Atomic RoadRunners | Andrew Flynn’s High-Energy Fantasy Baseball

The Roadrunners are dealing with quite a few injuries as the season winds down, and these are affecting my stats over the final week:

Catcher: Both Chris Iannetta and Pablo Sandoval are day-to-day after weekend injuries.  Sandoval had a strained quad, while Iannetta was pulled from Sunday’s game with severe leg cramping, which isn’t good for a catcher.  Both are day-to-day over the final week.

Infield: Brandon Phillips is on the 60-Day DL due to a broken finger from two weeks ago.  Ryan Theriot’s Cubs have already clinched, and he and other regulars are being rested over the final week in preparation for the post-season.  Chipper Jones‘ latest injury is shoulder inflammation, which has limited him to pinch-hitting appearances since last Friday.  Depending on the pitching matchup, he may sit occasionally.  Even September call-up Mat Gamel admitted he was injured, and he was shut down with a sore elbow, though this is likely what caused his poor second half.

Outfield: Remember when the Roadrunners had ridiculous depth of somewhat-decent outfielders?  Well, no more.  Corey Hart is slumping badly, though at least the Brewers are striving for the wild card - they’ll trot him out there each day.  Brandon Moss just learned that he has some bad knee cartilage, and he has been shut down, and may require surgery that’ll have him miss part of Spring Training.  Ten days ago Chris Dickerson hurt his foot, and he had been hobbled.  Finally an MRI detected a hairline fracture in his heel, so he’s shut down as well.  Jody Gerut has only one start since August 27th due to a strained finger tendon, making it impossible for him to hold a bat - though he has been a pinch runner.  Gregor Blanco has been sitting of late as the Braves try to figure out which of their young outfielders will be in their plans for next season.  Blanco should be safe, but he’ll be no more than a No. 4 OF.

Pitching: The pitching isn’t in bad shape in this final week.  In addition to the Noah Lowry pickup (he was rehabbing while on the 60-Day DL when picked up), John Maine has basically been shut down for the season. Well, but no one told him that - there’s a chance he’ll be on the playoff roster (if the Mets win the wild card), but he has a bone spur that requires surgery.  Idiotic Giants manager Bruce Bochy has been driving Tim Lincecum into the ground, and yesterday’s start showed that he might not have anything left in the tank.  Lincecum of course leads the majors in pitcher abuse points, and I’d like to personally thank Bochy for ruining Lincecum’s career for a fourth-place 70-87 squad that’s 12 games out of first.

Mat Gamel was scheduled for tests Thursday after admitting to a sore right elbow. It’s been bothering him for some time, but he had been keeping it a secret, even from the Brewers. He probably figured that he wouldn’t get his September callup otherwise. It’s something that would affect his throwing more than his hitting, but it might help explain his terrible second half slump. He’s likely to begin 2009 at Triple-A Nashville. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Mat Gamel doubled as a pinch-hitter for his first major league hit on Sunday. The hit was one of two that the Brewers scraped together on Sunday, as San Diego starter Chris Young carried a perfect game into the eighth inning. Thus far, manager Ned Yost hasn’t made any sort of indication that would lead us to believe that Gamel will be used as more than a pinch-hitter down the stretch. Stay tuned. (Rotowire)

Brewers purchased the contract of third baseman Mat Gamel from Triple-A Nashville. Gamel gets a callup despite struggling over the last couple of months. He still ended up hitting .329/.395/.537 in Double-A. He only moved up to Triple-A at the very end of the year and went 5-for-21. The Brewers will probably give him a fair number of at-bats as a pinch-hitter. He’s not reliable enough defensively to be used as a starter at third base. He’ll get a chance to swing the bat mostly as a pinch-hitter for manager Ned Yost, although it’s possible that he’ll get a chance to start at third base down the stretch if Bill Hall slumps or if Yost realizes that his lineup is much stronger offensively with Gamel on the lineup card instead of Craig Counsell. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

According to Tom Haudricourt of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Brewers are considering calling up Mat Gamel in September, most likely as a bat off the bench, so they have promoted him to Triple A for the next week as an “audition”. Gamel’s numbers have slid of late, but overall they are still great, hitting .329 with 19 HR and 96 RBI. He’s got a lot of upside, but I wouldn’t look for him to make any type of an impact this season, even if he does get recalled, so I wouldn’t pay much attention to him outside of keeper leagues.

Gamel, 23, who had a tremendous first half at Huntsville, fell off considerably in the second half. Still, his overall numbers are very good — .329 batting average, 35 doubles, seven triples, 19 homers and 96 RBI in 127 games. He has a .395 on-base percentage and .537 slugging percentage, with 30 errors at third base.

To see if Gamel would be able to help against big-league pitching in September, when rosters can be expanded, the Brewers decided to see how he fares for a week against Triple-A pitching.

“We wanted to give him some guys with Nashville before we decide about a call-up,” said Brewers general manager Doug Melvin. “He had been struggling, though he did have a 10-game hitting streak recently.

“We want to see how he makes the adjustment there. It’s tough bringing guys up from Double-A to the big leagues. He’s under consideration (to come up in September).”

Melvin gave no indication Gamel would come up in September and start any games at third base. More likely, he would be used as a left-handed bat off the bench.

Brewers’ 3B prospect Mat Gamel was named to the U.S. team for the Futures Game. The Futures Game is July 13 at Yankee Stadium, two days before the All-Star Game. It can be just the springboard a top prospect needs to get a promotion, so consider Gamel a flier to take in any long-term keeper league they are available.(CBS Sports)

Mat Gamel went 5-for-5 and hit his 27th double Sunday for Double-A Huntsville. He also committed his 22nd error at third base. The Brewers would have had reason to try Gamel at the hot corner before Russell Branyan if only he were a better defender. As is, he doesn’t seem to have a future there. Still, his bat will surely get him to the majors. (Rotoworld)

Minor League Ball founder John Sickels ran a “Controversial Prospect” post on Roadrunner Mat Gamel. Keep in mind, “Controversial Prospect” is basically a term describing a prospect that elicits multiple viewpoints on his talent and future, as well as to whether he’s a “prospect” or not. Not that the player himself is controversial. With that said:

Defense remains the main problem. He’s cut his error rate this year…18 errors thus far for a .906 fielding percentage, very poor but not as bad as last year’s horrific .826 mark. He has the range and arm strength but may simply never have the reliability.  He runs well enough to play an outfield corner, so that’s an option eventually, although it would be more convenient if the Brewers had a DH option of course.

I don’t know where he is going to fit on the playing field, but I have no doubts about the bat. I’m not sure why Gamel doesnt’ get more attention on a national level…he’s young, his performance has improved from good to excellent, and there are no holes in his numbers. If he were played for a team on a coast you would hear more about him I imagine.

Hmm, let’s see if the Brewers can have two third-basemen in the corner outfield in 2009 (with Corey Hart in CF, of course).  Still, where does that leave Matt LaPorta.  Perhaps Gamel can boost his 3B defense - he’d be better than the Bill Hall/Russ Branyan platoon.

Brewers 3B prospect Mat Gamel was recently featured on RotoProfessor’s Prospect Watch series:

Another week, more big offensive production.  That’s the way it has gone for Mat Gamel, a 3B prospect currently playing for the Brewers’ AA club.  Gamel hit .321 (9-28) with 1 HR, 9 RBI, 3 R and 1 SB.  His biggest game saw him go 3-5 with 1 HR, 4 RBI and 1 SB.  The strikeout to walk ratio wasn’t good (7 K’s vs. 1 BB), but if he continues to get on base, it is something you can live with.

On the season, he’s hitting .376 with 14 HR, 60 RBI, 60 R and 5 SB.  Those are monster numbers for a player who is not considered to be elite defensively, which certainly could cause a problem.  The Brewers went through something similar with Ryan Braun last season, ultimately moving him to the outfield.  Hopefully Gamel can make strides defensively and can fill the position for the Brewers in the not too distant future, as it is one of the few positions that the Brewers can use an upgrade (currently it is Bill Hall and Russell Branyan playing there).

Gamel is certainly hitting to a lot of luck, and obviously the .376 average is a little bit unrealistic.  Still, he hit .300 last season, so he very possibly could be a .300 hitter in the major leagues with some pop.  He’s not a player who is going to make an impact in the near future, though if he continues to rake and the Brewers stop getting production from Branyan, you never know what may happen this season.

Long-term keeper league owners are the only ones who may want to consider adding him at the moment.  Everyone else should just continue to monitor his progress and wait for him to get a chance.

Mat Gamel went 3-for-5 with a homer and a steal for Double-A Huntsville on Sunday. With 16 hits in his last 10 games, Gamel has really cooled off. He’s at .384/.451/.671 with 14 homers for the season. Especially impressive is that the left-handed hitter is batting .408 versus southpaws. (Rotoworld)

Braves SP Jorge Campillo, surprisingly good in his first three starts, has hit a bump in the road in two starts since. He allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings Sunday against the Phillies, striking out two. He didn’t factor in the decision. Campillo has a 6.75 ERA but only a 2.17 ERA overall. The longtime minor-league journeyman was pitching way over his head earlier in the season and probably doesn’t deserve a look outside of NL-only leagues. His next start is scheduled for Saturday at the Angels. (CBS Sports)

Mat Gamel’s prospect status has risen nicely in Double-A this season. He has posted an amazing .382-13-51-57-4 (.454-.668) and outperformed more elite prospect and teammate Matt LaPorta. Gamel’s Fantasy ownership is now over 1 percent because of his Bugs Bunny numbers and the fact Bill Hall has stunk and is whining his way out of Milwaukee. Consider Gamel a potential surprise arrivee in the coming months and a sleeper in deeper formats. Long term, he looks to us like a Kevin Kouzmanoff-type. (CBS Sports)

FAAB Acquisitions:

• SP Jorge Campillo, Braves [$4 Bid, Add to Actives]
• 3B Mat Gamel, Brewers [$0 Bid]

Up:

• RP Manny Acosta

Down:

• SP Jason Marquis
• RP Carlos Villanueva

Cut:

• RP Reynel Pinto
• RP Matt Herges