Late Innings

…still too fucking expensive:

Abreu is now backing off of his demands of $16 million per year. Instead, he is willing to accept a deal around $10-11 million over three years.

MLBTR thinks that this could now bring the Dodgers, Reds or Braves into the mix, but cautions that they may all still balk at even $10 million.

While teams were scooping up bad fielding sluggers to fill their DH positions (sans Raul Ibanez), Abreu was demanding 18MM a year. Now that all of the 14 DH spots are essentially filled, Abreu cut his demands in half. According to the Fielding Bible, Abreu was ranked a -24, the fourth worst defensive outfielder. In other words teams should pay him just to hit… and with Adam Dunn, Garrett Anderson and others still on the market, Abreu might have to cut his demands in half again. He should have been asking for Milton Bradley money a month ago, back when Bradley was still on the market.

My guess, he’ll ink a one year deal with some team for 6MM in 2009. And my guess… it’s the Yankees.