Sleeper Sleuth: Is the timing right for Mat Gamel? ()

You'll hear Mat Gamel referred to as a post-hype sleeper in some circles, but that tag isn't entirely accurate. In a lot of ways Gamel, the Milwaukee cornerman, is a no-hype sleeper, a screened commodity. You won't find Gamel in the current Yahoo! staff rankings , for example. It's no fault of his own. I know for a fact that Andy Behrens is bullish on Gamel , and Brandon Funston considers him a late-round lottery ticket of interest. But we can't put Gamel on the rankings sheet yet because he doesn't hold a position. He only qualifies at "corner infield" in the current Yahoo! game. Just one of those flukes of the numbers racket. The Brewers are giving the 26-year-old every chance to be the starting first baseman, and so far, so good: Gamel hit homers in three consecutive Cactus League games late last week. Okay, two of the homers came off non-roster invitees, guys he probably won't be facing when the bell rings, but when you're trying to establish yourself as a bona-fide major leaguer, you'll take whatever you can get. The Gamel file reads like the typical post-hype setup. He was Baseball America's No. 34 prospect in 2009 and the No. 89 prospect in 2010. He's proven himself at Triple-A over the last two summers, including a .310/.372/.540 slash last year with 28 homers. But he hasn't shown much in his brief Milwaukee trials, hitting .222 over 171 stray at-bats covering four seasons (most of the time in 2009). Gamel's had trouble making contact in the show (67 whiffs over 171 at-bats), and he's always been viewed as a problem in the field. If Gamel is going to turn his career around, it's going to come from the batter's box. "It's time for him to be a major-league player instead of a great Triple-A player," manager Ron Roenicke told the Arizona Republic . Roenicke and GM Doug Melvin insist that Gamel will get an extended look at first base, the spot vacated by the departed Prince Fielder. There's going to be a leash here.