Thursday, August 09, 2012

Bobby Abreu Goes To The Isotopes

Not the most uplifting article, sure. But Deadspin picked up today that with an absence of other suitors, Abreu is sticking with the Dodgers' organization:

Bobby Abreu, designated for assignment by the Dodgers after the trade deadline, agreed today to join the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. He probably doesn't mind all that much, because he'll still make the $9 million the Angels guaranteed him back in 2009. Maybe he'd feel embarrassed being released for the second time in a season. Those same Angels dumped him back in April, and they've gone on to lead the AL in team OPS+. The guy who took Abreu's roster spot, Mike Trout, had a bit of a hand in that. So Abreu will do his thing in Albuquerque and wait for a call-up.

What's funny about Abreu is that, even at his vastly diminished 38, he has one superlative skill. He had a .359 on-base percentage in 209 plate appearances with the Dodgers. If he had enough at-bats to qualify for the leaderboard, he'd be 16th in the NL. Last year he had a .353 on-base, the year before that .352, the year before that .390. Sure, everything else—the speed, the power, the arm—has vanished. But he could still be a fine leadoff hitter for a quirky team.

I'm still bummed out that it's Abreu who was DFAd, and not someone else on this Dodgers team.

11 comments:

Fred's Brim said...

I am happy to hear this

Fred's Brim said...

He is still the best bat off the bench in our organization

Fred's Brim said...

*cries*

Franklin Stubbs said...

I'd take almost anyone on the Isotopes roster over a certain someone we won't mention.

spank said...

*dry humps Mitch Kupchak*

DodgersKingsoftheGalaxy said...

I know i know "they all suck so why complain" but they can't even do the small things right. Abreu has the OBP and once in a while a HR threat. Gwynn at least gives you speed and defense. Meanwhile we still have these sad sacks of ____ in AK, JU, JL, JR who don't give you jack.

Hideo Nomo said...

@DKoG: Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness had some interesting speculation on that topic:

"Now, I’ll admit that if Sands isn’t going to play, I’d much rather him getting regular time in Albuquerque than riding the bench in Los Angeles. But what concerns me is that it’s hard not to look at this situation and not see signs of a larger problem. Ned Colletti refuses to free us of the scourge of Juan Uribe, and Don Mattingly responds by absolutely refusing to play him, with just one appearance as a defensive replacement in more than two weeks – and Mattingly is absolutely right to do so, even if it means playing the quickly-descending Cruz. Colletti cuts a popular if flawed player in Gwynn in order to get a potentially powerful bat in Sands up for a series with two lefty pitchers, and Mattingly barely plays him either, refusing to give up on the execrable Rivera. Are there signs that the front office and bench aren’t totally on the same page? I can’t say that I have any hard evidence to point to, but something smells weird here."

Steve Sax said...

Something smells weird? Maybe it's time for me to clean out the refrigerator.

(insert Uribe joke here)

Hideo Nomo said...

I tried to insert a Uribe joke there, but it didn't fit.

Steve Sax said...

Just take out the RBI from uRIBe.

I mean, he already has.

Hideo Nomo said...

Yeah, you try to take a RIB away from Uribe.