Why the Milwaukee Brewers will be Successful with Mat Gamel
I understand Milwaukee Brewer fans. You are still grieving because Prince Fielder is officially gone and Ryan Braun could still serve a 50-game suspension. All seems to be lost right now but it does not have to be that way.
The Brewers are still going to have a very competitive team this upcoming season with the additions of Aramis Ramirez and Norichika Aoki, plus the re-signing of several key players from last year’s playoff run. Not to mention they have an upcoming star named Mat Gamel who will take over for Fielder at first base.
Many fans may not know who Gamel is, despite the fact he has played 85 games in a Brewers uniform, but he has been waiting a long time for this opportunity and he does not plan on disappointing anyone. The left-handed batter has a .222 batting average, nine doubles, one triple, five home runs, 23 RBI and 20 walks in 171 at-bats in the majors. Many of those at-bats occurred as a pinch-hitter so don’t take them to heart.
Gamel will not have the weight of the organization on him because there are already several existing All-Stars on the team that can take the Brewers to where they need to go. He may feel pressure from the fans for playing the position that one of the greatest sluggers of our generation played for the past seven seasons but it’s not like he can’t handle it. Gamel has prepared himself to be the best player he can be because he knew deep down one day this was a very realistic possibility.
His major league statistics may not be comparable to Fielders as of now but his Triple-A numbers tell a different story. The following stats are Fielder’s numbers from his only season in AAA and Gamel’s 2011 season in AAA.
| At-Bats | Runs | Doubles | HR | RBI | Walks | SO | BA | |
| Prince Fielder | 378 | 68 | 21 | 28 | 86 | 54 | 93 | 0.291 |
| Mat Gamel | 493 | 90 | 29 | 28 | 96 | 46 | 84 | 0.310 |
The numbers are very similar despite Gamel having 115 more at-bats. However, the one thing I find very interesting is how Gamel’s batting average is much better than Fielder’s even though he had more attempts at the plate.
There is no doubt Gamel has much to prove at the professional level, especially if he is going to take over for one of the best players in Brewer franchise history. One thing I know for sure is he will give it his best shot day in and day out. He will not make excuses for himself or for his play on the field. Brewer fans have the opportunity to support him and give confidence to a person that has the skill level to be a great player in this league for a long time.
Here is a short story from Wisconsin sports lore. Once upon a time there was an unknown backup who replaced a legend and everyone thought the world was over. Except that backup wasn’t a nobody, he was a somebody, a very special person who took his beloved team to the promise land with hopes of returning in the not so distant future.
If Wisconsin fans have learned anything it is to have faith in players they know nothing about because who knows, they could end up being better than the original. Gamel knows what he has to do and understands what is expected of him. All fans have to do is believe in him and the team and in-return the Brewers will work very hard to give another great season full of excitement.
Buy Milwaukee Brewers Tickets | Buy Milwaukee Brewers Apparel
Leave a Rant
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
