DOB: Braves offseason about to get a lot busier. - Gamel released.

stpeteirish said:
Two ACL injuries, yikes. Wonder if he'll be able to play 3b. Won't be playing much 1b with Freddie around.

Did Juan Francisco, in essence, take his roster spot?
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Apparently the Marlins were looking at him to play 3B. Not saying we would want him playing there full time (because of an injury) but if he makes the team he definitely could be a backup at 1b and 3b.
 
No risk involved in the Gamel signing, and (more importantly) signing him doesn't get in the way of a potential Chavez addition. Assuming there's no opt-out clause in Gamel's deal, he can start the year at Gwinnett and remain tucked away there until he forces his way onto the roster. In the event he finally gets healthy and gets back to hitting, you've got a cheaper option at 3B next season and can use Johnson's money to pay others.

Just another one of those scrap heap findings for Wren to add to his impressive list of earlier ones.
 
I agree this is a good signing, but only if Wren still goes out and gets a legit bat for the bench. If Gamel is THE answer for the bench then it's a poor move.
 
I am a huge Gamel fan. He's had bad luck with injuries, but if he can stay healthy I believe the Braves may have a legitimate diamond in the rough. I am pretty sure he was slated to be the Brewers opening day 3B two years ago before his initial injury.
 
Which organization did he come from originally? Was he the top prospect that was flipped for a big bat one trade deadline?

Hawk said:
I am a huge Gamel fan. He's had bad luck with injuries, but if he can stay healthy I believe the Braves may have a legitimate diamond in the rough. I am pretty sure he was slated to be the Brewers opening day 3B two years ago before his initial injury.
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clvclv said:
No risk involved in the Gamel signing, and (more importantly) signing him doesn't get in the way of a potential Chavez addition. Assuming there's no opt-out clause in Gamel's deal, he can start the year at Gwinnett and remain tucked away there until he forces his way onto the roster. In the event he finally gets healthy and gets back to hitting, you've got a cheaper option at 3B next season and can use Johnson's money to pay others.

Just another one of those scrap heap findings for Wren to add to his impressive list of earlier ones.
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He's out of options so if he doesn't make the team out of spring training, the Braves risk losing him. He would just have to absolutely suck not to make the big league roster. But if they sign Chavez too, that bench is way to lefthanded.
 
tvsportscaster said:
He's out of options so if he doesn't make the team out of spring training, the Braves risk losing him. He would just have to absolutely suck not to make the big league roster. But if they sign Chavez too, that bench is way to lefthanded.
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He is signed to a minor league deal. So he doesn't go through waivers at the end of spring training.
 
I have seen Gamel play many times here in Nashville and he can crush the baseball. The first time I saw him I thought he would be a star hitter n MLB. injuries have derailed him. His career minor league slash was .304/.376/.498 in 7 seasons.

He started the season in 2009 as the Brewers 3B'man and got off to a bad start. Ever since then, he has pretty much been hurt off and on.

He is still 28 years old with some potential and I hope he wakes the team. The kid has been through a lot.
 
In what world is Christian Bethancourt untouchable? Come on people. Odds of him ever hitting enough to be a full-time starter are very slim. His value is probably at its highest at the moment. If he's the main piece in a Samardjiza deal, that's a great trade.
 
In the earth-shattering moves department, the Braves lost RHP Michael Lee and LHP Blaine Sims to the D-Backs and Astros respectively in the Triple-A portion of today's Rule 5 draft. That is Blaine Sims, not Lucas Sims.

Decent move on Gamel. He was all the rage about half a decade ago. Guy has hit in the minors when healthy. Not a bad hedge going into the spring.
 
I'll go so far as to say Gamel's a pretty awesome signing. The most likely outcome is that the injuries have permanently sapped him of enough of his ability that he's not really much of a player any more. But on a minor league deal you can afford to bet on his history as a hitter. If the bet pans out, you have the kind of over-qualified bench player championship teams possess.
 
I agree on Gamel, I just didn't see it as a "fit" at first til the minor league deal came out.

Fwiw, those are exactly the type of signings this team needs .
 
Gattis as catcher is an obvious move and the correct one, but keeping Laird as backup is a mistake.
 
jsebe10 said:
How? What better options?
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"How?" - Laird is a slow punch and Judy hitter when things are going well at the plate. He is just slow when they aren't. And he is worse than Gattis behind the plate. Can't frame, can't block, and doesn't seem to call a very good game.

"What better options?" - Easy. Bethancourt. His defense makes him the perfect backup for a catcher like Gattis.

On top of all that, they could trade Laird for a prospect and save a little money.

If that isn't something the team is comfortable with, we could always grab Kurt Suzuki for one year. He can hit a little when rested and is very good behind the plate.
 
Dalyn said:
"How?" - Laird is a slow punch and Judy hitter when things are going well at the plate. He is just slow when they aren't. And he is worse than Gattis behind the plate. Can't frame, can't block, and doesn't seem to call a very good game.

"What better options?" - Easy. Bethancourt. His defense makes him the perfect backup for a catcher like Gattis.

On top of all that, they could trade Laird for a prospect and save a little money.

If that isn't something the team is comfortable with, we could always grab Kurt Suzuki for one year. He can hit a little when rested and is very good behind the plate.
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Suzuki is an abortion with the bat in recent years and Bethancourt has ZERO mlb experience and historically struggles at the plate in the minors. No. I'll take my chances with that punching Judy veteran.
 
jsebe10 said:
Suzuki is an abortion with the bat in recent years and Bethancourt has ZERO mlb experience and historically struggles at the plate in the minors. No. I'll take my chances with that punching Judy veteran.
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Did you see Suzuki when he came back to the A's last year and finally got healthy? Hit close to a .900 OPS. He is also MUCH better than Laird behind the plate.

So, one of our top prospects who is great defensively can't handle one year as a backup catcher? I sure hope you are wrong about that. Sounds a lot like what some people said about Simmons.
 
Dalyn said:
"How?" - Laird is a slow punch and Judy hitter when things are going well at the plate. He is just slow when they aren't. And he is worse than Gattis behind the plate. Can't frame, can't block, and doesn't seem to call a very good game.

"What better options?" - Easy. Bethancourt. His defense makes him the perfect backup for a catcher like Gattis.

On top of all that, they could trade Laird for a prospect and save a little money.

If that isn't something the team is comfortable with, we could always grab Kurt Suzuki for one year. He can hit a little when rested and is very good behind the plate.
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Bethancourt is a promising young player. But he needs more time in the minors to develop his bat. Laird is one of the better backup catchers around.
 
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