Cuban first baseman Jose Abreu has been so impressive
playing for the Cuban National Team that when he officially declared a MLB free
agent every team in baseball sent someone to see him in his various showcases.
These were teams that had obvious needs at first base and/or designated hitter
as well as teams that had the positions well filled. The obviously strong interest
was fueled even further by teams in need of a power bat that could not afford
to part with a top draft pick to sign free agents who received a qualifying
offer.
Despite all the interest the scouting reports on Abreu
have skewed a bit negative. Most of them seem to focus on the report from
Baseball America which states that Abreu seemed to struggle against quality
fastballs located on the inner third of the plate. This is a weakness that many
major leaguers have and one that does not necessarily destroy his potential as
a high average masher. He may certainly struggle against the frontline starters
with impeccable control but doesn’t everyone? Many major league starters
struggle to consistently locate their fastballs. Abreu could also be coached to
take a half step away from the plate.
I think it is helpful to note that several teams were
involved in the bidding. Depending on which reports you buy into it is possible
that as many as seven teams bid more than 50 million for Abreu. Those teams
seem to include organizations such as the Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and
Houston Astros – organizations that at this point we should have learned to
trust when it comes to scouting and player evaluation.
I first heard of Abreu when I saw Clay Davenport’s
Cuban Player Translations. Take a look at these stats and I think you will
be quite impressed. Clay Davenport of course one of the best analyst in the
business and his translations well worth your attention.
What should be emphasized from almost every report is
that Abreu despite average bat speed, has advanced hitting skills and
tremendous power. I fully expect him to hit for a quality batting average and
above average power as he adjusts to the majors. The hype created by previous
Cuban imports like Yoanis Cespedes and Yasier Puig not only fed into the free
agent frenzy but will also drive up his fantasy cost this coming season. I will
be a buyer as long as the price stays reasonable. If he costs the same as other
established power hitters I’d rather have one of them then the newbie, wouldn’t
you?
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