Sign Avi to a long term contract?

[chitownsportsfan]

By contrast, Avisail Garcia puts up 2,000 PA of sub-replacement level production that is caused almost entirely by his total inability to choose the correct pitches at which to swing. All his coaches know this and have presumably been telling him and working with him to change it. He comes out this year and swings at exactly the same amount of s*** pitches, but carries a .410 BABIP and and an Adam Dunn-ian 22% HR/FB rate, and he rakes. He's the exact same type of hitter that he's been his entire career, with much better results.

 

You should look at the update on my Avi thread from earlier. He's carrying the same APPROACH but his swing is much improved. His pulling more balls, lifting more balls into the air and overall he's making way better consistent contact on fastballs up in the zone -- something he struggled with mightily early in his career.

 

Everybody knows you throw Jose Abreu junk down and away once you get ahead in the count: but you make a mistake a fastball or leave a breaking ball up and more often than not he'll cream it. He's not the most disciplined hitter but he sure can hit mistakes.

 

Same thing applies to Avi this year. In previous years Avi didn't punish mistakes -- for whatever reason he couldn't catch up to fastballs in the zone and he was constantly either missing them entirely or hitting them into the dirt.

[Eminor3rd]

You should look at the update on my Avi thread from earlier. He's carrying the same APPROACH but his swing is much improved. His pulling more balls, lifting more balls into the air and overall he's making way better consistent contact on fastballs up in the zone -- something he struggled with mightily early in his career.

 

Everybody knows you throw Jose Abreu junk down and away once you get ahead in the count: but you make a mistake a fastball or leave a breaking ball up and more often than not he'll cream it. He's not the most disciplined hitter but he sure can hit mistakes.

 

Same thing applies to Avi this year. In previous years Avi didn't punish mistakes -- for whatever reason he couldn't catch up to fastballs in the zone and he was constantly either missing them entirely or hitting them into the dirt.

 

Right, if he's gotten physically better and is able to consistently damage those pitches so much despite similar swing patterns, he's for real -- at least until the pitchers adjust. We just need to see way more of it to come to that conclusion.

[caulfield12]

http://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/...hames-hot-start

 

One of the many articles detailing Thames' adjustments/changes in approach...the crazy thing is how the Brewers have stayed in this race while Thames wasn't doing anything and Braun was out.

 

 

 

As for Avi vs. Thames, to me a lot depends on Avi's eventually defensive position or whether he ends up at DH. And how that affects him psychologically, rather than being involved in the game every inning. You get the sense he has a ton of energy and needs to be out in the field.

 

How much is the five year age difference worth going forward?

[Lemon_44]

The Sox have a 25 year old starting to live up to his potential and there's talk of trading him??????????????? For a 30 year old?????????????

 

I predicted Avi would do this last year. Guess I was off by a year. You don't trade guys that have gone through the growing pains and are starting to get it. My guess was if he was on the Astros, or some other team Quintana has been rumored with, most fans would say Avi has to be included in any deal with the numbers he's putting up this year.

[ChiSox1917]

If Avi keeps this up through july the question becomes whether you sign him long term as melkys eventual LF replacement or include him as a sweetener in any Q or Robertson trades to gut another teams farm. Would the Nats give up Robles for Robertson if Avi is included?

[Steve9347]

The Sox should be looking to cash in on Avi. Find someone who needs a bat this summer and turn him into 3 assets. They should also be cashing in on Jose Abreu given he's so much older than the new core.

[ChiSox1917]

The Sox should be looking to cash in on Avi. Find someone who needs a bat this summer and turn him into 3 assets. They should also be cashing in on Jose Abreu given he's so much older than the new core.

 

Abreus not going anywhere anytime soon with Moncada and Robert now in the org

[Bob Sacamano]

The Sox should be looking to cash in on Avi. Find someone who needs a bat this summer and turn him into 3 assets. They should also be cashing in on Jose Abreu given he's so much older than the new core.

 

Agreed 100%. I would deal Abreu if blown away with an offer.

[Panerista]

The Sox should be looking to cash in on Avi. Find someone who needs a bat this summer and turn him into 3 assets. They should also be cashing in on Jose Abreu given he's so much older than the new core.

I get that from a tangibles point of view, but the White Sox should probably try to keep him happy and he will likely make up his value in taking care of the younger guys. It also helps that he's not our most valuable tradable asset by a long shot.

 

If we were talking NL, I think I would agree with you, but with the DH we can hide Abreu just fine longer term.

Edited May 23, 2017 by Sox-35th

[Eminor3rd]

I think Jose Abreu is a guy who has more value to us than he has to the rest of the league. First base production is actually way up this year league-wide (so far), and even a team with a big hole there will only pay so much for what is essentially average-ish production from the position. For us though, he's a really mature and likeable guy for the fans, he's a calming and popular leadership presence in the clubhouse, he's a role model and familiar face to our top Cuban prospects, and he's paid fairly. Certainly, if someone wants to overpay, we'd have to consider, but I'd plan on keeping him around for the duration, honestly.

 

Avi, on the other hand -- if he keeps this up into trade season and someone is willing to pay for THIS YEAR'S production, we should ABSOLUTELY try to cash in. But I think that any acquiring team is going to look at the same numbers we are and will price the risk of regression into their offers. Ultimately, it'll probably make more sense to keep him around given what I'd expect the offers to be.

[Bob Sacamano]

I think Jose Abreu is a guy who has more value to us than he has to the rest of the league. First base production is actually way up this year league-wide (so far), and even a team with a big hole there will only pay so much for what is essentially average-ish production from the position. For us though, he's a really mature and likeable guy for the fans, he's a calming and popular leadership presence in the clubhouse, he's a role model and familiar face to our top Cuban prospects, and he's paid fairly. Certainly, if someone wants to overpay, we'd have to consider, but I'd plan on keeping him around for the duration, honestly.

 

Avi, on the other hand -- if he keeps this up into trade season and someone is willing to pay for THIS YEAR'S production, we should ABSOLUTELY try to cash in. But I think that any acquiring team is going to look at the same numbers we are and will price the risk of regression into their offers. Ultimately, it'll probably make more sense to keep him around given what I'd expect the offers to be.

 

Keep him for the younger Latino players and possibly extend him in a year or 2 or if you're blown away with an offer, trade him and then attempt to re-sign him to DH when he is a free agent.

[pablo]

Keep him for the younger Latino players and possibly extend him in a year or 2 or if you're blown away with an offer, trade him and then attempt to re-sign him to DH when he is a free agent.

 

I would agree with this - don't actively look to trade him, but if something comes around that is right then sure go ahead. Besides his clubhouse presence, Abreu has always struck me as someone who would age decently enough - at least as a DH. He reminds me of someone like Miggy or VMart. Yes he's slowing down, but he just knows how to hit.

[Greg Hibbard]

I think Jose Abreu is a guy who has more value to us than he has to the rest of the league. First base production is actually way up this year league-wide (so far), and even a team with a big hole there will only pay so much for what is essentially average-ish production from the position. For us though, he's a really mature and likeable guy for the fans, he's a calming and popular leadership presence in the clubhouse, he's a role model and familiar face to our top Cuban prospects, and he's paid fairly. Certainly, if someone wants to overpay, we'd have to consider, but I'd plan on keeping him around for the duration, honestly.

 

Avi, on the other hand -- if he keeps this up into trade season and someone is willing to pay for THIS YEAR'S production, we should ABSOLUTELY try to cash in. But I think that any acquiring team is going to look at the same numbers we are and will price the risk of regression into their offers. Ultimately, it'll probably make more sense to keep him around given what I'd expect the offers to be.

 

I completely agree with this. I'd keep both.

 

Also, I really don't understand anyone who would want to get rid of Abreu at his point.. He's a consistent producer who can just shift to DH should we strike gold with Delmonico or any other 1b0. We need a DH anyway. Yes, he's regressed since his rookie year, but he's never even had a single season that wouldn't be termed "good" to "very good".

[Lip Man 1]

I completely agree with this. I'd keep both.

 

Also, I really don't understand anyone who would want to get rid of Abreu at his point.. He's a consistent producer who can just shift to DH should we strike gold with Delmonico or any other 1b0. We need a DH anyway. Yes, he's regressed since his rookie year, but he's never even had a single season that wouldn't be termed "good" to "very good".

 

I agree with you although the main question is (and has been) would Jose' agree to becoming a full time DH. So far he seems set against that. That factors into the Sox future decisions with him.

[southsider2k5]

I think Jose Abreu is a guy who has more value to us than he has to the rest of the league. First base production is actually way up this year league-wide (so far), and even a team with a big hole there will only pay so much for what is essentially average-ish production from the position. For us though, he's a really mature and likeable guy for the fans, he's a calming and popular leadership presence in the clubhouse, he's a role model and familiar face to our top Cuban prospects, and he's paid fairly. Certainly, if someone wants to overpay, we'd have to consider, but I'd plan on keeping him around for the duration, honestly.

 

Avi, on the other hand -- if he keeps this up into trade season and someone is willing to pay for THIS YEAR'S production, we should ABSOLUTELY try to cash in. But I think that any acquiring team is going to look at the same numbers we are and will price the risk of regression into their offers. Ultimately, it'll probably make more sense to keep him around given what I'd expect the offers to be.

 

Having this in the midst of a rebuild is important. Teaching kids how to be major leaguers is important and underrated.

[elrockinMT]

Having this in the midst of a rebuild is important. Teaching kids how to be major leaguers is important and underrated.

 

 

I agree. In the rebuilding phase a team needs leadership and that good mix of veterans. Go with some of he thinking here and we would always be in last place rebuilding as we trade off anyone that starts looking good on the Sox.

[chitownsportsfan]

I agree. In the rebuilding phase a team needs leadership and that good mix of veterans. Go with some of he thinking here and we would always be in last place rebuilding as we trade off anyone that starts looking good on the Sox.

 

There's no reason to trade Jose. I am not a big "chemistry" or "ambassador for the team" believer but if anybody is that guy it's Jose. Just make him a DH and let him hit 280/340/500 for the remainder of his career on the SS.

 

He looks slim and fit this year, hasn't helped his defense, but he's stayed injury free and he looks quicker on the bases. He's a good leader by example and with voice for the latin guys.

[bighurt574]

It would be pretty weird to feature Abreu in the pitch to Robert and then trade him right away.

 

I agree with everyone else that it makes sense to hold on to him for a while. I imagine the team might even have some broader marketing plans around Abreu/Moncada/Robert, perhaps like Seattle capitalized on Ichiro.

Edited May 23, 2017 by bighurt574

[Steve9347]

Abreus not going anywhere anytime soon with Moncada and Robert now in the org

Why? They're under contract. That doesn't make sense. Is Alexei Ramirez still on the roster? He can't go anywhere now that Jose Abreu is... oh wait.

[ptatc]

Why? They're under contract. That doesn't make sense. Is Alexei Ramirez still on the roster? He can't go anywhere now that Jose Abreu is... oh wait.

It makes a good deal of sense to have someone to look after your prized prospects who are currently teenagers for when they get to the MLB. By many reports Moncada is still a little immature. None of this was the case with Ramirez.

[witesoxfan]

Why? They're under contract. That doesn't make sense. Is Alexei Ramirez still on the roster? He can't go anywhere now that Jose Abreu is... oh wait.

 

Abreu is only under contract through 2019, and the best return you're probably looking at is a top 150 prospect and a lottery ticket, probably guys who are currently valued as 40-45 FV players. He's not blocking anyone in the minors and just turned 30. There's no real point in dealing a guy like Abreu at this juncture.