Post by Fish Troll on Sept 27, 2008 14:39:46 GMT -5
BOSTON -- Bobby Abreu doesn't know if his time in a Yankees uniform is nearing an end, but he believes he has stated a convincing case for why he should remain in New York past Sunday's season finale.
Since arriving in New York in a July 2006 trade with the Phillies, Abreu -- a free agent after this season -- has helped lend a stabilizing presence to the heart of the Yankees' lineup.
"I think they can see what kind of player I am," Abreu said of the Yankees' front office. "I haven't changed anything. I just keep doing my things and put my numbers every year up there and do my job like a third hitter.
"I'm not trying to do more than I can do -- just always be the same. I think I've been doing good the last two years and two months over here."
Abreu's offensive consistency has been a hallmark of his career. With 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases this season, Abreu became just the third player in Major League history to record eight seasons of 20 homers and 20 steals, joining Bobby and Barry Bonds, who each had 10 such seasons.
The Yankees have found him reliable -- Abreu has played in at least 150 games in 11 straight seasons, and he logged an RBI on Friday at Fenway Park to join Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez as the only players to post at least 100 RBIs in each of the past six seasons.
"That's pretty much what I try to do -- being consistent is one of the most important things," Abreu said. "I don't want to go high one year and the other year go down. If I can go high every year, it's better."
Abreu said he was proud of the streak of 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, which represents his variety of abilities, and he hopes the Yankees feel the same way.
"It's hard to describe what's going to happen," Abreu said. "Of course I want to stay here. I want to come back next year, but who knows what's going to happen? We have to just wait to see how it's going to be."
Since arriving in New York in a July 2006 trade with the Phillies, Abreu -- a free agent after this season -- has helped lend a stabilizing presence to the heart of the Yankees' lineup.
"I think they can see what kind of player I am," Abreu said of the Yankees' front office. "I haven't changed anything. I just keep doing my things and put my numbers every year up there and do my job like a third hitter.
"I'm not trying to do more than I can do -- just always be the same. I think I've been doing good the last two years and two months over here."
Abreu's offensive consistency has been a hallmark of his career. With 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases this season, Abreu became just the third player in Major League history to record eight seasons of 20 homers and 20 steals, joining Bobby and Barry Bonds, who each had 10 such seasons.
The Yankees have found him reliable -- Abreu has played in at least 150 games in 11 straight seasons, and he logged an RBI on Friday at Fenway Park to join Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez as the only players to post at least 100 RBIs in each of the past six seasons.
"That's pretty much what I try to do -- being consistent is one of the most important things," Abreu said. "I don't want to go high one year and the other year go down. If I can go high every year, it's better."
Abreu said he was proud of the streak of 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, which represents his variety of abilities, and he hopes the Yankees feel the same way.
"It's hard to describe what's going to happen," Abreu said. "Of course I want to stay here. I want to come back next year, but who knows what's going to happen? We have to just wait to see how it's going to be."
newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080927&content_id=3559156&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy
Isn't he a little too fat and old to be stealing that many?
