Brewers Trade Rumors: Carlos Gomez hopes he’s not dealt
By Phil Watson
With the Milwaukee Brewers still in last place in the National League Central and 19 days remaining before the July 31 deadline for non-waiver trades, the club is obviously in the position of being sellers as contenders look to beef up their rosters for possible postseason runs.
One of the more attractive targets on the Brewers roster is thought to be center fielder Carlos Gomez.
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The two-time All-Star is on an affordable deal—he is in the second year of a three-year extension he signed in March 2013 and is owed the remainder of his $8 million salary this year and $9 million in 2016—but, as a client of superagent Scott Boros, it is thought unlikely that Milwaukee could retain him when he hits free agency after the 2016 season.
Gomez hasn’t been specifically named in any rumors, but there has been rampant speculation about where Gomez could go.
CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman proposed a possible deal last month that would return Gomez to the Minnesota Twins as Minnesota’s outfield production has been spotty.
But Gomez told MLB.com that if it’s all the same, he’d just as soon remain with the Brewers.
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“This is my sixth season in this organization and if it does happen, it’s going to hurt for me and my family because we owe a lot to this organization,” Gomez said. “But I’ve been in the game so long that I understand I have to move forward. If this happens, there’s nothing I can do.
“If that happens, it’s because the organization thinks it has a better future to bring in new prospects to rebuild everything. I don’t think it’s going to happen and I don’t have this on my mind.
“The only thing I have on my mind is play every day and give everything I have. Next year is my last year under contract and I wish I could stay here for the rest of my career. You spend seven seasons with one team, I don’t think you want to move. You want to stay here, especially with the group we have. I feel like I’m a Milwaukee Brewer. I don’t look at myself as anything else.”
The Brewers acquired Gomez in November 2009 from the Twins for shortstop J.J. Hardy and his career exploded once coming to Beer City.
His breakout began in 2012, when he hit .260/.305/.463 and achieved career highs with 19 home runs, 51 RBI and 37 stolen bases.
He blossomed into an All-Star with a monster 2013 season, hitting .284/.338/.506 with 27 doubles, 10 triples, 24 homers, 73 RBI and 40 stolen bases while winning Gold Glove honors in center field. He led the National League with 8.5 Wins Above Replacement.
Last season was marked by an All-Star start and included a career-best 95 runs to go with 34 doubles, 23 homers, 73 RBI and 34 steals while hitting .284/.356/.477.
Gomez has been bothered by injuries this season. He spent time on the disabled list with a hamstring injury and has also dealt with injuries to his hip and wrist.
He’s one of many Brewers who has heated up of late, however. He’s hitting .314/.400/.657 in nine games in July, with three homers and 15 RBI. His five RBI in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday night was the fourth time in his career he’s driven in five runs in a single game—and the second in eight days.
He also turned the trick on July 3 in Cincinnati.
For the season, he’s up to .278/.327/.457 with 18 doubles, eight homers and 41 RBI in 61 games.
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Gomez is still only 29, even if it feels he’s been around forever. Signed as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic by the New York Mets in 2002, he made his debut with the Mets in May 2007.
But in February 2008, he was the centerpiece of a trade that also sent pitchers Deolis Guerra, Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey to Minnesota for two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana.
His first season with the Twins was solid overall, hitting .259/.296/.360 with 79 runs, 24 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs, 59 RBI and 33 steals, but he hit just .229/.287/.337 in 2009 and was reduced to part-time duty.
He was also a part-time player for his first two years with the Brewers before taking control of the center field job in 2012.
I like Carlos Gomez and I’d like to see him remain a Brewer. But if the right combination of prospects could be acquired to facilitate the continued restocking of the farm system after years of pseudo-contention, that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, either.
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