Ohioballplayer
02-11-2009, 12:16 PM
The Angels and free agent outfielder Bobby Abreu have struck a one-year agreement, according to a report by SI.com.
The deal is worth $5 million plus incentives, the Web site reported.
Efforts to reach Angels general manager Tony Reagins for comment have been unsuccessful.
The club and the player found each other after both entered the offseason with higher goals.
While the Angels focused on re-signing first baseman Mark Teixeira, Abreu embarked on his free agency seeking a three-year deal for about $50 million.
Teixeira wound up signing with the New York Yankees, with whom Abreu had earned $16 million last season.
Abreu turns 35 in March. His left-handed bat breaks up the Angels' all-righty outfield crew, including Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero, Juan Rivera and Gary Matthews Jr.
Abreu batted .296 in 2008 while driving in 100-plus runs for a sixth straight season. A lifetime .300 hitter, he shares with only Bobby Bonds and new Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson the distinction of being the only players in history with a .400 career on-base percentage, 300 steals and 200 homers.
Abreu's signing likely ends any chance of Garret Anderson returning to the Angels. Anderson, the club's most productive offensive player, is also a free agent, with the Mariners among the clubs having expressed interest.
"I'm just waiting to see where this goes," Anderson said. "I'm being patient, and I'm optimistic something will get done."
Compared to Adam Dunn, also a left-handed-hitting outfielder, the Angels see Abreu as a better all-around fit with his ability to play left and right field and his history as a good baserunner.
Abreu has stolen 22 or more bases in each of the past 10 seasons, coming to the Yankees in 2006 after 8 1/2 seasons with the Phillies. He began his career with the Astros in 1996.
A Venezuela native, Abreu has produced at least 100 RBIs across seven of the past eight seasons, and he has delivered 20 or more homers in eight of the past 10 seasons. He's extremely durable, having appeared in at least 151 games for 10 consecutive seasons.
The deal is worth $5 million plus incentives, the Web site reported.
Efforts to reach Angels general manager Tony Reagins for comment have been unsuccessful.
The club and the player found each other after both entered the offseason with higher goals.
While the Angels focused on re-signing first baseman Mark Teixeira, Abreu embarked on his free agency seeking a three-year deal for about $50 million.
Teixeira wound up signing with the New York Yankees, with whom Abreu had earned $16 million last season.
Abreu turns 35 in March. His left-handed bat breaks up the Angels' all-righty outfield crew, including Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero, Juan Rivera and Gary Matthews Jr.
Abreu batted .296 in 2008 while driving in 100-plus runs for a sixth straight season. A lifetime .300 hitter, he shares with only Bobby Bonds and new Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson the distinction of being the only players in history with a .400 career on-base percentage, 300 steals and 200 homers.
Abreu's signing likely ends any chance of Garret Anderson returning to the Angels. Anderson, the club's most productive offensive player, is also a free agent, with the Mariners among the clubs having expressed interest.
"I'm just waiting to see where this goes," Anderson said. "I'm being patient, and I'm optimistic something will get done."
Compared to Adam Dunn, also a left-handed-hitting outfielder, the Angels see Abreu as a better all-around fit with his ability to play left and right field and his history as a good baserunner.
Abreu has stolen 22 or more bases in each of the past 10 seasons, coming to the Yankees in 2006 after 8 1/2 seasons with the Phillies. He began his career with the Astros in 1996.
A Venezuela native, Abreu has produced at least 100 RBIs across seven of the past eight seasons, and he has delivered 20 or more homers in eight of the past 10 seasons. He's extremely durable, having appeared in at least 151 games for 10 consecutive seasons.