Comments on: Trade deadline zero hour and a more level-headed look at Bobby Abreu http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/ Media, Baseball, Boston, the Red Sox, Music, Literature, and Mnookins Fri, 16 May 2008 22:03:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: The Feeding the Monster Blog — In which the author discusses Boston, the Red Sox, the media, and very occasionally popular music. » Why is this night different… http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/#comment-121626 Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:20:48 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/#comment-121626 [...] That’s a silly question, of course: it’s trade deadline season, and for the first time in years, we’re not all wondering where Manny Ramirez is going to be playing come August 1. (More on that — or more on that from years past — later.) Last year, I had plenty to say about the Sox’s trades (er, non-trades), including my claim that Bobby Abreu was little more than an overpaid version of Kevin Youkilis. (Turns out I was being too generous to Abreu.) Despite a MLB-leading record of 64-41, the Red Sox do, unquestionably, have holes; just as unquestionably, the good men and women down on Ye Olde Yawkey Way are scrambling to find ways to fill them. We’ll all hear about whatever does or doesn’t go down soon enough…and there’ll be plenty of time for talking then. [...] […] That’s a silly question, of course: it’s trade deadline season, and for the first time in years, we’re not all wondering where Manny Ramirez is going to be playing come August 1. (More on that — or more on that from years past — later.) Last year, I had plenty to say about the Sox’s trades (er, non-trades), including my claim that Bobby Abreu was little more than an overpaid version of Kevin Youkilis. (Turns out I was being too generous to Abreu.) Despite a MLB-leading record of 64-41, the Red Sox do, unquestionably, have holes; just as unquestionably, the good men and women down on Ye Olde Yawkey Way are scrambling to find ways to fill them. We’ll all hear about whatever does or doesn’t go down soon enough…and there’ll be plenty of time for talking then. […]

]]> by: YouksCanDoIt http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/#comment-171 Tue, 01 Aug 2006 17:31:57 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/#comment-171 Hate the Yankees and all, but how can one do a “more level-headed look at Bobby Abreu” and post his stat line, but not include OBP? Hate the Yankees and all, but how can one do a “more level-headed look at Bobby Abreu” and post his stat line, but not include OBP?

]]> by: Benjamin Kabak http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/#comment-159 Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:13:53 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/#comment-159 Seth: You claim this to be a "more level-headed look at Bobby Abreu," but the you write this: <blockquote>As I said yesterday, the flip side of that philosophy is not thinking about the future. It’s been that attitude that has left the Yankees, with far and away the biggest payroll in baseball, rich in older, overpaid players on the downside of their careers and poor in younger, cheaper, fresher talent with their best years ahead of them. And it’s been that attitude that’s produced two first-round departures, one ALCS collapse, and a pair of World Series losses over the last five years.</blockquote> Take a look again at what the Yankees did — or in this case, didn't — give up to get Abreu. Sure, they may be poorer in younger, cheaper, fresher talent, but do you really think any of the four guys they gave up are going to amount to much. Matt Smith is a situational lefty; C.J. Henry is a total flop; and the other two Minor Leaguers don't even warrant the prospect lable. Sure, the Yanks are a bit older and have yet another outfielder on the downside of their career. But they just landed an on-base machine and didn't have to give up Philip Hughes, Jose Tabata, Tyler Clippard or even Melky Cabrera or Eric Duncan to land him (not to mention Wang and Cano). You can try to spin this in favor of your Red Sox, but you're going to have a tough time convincing <em>anyone</em> the Yanks shouldn't have made this trade. Seth: You claim this to be a “more level-headed look at Bobby Abreu,” but the you write this:
As I said yesterday, the flip side of that philosophy is not thinking about the future. It’s been that attitude that has left the Yankees, with far and away the biggest payroll in baseball, rich in older, overpaid players on the downside of their careers and poor in younger, cheaper, fresher talent with their best years ahead of them. And it’s been that attitude that’s produced two first-round departures, one ALCS collapse, and a pair of World Series losses over the last five years.

Take a look again at what the Yankees did — or in this case, didn’t — give up to get Abreu. Sure, they may be poorer in younger, cheaper, fresher talent, but do you really think any of the four guys they gave up are going to amount to much. Matt Smith is a situational lefty; C.J. Henry is a total flop; and the other two Minor Leaguers don’t even warrant the prospect lable.

Sure, the Yanks are a bit older and have yet another outfielder on the downside of their career. But they just landed an on-base machine and didn’t have to give up Philip Hughes, Jose Tabata, Tyler Clippard or even Melky Cabrera or Eric Duncan to land him (not to mention Wang and Cano). You can try to spin this in favor of your Red Sox, but you’re going to have a tough time convincing anyone the Yanks shouldn’t have made this trade.

]]> by: zoowah http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/#comment-158 Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:09:02 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/#comment-158 Here's hoping you're right, Seth. I'll buy you a case of The Pride of Milton if you are. In the meantime, we remain very, very, very depressed. A 4 p.m. press conference would be a real mood elevator. Here’s hoping you’re right, Seth. I’ll buy you a case of The Pride of Milton if you are.

In the meantime, we remain very, very, very depressed. A 4 p.m. press conference would be a real mood elevator.

]]> by: the scooter http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/#comment-157 Mon, 31 Jul 2006 18:52:19 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/07/31/trade-deadline-zero-hour-and-a-more-level-headed-look-at-bobby-abreu/#comment-157 holy cow! seth, abreu's gonna spend half his time playing defense. he's got an excellent arm and will stop runners from going from first to third base, which hasn't been done very often by yankee OFs this season. no good stats for that one. but it will make a difference. holy cow! seth, abreu’s gonna spend half his time playing defense. he’s got an excellent arm and will stop runners from going from first to third base, which hasn’t been done very often by yankee OFs this season. no good stats for that one. but it will make a difference.

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