Gabe Gross to the Rays for minor leaguer? Why?

[THE OX]

Heard this morning on the radio that Gross, after being very good the last week or so, was swapped to the Rays for a pitcher who was assigned immediately to Brevard County.

I know Cameron will be eligible to play very shortly, but "giving away" a proven major league outfielder in return for a pitcher who was assigned right away to the lower minor leagues?

Excuse me, I think I'm about to toss my cookies.......(retching sounds)

[Extra Innings]

Odd man out.

[The Dude]

Odd man out.

Exactly.

Look at the Brewers team right now ...

C-Kendall (RH)
1B-Fielder (LH)
2B-Weeks (RH)
3B-Hall (RH)
SS-Hardy (RH)
LF-Braun (RH)
RF-Hart (RH)

Those are the seven locked up starting positions as of right now, and when Mike Cameron comes back, he'll have the 8th locked up position, another right hander.

CF-Cameron (RH)

Then we have our backup catcher, Rivera.

C-Rivera (RH)

Which leaves 3 spots on the bench, as the Brewers are carrying 14 pitchers right now. You have

IF-Craig Counsell (LH)

and

OF- Gabe Kalper (RH)

to sub in for you. Then Brewers wan't a LH outfielder to bat against righties, which left Gross and Gwynn Jr. Gross isn't having a great season so far, plus Gwynn is younger and was originally on the team until he got hurt. They wouldn't get rid of Counsell, since he's the only one who can play 3b, ss, 2b, and 1B. And when Cameron comes back, Kapler is going to challenge him for the CF job, so it was down to Gross and Gwynn again. I would go with Gwynn too.

[Milwaukee T]

Too Much of Not Enough

The Brewer franchise has a long history of having too many players in the same position and none of them being that overly good. This is just the most glarring example of it since probably the days that there was BJ roaming the field and trying to find any place to play.