I would think Abreu would have more of a negative impact on defense than Viciedo.

From MLB Trade Rumors:

First Basemen

Yuniesky Betancourt (33)
Billy Butler (29) – $12.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Michael Cuddyer (36)
Corey Hart (33)
Adam LaRoche (35) – $15MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
Adam Lind (31) – $7.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Mike Morse (33)
Carlos Pena (37)
Ty Wigginton (37)
Kevin Youkilis (36)

Designated Hitters
Billy Butler (29) – $12.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Ryan Doumit (34)
Adam Dunn (35)
Jonny Gomes (34)
Raul Ibanez (42)
Adam Lind (31) – $7.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Victor Martinez (35)
Delmon Young (29)

Stony seems to think Abreu is passable in the field. Give it at least a year to decide.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

In a small sample size, Abreu's defensive WAR is at -0.1 while Viciedo is at -0.3 Over his career, Viciedo would be roughly a -1.0 WAR defensively.

As suggested, this might be the best approach.

That list doesn't look too promising. Maybe they will make a bid for Kendrys Morales this year once the draft is complete.

I'm not sure how they calculate a 1B's dWAR, but do they take into account his affect on the rest of the infield's dWAR?

I don't get where this bad defensive first baseman stuff is coming from. He's certainly not going to remind anyone of JT Snow but he is far from a butcher. He'll be fine there for the next few years at least.

J.T. Snow was a bastard.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

AL player of the week; http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... b&c_id=mlb

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AL Co-Player of the Week.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Poll is sort of unfair...not much of a middle ground.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

I wonder who the worst player to ever have 10 HR, 31 RBI in less than a month was.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I'm not going to do the research but I'd have to think Mark Whitten hit those numbers at some point in a months or less time

edit: assuming you weren't narrowing it to the first month of a player's career.

Well, Abreu will never be able to take away Castro's MLB record for most RBI in his major league debut.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

No I just mean any month long stretch. That seems almost too good to be a "fluke"

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

kevin maas

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Excellent interview with Rick Hahn on Mondays "The Baseball Tonight" podcast with Buster Olney plus some added comments from Jerry Crasnick. Well worth the download and listen.

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well, anything specific we need to know?

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Yeah a couple details might be nice.

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Elections have consequences.

It has happened 274 in baseball history where a player in a given month has had 10 or more HRs and 31 or more RBI.

The leaders are

Based on HR
Sammy Sosa 20 HR 40 RBI June 1998
Rudy York 18 HR 50 RBI August 1937

Based on RBI
Joe DiMaggio 14 HR 53 RBI August 1939
Hack Wilson 13 HR 53 RBI August 1930

Lots of HOF guys on the list but a few oddities

Harlond Clift 15 HR 34 RBI August 1938
Clyde Vollmer 13 HR 40 RBI July 1951
Richard Hidalgo 11 HR 32 RBI Sept/Oct 2000

and even Jose's manager

Robin Ventura 12 HR 33 RBI July 1991

Babe Ruth did it 15 Times
Lou Gerigh 14 times
Jimmy Foxx 13 times

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This is why you are irreplaceable here

I remember Craig Jeffries and Mass being touted as the future.

One of, if not my absolute favorite steroid era player.

44 home runs

Abreu is not a fluke. He's a good power hitter who might be great.


My only hesitation is that he hasn't been seen by pitchers twice yet. Well see if he adjusts. I think he will and he'll end up hitting 35 homers for the next 5 years, but you never know about that initial mlb readjustment

agreed, give him 2 years n see how he looks, nearly anyone can play first base .

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Gotta assume every pitcher in the A.L. has been reading all the scouting reports on him watching tape etc...he's leading the majors in hrs n RBI ...the pitchers have the advantage now, after he sees them a few times...he will reverse that. The guy can crush the ball..he's a star.

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Detroit had a rookie 5-6 years ago who started real hot, led the A.L. in hr-rbi I believe n then disappeared ...never heard of him since...can't even remember his name .

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I've seen too many guys start out killing the ball the first time around and then get humbled, its a humbling game.

Like I said I think hell be great but we don't know yet. Lots of guys have looked like stars for a month

That would be Chris Shelton April 2006 10 HR 20 RBI in 25 games

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Maybe it was just his first series (against the Cubs?) but Jeffrey Leonard started gangbusters for Braves and then just average.

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Elections have consequences.

Abroo will adjust. He's made in game adjustments from at bat to at bat. I don't think he'll hit 60 HRs and have 180RBIs, but his numbers will be damn good.

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