Biographical

Portrait of Melky Cabrera

Melky Cabrera OFMets

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2019 Projections (Preseason PECOTA - seasonal age 34)
PA AVG HR R RBI SB DRC+ WARP
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Birth Date8-11-1984
Height5' 10"
Weight210 lbs
Age40 years, 3 months, 17 days
BatsB
ThrowsL
0.32015
1.32016
-0.12017
0.72018
0.32019
proj
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

YEAR TEAM AGE G PA H 2B 3B HR BB SO HBP SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ DRAA BRR FRAA BWARP
2005 NYA 20 6 19 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 .211 .211 .211 76 -0.5 0.2 -0.8 -0.1
2006 NYA 21 130 524 129 26 2 7 56 59 2 12 5 .280 .360 .391 102 3.8 3.1 4.0 2.2
2007 NYA 22 150 612 149 24 8 8 43 68 5 13 5 .273 .327 .391 82 -11.3 -1.7 15.0 2.1
2008 NYA 23 129 453 103 12 1 8 29 58 3 9 2 .249 .301 .341 79 -10.4 -1.8 -2.1 0.0
2009 NYA 24 154 540 133 28 1 13 43 59 4 10 2 .274 .336 .416 95 -1.8 0.9 -7.9 0.6
2010 ATL 25 147 509 117 27 3 4 42 64 1 7 1 .255 .317 .354 81 -10.8 -2.4 -2.0 -0.3
2011 KCA 26 155 706 201 44 5 18 35 94 1 20 10 .305 .339 .470 115 12.9 4.2 -12.3 2.7
2012 SFN 27 113 501 159 25 10 11 36 63 0 13 5 .346 .390 .516 132 18.2 0.6 5.1 3.6
2013 TOR 28 88 372 96 15 2 3 23 47 0 2 2 .279 .322 .360 90 -3.7 -0.2 -5.3 -0.2
2014 TOR 29 139 621 171 35 3 16 43 67 3 6 2 .301 .351 .458 125 16.8 -1.8 2.8 3.3
2015 CHA 30 158 683 172 36 2 12 40 88 2 3 0 .273 .314 .394 95 -1.5 -2.6 -7.2 0.3
2016 CHA 31 151 646 175 42 5 14 47 69 0 2 0 .296 .345 .455 110 9.5 -4.3 -6.6 1.3
2017 CHA 32 98 428 117 17 0 13 25 52 1 0 0 .295 .336 .436 97 -0.5 -2.2 -5.7 0.1
2017 KCA 32 58 238 60 13 2 4 11 22 1 1 2 .269 .303 .399 98 0.1 0.6 -6.9 -0.2
2018 CLE 33 78 278 70 17 0 6 20 38 3 1 1 .280 .335 .420 100 0.9 -0.4 1.7 0.7
2019 PIT 34 133 397 106 22 1 7 17 41 1 2 0 .280 .313 .399 87 -4.8 -2.0 -8.5 -0.7
Career188775271962383451445108912710137.285.334.41710017.0-9.6-36.815.4

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G PA oppAVG oppOBP oppSLG BABIP BPF BRAA repLVL POS_ADJ DRC+ DRC+ SD FRAA BRR DRAA BWARP
2003 STA A- NYP 67 311 .000 .000 .000 .314 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2004 BCR A MDW 42 188 .000 .000 .000 .385 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2004 TAM A+ FSL 85 364 .000 .000 .000 .331 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2005 NYA MLB AL 6 19 .256 .301 .402 .235 106 -2.3 0.5 0 76 11 -0.8 0.2 -0.5 -0.1
2005 TRN AA EAS 106 464 .265 .330 .407 .310 99 15.2 4.3 0.3 102 0 16.1 0.0 2.0 2.3
2005 COH AAA INT 26 112 .263 .329 .411 .259 101 -2.7 1.3 -0.3 83 0 1.1 1.9 -2.0 0.2
2006 NYA MLB AL 130 524 .273 .337 .437 .309 107 -0.5 15.8 -3.7 102 7 4.0 3.1 3.8 2.2
2006 COH AAA INT 31 135 .260 .327 .407 .394 98 8.7 3.7 0.1 159 0 -0.6 -0.7 8.2 1.1
2007 NYA MLB AL 150 612 .270 .335 .421 .295 102 -10.2 18.2 0.7 82 8 15.0 -1.7 -11.3 2.1
2008 NYA MLB AL 129 453 .264 .329 .419 .271 103 -18.1 13.1 1 79 10 -2.1 -1.8 -10.4 0.0
2008 SWB AAA INT 15 66 .267 .332 .409 .396 86 2.1 2.3 0.2 120 0 -1.6 -2.2 0.6 -0.1
2009 NYA MLB AL 154 540 .270 .336 .437 .288 110 -5.3 15.5 -0.3 95 6 -7.9 0.9 -1.8 0.6
2010 ATL MLB NL 147 509 .262 .326 .406 .288 93 -5.6 14.0 -1.9 81 7 -2.0 -2.4 -10.8 -0.3
2011 KCA MLB AL 155 706 .263 .323 .413 .332 108 13.9 19.0 1.2 115 9 -12.3 4.2 12.9 2.7
2012 SFN MLB NL 113 501 .256 .316 .401 .379 94 34.5 13.7 -3.4 132 10 5.1 0.6 18.2 3.6
2013 TOR MLB AL 88 372 .253 .315 .400 .313 100 -2.1 9.8 -2.8 90 7 -5.3 -0.2 -3.7 -0.2
2013 DUN A+ FSL 2 6 .259 .328 .370 .250 96 -0.9 0.2 -0.1 59 0 -0.1 0.2 -0.4 0.0
2013 NHP AA EAS 3 11 .249 .305 .388 .333 110 0.8 0.3 -0.1 115 0 -0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0
2013 BUF AAA INT 2 6 .269 .301 .405 .500 105 1 0.2 0 130 0 -0.3 0.0 0.1 0.0
2014 TOR MLB AL 139 621 .252 .313 .387 .316 102 20.1 16.0 -3.9 125 8 2.8 -1.8 16.8 3.3
2015 CHA MLB AL 158 683 .252 .313 .401 .297 105 -6.1 18.4 -4.7 95 10 -7.2 -2.6 -1.5 0.3
2016 CHA MLB AL 151 646 .255 .317 .421 .314 104 6.9 18.3 -4.5 110 10 -6.6 -4.3 9.5 1.3
2017 CHA MLB AL 98 428 .254 .318 .424 .310 105 2.2 12.5 -3.3 97 7 -5.7 -2.2 -0.5 0.1
2017 KCA MLB AL 58 238 .254 .319 .421 .280 104 -5.1 7.0 -2.5 98 7 -6.9 0.6 0.1 -0.2
2018 CLE MLB AL 78 278 .251 .325 .411 .303 106 1.6 7.8 -2.9 100 11 1.7 -0.4 0.9 0.7
2018 COH AAA INT 19 80 .262 .328 .405 .368 94 0.8 2.3 -0.9 112 0 1.3 -1.0 1.0 0.3
2019 PIT MLB NL 133 397 .251 .317 .431 .300 99 -7.1 12.0 -3.7 87 6 -8.5 -2.0 -4.8 -0.7

Statistics For All Levels

Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
Year Team lvl LG PA AB R H 2B 3B HR TB RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG ISO SF SH
2003 STA A- NYP 311 279 34 79 10 2 2 99 31 23 36 13 5 .283 .342 .355 .072 4 4
2004 BCR A MDW 188 171 35 57 16 3 0 79 16 15 23 7 2 .333 .387 .462 .129 0 0
2004 TAM A+ FSL 364 333 48 96 20 3 8 146 51 23 59 3 1 .288 .343 .438 .150 0 0
2005 NYA MLB AL 19 19 1 4 0 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 0 .211 .211 .211 .000 0 0
2005 TRN AA EAS 464 426 57 117 22 3 10 175 60 28 72 11 2 .275 .325 .411 .136 1 1
2005 COH AAA INT 112 101 15 25 3 0 3 37 17 9 15 2 0 .248 .304 .366 .119 2 2
2006 COH AAA INT 135 122 19 47 6 2 4 69 24 10 9 3 1 .385 .436 .566 .180 0 0
2006 NYA MLB AL 524 460 75 129 26 2 7 180 50 56 59 12 5 .280 .360 .391 .111 1 5
2007 NYA MLB AL 612 545 66 149 24 8 8 213 73 43 68 13 5 .273 .327 .391 .117 9 10
2008 SWB AAA INT 66 57 8 19 2 0 0 21 5 8 9 1 3 .333 .415 .368 .035 0 0
2008 NYA MLB AL 453 414 42 103 12 1 8 141 37 29 58 9 2 .249 .301 .341 .092 3 4
2009 NYA MLB AL 540 485 66 133 28 1 13 202 68 43 59 10 2 .274 .336 .416 .142 4 4
2010 ATL MLB NL 509 458 50 117 27 3 4 162 42 42 64 7 1 .255 .317 .354 .098 3 5
2011 KCA MLB AL 706 658 102 201 44 5 18 309 87 35 94 20 10 .305 .339 .470 .164 5 7
2012 SFN MLB NL 501 459 84 159 25 10 11 237 60 36 63 13 5 .346 .390 .516 .170 5 1
2013 TOR MLB AL 372 344 39 96 15 2 3 124 30 23 47 2 2 .279 .322 .360 .081 3 2
2013 BUF AAA INT 6 5 1 3 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 .600 .500 .600 .000 1 0
2013 DUN A+ FSL 6 6 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 .167 .167 .167 .000 0 0
2013 NHP AA EAS 11 11 1 4 0 0 1 7 2 0 1 1 0 .364 .364 .636 .273 0 0
2014 TOR MLB AL 621 568 81 171 35 3 16 260 73 43 67 6 2 .301 .351 .458 .157 5
2015 CHA MLB AL 683 629 70 172 36 2 12 248 77 40 88 3 0 .273 .314 .394 .121 10 2
2016 CHA MLB AL 646 591 70 175 42 5 14 269 86 47 69 2 0 .296 .345 .455 .159 5 3
2017 CHA MLB AL 428 397 54 117 17 0 13 173 56 25 52 0 0 .295 .336 .436 .141 3 2
2017 KCA MLB AL 238 223 24 60 13 2 4 89 29 11 22 1 2 .269 .303 .399 .130 3 0
2018 COH AAA INT 80 78 7 25 6 1 0 33 8 2 10 2 0 .321 .338 .423 .103 0 0
2018 CLE MLB AL 278 250 28 70 17 0 6 105 39 20 38 1 1 .280 .335 .420 .140 5 0
2019 PIT MLB NL 397 378 43 106 22 1 7 151 47 17 41 2 0 .280 .313 .399 .119 0 1

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr% CSAA
2008 1584 0.5000 0.4527 0.8633 0.5985 0.3068 0.9409 0.7119 0.1367 0.0008
2009 2055 0.5027 0.4229 0.8769 0.5566 0.2877 0.9252 0.7823 0.1231 -0.0080
2010 1863 0.4750 0.4525 0.8553 0.6000 0.3190 0.9303 0.7276 0.1447 0.0046
2011 2559 0.4869 0.4904 0.8677 0.6244 0.3633 0.9203 0.7820 0.1323 -0.0038
2012 1754 0.4783 0.4709 0.8632 0.6341 0.3213 0.9192 0.7619 0.1368 -0.0047
2013 1388 0.4798 0.4661 0.8624 0.6081 0.3352 0.9259 0.7562 0.1376 0.0067
2014 2269 0.4636 0.4495 0.8716 0.6074 0.3131 0.9264 0.7795 0.1284 0.0126
2015 2548 0.4780 0.4674 0.8648 0.6034 0.3429 0.9129 0.7873 0.1352 -0.0010
2016 2366 0.4548 0.4890 0.8591 0.6543 0.3512 0.9077 0.7837 0.1409 0.0000
2017 2420 0.4591 0.4583 0.8656 0.6121 0.3277 0.9338 0.7576 0.1344 0.0000
2018 1013 0.4482 0.4679 0.8354 0.6344 0.3327 0.9097 0.7204 0.1646 0.0000
2019 1326 0.4600 0.5189 0.8488 0.7049 0.3603 0.9209 0.7287 0.1512 0.0000
Career231450.47450.46640.86300.61720.33060.92270.76200.13700.0005

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
2014-09-06 2014-09-29 60-DL 23 22 Right Fingers Surgery Avulsion Fracture Extensor Tendon Little Finger Sliding Back To First Base 2014-09-08
2014-08-08 2014-08-08 DTD 0 0 Right Elbow Contusion HBP -
2014-05-01 2014-05-02 DTD 1 1 Left Lower Leg Contusion Shin HBP - -
2013-08-30 2013-08-30 On-Alr 0 0 - Low Back Surgery Benign Tumor Caused Lower Leg Pain & Weakness X Several Months 2013-08-30 -
2013-08-02 2013-09-30 60-DL 59 54 Left Knee Strain - -
2013-06-28 2013-07-21 15-DL 23 18 Left Knee Inflammation Tendonitis - -
2013-05-22 2013-05-22 DTD 0 0 Bilateral Soreness - -
2013-05-16 2013-05-17 DTD 1 0 Left Thigh Strain Hamstring - -
2012-06-08 2012-06-12 DTD 4 3 - Thigh Tightness Hamstring - -
2012-05-16 2012-05-16 DTD 0 0 Left Soreness - -
2011-08-05 2011-08-05 DTD 0 0 - Ankle Sprain - -
2011-07-21 2011-07-22 DTD 1 0 - General Medical Gastrointestinal GI - -
2009-11-02 2009-11-05 DTD 3 0 Left Thigh Strain Hamstring -
2009-06-25 2009-06-25 DTD 0 0 General Medical Respiratory Flu -
2009-05-27 2009-06-01 DTD 5 4 Right Shoulder Strain -
2007-07-20 2007-07-20 DTD 0 0 General Medical Gastrointestinal GI -
2007-07-14 2007-07-14 DTD 0 0 General Medical Respiratory Flu -
2006-08-28 2006-08-30 DTD 2 0 Face Surgery Root Canal 2006-08-28
2006-06-22 2006-06-23 DTD 1 0 Right Ankle Contusion Foul Ball -

Compensation

Year Team Salary
2019 PIT $1,150,000
2018 CLE $
2017 CHA $15,000,000
2016 CHA $14,000,000
2015 CHA $13,000,000
2014 TOR $8,000,000
2013 TOR $8,000,000
2012 SFN $6,000,000
2011 KCA $1,250,000
2010 ATL $3,100,000
2009 NYA $1,400,000
2008 NYA $461,200
2007 NYA $432,400
YearsDescriptionSalary
12 yrPrevious$71,793,600
12 yrTotal$71,793,600

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status
13 y 77 dGSE Worldwide2021

Details
  • 2021. Retired 1/13/22.
  • 1 year (2020). Signed by NY Mets as a free agent 6/29/20 (minor-league contract). Released by NY Mets 7/22/20.
  • 1 year (2019). Signed by Pittsburgh as a free agent 2/10/19 (minor-league contract). Salary of $1.15M in majors. May earn additional $0.85M in performance bonuses. Contract selected by Pittsburgh 3/23/19.
  • 1 year (2018). Signed by Cleveland as a free agent 4/23/18 (minor-league contract). Contract selected by Cleveland 5/20/18. DFA by Cleveland 6/14/18. Refused outright assignment, elected free agency 6/18/18. Re-signed by Cleveland as a free agent 7/5/18 (minor-league contract). Contract selected by Cleveland 7/20/18.
  • 3 years/$42M (2015-17). Signed by Chicago White Sox as a free agent 12/16/14. 15:$13M, 16:$14M, 17:$15M. Limited no-trade protection. Acquired by Kansas City in trade from Chicago White Sox 7/30/17. White Sox to pay about half ($2,581,967) of remaining $5,163,934 due Cabrera for 2017.
  • 2 years/$16M (2013-14). Signed by Toronto as a free agent 11/17/12. 13:$8M, 14:$8M. Toronto made qualifying offer 11/1/14.
  • 1 year/$6M (2012). Signed by San Francisco 1/17/12 (avoided arbitration).
  • 1 year/$1.25M (2011). Signed by Kansas City as a free agent 12/9/10. $0.25M in performance bonuses. Acquired by San Francisco in trade from Kansas City 11/7/11.
  • 1 year/$3.1M (2010). Acquired from Atlanta in trade from NY Yankees 12/22/09. Signed 1/14/10 (avoided arbitration).
  • 1 year/$1.4M (2009). Re-signed by NY Yankees 1/20/09 (avoided arbitration). Performance bonuses: $25,000 each for 525, 550, 575, 600 PAs.
  • 1 year/$0.4612M (2008). Re-signed by NY Yankees 3/4/08. Optioned to Triple-A 8/15/08. Recalled 9/4/08.
  • 1 year/$0.4324M (2007). Re-signed by NY Yankees 3/07.
  • 1 year (2006). Optioned to Triple-A 3/06. Recalled 5/06.
  • 1 year (2005). Contract purchased by NY Yankees 7/05.
  • Signed 2001 as an amateur free agent from the Dominican Republic.

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ VORP FRAA WARP
90o 41 11 2 0 1 3 6 0 0 .297 .350 .432 116 0.0 RF -1, 0.0
80o 28 8 2 0 1 2 4 0 0 .320 .370 .520 110 0.0 RF 0, 0.0
70o 18 4 1 0 0 1 3 0 0 .250 .294 .312 106 0.0 RF 0, 0.0
60o 10 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 .333 .400 .444 103 0.0 RF 0, 0.0
50o 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 100 0.0 RF 0, 0.0
Weighted Mean300000000.000.000.0001000.0RF 0,0.0

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BP Annual Player Comments

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BP Articles

Click here to see articles tagged with Melky Cabrera

BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2017-07-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)Say the White Sox trade for a prospect or young MLB outfielder already in the majors, like Clint Frazier. Who gets booted from the 25-man to make room?
(Brendan from Chicago)		As discussed a bit above, the White Sox have a weird logjam at the moment as they suddenly have serviceable major leaguers on their bench--which, y'know, wasn't true when they were purportedly trying to make the playoffs.

They have a 13-man pitching staff, currently, so one imagines they could send down someone like Juan Minaya to clear one spot. Adam Engel would also have options, even if he has performed well to date.

Melky Cabrera and Todd Frazier have both rallied from bad starts and may wind up being traded, which would free up plenty of space too. (Nick Schaefer)
2017-06-22 13:00:00 (link to chat)Matt Davidson, Avasil Garcia, and Yolmer Sanchez are all having nice little seasons -- are any of these guys for real? On another note, Melky Cabrera is only 32! He played on a team with Mussina, A-Rod, Jeter, Posada, Matsui, Sheffield, Bernie Williams, Kevin Brown, and Randy Johnson! Seems like forever ago...
(touchstoneQu from Minneapolis)		That Melky note is kinda nuts. We've written extensively about both Davidson and Avi over at BPSouthside.com. I suggest checking it out! But in sum, I think Davidson has proven to have legit major league power. He's never going to be a superstar given his shortcomings elsewhere, but I could easily see him having career longevity on par with the likes of Mark Reynolds or Chris Carter. Avi continues to be awesome but it's going to take a lot longer for him to wash away the years of mediocrity. Yolmer is probably hitting over his head right now, but could be a valuable backup middle infielder long term. (Collin Whitchurch)
2015-07-23 17:00:00 (link to chat)Mike, loved the piece last week on trade targets. You were limited to selecting only 1 player though. I'm sure there were more you liked. Can you give us a few? Thanks
(DanDaMan from Sea Cliff)		I shied away from him on the podcast, but I like what I have seen recently from Ian Desmond. The swing looks better and while I'm skeptical on the speed I can see a power bounce back. While Melky Cabrera looks D.O.A., there's some BABIP craziness going on there and he should at a minimum hit for batting average. I also agree with my colleague Keith Cromer than Alexei Ramirez should show some improvement. In general, I agree with PECOTA that the White Sox offense can't possibly be THIS bad and should show some signs of life post all star. (Mike Gianella)
2015-05-26 19:00:00 (link to chat)Mike, who are some of the guys that you might target to trade for who got off to slow starts but you expect to turn it around (or have started to recently)? Thanks
(DanDaMan from Sea Cliff)		Two White Sox - Alexei Ramirez and Melky Cabrera - jump out as players who just have to turn it around. Neither one of them is this bad, and the White Sox in general are a much better team than they have shown so far. Nick Castellanos is another guy who I have seen some signs will get better; he is more of a player than this and should improve. If you're looking for a bigger name, Matt Kemp started out slow last year before going nuts. If you have an owner with an itchy trigger finger, he's the guy to go after on that "buy low" proposition. (Mike Gianella)
2015-02-13 19:00:00 (link to chat)Even though I think you credited other BP members with turning you onto him, I remember last year that it was you who seemed to be driving the bus on Anthony Rendon (or at least you seemed to end up with him on a bunch of teams). Who are the guys this year that you are higher on than most?
(Shawnykid23 from CT)		I bought Rendon in Tout Wars but at the time I was a little disappointed that I didn't get Starlin Castro. I was probably higher on him than many industry experts but this was in part due to the BP fantasy team's excitement, particularly Bret.

Glancing at my ranks compared to ADP, my top five are Brandon Belt, Melky Cabrera, Manny Machado, Yasmani Grandal and Lucas Duda. If you're looking to the guy the BP staff likes who I'm on board with now as a result, that's Grandal, FWIW. (Mike Gianella)
2014-11-04 18:00:00 (link to chat)John Gibbons said yesterday that, if the Blue Jays roster remained unchanged between now and the start of the season, he'd love to see Dalton Pompey out there in CF. Let's assume that only one OF is signed to replace Colby Rasmus and Melky Cabrera (assuming he doesn't return): is there any realistic chance of Pompey making the Opening Day roster and playing CF/LF ahead of both Anthony Gose and Kevin Pillar?
(Nick from London, UK)		There's absolutely a chance of that. Pompey impressed a ton this year and the offensive/defensive potential projects to play in a big way at the MLB level. He's got the all-around skills to be a far better player than Gose or Pillar, and if he shows even reasonably well in spring training, he could walk away with the Opening Day job and never look back. Pompey's real....very real and he's going to be a factor in Toronto sooner than people realize. (Mark Anderson)
2014-09-29 14:00:00 (link to chat)Where does Seattle go from here? Their September was awful, but they couldn't take advantage of an Athletics team in total free fall. Do you think they invest heavily in the offseason to upgrade their offense? It seems like they're the perfect case to see how much a win this far up on the opportunity curve is worth. Also, their crab rolls (not a sandwich) are delicious.
(Colin from WI)		Yes, I'd expect them to make a move for an outfielder. Maybe Melky Cabrera. (Daniel Rathman)
2013-08-05 14:00:00 (link to chat)There is speculation in the Detroit media that the Tigers won't take Peralta back, despite the obvious boost he gives them at shortstop, because of "image" concerns. I think that, if they don't play him and lose at any point, their image is tarnished forever. The Giants got to the WS because of a huge contribution from Melky. What do you think?
(Tigerdog from Orange county CA)		Well, they did trade for Iglalasis.

Tigerdog, hijacking your question to run this. It's official:


Major League Baseball issued the following discipline today for violations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program in relation to the Biogenesis investigation. Players receiving 50-game suspensions without pay for their violations of the Program are:

• Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Antonio Bastardo;
• San Diego Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera;
• New York Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli;
• Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz;
• Padres pitcher Fautino De Los Santos, who is currently on the roster of the Double-A San Antonio Missions of the Texas League;
• Houston Astros pitcher Sergio Escalona, who is currently of the roster of the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks of the Texas League;
• Yankees outfielder Fernando Martinez, who is currently on the roster of the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the International League;
• Seattle Mariners catcher Jesus Montero, who is currently on the roster of the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League;
• Free agent pitcher Jordan Norberto;
• Detroit Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta;
• New York Mets outfielder Cesar Puello, who is currently on the roster of the Double-A Binghamton Mets of the Eastern League; and
• Mets infielder/outfielder Jordany Valdespin, who is currently on the roster of the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s of the Pacific Coast League.

Norberto's suspension will be effective immediately once he signs with another Major League organization. All other suspensions are effective immediately. None of the players will appeal their discipline.
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera, Oakland Athletics pitcher Bartolo Colon and Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal, all of whom already have served 50-game suspensions as a result of their violations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program stemming from their connections to Biogenesis, will not receive additional discipline.
Major League Baseball's investigation found no violations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program by either Washington Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez or Baltimore Orioles infielder Danny Valencia.

STATEMENT FROM THE TIGERS:
The Detroit Tigers today issued the following statement regarding the suspension of Jhonny Peralta:

"We recognize the suspension of Jhonny Peralta for violating Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program as a measure taken in the best interest of the game. The Detroit Tigers continue to fully support Major League Baseball's policy and its efforts to eliminate performance enhancing drugs from our game. Per the protocol outline by Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement, the Tigers' organization will provide no further comment on Peralta's suspension."

STATEMENT FROM PERALTA:
"In spring of 2012, I made a terrible mistake that I deeply regret. I apologize to everyone that I have hurt as a result of my mistake, including my teammates, the Tigers' organization, the great fans in Detroit, Major League Baseball, and my family. I take full responsibility for my actions, have no excuses for my lapse in judgment and I accept my suspension.
I love the fans, my teammates and this organization and my greatest punishment is knowing that I have let so many good people down. I promise to do everything possible to try and earn back the respect that I have lost." (Maury Brown About Biogenesis and Business)
2013-05-22 18:00:00 (link to chat)Is Brett Gardner or Nate McClouth an upgrade over Melky Cabrera?
(Joe from Seattle)		McLouth. He is running nearly every time he is on base and he has thunder behind him to knock him in. (Jason Collette)
2013-04-10 20:00:00 (link to chat)My yahoo league is an 8 team rotisserie league. We carry 22 players, starting all starting positions and a utility player. Pitching we start 2 sp, 2 rp, and 3 pitchers (closer or starter). What do you mean by depth? We need to upgrade a pitcher and maybe a bat... Melky Cabrera is available
(coach53 from Ct)		I'm surprised that your free agent pool is that week (based on the names you threw out) given that this is an eight team league with such relatively limited reserves. Melky Cabrera is one of the better players you mentioned earlier, but I'm still not necessarily convinced he's better than what you have. Your priority should definitely be upgrading your pitching. Haren, Lincecum, and Marmol are weak options for your format. (Mike Gianella)
2013-02-15 12:00:00 (link to chat)AL-only, 10-team scoresheet keeper league, not a new league. How much risk in drafting Melky Cabrera early? How much regression in 2013? PECOTA says a ton.
(Karl from Chicagoland)		I wouldn't reach early but I like Melky in Toronto. The park plays well for him and the other parks in the division are set up well for him hitting LH most of the time. (Jason Collette)
2013-02-22 13:00:00 (link to chat)Melky Cabrera - Sam, what are your insights into how much he was helped last year and in 2011 by PEDs? What are the risks he will be suspended again this year?
(Hoot Stromboli from Toronto by way of Connecticut)		My default assumption is that the PEDs didn't help. That's not very satisfying, even for me, but I think the risk is far greater that you'll overweight the PEDs than underweight them. (Sam Miller)
2013-02-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)Why is it that Toronto gets rave reviews for giving up a ton for Dickey, yet the Royals are blasted in the Shields/Davis for Myers trade? Wouldn't a small market team need to do something like this to compete? Isn't the AL Central a lot easier to build to compete than the mighty East?
(igoinsane67 from my office)		Two reasons spring to mind: the first is the success spectrum and the other is knee-jerk anti-Royals bias. The first: the Blue Jays won 73 games with an inhuman number of injuries in a very tough division last season. They added Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera, Mark Buehrle, Dickey, and Josh Johnson. That's a whole lot of guys and a whole lot of star power and big names. It's reasonable to expect a big jump in wins for a team that makes that many big additions. I've said in some other forums that I'm a bit skeptical of the Jays and don't see them running away with the division like some have said, but I think it's inarguable that they're much improved.

The other thing is that I do think there are some of us, and I've probably fallen victim to this myself at times, who see the names of the teams in a the deal and subconsciously include that to some extent in their analysis. (Matthew Kory)
2012-10-25 13:00:00 (link to chat)How exactly can the Giants legitimately say that Melky Cabrera isn't worthy of a spot on the team when they keep corpses like Aubrey Huff and Guillermo Mota on the roster? Don't you want to put the best roster possible on a World Series roster? While Melky hasn't hit MLB-level pitching in months, Huff hasn't hit it in years.
(jlarsen from chicago)		I thought the Melky decision was staggeringly wrong when it was originally made. Then I saw Mike Ferrin's piece on players coming back from long layoffs.

http://bit.ly/RralCb

I was shocked by the results, to be honest. Add in the inability to play high-level rehab games and you could argue Melky would be even worse off (though perhaps the lack of an injury would lead you to argue he'd be better off). Regardless, I think it's fair for the Giants to conclude that he's probably not better than Blanco. As for being better than Huff: Yeah, definitely. No doubt better than Huff. But if those are the stakes we're talking about (25th man, last guy on the bench) then it's harder to get too excised about it and it's easier to appreciate that they wouldn't want all the disruption just for a 25th man. Basically: Cabrera would have made them a bit better and that's what I'd have done; but probably barely, and I'm willing to defer to the guys in the room on this one. (Sam Miller)
2012-10-18 13:00:00 (link to chat)Between Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera, which will likely be a better and likely cheaper "steal" in a very deep OF market in Free Agency?
(jlarsen from chicago)		Cabrera. Pagan is coming off a good season without much in the way of blemishes. I would be surprised Cabrera signs for longer than one year. Maybe next winter. (R.J. Anderson)
2012-09-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)Will a small-market/midsize-market team score this offseason with a reduced value Melky Cabrera on a 1-3 year due to the fact that he is now going to be attached with the stigma of being a PED user and he's gotta re-establish himself/his credibility he lost when the suspension occurred?
(jlarsen from chicago)		I would certainly think so. Not sure what the $ figure is gonna be, but clearly his price has come down, and he's going to be a solid pickup even if he doesn't replicate his 2012 numbers (which he almost certainly won't).

Do the Rays need a corner OF? He seems like a perfect Joe Maddon reclamation project. (Ian Miller)
2012-06-19 13:00:00 (link to chat)Melky Cabrera was never a bad player (I especially remember his 2009 playoffs being brilliant), but where did this season come from?
(Alex from Anaheim)		Another one of the early season surprises. I'm not sure what to say about Melky except that he's been playing regularly since he was 21 years old. It's easy to get disillusioned with someone after years of underperforming expectations, even if we keep reminding ourselves that "this kid is still 23 years old". Melky's 27 years old this year, which is perfectly in line with a career year, so we shouldn't be 100% shocked. The real question is will he be able to keep it up next year? Is this his real talent level, or just him overachieving for one glorious summer? (Larry Granillo)
2012-03-15 12:00:00 (link to chat)Thanks for the great chat today. Do you see Melky Cabrera having a season closer to last year or the previous years? Looking at his information, we is still younger than I remembered.
(will.I.ain't from roaming)		Good point about Cabrera's age-he's not even a full two years older than Lorenzo Cain. That being said, I doubt Cabrera replicates last season. He has put together some solid seasons in the past-not good, but solid-so his biggest problem is just doing that year in and year out. Even if he's just a one-to-two-win player, that has value. (R.J. Anderson)
2011-12-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)Will the real Melky Cabrera please stand up ? What’s your opinion of the Melkman coming off what is widely considered to have been a career year ?
(Spirou from Somewhere near the Big O)		Somewhere in the past decade, this country forgot how to love average players. All the Michael Cuddyers and Aaron Harangs and Jason Kubels of the world are just terrible punchlines now, and any team that signs them has to, like, apologize for it. Poor Melky. Melky is basically a league-average player. PECOTA sees him putting up basically his career slash stats in 2012. That seems right. (Sam Miller)
2011-09-27 13:00:00 (link to chat)Is the new Melky Cabrera for real or an illusion?
(Steve N from Delaware)		As good as he's been, I just can't buy into him, at least not completely. I think the BA settles in around .275-.280 while the power drops off to 15 or so over a full season (though it should be noted that he was hitting his homers farther this year than he did last year--when his power was basically non-existant--and more like what he was doing in 2009 with the Yankees when he had a similar HR/FB).

I don't think I'm buying him as a 20 SB guy either. Tango's Fan Scouting Report says that his foot speed has fell off dramatically over the past two seasons to below average levels. Still, he stole 7 last year under Fredi Gonzalez, who is one of the worst managers for letting his players run. I think 12-15 SB sounds about right. That makes him a fairly valuable player capable of contributing a bit in all five categories without doing anything extremely well. Those kinds of guys tend to be undervalued, anecdotally speaking, especially if they've had a reputation for being bad and come out of nowhere to post a good season. (Derek Carty)
2011-07-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)Steven, please stop running down Melky Cabrera. You know he isn't any good, I know he isn't any good, but the Royals need to pass him off to somebody who doesn't for something worthwhile. lol On that note, what can the Royals expect to get for guys like Melky, Frenchie, Betemit? What would a bigger get like Soria bring? Thanks...
(LoyalRoyal from Perfect World)		He has actually been decent this year. I just expect that he has some resemblance to a pumpkin at some point. A rational GM wouldn't pay much for anyone but Soria, and although Soria has been very good since the end of May (15 innings, one run), what preceded that would make me nervous. (Steven Goldman)
2011-06-20 14:00:00 (link to chat)With all the hitting coaches being fired, when will Larry Parrish be shown the door by the Braves? He's taken one of the best offenses from last season, had Melky Cabrera withdrawn and Dan Uggla added, and has turned them into one of the worst this season.
(Nick Carter from London)		It's never clear how much impact a hitting or pitching coach can have on a team, so it's very tough to lay their problems at the feet of one, not that they don't as a means of scapegoating somebody when things get rough. Did Parrish tell Uggla to start swinging with his eyes closed? Did he trade Yunel Escobar for the hacktastic Alex Gonzalez? Did he drive Nate McLouth's career off a cliff? Cause Jason Heyward's injury woes? Force anyone to play Jordan Schafer?

The bottom line is that I'm very skeptical the Braves' offensive woes owe much to Parrish, though I suspect they'll make an example of him anyway if their fortunes don't turn. (Jay Jaffe)
2010-12-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)Does it make sense to evaluate this weekend's trade as Dayton Moore's first step in trying to configure the talent at hand into a major league roster for 2012/13, or should KC still be in the talent gathering phase?
(BL from Bozeman, MT)		Maybe. Though if Greinke asked for a trade his hand would have been forced. We'll have to see how things go during spring training. I mean, he signed Francoeur and then Melky Cabrera, the only player I like LESS than Francoeur. Is he really going to cut them? Really? I doubt it. This would be the perfect year to infuse the major league roster with the developing talent, but in the back of my head I just don't see it happening, obviously to the detriment of the team. (Eric Seidman)
2010-05-14 13:00:00 (link to chat)Which of the following is most likely to turn it around this year a. Dodgers b. Braves c. Javier Vazquez
(mikeel from Escondido, CA)		I don't think any of those turning it around is an outrageous proposition. The Dodgers have begun taking steps in that direction over the past five days, and Vazquez had a strong start even in defeat. As for the Braves, there's a lot of talent there, but their overreliance on Melky Cabrera as an everyday player is killing them, and I think this may be the year that Chipper Jones' body says no, so I'm less optimistic. (Jay Jaffe)
2010-02-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)What to make of Jordan Schafer? The severe contact problems indicate he wasn't ready last year. Or is it more than that? Is his porspect status fading fast at 23?
(rogero from philly)		He wasn't ready and he was also hurt, trying to play through a wrist problem, which as we discussed earlier probably isn't the wisest thing to do. His future is still an open question, and if you can't outplay Melky Cabrera you really don't deserve a job. He's going to have to go back to Triple-A and show what he can do when healthy before he gets the chance to even try... (Steven Goldman)
2009-08-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)What's your own take on Jose Tabata, is he going to be nothing more than a Melky Cabrera or could he be a batting champion.
(Mike from Utica,NY)		I'm not 100 percent sold on him yet. I'd say Melky Cabrera at this point. (John Perrotto)
2009-07-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)What are your thoughts on Girardi and Cashman's work this year? Overall I like the duo, but watching Jeter bunt in the 5th inning or Cody Ransom remaining on this team is not very encouraging...
(Eli from Brooklyn)		While I've been a big supporter in the past, Cashman's roster work at protecting A-Rod borders upon total f-ing incompetence. Anybody who rosters Angel Berroa for more than 48 hours deserves to be the GM of the Nationals, and anyone who can't come up with a better alternative than Cody Ransom in the two months since he went on the DL deserves to be the GM of the Astros.

Girardi's done a decent job with the hand he's been dealt. He's finally got a functional bullpen thanks to the work of Hughes and Aceves, he's gotten productive stretches from both Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera, and his failure to rest Rodriguez adequately can be seen as a response to the craptastic options Cashman's provided him with. (Jay Jaffe)
2009-06-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)Damon, Matsui, Cashman, Girardi --- how would you rank order the likelihood of their returning to the Bronx in 2010?
(frank leja from DC)		Frank Leja??? Now there's an obscurity for you. And a deceased one. I say Damon and Matsui no, Cashman and Girardi yes. I don't think Girardi has done a bad job. He's sometimes a little too enamored of the small ball, and his usage of the bullpen isn't always what I want it to be, but he's been more aggressive in trying to work out relief problems on a staff-wide basis than Joe Torre ever was. He also favored Brett Gardner over Melky Cabrera (or did) which earns points with me, has Joba in the rotation, and has tried batting Nick Swisher second. He's also a lot more candid with the public than he was last year. I'm not sure why he should take the fall if this club doesn't win. (Steven Goldman)
2009-05-21 14:00:00 (link to chat)Melky Cabrera's comps in BP 2009 including Bernie Williams and three guys you'd never want to be associated with. His 2009 season so far indicates he may be Bernie Williams. Small sample size or true ability?
(John from NYC)		I was talking about him at the game Sunday with Derek, and one of the things I said was that Cabrera may be like Williams in that he'll be a better player than he looks. I don't know that Cabrera will match Williams, but there are some surface similarities, and since I am the guy who said that Cabrera would someday knock 80 XBH in a season, I'm inclined to see "true ability" in his first six weeks. He has got to get the ball in the air more; he hits far too many groundballs for a player without great speed. (Joe Sheehan)
2009-05-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)I seem to remember a spirited debate taking place a few years ago over whether Melky Cabrera was a better prospect than Nick Markakis, with more than a few people taking up Melky's case. Was there ever a legitimate reason for differing opinions? Yankees fans have been known to overvalue their players from time to time...
(tim from jersey city, nj)		No, it was never legitimate. That was me looking at some early statistical similarities when they first came up, but their paths quickly diverged. It was my way of rooting for Melky to be more than what he was in a kind of tongue in cheek way. (Steven Goldman)
2009-02-06 13:00:00 (link to chat)Steve, I caught you on the YES hot stove show last night. Your point about the team's biggest flaws last year--Posada's injury, Melky Cabrera's poor offense and Robbie Cano's poor everything--and how they haven't changed this year is well taken. But how good could the team be if all three players improve from their 2008 seasons?
(AlexBelth from Bronx, NY)		Let me get another member of the Bronxbanterblog.com team. You can catch said appearance at www.pinstripedbible.com. Please disregard my unpleasant face and inability to form coherent sentences. Brother Alex, I think you're positing a best-case scenario. Obviously the Yankees would be in good shape to overcome their other weaknesses, which could include very weak production from the outfield corners, and be very tough to beat assuming consistency around the field. As for whether that will happen or not, I don't have high hopes for Melky and am hoping that Brett Gardner overcomes his mostly weak projections. I feel good that Joe Girardi joins me in that wish. I expect a significant bounceback for Cano. I'm very worried that Posada won't be ready for opening day. One out of three ain't bad? (Steven Goldman)
2009-02-03 13:00:00 (link to chat)As its currently constructed, the Yankees roster seems to have too many OF/DH types to let everyone play everyday. Who loses out here on everyday player status?
(Jim Clancy from Exhibition Stadium)		Of the candidates, all with limitations, I feel that Xavier Nady is the most limited, basically a RH platoon player who happened to have a nice BABIP run for three months. The real issue is that the only CF, Melky Cabrera, has been in decline for years despite his young age. My sense is that, health permitting, the PT goes Damon, Matsui, Swisher, Nady, Cabrera, Gardner. (Joe Sheehan)
2009-01-22 13:00:00 (link to chat)Who should be the Yankees opening day CF in 2009?
(Snakedoctor18 from New York)		Has the ship sailed on Zombie Mickey Mantle yet?

I'm certainly not wowed by the Yankees' in-house options, a pool that nominally includes Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner, Johnny Damon and Nick Swisher. I don't think the latter two can carry the position defensively anymore, and I'm less than wowed by the offense offered by either of the former two, unless Cabrera has spent the entire winter being beaten over the head with a fungo bat in an effort to impart the slightest modicum of common sense into his thick skull.

Which means that a better solution must lie outside the organization. I'd be willing to see if Jim Edmonds has anything left given his rebound with the Cubs. (Jay Jaffe)
2008-12-11 14:00:00 (link to chat)If the Cameron deal is dead (according to the latest reports), who is Plan B for the Yanks in CF?
(Anthony from Paramus, NJ)		Melky Cabrera or perhaps Willy Taveras if he gets non-tendered tomorrow as expected. (John Perrotto)
2008-09-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)How would you rate the job Girardi has done so far this year? Does he get a pass due to all the injuries? Or is he not the right fit for this team regardless. Some of my Yankee friends say the team is underachieving regardless because he's just too uptight a personality for a veteran club.
(arfdolph from Antioch (Calif.))		I can't say that he's done an impressive jobâ€"his on-field decisions often leave something to be desiredâ€"but there's plenty of blame to go around, where the Yankees are concerned. I'd be less worried about Girardi being too uptight for the veteran players, than about the way youngsters like Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera have played under him. (Derek Jacques)
2008-07-29 16:00:00 (link to chat)Padres trade: Adrian Gonzalez, Greg Maddux, Heath Bell Yankees send: Austin Jackson, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Melky Cabrera, Cano and a throw-in of Kei Igawa
(dcoonce from bloomington, indiana)		You've been at Nick's early, haven't you? (Will Carroll)
2008-07-25 14:00:00 (link to chat)Joe, You have been very bullish on Melky Cabrera. What are your thoughts on him now?
(Mike from NJ)		I'm just confused by how little power he's shown. He seems to have an idea at the plate, he's not a small guy, and he's even getting the ball in the air more. It just doesn't go anywhere. I'm confused as all hell. Still optimistic/stubborn, though. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-07-03 13:00:00 (link to chat)Austin Jackson over Jose Tabata? And when will we see them playing for the yankees? Could we see Jackson as a September call-up? What is Melky Cabrera's future?
(Mike from NY)		Melky's future: 4th outfielder. Jackson looks a lot closer to being ready than Tabata, who has really regressed this season. Jackson could be an August callup, even, if Melky and/or Gardner don't produce soon. (Jeff Erickson)
2008-06-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)Wouldn't trading Melky Cabrera eliminate an appealling stopgap replacement for Abreu in RF next season? Especially if they sign Teixeira and can afford to carry a Gardner/Cabrera/debuting Austin Jackson/Betemit/Duncan platoon in CF and RF?
(Tony from Brooklyn, NY)		I have long been on record as not believing in "carrying" a bat... And what would be the point of signing a Teixeira if it just took a problem and shifted it elsewhere. The whole point is to get better, not tread water. Cabrera would be below replacement in RF. What's the average RF hitting just now (checking)? Let's say about .272/.340/.440. I don't think you get that from Melky.

Dad put Mom on the phone. Definitely can't hang up on Mom, but I'm done now. What a day. (Steven Goldman)
2008-05-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)At what point do the Yankees punt the 2008 season and try to trade veterans for prospects and - given that scenario - who are your favorite trade candidates?
(Precarious Jim from Cologne, Germany)		Hello, Cologne. It's a difficult question, and I say that knowing I've advocated for trades. If Giambi keeps hitting, the Yankees might actually get something for him - a no-brainer given that they're not going to pick up his option. Damon might have some value to someone soft in the outfield. With Brett Gardner playing well, you might rethink trading Melky Cabrera. None of these players are going to bring back Matt LaPorta unless someone has been drinking, but maybe you get something in the way of position players.

I like Melky, but I just don't understand his streakiness. (Steven Goldman)
2008-05-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)A while back I asked Joe Sheehan who he'd choose between Melky Cabrera and Jacoby Ellsbury. He said Cabrera. Who would you take?
(mattymatty from Philly, PA)		I think "awhile back" I would have given the same answer Joe did, because Melky is younger and Ellsbury seemed to have been playing over his head in the majors. All the growth potential seemed to be with the Yankees guy. It's very easy to believe that, too, when Cabrera gets going on one of his hot streaks, as he did this April. After a miserable May, I'm beginning to wonder if Cabrera will ever be consistent at his best, or it will always be this mediocre summation of his good and bad days. Also, Ellsbury has been a lot more patient than I expected he would be. (Steven Goldman)
2008-05-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)Why do I keep reading about how much trouble the Yankees are in? Hasn't this been the story for three years running now? Slow start, fast finish. Do you see anything to make you think this year will be different from 2005-2007?
(Joe from Tewksbury, MA)		Yes. Everybody in the lineup, including Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada is a year older, and with the exception of Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano, they're a year further away from their statistical primes, to say nothing about the fact that Cano looks pretty lost right now. The bench is weak even for a team that's done poorly in that area in the recent past. Seriously, I'd take Chili Davis, Darryl Strawberry, Luis Sojo and Ron Coomer circa 2008 over some of the stiffs they have lying around.

There's that, plus a weak pitching staff where the back of the rotation has been a thorough disaster thus far and the bullpen situation is considered so fragile that there's actually a question about whether they'll move Joba Chamberlain to a starting role this year. Add to that the fact that the AL East has gotten tougher and I think there's no longer any guarantee that the Yankees will contend, let alone win the division.

The other thing in play is the new manager. Through the early season debacles of the last few years, Torre was able to absorb the front office's slings and arrows and still give off a sense of calm confidence that things would eventually turn around. Girardi is protected from the barbs of Hank Steinbrenner at the moment -- his focus appears to be on forcing Brian Cashman out -- but Little Joe is the kind of guy who seems more likely to go Billy Martin bonkers as things get worse, and I don't think that's going to help. (Jay Jaffe)
2008-04-29 14:00:00 (link to chat)Hey Marc! Can you explain me some fantasty baseball? In a vanilla 10 teamer, I've got Melky Cabrera, Milledge, Adam Jones, and Jeremy Hermida, but only 2 spots for them. In this format, are any of them (Melky?) cuttable? I feel like each of the other three is too good to be on my bench. Do I need to make a trade?
(akachazz from DC)		If you only have the two spots, I'd sell high on Melky. You aren't going to get a lot for Milledge or Hermida while their SLG is down, and Melky isn't doing so great that he's untouchable for you. (Marc Normandin)
2008-05-01 13:00:00 (link to chat)Some friends and I are having the argument, who would you rather have long term, Melky Cabrera or Jacoby Ellsbury?
(Joe from Tewksbury, MA)		Good one. I'll say Cabrera, who's younger, has more experience, and will hit for more power while being in a comparable OBP zone. Both are flawed CFs with one outstanding defensive skill (Cabrera's arm, Ellbury's speed). I think Cabrera eventually moves to right field, though. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-05-01 13:00:00 (link to chat)Melky Cabrera over Jacoby? That sounds similar to Rob Neyer's manifesto that Brad Wilkerson is better than Alfonso Soriano.
(sriramk1027 from SF)		Well, mine has the benefit that Cabrera has been the better player in every season of the two players' professional careers. Wilkerson had only been better than Soriano in most years at the time that comparison was made. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-03-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)What's your take on Melky Cabrera, both for this year and the next couple years? Trying to get a feel for his value in a keeper league.
(Sully from Los Angeles)		I'd say he's not worth keeping yet. He may develop some power, but for now he's an on-base guy with some speed. More useful in real life than in the fantasy world, though that could change. Keep an eye on him, but there are better options than him in a keeper league, even a deep one. (Marc Normandin)
2008-03-06 13:00:00 (link to chat)Hey Jay, Big fan. With the benefit of two years of hindsight, what do you make of Johnny Damon's contract with the Yankees?
(mattymatty from Philly, PA)		I think it's every bit the millstone that it looked like back when he signed. Certainly, there's something to be said for the fact that it hurt the Red Sox to lose him initially, and there's also something to be said for Melky Cabrera's rather surprising development into a solid major-leaguer during the time Damon's been in pinstripes. But given that Damon can't really play center field anymore, and will have a hard time staying in the lineup, this isn't pretty. He's owed $26 million for 2008-2009, and PECOTA thinks he'll be worth about $15 million. Blech. (Jay Jaffe)
2008-02-29 13:00:00 (link to chat)Who is the best overall baserunner on the Yankees?
(Rob from Andover, CT)		In 2007 I had Johnny Damon on top at +7 runs with Alex Rodriguez next at +5.2. Derek Jeter usually does well in baserunning and was at +2.4 and Hidecki Matsui was at +2.3.

On the flip side, as usual Jorge Posada was last at -7.6 and Jason Giambi was at -3.5. Robinson Cano also did poorly at -2.2. Those three were also on the bottom in 2006 with Bernie Williams next.
Melky Cabrera (+2) did well in 2006 as did Bobby Abreu (+1.5) but Damon was tops at +5.6.

Based on past performance I'd have to go with Damon. (Dan Fox)
2008-02-27 13:00:00 (link to chat)Melky Cabrera's got a pretty interesting set of comparables: Carlos Beltran, Coco Crisp, Pete Rose, and Hal McRae. Some good-looking players but (besides Beltran) nobody with too much power. What's the outlook on him? Is he the Yankee CFer of the future?
(Jim Leyritz from Florida)		It's confusing, isn't it? This is what I meant about the occasional inscrutability of the comps. If I recall correctly, at Cabrera's age, Beltran had the one bad year of his career... If Coco Crisp is your worst-case scenario, that's not bad, but the Yankees don't have a Jacoby Ellsbury to come along and rescue them... My suspicion is that Crisp is closer to the mark than Beltran or even McRae. The power just isn't there right now, might not ever be there. That leaves us with what... A player who might peak at something pretty decent without rising to the level of the All-Star game. That's not bad, you enjoy it... And then you trade Roberto Kelly for Paul O'Neill. (Steven Goldman)


BP Roundtables

DateRoundtable NameComment
2009-10-16 13:00:00NLCS Game Two/ALCS Game OneGhostOfTonyKubek (Haunting OYS): How much longer are you going to ride the Nady hobbyhorse? You're preaching to empty choir stalls, trying to make a point about how the Yankees almost did something you didn't like but then it turned out to be moot, but it COULD have happened!

Well, it DID happen, and then Nady got hurt. I think it's important because it goes to the way the organization thinks about things, which is sort of what I'm all about, and to a large extent BP too. That the Yankees got something good out of RF is one of those "There but for the grace of God/fortune favors the foolish" moments, but that's all, and that decision can provide context to any other decision they might be faced with (they transferred some of the same incorrect thinking to Melky Cabrera). Or to put it another way, the first words Brian Cashman ever said to me, in November of 1996, were, "I don't know, Mariano Duncan did a really good job for us this year." The only hobbyhorse I'm trying to ride is the one that Bob Dylan was on when he said, "Don't follow leaders/Watch your parking meters." (Steven Goldman)
 

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