In Buster Olney’s latest (ESPN), Olney notes that Bobby Abreu will likely have to reduce his demands if he actually wants to play this season. Our buddy Bobby was looking for $16 million per year, a price that the Yanks simply weren’t interested in paying. Now, in this market, he’ll be lucky to get Raul Ibanez money. In fact, a 1-year deal is probably all he’ll get and Olney believes that Abreu is now willing to accept that outcome, as it will help him find a home for 2009.
Furthermore, Olney had the following to say about Adam Dunn:
Dunn might draw interest from the Yankees, a team for which he is perfectly suited, if they could shed the contracts of two of Xavier Nady, Hideki Matsui and Nick Swisher
They’d have to lose Matsui and Nady in order to pick up Dunn. With Swisher in right, Dunn could easily slot into the DH role. However, Matsui is the biggest “problem” in acquiring Dunn, as he has a no-trade clause and costs $13 million, a figure that would be hard to move in the current market (unless you eat about $5-6 million of the salary). It’s possible, but highly unlikely. If you’re Dunn, you know the Yankees will likely call you for next year, so why not take a 1-year deal and wait for November.
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4 Responses to Olney: Bobby must swallow pride, Dunn "perfectly suited" for Yanks
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TIQ IQ
I know Dunn is a sabermetrician’s wet dream, but he’s just too much on an all-or-nothing guy for me. I’d rather have a guy with some bat control that is more of a contact hitter.
Dun only makes sense as the DH, because his defense gives back a lot of his value. So how is he perfectly suited to play for a team that has a surplus at any position he might occupy? Just because of the short porch in right? Silly.
Good point, M. The whole short porch phenomenon has been so overrated historically. So many guys come here billed as being perfectly suited to take advantage of the short porch but it rarely boosts their output. Either they become obsessed with it and it changes their whole approach (see Jason Giambi) or they just ignore it and it adds maybe 1 or 2 hr per year to a lefty, tops.
If we could deal maybe one of the current outfielders, what are the chances we could sign Bobby Abreu?
I think he would be a far better valute as a 5-hole hitter than the 3-hole hitter he was last year, and good protection for A-Rod.