Phillies trade Bobby Abreu to Yankees
The New York Yankees acquired All-Star right fielder Bobby Abreu and starting pitcher Cory Lidle from the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday for four minor league prospects.
Desperate for pitching and a productive bat in their depleted outfield, the Yankees took on Abreu’s hefty contract, hoping he can help them catch first-place Boston in the AL East.
A .301 career hitter, Abreu fills a major void in the lineup. New York has been without injured outfielders Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui for most of the season.
He might be a career .301 hitter, but so far this season he’s hitting a mediocre .277 with an anemic 8 homers. And for this he’s going to make $13.5 million this season. Melky Cabrera is hitting .288 with 4 homers and is earning around $320,000. Is New York that much better off with Abreu?
The smart choice would have been to keep Cabrera and spend the $13 million on a bionic wrist for Gary Sheffield.
Yankees get OF, pitching help with Abreu, Lidle (CBS Sportsline)
Trade clouds Sheffield’s future (MLB.com)
