lexi881

Gamel will be in Milwaukee on Sunday. Not sure if this has been posted somewhere else or not.

Who was his protection in Hawaii, West Virginia or Melbourne? Should everyone have a slump and still bat over .300. It is pretty funny to me, after hearing what all of the Brewers Staff say to him and about him to his family, and how the "fans" opinions differ so greatly. Opinions are like b*$$holes, everone has one...................... Again....BREWERfan....... I also fail to understand how which team won, has bearing on which player is better....its a TEAM effort. Not player vs player.

It seems to me that many care about this minor league stuff, judging by the amount of activity and users on this message board alone. Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, however; and this is only my opinion, if you are truly a BREWERfan, you would want a BREWER to win the award over another organization.

Not sure what the long term plans for the season are - but as of now he is coming home for a week or so after Nashville, then reporting to Arizona for the Fall league out there.

i thought this was BREWERfan.......MY BAD!

Really? Based on what, Home Runs? LaPorta 2008 Season Team League AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG OPS HUN SOU .288 84 302 56 87 23 2 20 66 174 45 63 2 1 .402 .576 .978 AKR EAS .375 4 16 2 6 0 0 1 4 9 0 4 0 0 .375 .563 .938 Minors .292 88 318 58 93 23 2 21 70 183 45 67 2 1 .401 .575 .976 Gamel Team League AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG OPS HUN SOU .374 93 385 77 144 33 6 15 81 234 39 70 5 6 .432 .608 1.039 Minors .374 93 385 77 144 33 6 15 81 234 39 70 5 6 .432 .608 1.039

You dont know how true your statement about not making a judgement unless you see it is. I am certainly not saying he does not deserve all of his errors, but some are undeserved.......and it is really hard to make the judgement unless you are there, or know someone who is. Many of his errors this season have been undeserved, and the majority of them have been FIELDING, not THROWING, as it was earlier stated.

Not sure about LaPorta, but my Dad is 6'2", and Mat (Gamel) is every bit as tall as him, if not taller - when they are standing next to each other, regardless of what MiLB/MLB has him listed as.

Great Picture! Ive seen Mat in this stance many a time........with friends, my dad or brother!

We are all certainly entitled to our opinions. Fortunately, those whose opinions matter, feel very differently than yoda.....

Futures Game rosters filled with top prospects By Nick Cammarota / MLB.com Greg Golson and Gorkys Hernandez have never been to Yankee Stadium. But that's about to change come mid-July, and it's not because they were called up to The Show. In fact, neither player is affiliated with the Bronx Bombers. Instead, Golson and Hernandez will represent their respective countries in the 10th annual XM Satellite Radio All-Star Futures Game in New York on July 13 as part of Major League Baseball's All-Star celebration. The 25-man rosters for the United States and World Teams were announced Thursday during MLB.com's webcast hosted by Jonathan Mayo and Vinny Micucci. Major League Baseball, in conjunction with all 30 clubs, works with MLB.com and Baseball America to select the players to play in the game. Both Golson, named to the U.S. team, and Hernandez (World) were intrigued by their selection, considering both have missed time this season due to injury. "It's awesome. Kind of caught me by surprise because I'm nursing an injury right now," Golson, a 23-year-old outfielder in the Phillies' organization, said. "For the most part, [i don't know] what I'm in for. I've never been to New York and I've never been in Yankee Stadium, so it's going to be a fun time for me." "It was a surprise for me when the manager talked to me. He told me, 'You're going to the Futures Game,'" Hernandez, a Venezuelan outfielder in the Braves organization, who will be making his second trip to the Futures Game, said. "I called my father and mother [and said], 'I'm going to the Futures Game in Yankee Stadium in New York.' They said, 'Good for you.'" With the Olympic Games in Beijing in August, a new format has been adopted for the Futures Game. Instead of selecting the U.S. squad based solely on prospect status, players were chosen as part of the 2008 Team USA Olympic trial team. Also different from years past is the length of the game. This year's contest will be nine innings and begins at 12:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN2. Prior to this season, the majority of the games were seven-inning affairs. Leading the U.S. club will be skipper Davey Johnson, a four-time All-Star as a player and World Series-winning manager. Joining his staff are Dick Cooke, Rick Eckstein, Marcel Lachemann and Reggie Smith. "I'm really looking forward to it," Johnson told MLB.com last week. "I love coaching young, talented guys who'll be in the big leagues one day soon. It's a great thrill." For the World, two-time All-Star and four-time World Series champion Tino Martinez is slated to manage the team in his former stomping grounds. "I'm thrilled to death," Martinez said. "It's quite an honor to be able to manage that team. To have the opportunity to do it in Yankee Stadium, it doesn't get any better than that." Rafael Chaves, Pat Listach, Scott Little, Larry Parrish, John Stearns and Carlos Subero join him in the World dugout. The U.S. infield is anchored by third baseman Mat Gamel, arguably the hottest hitter in the Minors. His .373 average is tops in the Southern League as well as his 67 RBIs. His teammate in Huntsville and fellow Brewers prospect, first baseman Matt LaPorta, leads the league in home runs (19) and is behind only Gamel in RBIs (59). The U.S.'s other first baseman, Chris Davis (Oklahoma), is pushing hard for a spot with the Rangers, as he leads the Minors in runs scored (68) and is hitting .333 with 10 homers and 31 RBIs in 31 games. Playing up the middle for the U.S. will be shortstops Jason Donald (Phillies) and Chris Valaika (Reds) alongside Chris Getz (White Sox) and Cliff Pennington (Athletics). Philadelphia's Double-A affiliate, the Reading Phillies, are best represented in the game, sending four players. Catcher Lou Marson (U.S.) and pitcher and three-time Futures Game selection Carlos Carrasco (World) join Golson and Donald. "New York's got a lot of history; a lot of great players have played there. Hopefully, I can leave my mark there, too," Golson said. "I try to play my game, try not to do too much, try to be myself and not put too much pressure on myself, so hopefully everything will work out." Bryan Anderson (Cardinals) and Taylor Teagarden (Rangers) -- selected for the second consecutive year -- will aid Marson behind the plate. Patrolling the U.S. outfield will be Pirates top prospect, Andrew McCutchen, who's hitting .281 with 21 stolen bases this season for Indianapolis. Joining McCutchen to shag balls near Monument Park will be Dexter Fowler (Rockies), Nate Schierholtz (Giants) and Denard Span (Twins). Trevor Cahill (Athletics) is the crème of the U.S. staff. The right-hander leads the Minors in strikeouts (109) and was promoted to Double-A on Saturday. Brett Anderson (one of two left-handers selected), will join Cahill in Midland after a promotion yesterday. William Inman (Padres) is another can't-miss pitcher for the U.S., as he's struck out 92 batters this season and boasts an 8-3 record with a 2.96 ERA. Jake Arrieta (Orioles), Kevin Jepsen (Angels), Ryan Mattheus (Rockies), Kevin Pucetas (Giants), Clayton Richard (White Sox), Jess Todd (Cardinals) and Casey Weathers (Rockies) complete the 10-man U.S. staff. The World Team features representatives from 10 countries, with the largest contingent hailing from the Dominican Republic (8). These players include: pitchers Julio Pimentel (Kansas City), Polin Trinidad (Astros), outfielders Wilkin Ramirez (Tigers), Fernando Martinez (Mets), second baseman Emilio Bonifacio (Diamondbacks), catcher Welington Castillo (Cubs), third baseman Juan Francisco (Reds) and first baseman Angel Villalona (Giants). Martinez and Villalona are two of the biggest -- and youngest -- names on the roster, as the 19-year-old future Mets outfielder is hitting .280 with 19 RBIs in Binghamton and Villalona is considered the top prospect in the Giants' organization at just 17 years old. Venezuela also has a formidable presence, including four members of the pitching staff: Carrasco, Jesus Delgado (Marlins), Henry Rodriguez (Athletics) and Hector Rondon (Indians). The other Venezuelans are Hernandez, Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus (making his second consecutive appearance), catcher Jesus Montero (Yankees), outfielder Gerardo Parra (Diamondbacks) and Rangers first baseman Max Ramirez (another Futures returnee). Four hurlers of different nationalities round out the staff and are each the lone representative from their country: Seattle's Phillipe Aumont (Canada), St. Loius' Jaime Garcia (Mexico), Washington's Shairon Martis (Curacao) and Tampa Bay's Eddie Morlan (Cuba). Toronto second baseman Scott Campbell (New Zealand), Boston outfielder Lin Che-Hsuan (Taiwan), Los Angeles shortstop Ivan DeJesus (Puerto Rico) and Minnesota third baseman Luke Hughes (Australia) complete the World roster. 2008 US Team Pitchers Name ORG Level B T HT WT Birthdate Birthplace Brett Anderson OAK AA L L 6-4 215 2/1/1988 Midland, TX Stats Jake Arrieta BAL A+ R R 6-4 225 3/6/1986 Farmington, MO Stats Trevor Cahill OAK AA R R 6-3 195 3/1/1988 Oceanside, CA Stats Will Inman SD AA R R 6-0 200 2/6/1987 Danville, VA Stats Kevin Jepsen LAA AAA R R 6-3 215 7/26/1984 Anaheim, CA Stats Ryan Mattheus COL AA R R 6-3 215 11/10/1983 Elk Grove, CA Stats Kevin Pucetas SF A+ R R 6-4 225 11/27/1984 Spartansburg, SC Stats Clayton Richard CWS AAA L L 6-5 240 9/12/1983 Lafayette, IN Stats Jess Todd STL AA R R 5-11 210 4/20/1986 Kilgore, TX Stats Casey Weathers COL AA R R 6-1 200 6/10/1985 Elk Grove, CA Stats Catchers Name ORG Level B T HT WT Birthdate Birthplace Bryan Anderson STL AAA L R 6-1 200 12/16/1986 Thousand Oaks, CA Stats Lou Marson PHI AA R R 6-1 200 6/26/1986 Scottsdale, AZ Stats Taylor Teagarden TEX AAA R R 6-1 200 12/21/1983 Dallas, TX Stats Infielders Name ORG Level B T HT WT Birthdate Birthplace Chris Davis TEX AAA L R 6-4 235 4/23/1985 Longview, TX Stats Jason Donald PHI AA R R 6-1 190 9/4/1984 Fresno, CA Stats Chris Getz CWS AAA L R 6-0 185 8/30/1983 Southfield, MI Stats Mat Gamel MIL AA L R 6-0 205 7/26/1985 Jacksonville, FL Stats Matt LaPorta MIL AA R R 6-2 210 1/8/1985 Port Charlotte, FL Stats Cliff Pennington OAK AAA S R 5-11 185 6/15/1984 Corpus Christi, TX Stats Chris Valaika CIN/td> AA R R 6-1 180 8/14/1985 Santa Monica, CA Stats Outfielders Name ORG Level B T HT WT Birthdate Birthplace Dexter Fowler COL AA S R 6-4 175 3/22/1986 Atlanta, GA Stats Greg Golson PHI A R R 6-0 180 9/21/1988 Taiwan Stats Andrew McCutchen PIT AAA R R 5-11 175 10/10/1986 Fort Meade, FL Stats Nate Schierholtz SF AAA L R 6-2 215 2/15/1984 Reno, NV Stats Denard Span MIN AAA L L 6-0 205 2/27/1984 Tampa, FL Stats 2008 World Team Pitchers Name ORG Level B T HT WT Birthdate Birthplace Phillipe Aumont SEA A L R 6-7 220 1/7/1989 Canada Stats Carlos Carrasco PHI AA R R 6-3 215 3/21/1987 Venezuela Stats Jesus Delgado FLA AA R R 6-1 200 4/19/1984 Venezuela Stats Jaime Garcia STL AAA L L 6-2 200 7/8/1986 Mexico Stats Shairon Martis WAS AAA R R 6-1 175 3/30/1987 Curacao Stats Eddie Morlan TB AA R R 6-2 220 3/1/1986 Cuba Stats Julio Pimental KC AA R R 6-1 190 12/14/1985 Dominican Republic Stats Henry Rodriguez OAK A+ R R 6-1 175 2/25/1987 Venezuela Stats Hector Rondon CLE A+ R R 6-3 180 2/26/1988 Venezuela Stats Polin Trinidad HOU AA L L 6-3 170 11/19/1984 Dominican Republic Stats Catchers Name ORG Level B T HT WT Birthdate Birthplace Welington Castillo CHC AA R R 6-0 200 4/24/1987 Dominican Republic Stats Jesus Montero NYY A R R 6-4 225 11/28/1989 Venezuela Stats Infielders Name ORG Level B T HT WT Birthdate Birthplace Elvis Andrus TEX AA R R 6-0 185 8/26/1988 Venezuela Stats Emilio Bonifacio ARI AAA S R 5-10 195 4/23/1985 Dominican Republic Stats Scott Campbell TOR AA L R 6-0 200 9/25/1984 New Zealand Stats Ivan DeJesus LAD AA R R 5-11 182 5/1/1987 Puerto Rico Stats Juan Francisco CIN A S R 6-2 180 6/24/1987 Dominican Republic Stats Luke Hughes MIN AA R R 6-0 190 8/2/1984 Australia Stats Max Ramirez TEX AA R R 5-11 175 10/11/1984 Venezuela Stats Angel Villalona SF A R R 6-3 200 8/13/1990 Dominican Republic Stats Outfielders Name ORG Level B T HT WT Birthdate Birthplace Gorkys Hernandez ATL A+ R R 6-0 175 9/7/1987 Venezuela Stats Che-Hsuan Lin BOS A R R 6-0 180 9/21/1988 Taiwan Stats Fernando Martinez NYM AA L R 6-1 190 10/10/1988 Dominican Republic Stats Gerardo Parra ARI AA L L 5-11 195 5/6/1987 Dominican Republic Stats Wilkin Ramirez DET AA R R 6-2 190 10/25/1985 Dominican Republic Stats The following player was replaced on the roster due to injury: Name ORG Level B T HT WT Birthdate Birthplace Antonio Bastardo PHI AA L L 5-11 168 9/21/1985 Dominican Republic Stats

Oops - my bad...typo - it was on the front page of the SPORTS SECTION.....not the paper!And I didnt see it in the other thread....Sorry!!!!! It is fun to see him play at home though!

This was on the front page of the sports section of the sports section of the Florida-Times Union (Jacksonville Newspaper) today (6/12/08) Last modified 6/12/2008 - 6:43 am Originally created 061208 The makings of a Star Click-2-Listen http://jacksonville.com/images/Dancing-News-32-29.gif BK grad Gamel is new to fast track By GENE FRENETTE, The Times-Union http://www.jacksonville.com/images/mdControlled/cms/2008/06/12/289392158.jpg Jon M. Fletcher / The Florida Times-Union JON M. FLETCHER/The Times-Union Huntsville's Matt Gamel, a former Bishop Kenny standout, has a chance to win the Southern League triple crown. Mat Gamel's first appearance Wednesday night as a professional ballplayer in his hometown of Jacksonville comes at a time when everything is close to perfect in his baseball world. The Huntsville Stars third baseman and Bishop Kenny High graduate is a rising star in the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system. Gamel, after putting together a 33-game hitting streak last year in the pitcher-friendly Class A Florida State League, is now tearing up the Southern League with a top-two standing in every Triple Crown category. He's on the fast track to becoming Jacksonville's next big-leaguer, an amazing feat considering that Gamel almost gave up baseball four years ago. You'd never know looking at Gamel's current statistics with Huntsville (.376 batting average, 14 home runs, 60 RBI) that he almost resigned himself to never picking up a bat after a nightmarish 2004 season at Daytona Beach Community College. Gamel, who went 1-for-3 in Huntsville's 5-0 win over the Jacksonville Suns on Wednesday, was unexpectedly released from the DBCC program midway through 2004 by coach Tim Touma, leaving a dismayed bench-warmer to wonder if he had a future in the sport. Gamel says his mother, Ceri, called his high school coach, Tommy Edwards, to ask about the rule about when Mat could start talking to other schools about a transfer. The Gamel family claims it was an innocent inquiry to prepare him for a possible change. But when Touma found out that Gamel was thinking about leaving, the coach immediately dismissed him from the team. "I was ready to quit baseball after that. I'm glad I didn't," Gamel said while seated in his parents' Neptune Beach home Tuesday night. "I could tell going through that season they probably weren't going to renew my scholarship. It definitely made me a stronger person, to overcome the worst baseball year of my life." Touma verified Gamel's account of his dismissal in a Wednesday phone interview, but he says despite the tough circumstances over Gamel's departure, Touma admires his ex-player for orchestrating one of baseball's stunning turnarounds. "I have no ill will toward [Gamel]," Touma said. "While I'm not happy with the way things ended here, Mat has taken advantage of every opportunity given him since he left. It's a great story." Here's the remarkable part: In just 14 months, Gamel went from having minimal playing time and being kicked off his junior college team to being handed a $200,000 signing bonus as the Brewers' fourth-round draft pick. "The [baseball] draft wasn't even a thought in our minds at that point [after Gamel's dismissal from DBCC]," Ceri said. But one thing Gamel knew about his game is he could always hit. It was just a matter of finding the right situation, which turned out to be a one-year stop at Chipola Junior College. The same third baseman who was stuck behind DBCC's Marquez Smith, a future Clemson star now in Class A ball with the Peoria Chiefs, became the state's Junior College Player of the Year in 2005. Gamel's redemption included hitting a home run against his former team to help Chipola reach the state championship game. "I'm not a power hitter, but I've got power if pitchers don't make a good pitch," Gamel said. "In Double-A, I'm seeing a lot more pitches around the strike zone and it's easier for me to hit." At every minor-league stop, the 6-foot, 205-pound Gamel has continued to put up impressive offensive statistics, so much so that left-handed slugger and teammate Matt LaPorta, an ex-University of Florida standout, are considered two of the best prospects in the Brewers' organization. They're part of a Stars lineup that features the top four hitters in the Southern League and the leading home run hitter in LaPorta (18). "The man [Gamel] can hit. He can left-handers as good as righties because he stays on the ball. He's got a great approach," Stars manager Don Money said. "The one spot the Brewers have is the third-base spot. If he keeps hitting like that, he's next in line." What Gamel hasn't had until this season is much confidence in his fielding, which had been a weakness because of a propensity to make errant throws to first base. Last year, Gamel made 53 errors at Class A Brevard County, but has cut that total to 12 near the midway point this season. Gamel credits Money, a former Brewers third baseman, with helping him to improve his defensive mechanics. "It got to the point warming up [on the field before an inning] where I couldn't throw a ball to first base," Gamel said. "It got crazy. I'd get the yips. My fielding is night-and-day better from what it was." It's hard to look at Gamel's game now and see a lot of flaws. The kid whose baseball career appeared to be going nowhere at age 18 just might be the Milwaukee Brewers' third baseman of the future. Mat Gamel still carries a chip on his shoulder from being cut from his first junior college team. In retrospect, the worst year of his baseball life might be the best thing that ever happened to him. http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061208/spf_289389409.shtml

not sure where to put this - but Mat was #2 on Baseball America's Prospect HotSheet this week! http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2008/266213.html No. 2 MAT GAMEL, 3B BREWERS http://www.baseballamerica.com/images/mgamel08100144.jpgTeam: Double-A Huntsville (Southern) Age: 22 Why He's Here: .484/.500/.806 (15-for-31), 9 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1/1 SB The Scoop: If you look at the best positional players that the Brewers have selected their recent draft picks, you might notice a trend: they may not be the best fielders, but they sure can hit. Whether it's Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun in Milwaukee or Matt LaPorta, Gamel and Jonathan Lucroy, it's the bat that stands out. When you can hit like Gamel, though, you can do a pretty good job of covering up your defensive shortcomings. Gamel has abused perfectly good Southern League baseballs all season, hitting .384/.443/.667 in 244 plate appearances. In his last 15 games, Gamel has 11 multi-hit games. Sure, that .384 batting average is bound to get pulled down, but Gamel has the strike-zone judgement and the emerging power to be a dangerous big league hitter.

me either, but we better "knock on something wood"......dont want to jinx him!!!

Gamel is like Camel but with a G.

PS - at this point there is no talk within the organization of moving him off of third.

All three were fielding. The first one he fielded cleanly then dropped the ball in the transition from the glove to his throwing hand and the second he dove for and it went off the tip of his glove. He didnt say about the third one, so Im not sure what exactly happened, but it was fielding as well......he said "I had a banner day at third".......but is in good spirits and said he feels great at the plate. Hopefully he will stay that way so the errors wont get in his head.

If you didn't know he had the ability to hit that well, then you have obviously not been following his career and are far less than knowledgeable as to what his abilities are or are not. Please let me fill you in: per milb.com: Named to the Florida State League Postseason All-Star team. ... Finished tied for second in the FSL in triples (eight) and extra- base hits (54), third in hits (140) and doubles (37), fourth in runs scored (78) and ninth in batting average (.300). ... Was named the FSL Player of the Week for May 28 - June 3 after hitting .563 (9-for-16) with three RBIs. ... Selected as the Brewers Organizational and TOPPS FSL Player of the Month for June, batting .421 (40-for-95) with two homers and 20 RBIs. ... Recorded a 33-game hitting streak from May 28-July 6 which was the longest in Class A Advanced in 56 years. ... Led the Minors with 53 errors in 128 games at third base. ... Named as the Hawaiian Winter Baseball League MVP and Offensive Player of the Year after playing for North Shore. ... Hit .333 with a league-high eight homers and 25 RBIs in 33 games. ... Selected to the HWB All-Star team. ... Named the fifth-best prospect in the Brewers organization by Baseball America. Spent the entire season at Class A West Virginia where he was named a South Atlantic League Midseason and Postseason All-Star. ... Finished third in the SAL with 88 RBIs. Began the season at Rookie-level Helena. ... Promoted to West Virginia on Aug. 23 where he finished the season. ... Combined to hit .311 (69-for-222) in his first season.

FYI: Sunday, December 16, 2007 Brewers set Winter Warm-Up The Brewers will host the Winter Warm-Up at Miller Park on Tuesday, Jan. 15. The Winter Warm-Up is the marquee event in a three-day celebration that includes autograph sessions, community events and live interviews previewing the 2008 season. Brewers dignitaries scheduled to attend include manager Ned Yost, pitching coach Mike Maddux, bench coach Ted Simmons, National League rookie of the year Ryan Braun, Yovani Gallardo, J.J. Hardy, Corey Hart, Jeff Suppan and Rickie Weeks. Brewers prospects Mat Gamel and Matt LaPorta are also scheduled to attend. As in years past, fans unable to attend the Winter Warm-Up at Miller Park will be able to tune in to live broadcasts on FSN Wisconsin from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and on WTMJ AM-620 from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Other events during the three-day celebration include two autograph sessions on Monday, Jan. 14, in the Fan Zone Store at Miller Park. Each session will include two Brewers players. The first session will begin at 5 p.m. and the second will begin at 6 p.m. The autograph sessions are free and the first 150 fans at each session will receive a wristband granting them access to an autograph from the participating players. For more information on the Winter Warm-Up, go to www.brewers.com/winterwarmup or call 414-902-4277. http://www.postcrescent.com/includes/newspaper/blogs/brewers/index.shtml

Mat got the call to go a week or two after he got home from Hawaii. Supposedly they invited 10 minor league players. Milwaukee in January is going to be a little chillier than Florida in January! Hope everyone has a good Holiday Season!

Sunday, December 16, 2007 Brewers set Winter Warm-Up The Brewers will host the Winter Warm-Up at Miller Park on Tuesday, Jan. 15. The Winter Warm-Up is the marquee event in a three-day celebration that includes autograph sessions, community events and live interviews previewing the 2008 season. Brewers dignitaries scheduled to attend include manager Ned Yost, pitching coach Mike Maddux, bench coach Ted Simmons, National League rookie of the year Ryan Braun, Yovani Gallardo, J.J. Hardy, Corey Hart, Jeff Suppan and Rickie Weeks. Brewers prospects Mat Gamel and Matt LaPorta are also scheduled to attend. As in years past, fans unable to attend the Winter Warm-Up at Miller Park will be able to tune in to live broadcasts on FSN Wisconsin from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and on WTMJ AM-620 from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Other events during the three-day celebration include two autograph sessions on Monday, Jan. 14, in the Fan Zone Store at Miller Park. Each session will include two Brewers players. The first session will begin at 5 p.m. and the second will begin at 6 p.m. The autograph sessions are free and the first 150 fans at each session will receive a wristband granting them access to an autograph from the participating players. For more information on the Winter Warm-Up, go to www.brewers.com/winterwarmup or call 414-902-4277. http://www.postcrescent.com/includes/newspaper/blogs/brewers/index.shtml

Mat Gamel and Pat Ryan headed out to Huntsville today for the playoffs! Wish them much luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Colby - It continues to frustrate me when people who rarely or never see these guys play pigeonhole them and group them based on nothing but assumption and then preach their personal opinion as though it were gospel. I know that Mat has a ton of errors on him this season, I am not denying that; however, I have been fortunate enough to see him play tons over the years, especially this year, and have come to find that sometimes the error rulings are a little bogus. And what is really funny is people are really quick to peg him as a DH, but over the past three years he has spent with the Brewers, there has not once been talk from his coaches, agents or scout of him being a DH.

Thankfully those whose opinions do matter base those opinions on substance rather than assumption. I am sorry that as a third baseman shagging fly balls in the outfield proved difficult for you; however, that does not mean that it will prove difficult for others. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, just as I am to mine, and in my opinion, one should not compare an athlete such as Mat, to yourself, as they are two very different creatures. And I am really curious as to how many times you have actually seen these guys play, seeing as you were not even aware of Alcides' position. As I have said in the past, listening to games on the internet and reading the game log, does not always give you a crystal clear picture of what really went on...bad hops...taking a ball off the chest etc. etc. etc.