Kuzul

Outside of fans of the Milwaukee Brewers, devoted fantasy baseball managers and his wife and child, very few people are familiar with Casey McGehee.

It’s to be expected.

McGehee plays in the smallest market in Major League Baseball and wasn’t a top prospect like say, Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg or Jason Heyward.

In fact, McGehee didn’t even break onto the scene until 2009 at 26 years old when, after a season-ending wrist injury to Rickie Weeks, he was thrust into the starting lineup.

Since then, Casey McGehee has gone on to become one of the more consistent contributors to the Brewers offense and a core player in their lineup.

Consistency is extremely valuable in a 162 game season, so much so, that McGehee was recognized on a national level this offseason.

As part of its offseason programming, the MLB Network has run a series of programs entitled Top 10 ____ Right Now for each position and low and behold, McGehee appeared in their third base rankings:

10. Casey McGehee

9. Placido Polanco

8. Scott Rolen

7. Mark Reynolds

6. David Wright

5. Adrian Beltre

4. Kevin Youkilis

3. Alex Rodriguez

2. Ryan Zimmerman

1. Evan Longoria

At first thought, some might be surprised to even see Casey McGehee on the list, what with having only played one full MLB season in his career. However, when you look closer and see some of the names ahead of him, you begin to wonder if McGehee isn’t in fact closer to the Top 5 rather than 10.

Placido Polanco? Mark Reynolds? Scott Rolen?

He has to be better than those guys.

Casey McGehee had the second most hits amongst third basemen behind only Adrian Beltre, and were it not for Beltre having one of the best seasons of his career, it is very possible McGehee would have topped the list.

In fact, McGehee hit more home runs than Longoria in 2010 and more doubles than Ryan Zimmerman, David Wright or Alex Rodriguez and had the fifth best AVG amongst third basemen in 2010.

While he didn’t score as many runs as some on the list due to batting fifth in the Brewers lineup, he did have the second most RBI behind only Alex Rodriguez.

If you watch many Milwaukee Brewers games, you know that Casey McGehee isn’t the best defensive third basemen in baseball and his 17 errors last season certainly indicated that.

However, he had the same amount as Ryan Zimmerman and less than Adrian Beltre, Mark Reynolds and David Wright, and his FPCT was better than both Reynolds’ and Zimmerman’s.

McGehee ranks in the middle or above in almost every offensive category when compared to his counterparts on the list. His main flaw is his speed and his one stolen base last season tied him for worst amongst the group with Scott Rolen.

His defense, while not stellar, is better than some on the list and suffers from playing with one of the worst, if not the worst, defensive first basemen in the league—Prince Fielder.

Casey McGehee can’t compete with Mark Reynolds in terms of home runs or David Wright in terms of stolen bases. His defense isn’t as good as Placido Polanco’s and he wasn’t playing for money last season like Adrian Beltre was.

Instead, he is right in the middle.

The middle of a Top 10 List—according to most—is somewhere right around five, last time I checked.

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As of this early evening, three General Managers were rumored to have given Rays GM Andrew Friedman a call about starting pitcher and 15 game winner Matt Garza.

While I won’t reveal the names of those GMs, let’s just say that fans of the Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Washington Nationals should pay attention.

The Rays have a rare luxury that most teams don’t have: excess starting pitching.  With the emergence and MLB-readiness of young phenom Jeremy Hellickson, the Rays can move one of their other pitchers to help off-set an offense that is set to lose All Stars Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena.

Texas could offer young first basemen such as Mitch Mooreland or Chris Davis.  If they want to hold onto their younger talent, they could offer oft-injured right fielder Nelson Cruz.  Washington could offer left fielder Josh Willingham or shortstop Ian Desmond.

But the Milwaukee Brewers could offer the best deal.

Enter Casey McGehee.

After trading for Toronto Blue Jays right hander Shaun Marcum, the Brewers could complete a trio of playoff-caliber starters by acquiring Garza (15-10, 3.91 ERA).  And they can do it without giving up their No. 3 or No. 4 hitter.

It would hurt to lose McGehee, but hasn’t it hurt missing the playoffs more?

The Brewers have seen that it takes good pitching to make it to the playoffs.  And better pitching to win in the playoffs.  And more than just one pitcher.  With Yovanni Gallardo, Marcum, Garza, and even Randy Wolf (who pitched much better after the All Star Break, 7-4, 3.74 ERA), the Brewers would be ready to challenge the Cardinals and Reds for the division.

To make up for the loss of offense, perhaps the Brewers could expand the deal to include centerfielder B.J. Upton, in exchange for their rising 24-year-old centerfielder Lorenzo Cain.  Having a 3-4-5 of Ryan Braun-Prince Fielder-B.J. Upton would be more than enough to get the job done in the NL.

As for the Rays, they would have a middle-of-the-order slugger under team control for another four seasons.

Now, yes, the Rays have some guy by the name of Longoria at third base already.  But they also have a huge hole at first base, where McGehee (.285 avg, 62 extra-base hits in 2010) could slide across the diamond.  McGehee and Longoria sets the Rays up at the corners for years.

Not only does this allow Friedman to rebuild on the fly, but also to still be able to compete in the AL East.  And if they can acquire Cain (.306 avg, 7 SB in 43 games) for Upton, Friedman has rebuilt the Rays at two positions for players who are no longer in their long-term plans

It’s the nature of the beast for the small market team.

And yet, this is a trade that helps both teams compete for a division crown.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

We here at Bleacher Report, every Monday throughout this offseason, will be giving fans the inside edge into the lives and history of the Milwaukee Brewers’ up-and-coming prospects.

As our honorary first edition, we’ll get acquainted with one of Milwaukee’s most promising young stars — none other than third baseman Mat Gamel.

Born on July 26, 1985, Gamel was raised in something of a baseball-type family, with his brother Ben also eventually signing with the New York Yankees in 2010.

Drafted by the Brewers straight out of Chipola College (Mariana, Florida) in the 2005 MLB draft, Gamel was poised to make a name for himself early in his career.

Gamel spent the 2005 season with Milwaukee’s rookie team, the Helena Brewers.  Along with being prompted to Single-A West Virginia Power in 2006, and the High Single-A Brevard County Manatees in 2007.

Securely assuring him future stardom, Gamel was elected to play in the 2008 All-Star Futures Game.

With roster expansion and the need for more power bats, the Brewers finally called Gamel up from Triple-A Nashville on September 1, 2008.

Gamel recorded his first at-bat just two days after being called up, eventually striking out.  On September 7th, Gamel captured his first Major-League hit (a double, at that), against the San Diego Padres.

In the later stages of the 2009 season, Gamel help enormously at third base and at the plate — recording a .242 BA, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 6 2B, along with a .760 OPS.

Where Gamel now stands within Milwaukee’s clubhouse is uncertain, at best.  Talk of Prince Fielder’s departure could spell a starting position somewhere down the road.

As for the 2011 season, Gamel will have to make use of his opportunities.  Casey McGehee is currently the starting third baseman, and that is not likely to change unless injuries ridicule his 2011 season.

Rest assured, the Brewers have a real gem in Gamel.  Rushing his progression isn’t what Milwaukee is looking for in this particular stage of his career.

Make sure to follow Alec Dopp on twitter, all while getting your up-to-date Brewers news, info, and stats at none other than Brewers Daily

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In his first full MLB season, Casey McGehee exceeded all expectations.  Considering his minor league track record, it didn’t necessarily take much.  Hitting primarily in the fifth spot in the lineup, he posted the following line:

• 610 At Bats
• .285 Batting Average (174 Hits)
• 23 Home Runs
• 104 RBI
• 70 Runs
• One Stolen Base
• .337 On Base Percentage
• .464 Slugging Percentage
• .306 Batting Average on Balls in Play

Generally, hitting behind Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder would not generate so many RBI opportunities.  However, 2010 was no ordinary year.  With runners in scoring position, Fielder hit just .233 with two HR and 47 RBI (in comparison, he hit .296 with 13 HR and 93 RBI in 2009).  In fact, he managed just 83 RBI after having at least 102 in each of the previous three seasons (and 141 in 2009).

In other words, there were certainly extra opportunities for McGehee that, under normal circumstances, we should not expect.  It’s impossible to expect Fielder to struggle as badly in 2011, meaning there could be a dramatic fall coming in McGehee’s most endearing statistic.  It’s impossible to think otherwise.

In regards to his power, there is nothing unrealistic in his peripheral numbers, with a 35.7 percent fly ball rate and a 12.5 percent HR/FB.  At 28 years old, it’s not necessarily a surprise that he developed his power of late, but there is really nothing in his minor league track record to support another 20+ home run season.

In 2008, he had 497 AB in the Pacific Coast League, hitting just 12 HR.  In 2006 in the PCL, he hit 11 HR in 497 AB.  It’s a league that notoriously is very homer happy (as a comparison, in 2010 there were six players with at least 29 HR including Mike Carp, who had 29 HR in 409 AB), yet in nearly 1,000 AB he had just 23, the same number he hit in 610 AB in 2010.

His average is solid and repeatable, with a very realistic BABIP and a good ability to consistently make contact (16.7 percent strikeout rate).  Still, there doesn’t seem much hope that he improves on the average significantly, barring a lot of luck falling in his favor.  In 2,577 minor league AB, he hit .279.

The runs are not an awe inspiring number, and hitting behind the big guns in the lineup, it’s not too likely that he improves upon it.  He doesn’t have a big OBP, and without a big bat behind him, he’s just not going to score enough.

Of course, he is eligible at one of the shallowest positions in baseball, helping him a little bit.  Of course, in 2010 there were 12 third baseman with more runs scored, and that doesn’t include names like Aramis Ramirez or Pedro Alvarez.

There are definitely numerous reasons to plan on avoiding McGehee on draft day.  Even with his impressive 2010 campaign and playing a shallow position, I’d look towards him as a depth option, at best.

There just isn’t enough upside to justify using him.  In fact, the deck appears stacked for him to suffer a major regression.

What are your thoughts on McGehee?  Can he replicate his 2010 success?  If not, how far do you think he’s going to regress?

Make sure to check back on Tuesday, as the Rotoprofessor Roundtable will weigh in with their projections on McGehee.

Make sure to check out some of our other 2011 projections:

• Butler, Billy
• Freese, David
• Jaso, John
• Morrow, Brandon
• Reyes, Jose
• Willingham, Josh
• Young, Michael

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM.

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Whether you believe that Prince Fielder will be with the Milwaukee Brewers when the 2011 regular season begins or not, there is one seemingly inevitable truth that is staring the collective known as Brewer Nation in the face…

Prince Fielder will not be a Milwaukee Brewer forever.

This is a certainty. There is no getting around it. There is no point in trying to figure out a way that it might not happen. It’s an effort in futility.

Perhaps you’d like to argue about the money coming off of the payroll after this season. Maybe a look into the pre-arbitration salary situations of some of the younger players on this team complete with a fiscal breakdown of how to fit a mammoth salary into a mid-market-sized budget would make you happy.

Again, the fact must be stated that it simply does not make a bit of a difference. Prince Fielder is leaving the Cream City sooner or later.

So with that non-question put to bed, we can move on to more pressing matters. We need to figure out who can replace Fielder at first base for the Milwaukee Brewers.

The following slides will each name a potential replacement and will breakdown why they could work out and also why they might not.

I welcome your thoughts and suggestions on the men I named and anybody that you feel I left out.

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Casey McGehee delivered a breakout performance for the Milwaukee Brewers last season batting .301 with 16 homers and 66 RBI in just 355 at-bats.

McGehee then silenced his doubters by batting .300 with nine home runs and 41 RBI through the first two months of 2010.

His bat has since cooled, however, forcing fantasy managers to question McGehee’s true worth.

To completely understand McGehee’s value, let’s examine his relatively unknown past.

Drafted in 2003 as a 10th round pick, McGehee played first base, second base, third base and shortstop during his six-year minor league career. He also caught a total of 93 games at three different levels.

McGehee displayed doubles power in the minors and enjoyed his best season at Triple-A in 2008 with the Iowa Cubs (a team who’s home games I attended regularly as a scorekeeper for Baseball Info Solutions).

McGehee’s bat was a big reason for the I-Cubs success that season, as he hit .296 with 12 homers and 92 RBI in 550 plate appearances. Still, his future as a big league hitter appeared non-existent.

A September call up ensued, but the Cubs were forced to let him go at season’s end. The Brewers gave him a look during spring training the following year and he didn’t disappoint as he made the team as an infield reserve.

The former Fresno State Bulldog found himself in a platoon at second base with Craig Counsell by June and earned regular playing time at third base soon after.

639 at-bats later, the now 27-year-old McGehee has 28 career homers and 116 RBI in 189 games with the Brewers.

Because of his recent struggles (.209 average, three homers, nine RBI in June), fantasy managers are beginning to question his true value.

After some quick number crunching, it has become obvious to me that now is a great time to buy-low on Casey McGehee. Here’s why:

McGehee’s 2009 rookie campaign was viewed by some as a fluke and for good reason. In six minor league seasons, he hit .279 and never topped 12 homers in a single year.

Comparing his 2009 totals to his numbers through three months in 2010 suggests his success this year has been legit.

The biggest difference from last season is his drop in batting average, which can be explained by his 14.7 percent line drive rate (21.6 percent last year).

His 2009 BABIP (.330) has dropped to .288 this season, but should begin to rise as he breaks free from his recent slump. This will boost McGehee’s batting average as well, though he’s likely more of a .280 hitter.

McGehee’s walk and strikeout rates are both respectable and in line with his 2009 totals, as are his HR/FB and above-average contact rates.

At his current pace (over a conservative total of 550 at-bats), McGehee is on his way to a 66 run, 23 HR, and 97 RBI reason. Still eligible at second base, those numbers are extremely valuable considering top two-baggers Chase Utley and Dustin Pedroia recently hit the DL.

Looking forward to 2011, McGehee is a definite top 10 option at a dwindling third base position. In fact, you could argue he’ll be ranked as high as sixth among players at the hot corner.

Planning a trip to see Casey McGehee and the rest of the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park? Check out StadiumJourney.com for insider info on local transportation, nearby restaurants, and an in-depth review of Miller Park.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: FANTASY BASEBALL INSIDERS

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You think the Cubs regret letting Casey McGehee go?

All McGehee has done since the Cubs released him is drive in 111 runs and hit close to .300. He’s also driven in six runs in six games against them this year alone.

The Brewers caught lightning in a bottle when McGehee became available to them after the Cubs put him on waivers. He was never known as a top prospect. He was a career minor-leaguer before hitting it big with the Brewers.

Milwaukee was in much need of a third baseman after Bill Hall and top prospect Mat Gamel struggled last year. McGehee delivered. He hit .301 with 16 homers and drove in 66 runs to end 2009.

What has McGehee done as an encore this year? In 55 games, he’s driven in 45 runs, tied for the NL lead with Troy Glaus. He also has nine homers, is hitting .290 and has scored 29 runs.

Last night, the Cubs were up 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth.

Carlos Marmol had a rare messy outing.

He hit Rickie Weeks to lead off the inning. He got lucky when Carlos Gomez popped up a bunt for the first out. Weeks stole second base. Prince Fielder walked. Ryan Braun grounded out, but it moved the runners up to second and third. Casey McGehee stepped up to the plate.

McGehee did what he always does: hit in the clutch.

McGehee hit a seeing-eye single up the middle and drove home Weeks and Fielder for the win.

While McGehee is driving in runs and getting clutch hits, Aramis Ramirez was struggling and is now on the disabled list.

The Cubs could sure use McGehee right now. One has to wonder where the Brewers would be this year without him.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In less than one month, on July 4, Major League Baseball will announce the starters for the annual All-Star Game in Anaheim. Voting from the fans has taken place, which leads to many fan favorites starting the game. However, the starters of the All-Star game should be the absolute best that the league has to offer.

Here is a list of nine players who should get an additional look, as well as some more votes, before the rosters get finalized.

Begin Slideshow