battlekow

So colby, you think that, barring a defensive regression (and of course a spate of errors to begin the season doesn't necessarily herald one), Gamel will be recalled in fairly short order? EDIT: Specifically what I'm asking is, you don't think the Brewers necessarily need to see a defensive improvement to call Gamel up?

I don't have quotes from scouts, but I do have some numbers. TLDR: If Gamel merely plays defense like he did last year, it's quite possible he's an overall upgrade over Bill Hall at third right now, before further development is taken into account. Note that my earlier post was not arguing for or against Gamel being called up, just pointing out that because the Brewers clearly have him in AAA to work on his defense, his poor defensive showing thus does not augur for a promotion. And you're right mkm, he's not going to keep committing an error every other game any more than he's going to keep hitting .400. But his defense is what the organization is watching and what will earn him a call-up; they already know he can hit.

Final line on Jeffress: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 82 pitches, 43 strikes.

Even with the errors, Jeffress still had a chance to get out of the third allowing only a run: Sean Henry flies out to center fielder Lorenzo Cain. Dallas Buck reaches on throwing error by shortstop Yohannis Perez. Chris Heisey reaches on throwing error by third baseman Kevin Melillo. Dallas Buck to 2nd. Zach Cozart singles on a ground ball to left fielder Drew T. Anderson. Dallas Buck scores. Chris Heisey to 2nd. Coaching visit to mound. Juan Francisco strikes out swinging. Todd Frazier walks. Chris Heisey to 3rd. Zach Cozart to 2nd. Logan Parker triples (1) on a line drive to center fielder Lorenzo Cain. Chris Heisey scores. Zach Cozart scores. Todd Frazier scores. Eric Eymann grounds out, third baseman Kevin Melillo to first baseman Chris Errecart. Two-out bases-loaded triples suck.

If you are so inclined, you can vote for Wheeler in a poll of which PotW had the best week on the MiLB.com front page.

Well yeah, because he's hitting .439/.510/.838. He's not going to keep doing that, and once he settles in as a merely very good hitter, committing an error every other game will be unacceptable. It's clear that the team is waiting on his glove to bring him up, and that glove has been atrocious thus far, so he's not any closer to being called up than he was when the season began. He could be hitting 1.000/1.000/4.000 and it wouldn't change that reality.

Didn't that spot go to Mark Kiger?

But we're just talking about replacing one player with Mat Gamel. To get Gwynn on the team, you'd have to send another player packing, too.

Duffy plays CF and will be a primary pinch-runner, given his speed, two things that Gamel won't do. The only thing Nelson does that Gamel doesn't is play first. I don't see how replacing your lefty backup first baseman with a lefty third baseman creates obvious bench issues, given that Rivera can play first and McGehee almost certainly could too. Remember, this is predicated on the idea that Gamel would be playing off the bench at least some of the time.

Brad Nelson is the obvious choice to DFA if Gamel is truly called up to play a semi-bench role. The only question is whether the Brewers would be comfortable either having Mike Rivera be Prince's primary backup at first or using Gamel or McGehee there despite their lack of experience there.

When they're bumped beyond what you'd expect given their age (Edgar Trejo), sure, that's a vote of confidence. Moving Almonte to A+ ball at age 22 is simply putting him where he needs to be.

It's pretty hard to justify putting Rigo Almonte ahead of any of those guys based on eight AZL innings at age 21.

Lucroy has two passed balls.

I'd just like to weigh in with the opinion that to call up Gamel only to platoon him would do his development a major disservice. The fact that he's hit lefties pretty well in the minors augurs well for his success at the big-league level, but he'll still need plenty of practice, especially given the prevalence of LOOGYs. Like all left-handed hitters, maybe sit him against the toughest of lefty starters, but other than that he needs the exposure.

I asked McCalvy about Cain and he said, "I don't know exactly what the timetable is for Cain, but he did remain in extended Spring Training in Phoenix to rehab. That seems to me like a sign it could be a few weeks."

Why did Delaney replace Lawrie in the 5th?

I didn't get a chance to watch Scarpetta, but Nieves looked really sharp on TV. Great breaking stuff. Apparently Mark Rogers is going to start tomorrow for the Manatees.

Nashville Sounds happy to leave dismal 2008 season in the past By Mike Organ Tony Gwynn doesn't need much to be happy when he's on the baseball diamond. Being able to know the score is one of the few things the Nashville Sounds' outfielder deems a necessity. "There were a few times last year when I actually thought we were winning the game and I'd be like, 'Why are we hitting in the bottom of the ninth?"' Gwynn said. "It'll be good to have the scoreboard working finally." The refurbished guitar scoreboard is just one of the new sights at Greer Stadium. Nashville's minor league team opens its 32ndst season against New Orleans at 7 p.m. Thursday, under new ownership, a new coaching staff and with several new players who are expected to play key roles. And the changes couldn't have come at a better time. The 2008 Sounds posted the worst record (59-81) in franchise history, landing them in last place in the Pacific Coast League American Conference Northern Division. Manger Frank Kremblas was fired after the season and replaced by former major league third baseman Don Money. "We're moving on now and our makeup might be a little different,'' Money said. "Frank had his style on and off the field and my style is a little bit different from Frank's.'' The media already picked up on one of the changes Wednesday when reporters realized none of the players were sporting trendy moustaches or goatees. Money is known as a disciplinarian who doesn't allow facial hair. "Don's a good baseball guy and he's a little different than Frank,'' outfielder Brendan Katin said. "We've got to abide by the rules a little bit more this year. He's not going to let us have the facial hair and any of that nonsense. You have to wear collared shirts. He's by the book. He's a great guy … we'll see if it makes a big difference." A better start is among the biggest difference players are hoping for. The Sounds lost nine of their first 10 games and 15 of their first 18 in 2008. "We got in a rut and it was just about impossible to get out of it,'' Katin said. "Hopefully the fans will come out and support us and not count us out because of last year." For all the changes, Money, who spent the previous four seasons as skipper of Milwaukee's Double-A team in Huntsville, said he's familiar with much of his new team. "These guys know me because I've had most of them except for a lot of the pitchers,'' Money said. "A lot of them are six-year free agents, and they'll learn." Third baseman Mat Gamel is one of the Brewers' top prospects and spent most of last season playing for Money in Huntsville, save for short stints in Nashville and the Brewers in September. A key to the Sounds' success, Gamel said, is for prospects like himself to avoid being fixated on getting called up and to do their best to help the team. "I'm working on defense, getting my game better to where I can go up and help the big league team win ballgames,'' Gamel said. "But I've also got to worry about this team and what's going on here. Hopefully we can come out, string together some wins, and maybe win a ring."

Nashville notes from MiLB.com's PCL preview, with special note taken of Escobar and Gamel as top prospects in the league:

Timbler Rattlers notes from MiLB.com's Midwest League preview; both Lawrie and Dykstra are listed as top prospects in the league. Lots of awesome editing going on over at MiLB.com, as they list both Odorizzi and Schafer as T-Rats:

Blurbs about Huntsville from MiLB.com's Southern League preview:

Little preview of the Manatees from MiLB.com, with a note about Caleb Gindl being one of the FSL's top prospects:

I can't explain my inability to find his name on the Wisconsin roster except that I do the same damn thing with the TV remote almost every day.

Cutter Dykstra looks like Craig Biggio there, and Andy Samberg can star when Lawrie's life gets turned into a movie.

Where's Juan Sanchez?