I think it's safe to say that once Casey McGehee heard the news that Aramis Ramirez signed with the Milwaukee Brewers, he wasn't in a rush to renew his lease on his apartment. It was only a matter of time before McGehee became an ex-Brewer.
That matter of time came tonight as the Brewers traded McGehee to the Pittsburgh Pirates for RHP Jose Veras. McGehee hit .223/.280/.346 with 13 HR's in 600 plate appearances for the Brewers in 2011.
McGehee is first-time arbitration eligible and with the recent signing of Ramirez and with Francisco Rodriguez accepting arbitration, McGehee didn't fit into the Brewers' financial plans for 2011. This also tells me that Mat Gamel will most likely take over at first for Milwaukee in 2012.
McGehee is now off to Pittsburgh where he will provide insurance at third in case Pedro Alvarez continues to become Tubby McTubberson at the Major League level. McGehee could also see time at first as well.In Veras, the Brewers are getting a right-handed reliever, who had a 3.80 ERA, 10.0 K/9, 4.3 BB/9, and a 37.3 percent Ground Ball Percentage in 71 innings. Veras was especially effective against right-handed batters holding them to just 10 extra-base hits in 182 PA's.