Free agent center fielder Mike Cameron is officially off the market, according to numerous sources. Cameron, slated to miss the first 25 games of the 2008 regular season following a second positive test for a banned substance, has agreed to terms on a one-year, $4.22 million (due to the suspension) contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Cameron, albeit a top-notch defensive outfielder, appears to be entering the decline stages of his career, causing many to wonder whether or not this deal will work out in the end for Milwaukee. Granted, of course, the preliminary contract is only for one season at this point and came at a discounted rate due to the suspension, but does his presence in the Brewers’ lineup improve their chances of winning the NL Central?
The Brewers are in desperate need of a left-handed bat to supplement first baseman Prince Fielder, the NL MVP in ’07, in the batting order, and signing Cameron, perhaps, hurts the chances of that from ever happening.
At a first glance, the addition appears to improve the Brewers’ overall team defense, most likely moving incumbent center fielder Bill Hall, who struggled in all facets of his game this past season, to third base and Ryan Braun to left field. Braun, coming off a solid debut season where he was named the NL Rookie of the Year, surprised a lot of people with his offensive accolades, hitting 34 home runs in only 113 games. But perhaps equally surprising, he also made 28 errors on his way to an .865 fielding percentage, prompting a lot criticism of his glove work. If manager Ned Yost does, in fact, bring Hall back into the infield to replace Braun, the move could turn out to be a genius decision.
Mike Cameron (AP)
Even still, though, with Cameron’s range diminishing as he gets older, some baseball folks have doubts about the aforementioned scenario, since there is no guarantee that the Brewers are better defensively with the expected arraignment. Hall, perhaps the Brewers’ version of Ryan Freel, played a career-high in games at third base in 2005, compiling a .953 fielding percentage. But after making all of his appearances in center (130) in ’07, will Hall actually provided Milwaukee with that much of a defensive upgrade over Braun, really?
As a hitter, Cameron will definitely benefit from moving into Miller Park, certainly a better place for right-handed batters than his previous home stadiums—Petco Park, Safeco Field and Shea Stadium. Cameron, a three-time Gold Glove winner, has the opportunity to also make more of an impact out as a defender, too, playing his home games in an outfield with gaps far less spacious than in San Diego.
Cameron had an up-and-down campaign with the San Diego Padres in ’07, batting .242 with 21 home runs and 78 RBIs, but moving into a more hitter-friendly environment should enhance those numbers. His career on-base percentage, however, is nothing to write home about, and equally concerning, his poor statistics in the traditional sabermetric categories pale in comparison to his consistently-high strikeout totals—160 in ’07, 142 in ’06.
The potential is there for Cameron to hit a number of homers next year, perhaps arming the Brewers with five legitimate candidates to join the 30-home run club—Braun, Corey Hart (24 home runs, 81 RBIs), shortstop J.J. Hardy (26 home runs, a career high) and, of course, Fielder, who led the league with 50 homers. But due to the 25-game suspension, odds are against this from ever happening. More important for the Brewers, however, he needs to get on base more frequently and reduce his number of strikeouts for the deal to benefit Milwaukee. Realistically, if this occurs, Cameron has the chance to replicate his statistics from 2006, when he posted a .355 on-base percentage (solid for Petco Park) and a career-best OPS (.837) while recording 34 doubles, nine triples, 22 home runs and 83 RBIs.
And keep in mind, Milwaukee, according to numerous reports, is also considering pulling the trigger on a potential trade (possibly Hall) in order to acquire a true third baseman or even some more pitching. Hall, who has also played second base and shortstop, struggled through a down season, posting some of the worst numbers of his six-year career, including a discouraging.320 on-base percentage and .740 OPS. At 29 years old, though, and as a relatively cheap player given the market today, perhaps the Brewers would be better holding onto him. If he does make the move back to the infield and becomes comfortable in that role, he may find his way at the plate, too.
Tony Gwynn Jr., the son of Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn, should platoon in center, along with last year’s left fielder Gabe Gross, in Cameron’s absence to start the season. If not, Braun will begin the season as the Brewers’ starting third baseman, with Hall in center field for the first 25 games. The roles of Gross and Gwynn, of course, are dramatically affected because of the signing, but it may be beneficial for Gwynn to gain another year of experience in order to get further acclimated to the big leagues, anyway.
The verdict is still out on this deal, suspension and all. Regardless of how it turns out, though, the Brewers should again contend for the division title, although last year’s division champions, the Chicago Cubs—with the addition of Kusoke Fukodome—have also upgraded their roster this offseason and appear to be the favorites in the wide-open Central headed into spring training.
Brewers’ Projected 2008 Lineup:
- Rickie Weeks 2B
- J.J. Hardy SS
- Ryan Braun LF
- Prince Fielder 1B
- Corey Hart RF
- Mike Cameron CF
- Bill Hall 3B (could flip flop with Cameron for the sixth spot)
- Jason Kendall C
Note: The Brewers currently have only one left-handed batter in their lineup, Fielder.
What do you think of the Cameron signing? Voice your opinion by sending an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.
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