Fuentes and we will be ready to have a good season.

 

Watching the Cubs on the verge of trading for Peavy for scraps and seeing Melvin probably missing out on CC and Sheets has me in a panic. I really hope Im wrong and Melvin has a plan but as of now I dont see one.

You're absolutely right bklynbrewcrew, this is not a very good team right now. Certainly nowhere near the Cubs. It still has potential to be decent, but it sure has the feel of many Brewer teams in the past with a lot of iffs and very little to really suggest a big season.

[DuWayne Steurer]

There have been zero teams to make big moves yet.

 

I'd say the A's acquiring Matt Holliday was a big move.

 

And the Pirates got Jack WILSON!!!

 

And I definately see the concern. I'd be LESS concerned if the Brewers weren't making moves. But they are, and they're filling the roster up with guys like Mike Lamb and Jorge Julio and Todd Coffey.

[sbrylski]

Mill Hamb has a line over the last three seasons of .288 / .354 / .458 / .812. That's easily comfortable, as long as we can keep a 3B OPS over .780 or higher.

[nate82]

I would rather the Brewers have signed Ramon Vazquez to platoon with Hall at 3B. Vazquez would be better than Lamb at 3B defensively and their stats are about the same offensively against righties.

[Tbadder]

No brainer sign. All these piddling contracts will let the Brewers pay our in Arby and for starting pitching.

[truecrew]

Alot of teams are in a wait in see mode...there has been a few signings but no team is really making major moves. What major moves could the Brewers make? They have to wait just like everyone else. Ok the Cubs might get Peavy so the Brewers need to do what? What can they do not like they can try to trade for him. They have to wait and see like almost everyone else.