When Prince Fielder left the Milwaukee Brewers for Detroit by way of free agency, there was a huge void at first base that needed to be filled. Brewers prospect Mat Gamel was penciled into the role though many thought his named would eventually be erased. If Gamel’s spring is any indication of what he is capable of, the transition away from Prince may not be so bad.
Gamel clubbed his 4th home run of Spring Training Tuesday in Milwaukee’s 9-7 loss to the Kansas City Royals. On the spring, Gamel is hitting just .229 but his 4-homers and 9-rbi lead the team. Many have spoken of an improved attitude and work ethic for Gamel this year compared to prior years.
This could be Gamel’s last chance to stick on with the big league club. He has seen time with the Brewers in each of the last 3-seasons but has not been able to get consistent at-bats because of his position (1B). For his career, he is hitting just .222 in the Majors in 171 at-bats with 5-homers and 23-RBI. However, his performance in the Minors has kept him around and fans optimistic. Last season alone he batted .320 with 28-homers and 96-RBI. Gamel should be in the lineup on opening day and if his performance is solid, expect to see him at first-base in Milwaukee for the next few seasons.
Gamel has been a savior to the Brewers. I hope he is able to perform well in the regular season.