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Bobby Abreu

Yankees Are Abreu’s First Choice

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According to Jesse Spector of the New York Daily News, Bobby Abreu would like to remain a Yankee. Chris Leible, one of Abreu’s agents, said that Abreu’s been "very happy with the Yankees" and that returning to play for them is his "first choice."

Spector points out that the Yankees have lots of outfielders already under control next year. Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Xavier Nady, Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner are all options for the Yankees in the outfield. Since Jorge Posada might have to DH, the Yankees can’t afford to carry too many outfield-DH type players.

Abreu was productive for the Yankees this year, hitting .296/.371/.471 in 156 games. The Yankees plan on offering him arbitration.

Yankees Plan To Offer Abreu Arbitration

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George King and Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post reported today that the Yankees plan to offer arbitration to right fielder Bobby Abreu.  It’s an obvious decision, since the Yankees either get him on a one-year deal or get two draft picks when he signs elsewhere.  Abreu has said he’s looking for a three-year deal, but prefers the Yankees.  The authors suggest the Mets could be a fit.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Ordonez, Yankees, Red Sox

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A look at what is being written around the Blogosphere…

  • MetsBlog says Magglio Ordonez may not be the best option but could be a good backup plan should other scenarios not play out (ie. Manny Ramirez).
  • Talking Chop thinks Ordonez is a good fit for the Braves noting that the team has significant money to spend this offseason.
  • River Ave. Blues is not excited about the possibility of Ordonez in the Yankees’ outfield, noting that it makes more sense to re-sign Bobby Abreu for less money.
  • Was Watching wonders if the Yankees would have to sign C.C. Sabathia in order to trade for Matt Holliday.  They feel it would be strange for the Yankees to go after Holliday one year after bowing out of the Johan Santana sweepstakes.
  • Over The Monster takes a look at whether the Red Sox should re-sign Jason Varitek and what other options are available.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

Odds and Ends: Hudson, Cano, Mariners GM

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Links for Wednesday…

  • ESPN’s Jayson Stark reminds us that Manny Ramirez could’ve been traded to the Phillies in July.  But the Phils wouldn’t offer Lou Marson, didn’t like the idea of Manny in right field, and were concerned about Ramirez’s hustle.
  • Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog gives his early sense of the team’s offseason approach.  He doesn’t seem them splurging on one of the big free agent names.
  • MLB.com’s Marty Noble heard Orlando Hudson "yearns to play for the Mets" (hat tip to MetsBlog).
  • Jamey Newberg believes in the Rangers’ plan.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post doesn’t believe Robinson Cano will be traded, because the Yankees are valuing him as if 2008 did not occur.  He names Fausto Carmona as an example of a pitcher the Yanks would not accept for Cano.
  • Sherman also notes that Bobby Abreu and the ivy-covered brick wall at Wrigley might not be the best match.
  • The Mariners will interview five people for their GM vacancy this week: Peter Woodfork (D’Backs), Jerry DiPoto (D’Backs), Tony Bernazard (Mets), Kim Ng (Dodgers), and Tony LaCava (Blue Jays).
  • The Angels signed Korean pitcher Jang Pil-Joong, who just finished serving in the army.
  • I did a couple of interviews recently: over the phone with MLB Interviews and over email with Pinstripes Published.

Cubs Rumors: Hendry, Payroll, Ibanez, Roberts

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Let’s talk Cubs.

  • First things first – the Cubs need to lock in their GM.  ESPN’s Buster Olney says the Cubs are currently trying to convince Jim Hendry not to opt out of his contract in December.  Olney expects a new long-term agreement.
  • Gordon Wittenmeyer of the Chicago-Sun Times talked to Cubs CEO Crane Kenney, who anticipates another payroll bump despite ownership uncertainty.  Maybe the $140MM range?
  • Lot of talk about the Cubs adding a left-handed hitter for balance, with Kosuke Fukudome looking like a failure.  Names suggested by Olney, Wittenmeyer, and Andy Dolan of Desipio.com: Raul Ibanez, Bobby Abreu, David DeJesus, Milton Bradley, and Brian Roberts.  Regardless of the path the Cubs take, they seem likely to accept shaky right-field defense in exchange for a middle-of-the-order bat.  The Cubs could also consider Aubrey Huff or Adam Dunn, but they’d be even more of a stretch in right. 
  • Dolan would like to add a more complete shortstop.  If the Cubs feel the same, they could again pursue switch-hitter Rafael Furcal and finally move Alfonso Soriano out of the leadoff spot.
  • Everyone expects Rich Harden’s $7MM option to be exercised, setting the ’09 rotation.  The Cubs will look at Harden’s shoulder first though.  Wittenmeyer recommends an aggressive run at C.C. Sabathia, which seems unlikely.

Where Will Atlanta Find A Bat?

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Mark Bowman of MLB.com has a new mailbag up. The first question leads to a discussion of the Braves adding a bat this off-season. The Braves have $45MM to spend this winter, and could use every penny to fortify their team. While pitching is certainly a concern, the team would like to add a bat. They could use an outfielder or three.

Bowman begins by listing the usual free agent targets: Pat Burrell and Adam Dunn, though he notes that the team isn’t necessarily interested in either. In the Braves offseason outlook, Tim also mentioned free agents Raul Ibanez and Juan Rivera. Given a guess, I’d say the latter ends up in Atlanta. He’s coming off a poor season and could end up being a bargain. Bobby Abreu could be an option, too. He wants multiple years, while the Yankees seem to be content offering him arbitration and allowing him to sign elsewhere.

On the trade front, Bowman gets a little unorthodox. Jason Bay and Matt Holliday get first mention, though they’re quickly written off. It’s unlikely Bay leaves Boston. He’s signed for $7.5MM next year before reaching free agency, and will certainly earn his pay. The Holliday mention is a nonstarter; there’s little chance the Braves will pay a ton in prospects for a guy who will reach free agency next year. I suppose the same goes for Bay, too.

He makes the most compelling case for Xavier Nady, whom the Braves attempted to acquire at the deadline. It appears unlikely, however, that the Yankees would part with the outfielder, who is entering his last year of arbitration. Perhaps if Casey Kotchman were involved, but that’s highly doubtful. If the Braves are intent on acquiring a bat through a trade, it now appears that Delmon Young could be available.

If you’re so inclined, you can check out River Ave. Blues, Joe’s Yankees blog. Today we’re talking Mariano Rivera and CC Sabathia.

Abreu Wants At Least Three Years

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According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, right fielder Bobby Abreu wants at least a three-year contract as he heads toward free agency for the first time in his career.

Abreu prefers to remain with the Yankees, but he does not want a one-year deal.  He certainly wouldn’t have to settle for that on the open market.  The general consensus is that the Yanks will offer Abreu arbitration and be content with compensatory draft picks if and when he turns it down.

Abreu, 34, hit .296/.371/.471 in 684 plate appearances this year.  The average AL right fielder hit .282/.351/.459.  Abreu’s defense rates poorly; he cost the Yankees 24 bases (16 plays) compared to the average right fielder this year.  Franklin Gutierrez led right fielders by saving 29 bases above average.

Speculative possible suitors for Abreu this winter: the Rays, Royals, Braves, Mets, Cubs, and Reds.

Yankees Rumors: Jeter, Sabathia, Hudson

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Let’s talk Yankees.

  • Ken Davidoff makes recommendations for the ’09 Yankees.  He would sign Derek Lowe and Andy Pettitte, and offer arbitration to Damaso Marte and Bobby Abreu.
  • Jim Baumbach explains a tricky situation coming up: re-signing Derek Jeter.
  • Peter Abraham takes a look at various free agents on the minds’ of Yankees fans.
  • Tyler Kepner of the New York Times says first priority for the Yankees is to re-sign Brian Cashman.  I imagine they already have a Plan B in place, but recent reports lean toward Cashman returning.
  • Kepner says the Indians were aggressive in pursuing a deadline deal involving Phil Hughes and C.C. Sabathia.  Now, Kepner says the Yankees are skeptical they’ll be able to sign Sabathia.  For Plan B, the Yanks seem to prefer pitchers with American League experience.  They’ll probably stand pat on the bullpen, though a decision must be made on Damaso Marte’s option.
  • If the Yankees can engineer a Robinson Cano–Matt Kemp swap (unlikely), they could then sign free agents Mark Teixeira and Orlando Hudson.  The right-side infield defense would be drastically improved.
  • Bill Madden of the New York Daily News is more pessimistic – he doesn’t see the team’s internal center field options working out, nor does he consider the free agent signings wise.

Olney On The Free Agent Market

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ESPN’s Buster Olney has a great blog post up today with his musings about this winter’s free agent market.  Let’s take a look.

  • Industry people believe the current state of the economy might temper offseason spending.  We’ve already heard the rumblings that typically high-spending teams like the Angels, Tigers and Mariners backing off or holding the line on payroll.
  • Olney feels C.C. Sabathia could draw a $140MM offer from the Yankees, but something more in the $90-100MM range from the Angels or Dodgers.  So he may have to decide whether playing close to home is worth $30-50MM.
  • Olney extols the virtues of Derek Lowe, who could get a deal comparable to Jason Schmidt’s three years/$47MM.  That was two years, ago though…I think Scott Boras gets Lowe $18MM a year.
  • Olney considers this a strong market for starting pitching.  Maybe so, but we might see a lot of multiyear deals for injury-risk hurlers after Sabathia and Lowe sign.
  • Olney likes the match between the Cardinals and Brian Fuentes.  Other teams that could consider Fuentes: the Rays, Indians, and Brewers.
  • Olney is convinced the Yankees will offer Bobby Abreu arbitration but nothing more.  Abreu is comfortably set to earn Type A status.  If the Yanks offer arbitration, they’ll either get Abreu for one year and $16MM or so or they’ll get two draft picks.  In contrast, Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman have said they expect the Yankees to let Abreu leave.
  • Olney guesses the Red Sox will offer Jason Varitek two guaranteed years with a vesting option for 2011.  The Boston Globe’s Amalie Benjamin wrote in August that she expects Varitek to re-sign.

Heyman’s Latest: Sabathia, Roberts, Cain

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Here’s a look at the latest column from SI.com’s Jon Heyman.

  • One "Yankees person" believes it will take "crazy money" to convince C.C. Sabathia to pitch in New York and in the American League.
  • The following three names are being bandied about in the Yankees’ clubhouse for center field next year: Nate McLouth, David DeJesus, and Matt Kemp.  DeJesus seems the most reasonable target, though Robinson Cano could be part of a package for Kemp.  DeJesus, it should be noted, played a poor center field this year according to the plus/minus system.
  • Heyman doesn’t see the Yankees re-signing Jason Giambi or Bobby Abreu due to defensive concerns.
  • Heyman says the Brewers’ efforts to acquire Brian Roberts were more under the radar than the Cubs’.  GM Doug Melvin admitted Roberts’ name came up last spring, as the Orioles "were wanting to get [the Brewers] involved."
  • Heyman speculation…could the Giants send Matt Cain and another player to Milwaukee for Prince Fielder, and then sign Sabathia?  Or could the Rockies jump into the bidding for C.C.?
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