Do the Math

Its time to play the always fun game of lets compare players. I picked two players. Who are both 35/36 years old that play left field. Player A is a way below average LF, while player B is about average. The stats I'm using are a average of the past three seasons. So lets compare

HR RBI BA R SB OBA SLG

Player A 26 113 291 89 1 355 491


Player B 17 103 292 107 26 389 459


Pretty Close. If your teams needs a little more power you go with Player A. If you need better defense, more speed and a guy who gets on base more you go with Player B. Anyway you look at it there is not a huge difference between the two players. So what if I told you both guys were free agents this off season. You would probably have expected them to get about the same contract, right? Oh how wrong you would be. If you haven't guessed yet Player A is Rual Ibanez who got 30 mil for 3 years. While Player B is Bobby Abreu who only got 5 mil guaranteed for 1 year. I remember very early this off season when the Phils signed Ibanez I commented that the 10 mil a year is pretty much in line with what his market value is probably worth. But I'm uncomfortable giving him the 10 mil in the year he turns 39. Ibanez has been a proven run producer but a decline has to come soon. Players don't continue to produce at a steady pace reaching their 40th birthday. So the Phils knowing they were going to lose Pat Burrell took steps to fill the hole right away. In the process they way overpaid. To think they guaranteed 25 mil more for Ibanez than Abreu. That extra money may impede them on signing a free agent in the next year or two. Or may not allow them to take on extra payroll at the trading deadline to help the year like they did with Joe Blanton this past year. Hindsight is 20/20 but it made a questionable signing an awful one. So Abreu only gets 1 year for between 5-7 mil. Are you kidding? This guy can still be a very productive player. And he fits in absolutely perfectly with the Angels. The Angels outfielders, Vlade, Torii Hunter, Juan Rivera and Gary Matthews are all right handed. Abreu's being a lefty will balence the lineup. He makes immanent sense replacing Garrett Anderson. While his days of stealing 40 bases are behind him he still is a very good base runner. And we all know Mike Scoascia is one of the most aggressive managers in the AL. If Abreu has a good year he could almost double his salary in 2010. I love this move!!!! With the AL West being so close this keeps the Angels ahead of the pack. And looking down the road only paying him 5 mil gives the Angels payroll room to add a player and the trading deadline to fill in any holes they may have.