"Outfield Insurance"

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Y'know, in the sense of both "roster depth" and "every inning he plays helps preserve the outfield walls, because he sure as hell won't be running into them.

Welcome the latest devil with love to spare, the ageless Bobby Abreu.

[metirish]

In his prime he would have fitted the mold of hitter the org. likes?

and yes, Bobby is likely already having nightmares about the Pepsi Porch area.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

What do you suppose is the angle here? DH for interleague post-Duda/Davis trade? I don;t see it otherwise.

[seawolf17]

Character guy/"bench coach"/role model for the young'uns?

[Lefty Specialist]

Nostalgia for the 1999 Philadelphia Phillies, perhaps?



Outside of that, I got nuthin'.

[metirish]

seawolf17 wrote: Character guy/"bench coach"/role model for the young'uns?

this I think, sage advice in pitch selection, the opposite type of coaching that got Murph reprimanded last season

[Ceetar]

Vegas depth.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I think that's pretty much the thing. And, hey, if there proves to be more there, it'll be a dirt-cheap more.

[MFS62]

I'd bet his AB walk- up music isn't "The Wall".

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ceetar wrote: Vegas depth.

I agree.

[Frayed Knot]

I didn't like the way Abreu played the OF a decade or more ago when he was in his prime. Might have to shield the children from watching now that he's in his 40s.

[Edgy MD]

It's hard not to think of this as related to pre-trade maneuverings.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: It's hard not to think of this as related to pre-trade maneuverings.

Left handed pinch hitter, scary left fielder.
Could be Duda is on the move.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Word is that the Mets will be adding Abreu to the big league roster in time for tonight's game. No news yet (that I've seen) regarding who will go in order to make room for him.

[Edgy MD]

Probably not a good day to be named "Brown."

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'd guess Nuiwy goes down, being lefthanded and the most recent to have arrived.

The real question is whether Hefner will loan 53 for Abreu.

[G-Fafif]

Andrew suffers Brownout.

[bmfc1]

Brown goes down and with him, a big chunk of the righty power off the bench.
Bench: LH--Abreu, Nieuwenhuis
RH--Q, Recker, Satin

[G-Fafif]

Abreu will be ol' No. 53, in loving tribute to Jerry Manuel.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I guess they feel like with lagares down they need the centerfieldiness of Niuwy around to keep leads safe. Only seen a few innings of Chris Young's CF action but perhaps he's not great there.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I guess they feel like with lagares down they need the centerfieldiness of Niuwy around to keep leads safe. Only seen a few innings of Chris Young's CF action but perhaps he's not great there.

Just the opposite I think. Alderson signed Young in part because he could play center. Nieuwenhuis is the better defender over all though and might even be the better hitter.

of course, I suspect Brown's a better hitter than Abreu so really all bets are off.

You COULD play Granderson in CF though.

[Edgy MD]

I'm hoping and trying to be believing that he's better than we've seen. He looked troubled in the long shadows yesterday, but not without instincts.

Plus, of course, I don't want to fall into the trap that he suxx because he's not Lagares.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Ceetar wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I guess they feel like with lagares down they need the centerfieldiness of Niuwy around to keep leads safe. Only seen a few innings of Chris Young's CF action but perhaps he's not great there. Just the opposite I think. Alderson signed Young in part because he could play center. Nieuwenhuis is the better defender over all though and might even be the better hitter.

????

Uh

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I guess they feel like with lagares down they need the centerfieldiness of Niuwy around to keep leads safe. Only seen a few innings of Chris Young's CF action but perhaps he's not great there. Just the opposite I think. Alderson signed Young in part because he could play center. Nieuwenhuis is the better defender over all though and might even be the better hitter. ???? Uh

sorry, I deleted the 'than Brown' bit.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

ah.

Anyway, I'd bet Niuwy goes away when Lagares returns at any rate

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: ah. Anyway, I'd bet Niuwy goes away when Lagares returns at any rate

Where are we at with Lagaras? 9 more days looks like.

The way things stand now, yeah, probably, but if Kirk can get a couple of swings in and shows much of anything, they could get Jeremy Hefner's 53 back real fast.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I got no problem giving the job of pinch-hitting late inning doubles and drawing crucial walks to a 40-year-old if he can handle it. I think that's a job that's in fact better to be staffed by an ancient guy.

Now, I prefer my backup skill guys (SS, CF) to be as young as practicable in the event they are thrust into action.

But there's just no way Abreu is going to take starts away from the outfielders other than the rare breather. He and Nieuwenhuis aren't doing remotely the same thing.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I would say that Lagares should bump Eric from the starting lineup, Eric will bump Kirk from the bench, and Abreu will stick around, at least for a little while.

Is Juan progressing? I haven't heard any updates.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I got no problem giving the job of pinch-hitting late inning doubles and drawing crucial walks to a 40-year-old if he can handle it. I think that's a job that's in fact better to be staffed by an ancient guy. Now, I prefer my backup skill guys (SS, CF) to be as young as practicable in the event they are thrust into action. But there's just no way Abreu is going to take starts away from the outfielders other than the rare breather. He and Nieuwenhuis aren't doing remotely the same thing.

It's not so much about the role they're (probably) filling right now versus what they could be doing.

I'm sure Terry will actually start Abreu occasionally and use him too much. I'd rather Young and Nieuwenhuis than Young and Abreu as my outfield reserves. I just think that gives you more versatility all around. Satin might be able to handle the late inning doubles/walks bit anyway.


Juan tweeted today that he feels fine, so I was projecting a return after 15 days but it easily could be another week after that.

[Frayed Knot]

I'd start Abreu as rarely as possible both because of his age and his (lack of) OF prowess.
Besides, the good thing about using him late in games is that he'll take a walk as well as anyone and that tends to be a skill you don't lose with age.