derflotr

Rafael Furcal Yadier Molina Pat Neshek Curtis Granderson Jair Jurrjens Garret Anderson Mike Cameron

I know everyone is all concerned about filling the 3B hole by getting someone from outside the organization, but I'm really worried about that gaping chasm in LF. Are there any corner outfielders worth a damn still available in free agency?

Man, I have a feeling the Cubs are in for a rough season.

Anyone else Brian Anderson is doing play-by-play for Wichita St/Creighton right now? Since when does he do basketball?

Does trading either McGehee or Gamel hinge on re-signing Craig Counsell? Seems to me that was the hot debate pre-winter meetings and there hasn't been a whisper of a rumor involving Gamel/McGehee unless I missed something.

Is there anyone else out there that dislikes this as much as I do? I realize the options are limited, but why should I get excited about a 33-year old who just happens to have the far and away best season of his career year before entering free agency? Then give the guy 3 years with 8-9 mil per? Sorry, I'm not buying it.

I'd root for this over three years of either of the guys you mention (as much as I love Doug Davis) or Randy Wolf...even John Lackey considering the money he'll be getting. I'd rather do a trade for an Edwin Jackson type than do anything in free agency. Unfortunately I think there's pressure on Doug Melvin to make drastic changes in the starting rotation - meaning getting "sure things" instead of trusting in "you know what you get" guys like Looper, Suppan, Bush, etc. As much as he's struggled lately, I'd rather give Josh Butler a legitimate shot out of spring training than giving it to Jarrod Washburn...but I'm probably in the minority on that one.

This trade has grown on me a bit...at first I was in the "that's it?" crowd, but it sounds like the guy is a fantastic defensive CF, which is just as important of a defensive position as SS in my opinion...if the guy can post a .320ish OBP with full-time ABs at the bottom of the order and limit the mistakes on the basepaths he'll be a big asset - not only for next season, but for many in the future. If Gamel is kept (or McGehee, I guess) the Brewers once again have very good, high-ceiling young talent in the lineup. They may miss Cameron's bat in the lineup but if it means the pitching can be improved it's worth the loss. And this creates great flexibility in the payroll considering what Cameron is worth and whatever Hardy would've gotten. I'm not really pulling for a John Lackey signing, but if there are no better alternatives it's a very realistic possibility.

I have trouble understanding why Mat Gamel should simply be awarded a 3B job. He should have to earn it just like anyone else - with limited opportunities. And if Mat is seriously struggling in BP we should all be extremely concerned, to be honest.

You make that sentence blue as if it's absolutely wrong, but it isn't. Gamel had a just-decent type of season at AAA and hasn't really shown much but a good eye (for better or worse) at the big-league level. He doesn't have the defense to hang his hat on. In my opinion the Brewers are comfortable with either at 3B to start the season next year. I think they're just trying to get McGehee's name higher on the rookie-of-the-year board and make him more attractive so they can do their best to avoid trading Mat Gamel. If the Brewers get someone to buy high on McGehee, he's gone. If no one's biting on McGehee and someone's willing to offer top-flight pitching talent for Gamel, it will and should be done should all other resources be exhausted. The Brewers are going nowhere with the current pitching staff with or without Mat Gamel, no matter how good some think he's going to be.

I'm pretty concerned, probably more than most. I'd feel better if he had great BB rates in the minors, but that's not the case. I'll stay patient because it's his first full major league season and there's been pressure on him, but it's certainly bothersome.

I would do this trade in a second, but I'm not entirely sure Atlanta would approve it.

107 pitches after already skipping a start is now "riding into the ground"? Give me a break. All this crying for Macha's head is getting annoying.

As much as I hate to say it I haven't felt optimistic about a Yo start in quite some time...

That play by Escobar was unbelievable. I actually yelled out loud - didn't expect to get that excited about anything Brewers today.

Look guys, I like Mat Gamel like the rest of you, but he didn't have eye-popping numbers offensively at AAA this season, especially in the 2nd half, and he doesn't have the defense to hang his hat on. When I look from outside the Brewers orb I live in I look at Mat Gamel and I'm not seeing a "top prospect in the game". Casey McGehee is putting up very good numbers right now at the ML level. I don't understand this bounty for Ken Macha's head because he's playing a guy who's a rookie of the year candidate. He's still managing to win and I'm disappointed everyone's so upset about that. I love watching young players just to see what they're like after hearing about them for so long in the minor leagues, honestly - but I respect that he's still trying to win games and I have to imagine the players in that clubhouse respect that. I don't think giving Mat Gamel a break for a while with a few starts here and there is going to completely ruin his development. I personally believe they're already comfortable with the idea of Mat starting at 3B next year, so what's wrong with playing the hot hand in McGehee? Mat and Casey will both be in trade conversations and the best way to increase the return is if McGehee continues to play well. As a previous poster alluded to it's unfair to immediately write off McGehee's season as a fluke because he's the old, grisled 26 year-old fringe major leaguer who's just had a nice BABIP this season. I wrote him off much earlier this season and I feel dead wrong now. I consider this a great problem to have and I while I understand some will be frustrated by it I don't understand why anyone would be blowing their lid over it.

I'd suffer through Tony La Russa just for Duncan, honestly.

Ken Macha didn't put the worst starting rotation in the majors on the field this season. That was Doug Melvin. No manager is perfect. I don't have much of a problem with Macha. The fan in me wants to see Gamel play every day, but isn't the manager's job to do his best to win the game? McGehee is producing consistently (and Counsell for most of the season) and Gamel hasn't been lighting up AAA pitching as he was earlier this season. If this disconnect in this clubhouse is true I see no reason to keep him around, but I'm not buying that story yet.

Didn't expect this to be a game, and it isn't. No surprise.

Looks like the Brewers are starting their auditions for '10. Cameron's second straight day off, wonder if he's injured or something.

The Cardinals are really good. I'm not going to be bitter about this. Oh well, go get 'em tomorrow boys.

Here's the real Looper...those three innings were nice, I guess.

His career stats are absolutely not underwhelming considering his position. 2007 was a very good season for JJ and he showed improvement on those numbers in 2008. He's still a terrific SS defensively and it's likely this season is just an aberration for him offensively. He deserves to be starting at SS somewhere. He's already come out and said he understands the situation so it's not like he's being difficult. He doesn't "need to understand" anything. I just wish we didn't have to do the Hardy/Escobar lineup shuffle every day for the rest of the season.

Hopefully I'll break the ice for the insecure with my score of 43! Although I was rather impatient...2005 Angels was killing me...

Let me get this straight right out of the gate - I really like Mike Cameron. He's obviously fantastic defensively and he's got good power for a CF, not to mention he's become a leader on the team. The Cameron bashing (mainly on radio) really bothers me, the guy is a class act. But I'm wondering how large of a dropoff it would be from Cameron to a guy like Gerut - I don't know the defensive metrics on Gerut in CF, but if he isn't an adequate CF I'd discard this idea entirely. I think pretty much every player benefits from more ABs and perhaps I'm overestimating him based on his 2008 season but I think he can put up a .270/.340 kind of line with an everyday job. I just feel like if Weeks comes back strong you're looking at - Weeks, Escobar/Hardy, Braun, Fielder, Cameron, Gamel/McGehee, Hart, and whoever's catching. Take out Cameron and I still think that lineup could be pretty potent. What I'm getting at is if they can use the 10 mil+ he'll get in arbitration to bring in better pitching I'd think the Brewers would want to consider taking advantage of that opportunity. You could argue that acquiring pitching through free agency is a bit of a crapshoot, but most of the Brewers' pitching depth is in A ball and I just don't see anyone from within they haven't tried who they could be confident in trotting out there every 5th day in 2010. If they can use that money to improve the pitching staff (though Mike Cameron by himself improves the pitching staff) isn't it worth releasing Cameron, taking the draft pick, and bolstering the starting rotation? It's not like they'd be spending all 10+ million on one pitcher either - you can fill a few holes or pick up a few raises in arbitration with 10-12 million bucks.