11-20-2009, 02:51 PM
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->If Hendry waited out the market, he could have landed Abreu for 1 year at $8M.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
NO. He couldn't. Why can't people understand Abreu's signing is a complete anomaly?
When Ibanez, Bradley, and Dunn signed, Abreu had NO leverage. None. No one needed him. The Angels had Matthews, Guerrero, and Hunter in their OF. They also had Juan Rivera, Kendry Morales and Brandon Wood. They had no NEED for a DH or for an OF. None. Abreu had no one else to sign with. If he said to the Angels, I want 2 years, 24 million, they'd politely say "Fuck you, we have an OF. Here's 5 million. Take it or leave it". You'll notice Abreu signed with LAA the day after Dunn signed officially with the Nats.
If the Cubs have waited out the market, and come to Abreu with an offer of 8 million, he would have politely said "Fuck you, I'm your only option, I want a 3 year deal". And what would the Cubs response have been? "Fuck you, were going with Fuld and Johnson"? Not much of a threat there. Abreu would have had all the leverage. The Cubs would have had none. Or, the exact opposite of the Angels situation.
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Nobody was worried about him choking Len Kasper -- everyone was worried about his health. That wasn't really a concern with Ibanez.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes, and that drove down his signing price. But to assume it drove it down to 2/13 seems preposterous to me. He was troubled at this time last year, not toxic.
NO. He couldn't. Why can't people understand Abreu's signing is a complete anomaly?
When Ibanez, Bradley, and Dunn signed, Abreu had NO leverage. None. No one needed him. The Angels had Matthews, Guerrero, and Hunter in their OF. They also had Juan Rivera, Kendry Morales and Brandon Wood. They had no NEED for a DH or for an OF. None. Abreu had no one else to sign with. If he said to the Angels, I want 2 years, 24 million, they'd politely say "Fuck you, we have an OF. Here's 5 million. Take it or leave it". You'll notice Abreu signed with LAA the day after Dunn signed officially with the Nats.
If the Cubs have waited out the market, and come to Abreu with an offer of 8 million, he would have politely said "Fuck you, I'm your only option, I want a 3 year deal". And what would the Cubs response have been? "Fuck you, were going with Fuld and Johnson"? Not much of a threat there. Abreu would have had all the leverage. The Cubs would have had none. Or, the exact opposite of the Angels situation.
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Nobody was worried about him choking Len Kasper -- everyone was worried about his health. That wasn't really a concern with Ibanez.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes, and that drove down his signing price. But to assume it drove it down to 2/13 seems preposterous to me. He was troubled at this time last year, not toxic.
I wish that I believed in Fate. I wish I didn't sleep so late. I used to be carried in the arms of cheerleaders.