Comments on: No talks with Abreu

By: frank cracolice

frank cracolice — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:58:32 +0000

Yeah, Abreu was never going to be confused with Clemente as a rightfielder, but the simple fact is that although NYY is replete with dh types, none would produce or has produced what Bobby has and would. So, the fault lies with NYY to not have found a way to nudge him over there; he still runs better than most on the team and one way to keep him FAR away from the outfield wall is to DH him. Call Goodwill and have them back up the truck for one of the “DH-me-or I’ll-embarrass-you types. Bobby A. gave Arod a lot more ammo than Arod used last season, for sure. Bobby’s leaving will create some flexibility, perhaps, but his staying and a couple of others going would have done that. And he is an offensive force who would be better compared to his contemporaries than to his younger, more athletic self.

By: Greg C

Greg C — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:25:48 +0000

Am I missing something about Nady replacing Abreu? They were both on the team last year and both played full-time. They haven’t added any outfielders. Damon is not a good center fielder. The young CFs can’t hit or are at least unproven. I guess they probably do have too many RFs, but regardless they need to add a CF. If getting rid of Abreu means Nady in RF and getting a CF, that sounds good. Otherwise I would rather have Abreu in RF and have Nady play LF with Damon splitting CF with Gardner and spelling Nady in LF and picking up some DH ABs and actual rest.

By: David

David — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:24:55 +0000

Given the failure of the 2008 Yankees to produce runs, it is absurd to me that Bobby Abreu would not fit into their plans for 2009. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have to consider Cashman a total failure as a GM. His success to failure ratio is very low, and bottom line, he does not seem to understand the game. I’m sick of his pathetic act.

By: YankeeDiva

YankeeDiva — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:00:21 +0000

I don’t get all the complaints….where the biggest gripes with the Yankees that 1) Their payroll was to large and out of control and 2) They were ‘too old’ and needed some younger blood?

So Cashman and co (and I’m sure he didn’t come to this decision on his own) decided not to offer arb to two of the older more expensive players. Instead they more focused on quality starting pitching and using younger cheaper players in the field. What if both players had accepted arb then where would the Yankees be in their overall plan?

By: no.27

no.27 — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:50:28 +0000

People that are defending Cashman’s decision to not offer arbitration to Abreu, Pudge, and Marte are not addressing the point that if they accept arbitration, the Yankees can cut them 16 days before the season starts and only pay them for 30 days. I’m not sure how many days an MLB contract is based on, but I figure it’s at least 180 days. That would mean the Yankees would have to pay less than 17% of what the arbitrator decides the player should get. The percentage could even be less.

That means that if Abreu was awarded a $17 million contract, the Yankees could tell him that if he accepted it, they would cut him. He would get less than $3 million from the Yankees. He’d be looking for a new team 16 days before the season starts when most teams would have their budgets set.

Pudge would be in the same boat. Let’s say he gets a raise and the arbitrator gives him a $14 million contract. He would get $2.3 million from the Yankees. He ends up losing money.

The Marte contract seems like a mistake too. I don’t think there’s any way he takes a 1 year arbitration deal based on what Affeldt got a few weeks ago. They definitely could have gotten 2 picks for him, and as valuable as a lefty reliever is, Coke looked pretty good last year and the bullpen is strong anyway.

And, what’s the reason to not offer arbitration to Mussina?

http://baseball.suite101.com/a.....tion_works

By: Wiseman

Wiseman — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:25:43 +0000

To the people who think Pudge would have taken the arb. I repeat the risk would have been 2 months salary and he would have been insurance for Posada. No way Boras takes the risk with IRod that the Yanks cut him loose in March and pay him 60 days salary when they see Posada is ok. If the Yanks diod that then IRod would get maybe a $1MM deal that late, whcih would give him about $3.5MM for the year. Boras would NOT have put him in that situation. On Abreu, it doesn’t matter if he would have gotten $16MM, he wasn’t taken a 1 year deal. He will get 2 or 3 years and about $30MM to $40MM. No way he accepts arbitration.

By: PAT M

PAT M — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:09:24 +0000

Drive, I respect what your saying…But his numbers were dipping at an alarming rate…..By no means does he repaet 08 as he failed to repeat 07 in 08…..He’s a player in decline offensively and I rest my case in regards to the leather….I do know that SJ was certain that the club would offer him trition, but was quite clear that he’d reject it as was many here myself included….But the climate has changed alot since the end on the season…Never the less, I just think the team will be better off without him in 09 and certainly 2010…..100 rbi’s in 600 ab’s is not all that impressive considering who hits in front of him and behind him…..

By: dave

dave — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:02:21 +0000

Im sure cashman has the next world series ring up his sleeve somewhere – he is a magician. Cant you tell from the playoff success the team has had under his direct control.

By: dave

dave — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:58:26 +0000

Dunn is not so good in left field . He gives us walks and power but he bats left and he rarely makes contact outside of the homerun. Id pass.

By: dave

dave — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:53:51 +0000

old yanksfan

Every blog I have read including mlbtraderumors and riveraveblues (two of the better sites) seem very surprised that this went down the way it did. Most everyone was expecting the yanks to risk arb to get two high draft picks. And before today, not too many people considered it very likely abreu would accept. Im not the only one who is a little shocked by the news. And yes, i guess the FO knows something there not telling us. And it isn’t that abreu is re-signing or that we are getting the picks some other way. I cant say I was dying to have abreu back for 16 million but i do love first round draft picks.