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Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Mat Gamel has ACL tear, likely out for season

Eerie Tale: The Man Who Would Be Prince.

Brewers general manager Doug Melvin just confirmed that first baseman Mat Gamel has a torn ACL in his right knee and will need surgery, and likely is lost for the season.

Melvin said an MRI taken last night after the game showed the ACL tear and that team doctor William Raasch already had confirmed the injury. Melvin said the timing of the surgery would depend on swelling in the knee and when it subsides but it would be a minor miracle for Gamel to return this season.

“We’ll wait until the doctor looks at it,” said Melvin. “Yovani (Gallardo) had a torn ACL (in 2008) and pitched in the playoffs. We’re anticipating long-term.”

“It’s part of the game,” said Melvin. “It was an accidental injury. You categorize them as accidental or preventative.”

Melvin said it was a tough blow for the team because the Brewers wanted to know if Gamel was the long-term answer at first base. As well, it was cruel for Gamel, who was finally getting his chance as a regular at first base after the departure of Prince Fielder.

Repoz Posted: May 02, 2012 at 06:31 PM | 21 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: brewers, injury

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1. Tripon Posted: May 02, 2012 at 07:23 PM (#4122079)

Mat Gamel was hitting .246/.293/.348. I am going to say he was not the answer to the Brewers first base problems.

2. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: May 02, 2012 at 07:27 PM (#4122082)

He could still become the next Matt LaPorta.

3. ShoeGrit Posted: May 02, 2012 at 07:41 PM (#4122103)

Playoffs ?

4. BillWallace Posted: May 02, 2012 at 07:47 PM (#4122112)

Mat Gamel was about a 1 win first baseman. Ishikawa is probably about a 0.5 win first baseman. Gamel has a small about of upside, but it's hardly a devastating loss for the Brewers this season.

Sucks for Mat though, this was basically his chance.

5. The Fallen Reputation of Billy Jo Robidoux Posted: May 02, 2012 at 07:52 PM (#4122115)

They are bringing up Brooks Conrad. How long before Doug Melvin flashes the Bonds sign into the clouds?

6. The District Attorney Posted: May 02, 2012 at 08:12 PM (#4122134)

How long before Doug Melvin flashes the Bonds sign into the clouds?

Forever.

They do have, in addition to Braun and Hart, three other OF who could be considered usable (Nyjer, Gomez, Aoki). You could move Hart to 1B. Or go Taylor Green.

Not sure what's in it to hand it over to Ishikawa, other than it being the path of least resistance.

7. JJ1986 Posted: May 02, 2012 at 08:27 PM (#4122143)

All of these guys (Ishikawa, Aoki, Green) are lefties. I think a platoon would be the best way to make up the production. Hopefully, a platoon without Brooks Conrad.

8. BWV 1129 Posted: May 02, 2012 at 08:41 PM (#4122149)

Mat Gamel was hitting .246/.293/.348. I am going to say he was not the answer to the Brewers first base problems.

And as we all know, 75 PA are enough for us to make such a judgment.

9. God Posted: May 02, 2012 at 09:04 PM (#4122164)

Hart took grounders at first before today's game.

10. Tripon Posted: May 02, 2012 at 10:48 PM (#4122246)

Mat Gamel has 246 PAs situated over 5 years from 2008 to 2012, he's 26 years old, and he's been stuck in Triple-A for the past three years before this year. If the Brewers thought he was anything, they would have tried to fit him on the team somehow.

11. Darnell McDonald had a farm Posted: May 02, 2012 at 11:40 PM (#4122278)

Are you insane? Have you ever tried to move around Prince Fielder?

12. MM1f Posted: May 02, 2012 at 11:43 PM (#4122279)

How was Gamel at third? Poor or horrible?

Did he not steal any 3b at-bats from McGeehee last year because he couldn't handle the position or because he didn't hit MLB pitching in his limited at-bats?

Mat Gamel has 246 PAs situated over 5 years from 2008 to 2012, he's 26 years old, and he's been stuck in Triple-A for the past three years before this year. If the Brewers thought he was anything, they would have tried to fit him on the team somehow.

Is it just me or is Taylor Green's career starting to look exactly like Gamel's?

13. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: May 02, 2012 at 11:47 PM (#4122280)

This is a Brewers thread, so I guess I'm going to ask here. Where is Harveys Wallbangers? Is he ok?

14. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: May 03, 2012 at 12:02 AM (#4122283)

He seems to be not ok, unfortunately.

15. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: May 03, 2012 at 12:06 AM (#4122284)

Oh man. Damn. Sorry to hear that.

16. Teufel's Graveyard Posted: May 03, 2012 at 12:54 AM (#4122306)

Gamel can field 3B fine, and he has a strong arm, but has trouble with accuracy on his throws to 1B.

Last year, Gamel was switched to 1B. McGehee had two solid years, and it was likely that Fielder would be gone in 2012, so it made sense to have Gamel learn 1B to be ready to step in this year. Since Gamel was already switching positions, it would have been tough for him to get back to 3B after being moved off.

I wonder how much McGehee's son played a role in Casey staying up. Baseball is a business, but it must be incredibly tough as a GM who gets to know his players and their families to see a 4 year old with cerebral palsy and decide that he will either be taken away from his father or the health workers he sees on a weekly basis if you send his father down.

17. Dan Szymborski

Posted: May 03, 2012 at 03:00 AM (#4122335)

I wonder how much McGehee's son played a role in Casey staying up. Baseball is a business, but it must be incredibly tough as a GM who gets to know his players and their families to see a 4 year old with cerebral palsy and decide that he will either be taken away from his father or the health workers he sees on a weekly basis if you send his father down.

That would be more plausible if they simply *benched* him, but they actually kept sticking him out there in the lineup.

18. Mike Webber Posted: May 03, 2012 at 10:36 AM (#4122437)

Any news on Harveys?

19. base ball chick Posted: May 03, 2012 at 11:10 AM (#4122482)

mike,

he's recovering last i heard

20. formerly dp Posted: May 03, 2012 at 11:29 AM (#4122500)

And as we all know, 75 PA are enough for us to make such a judgment.

It's too bad, because this seemed like the make-or-break year for him-- wasn't all that great in 2010, bounced back in 2011, and had an open spot set for himself this year where the team would have some patience with him if he struggled.

21. The Keith Law Blog Blah Blah (battlekow) Posted: May 03, 2012 at 12:38 PM (#4122562)

There were off-field issues with Gamel before this year. Sounds like he had a very laid-back approach to, well, everything, such as working out over the winter or trying to improve his footwork at third base. Showing up out of shape to spring training also led to him getting injured and ruining his chances of making the team in 2010 and 2011. Ken Macha's dickery in 2009 can't be completely omitted, either.

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Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Mat Gamel has ACL tear, likely out for season

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