Brad Fischer, the McFarland resident who spent 29 years in the Oakland Athletics organization, including four seasons as a coach for new Milwaukee manager Ken Macha, is expected to be named the new third base coach for the Brewers, perhaps as early as Tuesday.

This development was a piece of a busy day for the Brewers, who in the next of a series of critical off-season moves, announced Monday that they are exercising their 2009 option on center fielder Mike Cameron. They have also have made a five-year offer to free agent pitcher CC Sabathia.

The Cameron decision will cost the Brewers $10 million next year, a somewhat steep price for an excellent outfielder but average hitter who hit .243 with 142 strikeouts in 444 at-bats during the 2008 season.

However, Cameron added 25 home runs and 70 runs batted in in 119 games, a season that started with a 25-game suspension for testing positive at the end of the 2007 season for using a banned stimulant.

Fischer's addition to Macha's coaching staff does not come as a surprise to those who know how much respect the two have for each other.

Fischer, who managed the Madison Muskies for three season in the 1980s, was a bullpen coach and first-base coach during Macha's four-year tenure as head of the A's. The two developed a close working relationship during that span.

The addition of Fischer to Macha's staff leaves two openings - pitching coach and bench coach. The Brewers are in the market for a pitching coach because Mike Maddux, who has directed the pitching staff the last six years, is leaving to take a similar position with the Texas Rangers.

General manager Doug Melvin, in California for the general manager meetings, said Monday that Bill Castro, the Brewers bullpen coach for the past 17 years, was scheduled to meet Macha in Pittsburgh Tuesday to discuss the pitching coach position.

Melvin would not confirm Fisher's hiring in a phone interview but did say an announcement was planned over the next few days.

Fischer spent 12 years at the major-league level as a coach for the A's before being fired after the 2007 season. He was Macha's first base coach for three seasons starting in 2003 before returning to the bullpen coach position in 2006.

Fischer spent last season in the Pittsburgh organization as the manager of the State College (Pa.) Spikes, the Pirates entry in the half-season league of the New York-Penn League.

The move for Cameron signals once again that the Brewers are not comfortable with using Tony Gwynn Jr. as their regular center fielder or shifting right fielder Corey Hart to center. It also means the Brewers will have a regular center fielder for a second straight season for the first time since Brady Clark manned the spot in the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

The decision is the second of three involving players whose options are held by the club.

The Brewers still have to decide on whether to pick up the option on reliever Salomon Torres. It is expected that will happen at the cost of $3.7 million. Last week, the Brewers declined to pick up the option on infielder Craig Counsell, though the parties are in discussions regarding a new deal that would bring the veteran back to his hometown club next season.

The Brewers are on record for their first major move of the offseason, a five-year free agent offering to left-hander CC Sabathia. The Brewers offer reportedly is for $100 million.

While the $20 million per year figure is expected to be in the ballpark for Sabathia's services next year, the length of the contract is likely to come up short against the offers of a select group of other teams, who are expected to bid for his services. Teams must wait until Nov. 12 to make an official offer for a free agent's services for next year.

It is expected to be formally announced later this week that Maddux is leaving the Brewers to join the Rangers, who had the worst pitching staff statistically in the American League last season.

Maddux's contract with the Brewers ran out Friday and he accepted the multi-year deal with the Rangers, whose president is Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, a close friend of Maddux who is said to have wooed him to Arlington.

Castro is expected to be part of new manager Macha's staff whether he remains in his old spot or is offered the pitching coach role.