Cecil Cooper told Footer, three outfielders had the inside edge to grab that last backup outfield spot: Jose Cruz Jr., Abercrombie and Victor Diaz.Link
Is that the Diaz that was a Mets super prospect a few years ago that was barely out of his teens?
Seems that inside track is a very crowded one.
There is very little mystery about the team they're going to take out of spring training. This is Cooper's only decision for the position players, let him have his fun.
To nit pick and obsess over the 25th man (if they pick the wrong one they're dooooomed!), but what does the team really want out of this spot? The way I see it, there's a lack of power off the bench, which would mean that Diaz would have a good shot of making the team. Given that Hunter and Erstad can spell Bourn in center, if needed, the fact that Cheito and Abercrombie cover centerfield isn't necessarily a significant advantage in their favor. Is the team looking for someone to contribute more with the glove or more with the bat from this spot? Is Abercrombie going to be most likely to do both? With Erstad as the 4th OF/1B guy, what does he exactly bring to the table? Veteran lefthanded bat and outfield/1B backup flexibility? How does that pair into what the team wants from the 5th OF?
I thought of Erstad as a backup first baseman/OF. Most of the utility guys are multi-position guys. But to have a very good four man rotation in the outfield, you need one guy that does the job of outfielder very well. I don't think that is Erstad, so he's the fifth outfielder IMHO.The fight is who is that fourth outfielder: Abercrombie, Cruz, Ramirez or Diaz? I beg to differ with the Skipper, but who am I to scratch my head over the category Coop used for these guys? Nobody, that's who.
I know Erstad is a bit older now, and has had various injuries, but he did win a GG as a CF (and a 1B, of course). Has his OF defense really slipped that much?
Regardless of the label, I'm curious as to what Coop wants out of that one roster spot in competiton between those three. Bat or glove? Lefty or righty? Contact or power? Speed? Given the current makeup of the bench, what can we deduce? ETA: Oh, you are saying glove. Gotcha.
That's why I like Cruz, Jr. Decent fielder, probably still has a good arm, knows how to take a walk, has decent speed, and is a switch hitter. Maybe he even has some power left.
He told his father last fall that he only wanted to play for Houston in 2008 and the Astros signed him to a minor league contract in November.Now, the happy ending is up to him."It would definitely be a career accomplishment, just being able to come full circle and come back to where all my roots are," Cruz Jr. said. "Hopefully, I can retire as an Astro. It would be nice to get that trifecta - high school, college and for this team."
The fact that Abercrombie is out of options is rather material to this decision, no?
Ramirez is the one from San Diego, and Abercrombie is the one from Florida right?
I would imagine it is. Wasn't that why most around here when trying to figure out the 25-man roster a month or so ago, were penciling him in as one of the bench players?I keep getting Abercrombie and Yordany Ramirez confused, since both are new guys. Ramirez is the one from San Diego, and Abercrombie is the one from Florida right? Or am I still confused?
Correct.
Ramirez is the spectacular centerfielder who might figure out the strike zone one day; Abercrombie is a guy with great tools who will crush the ball 475 yards with a beautiful swing in one at bat, and then look totally clueless the next five or six.
Funny, I was thinking the other day about how Jimerson used to really piss me off with his ridiculous Ks, but I always liked Abercrombie - a lot, in fact, back when I watched more than my share of Marlins baseball. It would not surprise me at all to see Abercrombie make the team in front of Cheito.
