I'm running out of forks: Mike Lamb

[IFallsRon]

PHOENIX -- Veteran third baseman Mike Lamb will not be on Milwaukee's Opening Day roster, and what happens next is up to the player.

A Brewers clubhouse attendant pulled Lamb off the practice field on Tuesday just minutes before the team began its daily stretch, and when Lamb met inside with general manager Doug Melvin and manager Ken Macha, he was informed of the decision. That was at 5 p.m. CT sharp, and by 1 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Lamb must tell the Brewers whether he is open to an assignment to Triple-A Nashville.

If he is, the Brewers would place Lamb on outright waivers, and the other 29 teams would have an opportunity to claim Lamb for $20,000. If he isn't, the Brewers will place him on release waivers and he can be had for $1.

Speaking to a reporter via telephone after he left camp, Lamb did not sound like a player poised to go to Triple-A.

"I need to talk to my agent [sam Levinson]," Lamb said. "I don't envision being a Triple-A player. It's not a money issue. My contract is guaranteed. I don't want to go to Triple-A to be somebody's insurance policy. I don't think I deserve that."

Was the move a surprise?

"Yes and no," Lamb said. "Yes, because every indication I had from the offseason leading into Spring Training was that I was going to be on the team and see playing time at third base, depending on how Billy [Hall] did.

"Then, when I got to Spring Training, I started going into games in the seventh and eighth inning. And I went almost a week without playing third. It just wasn't adding up. I wasn't totally shocked, but I never dreamed I'd get released again. I don't think I merited that. I thought I played decent enough. My batting average wasn't that great, but I certainly don't think I was overmatched."

Lamb is due $3 million this season but only $400,000 of that was to come from the Brewers. He's owed the rest by the Twins, who signed Lamb to a two-year, $6.5 million contract prior to the 2008 season but then released him in August.

The Brewers picked up Lamb for their September stretch run, and he went 3-for-11 (.273) as a pinch-hitter. He wasn't eligible for the postseason roster.

[Dahitman44]

man, is he done.

[zamboni]

Lamb is due $3 million this season but only $400,000 of that was to come from the Brewers. He's owed the rest by the Twins, who signed Lamb to a two-year, $6.5 million contract prior to the 2008 season but then released him in August.

Another huge waste of money on a has been by the Twins. They seem to find at least one bag of old bones every year and throw huge money at them. Is Lamb even a has been? Never was all that great to begin with

[PierBridge]

I think he hit 307 and 290 in the two previous seasons with Houston before we signed him.

Hit around 230 for us.

[Maximum12]

He was always a platoon-type player, never had a lot of ABs in any given season. Probably took a mean confidence hit last season, but I don't see why he couldn't fulfill that role again. I don't blame him for being discouraged - although the Brewers already have enough bats.