2012 First Baseman

[RWeeksFan23]

Also, I may be the only one, but I think next year at this time we'll all be talking about what a steal Loney was, probably on a one year, $3M deal. His production away from Dodgers Stadium is astounding, and no one ever mentions it. I see him as a guy a lot like Cameron, who played his entire career in pitcher's parks, and whose numbers could have been 20% higher.

 

An 836 OPS with good defense is plenty solid, and Loney will still be at his peak next season, his year of 28. He also has a career 814 OPS vs. RHP. He's been miscast as an everyday player, and severely hurt by LA's ballpark.

 

Problem is Loney's not a free agent. The Dodgers won't non-tender him either after the last couple months he's had, he's been hot.

[TooLiveBrew]

Whoa, you weren't kidding. Yeah, probably not a player a (potentially) cash-strapped franchise would be looking to move.

[nate82]

While Loney isn't a FA he maybe non tendered as the Dodgers do have a young player who can take over in Jerry Sands and would obviously cost a lot less than Loney would.

[logan82]

Why would they nontender him if they can trade him for something of value?

[Matt Breen]

You shouldn't limit yourself to 1B when considering this question.

 

We could, conceivably, move Hart to 1B and add an OF - if that's what is the best option.

[logan82]

You shouldn't limit yourself to 1B when considering this question.

 

We could, conceivably, move Hart to 1B and add an OF - if that's what is the best option.

Gamel could probably play either at least as well defensively as Hart. SS is the one position we really can't fill internally right now and don't have a current good option.

[Matt Breen]

You shouldn't limit yourself to 1B when considering this question.

 

We could, conceivably, move Hart to 1B and add an OF - if that's what is the best option.

Gamel could probably play either at least as well defensively as Hart. SS is the one position we really can't fill internally right now and don't have a current good option.

I'm on the Barmes bandwagon for this. Doesn't cost a draft pick. Plays very good defense. Hits as well if not better than Yuni (he had 23 HR as recently as 2009 - not that I think he'll do that). We could probably get him on a 2-3 year deal for a reasonable rate (just guessing - but maybe $4 million annually?).

[Matt Breen]

I'm on the Gamel bandwagon. Unless the club just has no confidence in him, I'd just give it to him and roll the dice.

 

Gamel would be cheap. It would allow us financial flexibility to sign Marcum and Greinke. His defense has to be better than prince's. And combine that with a better SS, we'd do okay.

 

I know replacing Prince's production is going to be hard. But we can do it through better defense at SS and 1B (and maybe 3B), better production from 3B (if we could get Casey to rebound to a .750 OPS, or have Green produce that, we'd be talking a huge upgrade of 2011), and by getting a solid performance from Gamel - I don't think an .800 OPS is out of reach.

 

These are all gambles. But if you sink $15-20 million in a Reyes - every year for the next 5-6 years - that's an even bigger gamble. If Gamel fails, you have the flexibility to make a move.

[Hate those Rodents]

Barmes should be able to be had for a two year deal. I agree on going with Gamel. If he stinks up the joint the first 2-3 months, there's always trade bait out there during the season (think Derrick Lee and Chris Davis this year).

[nate82]

The Brewers are going to have to overpay for Barmes as the Astros are going to try and resign him. I actually doubt he even makes it to free agency. A trade is more likely for a SS than a free agency signing.

[Roderick]

.... Barmes .......We could probably get him on a 2-3 year deal for a reasonable rate (just guessing - but maybe $4 million annually?).

I'm assuming he would get more than the $4M he made this year. At age 33 he may be looking for his last hurrah and so probably 3 years min.

[Hate those Rodents]

Rotoworld is a good site but not always the best, but I recall their comment on Barmes being something along the lines of "he's probably played well enough to earn another year in the majors". Again, not the bible of baseball websites but they don't seem to think he's a guy that's looking at a multi-year, multi-miillion dollar deal.

[nate82]

Rotoworld is a good site but not always the best, but I recall their comment on Barmes being something along the lines of "he's probably played well enough to earn another year in the majors". Again, not the bible of baseball websites but they don't seem to think he's a guy that's looking at a multi-year, multi-miillion dollar deal.

No he may not be looking for that but the Astros just might give him that contract.

[Mr Southpaw]

Gamel, please.

[PilprinBuddha]

put me down for Cuddyear from MN

[dadofandrew]

Cuddyear isn't much better than McGehee of '09-10, which while solid, isn't very good 1B production. He's also RH and is very pedestrian versus RHP (granted, he destroys LHP).

[GAME05]

i understand the whole idea behind Gamel at First, but it's just so hard to figure the Brewers keeping him at AAA for so long, bringing him up for only a short while, having him play poorly, and then keeping him at AAA (without even a September callup) suddenly being given the significant portion of playing time next year.

 

i'd be all for Cuddyer. not the greatest but seems better than the other options out there. plus it's a lot of experience against the other side of the diamond if you can assume Green gets the starting job there next year. both Gamel and Green at the corners seems a bit much considering RR and Melvin's general dislike of young players (experience-wise).

[nate82]

i'd be all for Cuddyer. not the greatest but seems better than the other options out there.

I would rather go with McGehee at 1B with Gamel as a platoon before even thinking about signing Cuddyer as he is going to cost more than McGehee, Gamel, and Green combined. I just don't see any upside to signing Cuddyer at all.

[PilprinBuddha]

I question whether or not Casey will be a Brewer next season. I believe that his contract negotiations this season were a bit contentious...I might be wrong....If Tyler Green is ready at 3rd...I'd rather invest Casey's $ in a 1st Baseman and or Shortstop.

[Baldkin]

McGehee will be in his first Arby year next year, he'll probably make less than $2M, after his abysmal year this year.

[PilprinBuddha]

Gotcha...then he is probably worth keeping....put the $ at ss.

[MNBrew]

I'd think Cuddyer's preference is to remain a Twin, and I think they're more likely to re-sign him than Jason Kubel. I like Cuddyer a lot, but I'd think the odds of him being a Brewer next year are on the slim side.

 

I still think that if Prince isn't back (I'd rather see him return, however slim those odds may be), the 2 corners will be covered by a combination of McGehee, Green, & Gamel, all of whom I'd foresee being on the roster. Perhaps not the ultimate combination, but SS is definitely the one position where a major upgrade is needed and no realistic internal options exist.

 

McGehee's in another stretch where he sure can't seem to do much right, but one thing does stand out to me in particular: For as good as he was last year, start to finish (by and large), I remember that he struggled throughout spring training this year and other than a bit of April & a stretch of July/August, he's really never gotten fully on track. . . . I have no proof of what I'm about to say, just wondering out loud, but I wonder if he didn't get a little complacent last offseason, pay the price for it in spring training, start pressing as long-term contract discussions were going on (which only made things worse), and then the season started with him never really getting going at the plate. . . . . Again, I've heard nothing at all to prove that "pocket hunch," but I can't help think that Casey will bust his tail this offseason to make sure next year is a much better year -- partly out of professionalism & pride, but also partly due to having not one but two guys who will come into ST with a better chance than ever to beat him out for a starting job.

 

....The upshot of all this being that I still think it'll be McGehee or Gamel starting at 1B next year.

[jmeks23]

Unless McGehee has a huge post-season (if he even plays) I can't see him being on the team next year. Is he not arbitration eligible now? With his past performance he's looking at over a million, probably more like 3-5. That's way too much for a guy who's going to take home the crown for worse BA in the league (tough to do with Yuniesky Betancourt on the team as well).

 

Sorry if I just don't buy into Casey long term, I never have. I saw this regression coming before 2010, and he proved me wrong. Then when we needed him most this year he's just been atrocious on all levels. I guess he should hurt his knee again because he played better with a sore knee. I would be very happy to not see him hitting weak grounders or striking out looking next season.

[Roderick]

Rotoworld is a good site but not always the best, but I recall their comment on Barmes being something along the lines of "he's probably played well enough to earn another year in the majors". Again, not the bible of baseball websites but they don't seem to think he's a guy that's looking at a multi-year, multi-miillion dollar deal.

I guess I was thinking that the Brewers will be looking and I assume other teams will be (Reds, right?) and there doesn't seem to be much after Reyes in the talent pool, hence driving up the price. Plus I assume the Astros will be trying to keep him as they didn't trade him away.

 

But if he comes in relatively cheap, I won't complain. Basically anything better (for similar costs) or equal (less costs) to Yuni (cost of $4M, 1 year) is an improvement.

[tigerbrew]

If Prince leaves, I will probably target Derrick Lee on a one year deal.