ESPN: Mike Cameron Agrees to Sign with Brewers

by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 11, 2008 4:09 PM EST in News

Centerfielder Mike Cameron has agreed to a tentative deal with the Brewers, ESPN.com reports.

Assuming the deal doesn't cost too much, this deal greatly improves what had been a less-than-stellar offseason for the Brewers. Cameron wasn't the terrific player he usually is last year (his defense probably slipped a little, and his offense was only a tick above average), and he'll miss the first 25 games next year after being suspended for failing a drug test. But this deal still helps the Brewers quite a lot in that they'll get to reconfigure their defense - Bill Hall can move from centerfield to third base and Ryan Braun can move from third to a corner outfield spot. Braun can't possibly do as much damage in a corner as he did at third last year, and from what I saw, Hall wasn't much of a centerfielder.

Also, this is only a one-year deal, so it may mean the Brewers can open a spot for fast-moving outfield prospect Matt LaPorta if he's ready at some point in 2009.

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And in other

"everyone else in the Central is getting better but us" news: The Reds hire Walt Jocketty as a special assistant.

by bucdaddy on Jan 11, 2008 4:16 PM EST reply actions

And in other

"even crappy teams spend more money than we do" news: The Nats give Chad Cordero a one-year deal for $6.2 mil.

by bucdaddy on Jan 11, 2008 4:18 PM EST reply actions

And in other

"small-market" teams that get better deals on nearly everything than we do news: Jacobs Field is no more. The Indians will call the place Progressive Field for the duration of a 16-year, $58 million deal. That's what, $3.6 mil a year? For the record, the Pirates get $2 mil a year from PNC through 2020.

Geez, can the wire get any more depressing?

by bucdaddy on Jan 11, 2008 4:23 PM EST reply actions

MLW OF

Too bad the Pirates don't need another inexpensive corner OF. Gabe Gross would be a smart pickup for some team.

by bolton on Jan 11, 2008 4:37 PM EST reply actions

Yeah

OK-ish corner outfielders are pretty much the one thing the Pirates have too many of. But I've always thought Gross deserved more playing time than he's gotten - if Kevin Mench gets to rack up 400 at bats a year, why shouldn't Gross?

by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 11, 2008 4:45 PM EST up reply actions

Gross's head isn't nearly as large as Mench's.

As predictive indicators go, you really can't beat a grotesquely disproportionate melon.

by Vlad on Jan 11, 2008 5:41 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah

When Barry Bonds is at the top of a guy's head-size PECOTA comparables list, it's pretty hard not to send him out there.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 11, 2008 5:44 PM EST up reply actions

Question

Why do the Brewers need Cameron to move Braun to LF? Can't Hart play CF? The Brewers could have made the Hall-Braun switch without the need to go after another outfielder.

by Willton on Jan 11, 2008 4:44 PM EST reply actions

I hadn't thought about that...

but it's a good point. But I think even in that scenario, Cameron's an upgrade, if only in that putting an established centerfielder out there while Braun figures out what he's doing in the outfield (if he ever does) eliminates some of the uncertainty of the situation. Also, Hart is much better than Gross (or whomever) in right. Having Cameron improves their defense a lot and prevents them from having serious problems with outfield depth if someone gets injured.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 11, 2008 4:51 PM EST up reply actions

Hart

Have you seen Hart play defense?

I'm not saying he's a bad outfielder, in fact he's pretty mobile for his size, but you have to remember that he's 6'6" and weighs 215. I don't think he has the wheels for center, and he only started playing outfield after he turned out to be a miserable 3rd baseman in the minors.

by bryanzane on Jan 12, 2008 12:33 PM EST up reply actions

Hart has no wheels?!?

You are sadly misinformed ... Corey Hart is the FASTEST player on the Brewers. He stole 23 bases last year in 30 tries. He's got more than enough wheels to play any of the OF spots.

And to those of you that think Gabe Gross can be had ... fuggedaboutit. Gross and Tony Gwynn Jr. are the only two lefties other than Prince Fielder. He'll be a key PH and will spell the rest of the OFs on occasion.

The Brewers have to be the frontrunners to win the Central - upgraded defense, starting pitching depth and a powerful lineup.

by pjschman on Jan 12, 2008 12:56 PM EST up reply actions

hmm

"The Brewers have to be the frontrunners to win the Central - upgraded defense, starting pitching depth and a powerful lineup."

FACT.

by bryanzane on Jan 12, 2008 1:57 PM EST up reply actions

From what I've seen...

I have to agree. The dude is shockingly athletic for his size.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 12, 2008 3:55 PM EST up reply actions

When I saw Hart play...

...he looked like he had pretty good wheels, but average-to-slightly-below jumps. That might get better with more reps, since he didn't come up as an OF.

That said, I'd still be pretty skeptical about him as a long-term CF. I think he starts to bulk up a bit in the next few years, which will cost him speed/range.

by Vlad on Jan 13, 2008 6:19 PM EST up reply actions