Mike

I think the bad attitude talk, etc must be thrown out the window. There are many players in the history of the game that are jackwagons. GM's and field managers do not care about that, they care about production. The best thing to tell Gamel is "Don't think Mat, it will only hurt the team". Having said that, there is no doubt that he has hit MiLB RH pitching well and I would expect that to continue. I would also bet (having watched him in many Nashville games) to struggle against LH pitching. It is not a coincidence that Milwaukee feels the same way otherwise they would not have asked Corey to "play some 1B". So, he can't hit LH pitching and he is not strong defensively..........other than that he is a good player.

Frankly, I don't think the Crew signs him for the following reasons: 1) Why do we need yet another LH on the bench, especially with Schafer and Gindl as cheaper options? He does not have enough power to replace Braun for 50 games. 2) $2.5M posting fee plus an assumed $2-2.5M per salary for two years. Aoki would not take less. Brewers can't afford now. 3) Does anyone really think they could tell how a guy does in BP? Perhaps the arm, speed and fielding can be gauged in a workout, but not hitting BP. There is no way I take that financial risk. 4) The posting fee DM made was kind of like us playing poker. Don't every once in a while when you have a straight facing the possibility of the other guy perhaps having a flush throw your money at it? Presumably he made that bid in a similar fashion, thinking we wouldn't get it, but what the heck. 5) I also don't think "feelings" or potential using Aoki even entered into the equation. We all know how cut throat this business is. 6) The Brewers will either say, thanks but no thanks or low ball him and Aoki says politely go pound sand Milwaukee.

Why don't we try picking more efficiently with the picks we do have. Take a look at the last seven (7) years.2005-Braun the only guy left. 2nd, 3rd and later rounders not worth a darn. 2006-Jeffress 1st rounder, the only guy with a chance and that seems remote at best. 2007-Lucroy 3rd round made it. Ferris 4th not going to help, Gindl in the 5th might. LaPorta 1st round is still arguable. 2008-Schafer in the 3rd is the only guy standing from that class! Lawrie and Ordorizzi will be good, but we got into the 2011 playoffs making that trade. 2009-Heckathorn potentially, Kentrail maybe and D'Vo in the 5th may be good. 2010-Thornburg in the 3rd round will pay dividends. 2011-Jungmann, Bradley and Lopez in the 1st and 2nd rounds remain to be seen. My point is there are many more swings and misses than hits. Notice every year on the Power 50 that the top guys are from the most recent draft? Who can forget supplemental Evan Fredrickson in 2008? Eric Arnett 1st round 2009? Seth Lintz, Thomas Adams, William Inman, Evan Anudsen, Brent Brewer, Cutter Dykstra all of whom were top 3 round picks that are gone. Out of baseball in many cases. It would be fun to do a study. Now I also recognize many teams face the same hit rate, but doesn't it seem we are in the lower half? Really since 2002 (10 yrs of drafting) we got five stars; Prince, Braun, Gallardo, Hart and Weeks. That is .50 star players per draft. I would expect that number to be more like .75 and serviceable MLB guys at 1.5 which the Brewers cannot claim.

How about Graves and Stratton at Miller Park? Combimed lawn mower and Lasik surgery device for sore eyes.

If Braun is suspended, I do not see how Hart would be dealt as few have suggested. If Corey were traded that would leave us with an OF of (assuming 50 games and Aoki signed) Aoki, Morgan, Gomez, Schafer. None of these four (4) should be in a corner OF spot because of their lack of power. That would leave only Aramis and Rickie with pop in the lineup. In addition, the argument over Aoki being offered a contract is probably not capable of being handicapped at this point. The club has admitted they have no scouts in Japan and are going off "reports". Depending on the money Aoki is expecting, I just can't see pulling that trigger after seeing a guy in two (2) days of workouts in Maryvale. So, if I were DM I definitely would not trade Corey and I probably would not sign Aoki. He would be a pretty expensive 50 game rental considering Schafer and Gindl are waiting in the wings and deserve a shot soon. Which leaves me with what to do with the four OF's mentioned above three of which hit LF, four if you count Gindl. Even though Gomez has the most power, arm strength and overall CF defense, I just can't see doing any better than his career .240+ avg suggests (half of you agree). He also is the only RH in this group, so perhaps we are stuck with him. Now it comes down to staying with the platoon of Morgan/Gomez or allowing Schafer a shot. Gindl is still young at 23 and will probably go to AAA. I can see an OF of Morgan in LF, Morgan/Gomez in CF, Hart in RF and Schafer on the bench. When Ryan returns, you send Schafer to AAA unless he performs. Otherwise you trade Morgan for many of the reasons suggested and get a prospect, but as a poster mentioned he did only garner Cutter. Very difficult decisions to make. Perhaps one of these LH OF's need to be traded straight up for another RH OF?

That Gennett guy (Scooter) will never provide the power, HR or RBI that Rickie provides plus he is still 2-3 years away. The best you can hope for with Gennett is a higher BA.

Many of you seem to think that will happen. There is no way he is in any OF spot. It is 1B or nothing. He can't play the OF. The team will not take that defensive chance.

So you would have passed on Colby Lewis because he played in Japan and couldn't find a job in MLB? Sure because there are way more examples of the former than the latter. My earlier point is there are too many other less risky options.

No chance. He has been out of MLB too long for one. Second there are way too many cheaper options available; He plays in Japan for a reason namely he couldn't find a job in MLB.

True except you did have to hear BA announce- "Betancourt goes after the first pitch and pops up to...." Love that line!

MLB Trade Rumors

If the Brewers get Sizemeore, what do you do with Morgan and Gomez? Can't keep all 3.

No chance. He is not worth $3M. Can't hit period. Could you imagine the protection he would give Braun? None.

Agree whole heartedley regarding Cuddyer. In fact, a Kubel/Reed Johnson platoon in RF might be pretty effective. Reed Johnson? Why do that? .283 average is OK, but averaging 10 Hr 57 RBI and only 6 SB per year is no better than giving some of our OF prospects a shot.

I have re-read all the posts and everyone is in favor of acquiring Headley and Bartlett. I agree with Bartlett at SS, but disagree with Headley.Other than defensively, I used 162 game averages from baseball-reference (because guys do have bad years like McGehee in 2011) and it shows the following: Avg HR RBI Headley .269 11 62 McGehee .263 19 90 With Taylor Green as a platoon option at worst, Headley just doesn't seem worth the risk.

There is no chance the Brewers are after CJ or any other SP for that matter. You need a SS and/or 1B. Hello?

If you are insituating that all the Gamel bashing and the reason Mat is not already on The Big Club is because of the above statement, then I disagree. You can argue that his lack of defense at 3B may be keeping him out of the lineup, but these are professionals and they don't learn how to become a bad defender due to the organization. If he "has all the natural tools to be an excellent 3B" then why doesn't it show? You can't blame the club for that.

I must admit I have been very entertained with the debate over Gamel and where he may play defensively or at all. I have no dog in the fight so to speak, so I'll give what I believe is an objective opinion. Lots of you want to give him a chance to start in 2012 depending on salaries of others acquired and assuming the Brewers are not down on him. I agree under certain conditions that he could start, so here they are: 1B only for Gamel, assuming No Prince and Hart is not moved to 1B. No 3B for Mat under any circumstance. Leave that to Green and/or McGehee. Perhaps Hairston depending on other moves. No RF for Gamel. He is not capable of playing the position. Why switch Hart and Gamel? It puts two guys in two unfamiliar positions. If Hart is traded because Prince was re-signed thereby acquiring more money, then again no Gamel in RF. Morgan or Schafer do not work in RF either. They are CF only similar to Mat being only a 1B. Gindl would be the only in-house RF soloution with Hairston potentially in RF. If Hart is traded because so much money went to Prince, then some combination of either Gamel, Schafer, Gomez and Morgan (probably 2 of them) could be dealt for a RH RF option. The problem to me is Morgan, Gomez and Schafer are all CF only, so at least one has to go. Perhaps packaging one of them with another prospect and/or P would yield a fine RF. If Prince is moved, then I give Gamel 1B and keep Corey in RF. This would allow the extra dollars saved capable of going after a FA SS. One of my points is that lots of guys on lots of teams rub management the wrong way from time to time. The old addage if he can hit they will find a spot for him may be truer than ever for Gamel and Morgan. If they don't, they may not play. Only Melvin and his cronies will be able to decide.

I agree with rams99. Gamel has been tried at 3B so why do it again? It is clear he belongs at 1B or in the AL as DH.

Agreed Belt has a higher ceiling than Gamel. Brian Sabean and the SF brass have made it clear they will not enter Prince, Pujols or Reyes sweepstakes even though that is what the fans are clamoring to have happen. Though I'm a Corey Hart fan, there is no chance the Giants trade Belt for Hart straight up. It makes no sense to them as OF is their weakest spot, but defensively Belt is as good as Hart in the OF. The Giants would be better off getting Morgan or some other CF from the Crew to replace Andres Torres who is awful.

who said Schafer was the best CF is the system. It was not clear to me he meant to include the Big Club because Gomez is awfully good, but it is clear he is better defensively than Morgan. I agree that he may not be ready for a full time job in 2012, but don't be surprised with a good ST that he is in a platoon on the Brewers and not in AAA. I just feel than one of Morgan and Gomez will not be here.

I'm out numbered for sure in this thread, but other than Carlos being 5 years younger than Gomez I disagree with Princes' statement. If Gomez has "way more value than Morgan", then why does he only start against LH's? My point is other than PR and defense he can't compare to Morgan or other available options. I don't like either the more I think about it. An earlier poster said Morgan is more of a .270 hitter to which I agree. If so his defense and arm really are not that good and the schtick will wear thin. Keep Morgan and pick someone else up.In addition the baseball IQ for both are below average to say the least. Mental errors hurt too.

Perhaps what Monty is referring to is that Gomez is Arbitration eligible now and are they not one year deals? If so, then Schafer, Gindl or someone else would be a cheaper and better option in 2013. However, I still hope Gomez is gone before 2012 because even batting 8th I don't need a .220 hitter. Keep Morgan or Gomez (for defense and PR only), but not both.

I obviously am not on the Brewer staff and have no inside knowledge, but mark my words. Carlos Gomez will not be on the 25 man roster come next spring. He is a .220 hitter for crying out loud. He can run and field, but nothing else. His decision making on the base paths and in the box is bad. I think we need to stop penciling him in as an alternative to/with Morgan. They will either bring up an OF from the minors or pick up a RH OF on the open market. P.S. - There is no chance of Mat Gamel being in the OF in 2012 either as some of you have suggested.

Who needs them? For that matter Milkwaukee has Lo Cain and probably needs either. Regarding the actions of Mr. Morgan, I have no problem with his charge of the mound after the 2nd attempt to drill him. Afterall, he took the first one like a man and trotted to first head down. Now that does not completely exonerate him because he asked for it. First by obviously bumping St. Louis' catcher when he clearly was out of the way, second when he threw a ball in the stands at a fan who was heckling him and 3rd when he ambushed the Florida catcher. Ambushed because it was not with the intent of jarring the ball loose. He needs anger management training. Bay Area Baseball Happenings