Mike Cameron

Brewers showing interest in Cameron / Though it seems to make little sense on the surface, a source confirmed to me this evening that the Brewers are showing interest in signing free agent centerfielder Mike Cameron. The Brewers supposedly are looking for a left-handed hitting leftfielder. Cameron is a right-handed hitting centerfielder. Cameron also has been suspended for the first 25 games of the 2008 season for testing positive for a banned stimulant at the end of last season. To draw a 25-game suspension for using stimulants, a player has to test positive twice. Pursuing Cameron could mean the Brewers are planning to move Bill Hall from center field to third base and Ryan Braun from third to left. General manager Doug Melvin, who has not returned telephone calls, has been looking at both third basemen and leftfielders this off-season. Cameron, 35, batted .242 with 21 home runs and 78 RBI in 151 games with San Diego last season. His on-base percentage was low -- .328 -- again going against what the Brewers have said they are looking for this winter. Cameron also struck out 160 times last season -- the fourth-highest total in the NL. The Brewers already strike out too much and that's why Melvin said he was looking for a high on-base player. Add it all up -- right-handed hitter, a centerfielder, low OBP and a player who will have to sit out the first month -- and it all seems very curious. But I trust the source I talked to that the Brewers are showing serious interest in Cameron.

Cameron deal in place, pending physical / The Brewers won't be officially announcing the signing of free agent centerfielder Mike Cameron today because the deal is contingent on him passing a physical. It's my understanding that physical will be Monday. But I've talked to people familiar with the deal and here's what I know. Cameron will get a $1.25 million signing bonus and a $5 million salary in 2008. But, because he is suspended for the first 25 games of the season for testing positive for a banned stimulant, he won't be paid for those games. So, instead of the $5 million, Cameron actually will make around $4.22 million in salary. A season is based on 180 days of play and Cameron will miss 28 days ($27,778 per day). Barring postponements, he'll be eligible to play his first game on April 29 in Chicago. The Brewers hold a $10 million option on Cameron for 2009 with a $750,000 buyout. So, if he plays for them one year, the Brewers' financial commitment will be the $1.25 million signing bonus, $4.22 million in actual pay and the $750,000 buyout, which comes to $6.22 million. And here's something else that was made clear to me by folks in the know. This is not the precursor to another deal. The plan is to move Bill Hall from center to third and Ryan Braun from third to left field, and both players have been told that. In the first 25 games without Cameron, look for the Brewers to use backup outfielders such as Tony Gwynn Jr. and Gabe Gross in center. Corey Hart will stay in right and Braun in left. This makes the Brewers a very right-handed-hitting team but they just couldn't find a left-handed hitter they felt did as much for them as adding Cameron. The major emphasis of this move is to improve a defense that ranked 13th in the NL last year, which certainly didn't help the pitching staff. Check out my story in the JS tomorrow morning for more details.

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Brewers Sign Mike Cameron