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In a normal year, 36 appearances on the board would not be enough to determine the fate of a player.
But in the two-month sprint that is the 2020 major league season, time is everything and production is everything.
So with their offense still spinning the wheels, the Milwaukee Brewers traded utility men on Saturday by nominating Brock Holt for assignment and selecting Jace Peterson at the team’s alternative training site in Appleton.
Veteran Holt, considered a savvy addition when he signed for a year and $ 2.5 million on Feb.19, struggled with sporadic playing time once baseball restarted and made three singles and one point in addition to 36 home plate appearances.
Earlier in the week, Holt admitted it had been difficult to stay mentally focused with a pregnant woman and young son at home in Texas. He told reporters shortly after the start of summer camp that he felt he could not withdraw from the season due to concerns about COVID-19 for fear of not being able to restart his career thereafter.
Holt leaves after posting minus-0.6 wins over the substitution.
“I think you’re right; 36 home plate appearances isn’t a lot. But at this point, we didn’t feel like we were going anywhere,” said manager Craig Counsell. “So we’re going to try something different. That’s the point we’ve reached with Brock, unfortunately.
“He’s a really good teammate. However, it affected him, it just didn’t work out. I guess that’s the best way to put it. So we’ll give Jace a try and see how he does. “
Holt, 32, made seven starts on third base, two in left field and one in right. Producing no offense to speak of, he became redundant with the Brewers having adequate depth in those positions as well as in midfield.
Counsell said he didn’t expect Holt to accept the mission and stay with the organization, which means he has become a free agent. The Brewers held a $ 5 million team option for 2021 on Holt with a $ 750,000 buyout.
Peterson, 30, is a 508-game major league veteran spanning six seasons with four organizations. He signed with the Brewers last December, showed well in spring training and then again in summer camp before heading to Appleton after failing to make the day one roster.
“I feel like this whole year there’s a lot going on that just came out of nowhere,” said Peterson, a career .228 hitter who has shown pop on occasion. “You never know what’s going to happen next. For me, it’s just staying ready if the time is right, and of course, today I’m active.
“I look forward to the opportunity to get back on the pitch for sure.”
He saw plenty of time at second base, third base and left field with some exposure to right and first base. He came as a shortstop and will help himself if he shows he can play center, which he was working on this spring.
“Jace’s strengths are that he’s multi-positional, he’s left-handed and hopefully can give us some energy,” said Counsell. “He’s not going to be an everyday player, he’s going to mix in there. But he’s had a great summer camp.
“Jace definitely has experience in this league, he’s been all over the place in position and we think he’s done some offensive things that he can postpone.”
Peterson joined the Brewers at the start of the Chicago trip as a member of the taxi team and was in uniform in Pittsburgh on Saturday. He did not get the standard departure. Counsell likes to give new additions – Mark Mathias nodded well – but just putting on a major league uniform is a win.
“For me the way you can get into the big leagues is a blessing, and I’m just looking to participate, play my game, be myself and try to help this team win,” said Peterson. “But it was really an interesting trip.
“I think everyone’s journey is different. Mine has been something that I have enjoyed and enjoyed. Sometimes highs are highs and lows are lows. So it’s never as good as it is. ‘it looks and never as bad as it looks.
“For me, having another opportunity to be in the big leagues and being with these guys and helping the Milwaukee Brewers is something that I look forward to.”
Gamel comes out of funk
It’s been a roller coaster ride so far for Ben Gamel, who has gone from being the team’s hottest hitter in summer camp and the season opener to not being able to buy a hit.
He finally came off a 0-for-20 skid with a single pinch stroke Thursday in Minnesota, then hit a homerun and single in back-to-back shots Friday in a centerfield start to give him four hits. consecutive sure until he hits in his final batting.
“I think peace of mind more than anything,” said Gamel, referring to getting back on track. “It reinforces the fact that I have to stay in my routine and that I have to keep the same thought process.”
Gamel instituted a few changes in his approach to the set from spring training, and at the start of summer camp his batting position – which is very reminiscent of Christian Yelich’s, standing with more outstretched hands – was noticeable. .
“My routine has stayed pretty much the same,” he says. “As the season progresses and progresses we are always looking for something or trying to capture that feeling again, and luckily I was able to find it tonight.
It had been assumed that Gamel’s playing time would increase with Lorenzo Cain retiring from the season, but that was not the case. Keeping that two-game streak hot would certainly help his cause as the Brewers seek all sort of spark for their roster.
“No extra pressure or anything like that,” he said. “I am all the more disappointed not to see Lo Lo every day. We just have to find a way to win baseball games. This is the essential. “
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