The Phillies have agreed with outfielder Bobby Abreu to push back his opt-out date from tomorrow until this coming Sunday, reports CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury (via Twitter). The move, of course, was designed to give the team more time to evaluate its options with regard to Abreu, who has been out with shoulder soreness.
Abreu, 40, has posted a .257/.422/.400 triple-slash in 45 plate appearances this spring. With multiple injury situations and several players who can play the infield or outfield, the Phillies' roster situation is somewhat difficult to pin down. But it appears that, at this point, it could come down to either Abreu or Tony Gwynn Jr. as the team's left-handed-hitting outfield reserve.
I would rather Abreu if you take Mayberry, if you don’t take Mayberry (which they will), I would take Gwynn.
How does Ichiro Suzuki compare to either Bobby Abreu or Tony Gwynn Jr? If he is an upgrade over both of them, the Yankees should offer Ichiro to the Phillies for Jonathan Papelbon.
No.
I don’t think the Yankees want to take on a likely $39M for a reliever in exchange for Ichiro’s $6.5MM contract.
Papelbon would be a great transition closer for the Yankees and along with Ellsbury would raise the level of drama in the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. The last time that Robertson tried to replace Mariano, he choked. If he does that again, the damage to his confidence could be irreparable.
In order to make it clear to Robertson that he is still the Yankees closer of the future, they could sign him to a 6-8 year extension. I don’t think that Papelbon would finish enough games for his 2016 option to vest, so Robertson would become the closer by then or sooner.
Robertson had what, three save opportunities when he “replaced” Mo and then was injured? And I think he blew one of them. And seriously? You think Sox fans need Ellsbury and Papelbon to juice up their hatred? The Yankees don’t make moves with attention on one team, especially moves worth 30 million+. They added Ellsbury because they needed almost an entirely new outfield and because they feel like his power will come back in a lefty hitting park. Papelbon has a diminishing fastball and is a giant tool. It would raise the level of drama for Yankees’ fans if the Yankees signed Papelbon. Robertson has been a dominant setup man for multiple years, I don’t think he’s going to forget how to pitch if he has a rough start closing. Mo didn’t exactly lose his mind after the ’97 playoffs.
Sorry, but as a fellow Yankees’ fan I couldn’t disagree with you more. Ichiro coupled with a Warren or Nuno type could get you a reliever, but it won’t be Papelbon.
You might be right. Hell, I hope that you are right. But if I’m right and you’re wrong, the Yankees are royally screwed. I think that Papelbon still has two good years left and the money should not be an issue for the Yankees. Yes, the Yankees could probably get someone like Vin Mazzaro from the Brewers, but I think that Papelbon has far more upside than Mazzaro and I think that it would be fun to have him on the team.
Semi-related to the Robertson question, I have another one for you. Does he start the season with entrance music or does he have to earn it? Considering his Wettelandesque penchant for getting himself in and out of trouble when he comes into a game with nobody on base, I think that they should use the version of the song, “Wild Thing” from the movie, “Major League”. It wouldn’t be as intimidating as “Enter Sandman”, but it would be fun and might enable him to be more relaxed going into this new role.
If the Phillies ate a sizable portion I would do it. But Papelbon only needs 55 or 100 over 2 years games finished for the option to vest, and he has always gotten the 100/2 one over his career.
He would essentially be $20M/2 if he doesn’t vest, which means he wouldn’t be closing, but simply a setup man, and Phillies take on Ichiro. If the Yankees had that much money lying around, why wouldn’t they have just signed Balfour for $12M/2?????
I would sign no reliever to a 6-8 year contract. I wouldn’t even sign Mariano for that long. I think people are way over blowing it. Robertson has pitching in the 8th inning for NYY for several years now. There is nothing for him to choke on. It’s not like they pulling guy from minors to close, he is a great option. Closers are typically your best reliever. It’s not like closing completely different task, it is simply that teams task their best reliever with the most important situations.
Do you want an all bat or all defense player.
Or they trade Mayberry to the Astros and keep both?
Can bobby still hit home runs back in his days with the angels
Without a better understanding of the space-time continuum, I don’t believe that question will ever be answered, sir.
I still think that bobby can be on the opening day roster for the phillies and he can still hit
Perhaps, but the way you phrased it was like this: can present day Bobby Abreu hit home runs in a time when he was with the angels. To which the answer is, unless someone invents time travel, then no.
Ok but i still think that the phillies can take the nl east this year with the rotation and the lineup