Mat Gamel

Casey McGehee has forced himself into the Brewers' everyday lineup, in turn forcing club officials to reconsider whether third base prospect Mat Gamel might be better served by a return to Triple-A Nashville. Gamel , promoted from Nashville on May 14 ahead of Interleague Play, was on the bench for the fifth time in six games on Tuesday, mostly because the Brewers were facing left-handed Mets ace Johan Santana in the second of a three-game series. But Gamel, who bats left-handed, has seen his playing time decrease of late against righties because of the emergence of McGehee, who entered play Tuesday with a .370 average, five home runs and 20 RBIs over his last 20 games.

"You have to put the lineup out there you think is going to win, and Casey deserves his time," manager Ken Macha said. "But you also have to have a view of what the organization is going to look like long-term. [Gamel] has gotten a taste here. We'll see what happens here from now until the All-Star break."

Macha hinted that the Brewers could make a decision after their four-game series in Chicago ends on Sunday. If they decide to keep Gamel in the Major Leagues, they could explore sending him to the Arizona Fall League or to a Winter League to get at-bats and innings at third base.

Brew Beat:

Over the last week, he has hit .304 with a .429 on-base percentage. Gamel is hitting a modest .244 overall with two home runs and 12 RBI in 31 games after hitting .336 with eight homers and 31 RBI in 33 games with Nashville. His numbers with the Brewers can be a bit deceiving. Gamel is 1 for 10 as a pinch hitter and 19 for 72 (.264) with a .346 OBP otherwise.

Even if he isn't playing every day, Gamel's spot on the club is secure for now. When he was brought up, the Brewers wanted to get him a taste of the big-league life and decide later if he would last beyond interleague play, when he could be the designated hitter in road games. But with third baseman Bill Hall still not producing, second baseman Rickie Weeks out for the season and infielder Casey McGehee playing through knee tendinitis, Gamel is still needed and if he can get hot, it is possible he can earn the everyday job at third.

"Mat Gamel's on the ballclub," general manager Doug Melvin said. "He's done a good job. You take away his pinch-hitting appearances, it's a different average. "We don't have any moves coming up."

JSOnline

While his future position on the defensive spectrum remains up in air, there are few hitters in the minor leagues that are better bets to be solid major leaguer hitters than Mat Gamel.