Bobby Abreu

to something painful, but since the ball made its way to the backstop without taking off a chunk of Bobby Abreu’s face, all’s good in the hood. Let me make a pop culture reference to help you better understand. Remember the scene in Top Gun when Maverick buzzed the tower? Sure, it was dangerous, but since Maverick didn’t actually crash into the tower, it really wasn’t that big of a deal, now was it? Beckett didn’t hit Abreu. He sent a message that loosely translated into “Even though I took forever to deliver the pitch, if you wanted to call timeout, you should have done it before I began my motion. You had plenty of time.” If the bodies that rule baseball decide to disallow the pitchers’ right to brush a guy off the plate, which has been suggested by some, it will have a steroid-like effect. If a batter can stand in the box and hover over the plate with no fear of catching one with their body rather than their bat, offensive numbers will increase in a game where hitting already dominates its counterpart.

Continue reading "Beckett Simply Keeping with Tradition"

Ichiro.

And the top spot goes to...

1-Anaheim Angels: RF-Vladimir Guerrero, CF-Torii Hunter, LF-Bobby Abreu

Clearly this is a veteran group, dare I say "old"? 

Regardless, all three rank in the top ten at their positions, and the Abreu addition really improves a trio that would have included the enigmatic Gary Matthews Jr.

Continue reading "MLB's Top Five Outfields"

en, the group of guys surrounding A-Rod (Jeter, Matsui, Giambi, Damon, Robinson Cano, Jorge Posada, Bobby Abreu) is just as good if not better than Manny's supporting cast.

Next, you have to consider Manny Ramirez's super human streak of flat out ridiculously productive seasons.  For almost 12 years now (with only a little bit of variance), all Manny has done at the plate is hit at least 30 homers a season, drive in 100 runs per year, all while hitting .300(ish) or better and get on base more than 40% of the time.  There was also a ridiculous stretch between 1999 and 2006 where his low mark for OPS (that's on base % plus slugging for those who don't know) was .982, which for 90% of Major League hitters would be a career year.  

Continue reading "Just Hit"

On the other site I write for, I got into it with a Phillies fan over the way Phils fans ride players right out of town. After defending Dick Allen, the irascible 60s slugger who earned nothing but scorn from Philly fans in spite of his powerful numbers, I offered some more modern examples of guys who have earned the scorn of Phillies fans. First was Abreu, a nice enough guy with a good eye and little pop and whose biggest flaw seems to be his tendency to take a walk, rather than swing at a pitch outside the zone. Phillies fans ran him out of town on a rail.

Continue reading "Pat Burrell vs. Bobby Abreu"

r damage and then proceeds to 'plunk' Derek Jeter and give up a subsequent home run to Bobby Abreu in the second inning. 6-0, Yanks. Matsui drives another run in in the third and it's 7-0 before Boston responds. Chris Carter singles and then, Brandon Moss hits a long fly ball to left field. Damon's playing there and loses the ball in the sun. He's still looking for it when it drops just in front of the left field fence behind him and Moss ends up on second. Julio Lugo ground outs (nice play by Jeter), scoring Carter for the first Sox run.

Continue reading "And so it begins. . .Boston Red Sox ..."