Milwaukee’s search for a shortstop is apparently over, as Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Brewers are close to signing Alex Gonzalez to a one-year deal with a vesting option for 2013.
That takes the Brewers completely out of the mix for Jimmy Rollins, who seemingly is now choosing between re-signing with the Phillies and replacing Rafael Furcal with the Cardinals.
As for Gonzalez ... he’s 35 years old and coming off a terrible season at the plate, but when you just finished watching Yuniesky Betancourt for an entire season just about anything probably seems like a big shortstop upgrade.
Gonzalez is actually one of two active hitters with 3,500 plate appearances and a worse career on-base percentage than Betancourt, with the major difference being that his defense has been good enough to live with the extreme out-making most years. That may no longer be true at age 35--his defensive numbers slipped significantly--and despite smacking 15 homers Gonzalez was brutal at the plate this season, hitting .241 with a .642 OPS and 126 strikeouts versus just 22 walks in 149 games.
