Should The Yankees Bring Back Abreu?
Secondary Average (SEC) measures batting/offensive components that are not measured in batting average. The formula is: (TB-H+BB+SB)/AB
Here are Bobby Abreu’s SEC marks for the last five years, with 2008 being “to-date” -
Year SEC 2004 .533 2005 .440 2006 .445 2007 .342 2008 .308
Note that his SEC has gone down, pretty much every year, for the last five years.
Now, a SEC average of .300 is not the end of the world. Since 2004, Johnny Damon, Lyle Overbay, Vernon Wells, and Kevin Millar have all had a SEC around three hundred. But, clearly, Abreu’s bat is in decline mode.
When you factor in the way Abreu plays the outfield, there’s a lot for the Yankees to consider…in terms of whether or not to bring him back in 2009 (and beyond).
All told, it probably makes more sense to play Xavier Nady in RF next season, use Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui to cover left, and get someone to play center field until Austin Jackson might be ready.
I don’t know about you, but I feel like Abreu is one of the few guys that can get, and has gotten, big hits. I don’t get the feeling like somethin bad is going to happen when RISP with him. A-Rod, however, I feel like is gonna GIDP everytime a man is on first. If not for Jeter taking 2nd on defensive indifference (which seemed like a dumb move to me why not give a throw down), A-rod would have GIDP to end the game last night.
No way they should bring him back. SG had him at -20 runs in the field and he looks every bit that bad. Though he’s 35 next year, has a declining bat, and will definitely require a multi-year deal, some idiot will sign him. I just hope it’s not our idiot.
2 years i’d give him, no more than that
This team needs offense and to let the guy who will probably lead them in RBI’s and his a 300 hitter go seems pretty foolish.
This team is on pace for 150 less runs. What’s the plan to replace his offense? Melky?? Gardner??
This is what happens when you neglect the farm system for a decade, Cashman.
No way he caused -20 runs on defense in the field. He might suck but theres no way he’s cost the team 20 runs. Maybe 5 at the most. -20 means he’d have to botch at least 15- 20 balls and then all those plays would have to lead to a run. You can’t judge OF defense with a SABR stat.
Given the other options for CF, then Nady LF /Damon CF /Abreu LF is about 100 times better than Damon/Matsui some bum in CF and Abreu in RF.
I don’t see this declining bat from Abreu that everyone else claims to see…I just think people are overrating what he used to be in the past. He never has been a great power hitter. His value has always been in OBP and batting in front of A-Rod means pitchers are going to go right after him most of the time.
Year AVG OBP SLG OPS OPS+
2005: .286 .405 .474 .879 126
2006: .297 .424 .462 .886 126
2007: .283 .369 .445 .814 114
2008: .299 .371 .460 .831 120
Bottom line, if you look at the list of available free agent outfielders for the winters of 2008 and 2009, Abreu is better than all other available players. To dump him just to bring back a cruddier player would make no sense to me.
Abreu isn’t a great fielder and his bat is declining, and yet he’s still putting up a 123 OPS+ in 2008.
No, antone, those are the numbers. He’s been every bit as bad as his ZR bears out. He needs to do some landscaping for Urbina.
No, antone, those are the numbers. He’s been every bit as bad as his ZR bears out. He needs to do some landscaping for Urbina.
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Yes numbers based on what? I watch almost every Yankee game and can’t recall him making more than MAYBE 5-10 bad plays that cost the Yankees a run. Not to mention that gives no credit to his arm, which is excellent.
Zone Rating doesn’t tell me who was on base and if that guy scored, or if the player who hit the ball scored eventually, it doesn’t tell me if Cano went way out in RF and didn’t call for the ball but caught it anyway cutting into Abreu’s range….etc etc etc
I’d love to see the defensive metric you developed, link?
It’s called watching with your own eyes and having played an actual baseball game before to know that it would be very hard for one OF to cost his team 20 runs throughout the season.
SABR stats are good for hitting but I don’t think they are any good for determining how many runs a defensive player saves or costs his team. To me defense is something you have to see with your own eyes to get the true value of a players defense.
I have seen with my own eyes and he’s terrible. Perhaps you should get yours checked.