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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.What is up with WEEI always insinuating that there are nasty rumors about why the Sox did not resign Cabrera after the WS in 2004? They talked about it Sunday and said it was "not appropriate for the radio". Details? Links?
Also heard this.
I heard he shagged Tito's wife... or tried to. Completely unsubstantiated though. Just what I heard from someone who interned @ the station (WEEI).
Then again ... for the money I would take Cabrera of a few years ago over JD Drew all day long. Cabrera always gave everything he had - he was a true dirt dog.
The simple and sad truth is that the Sox just saw Renteria as better.
Cabrera has a career OPS of .716. Well below league average.
JD Drew has a career OPS of .888. Well above league average. Cabrera isn't fit to hold drew's jock strap.
The fact that Drew doesn't throw his bat when he strikes out doesn't make him a bad player, and doesn't mean he isn't trying. The team needs guys who aren't hotheads.
That, and letting Cabrera walk netted us a first round pick and a sandwich pick.
Here are the Red Sox 2005 first and first round sandwich picks. Two of these players were drafted with the picks netted because Cabrera was signed by someone else:
1 23 Jacoby Ellsbury, Oregon State
1 26 Craig Hansen, St. John's
1a 42 Clay Buchholz, Angelina College (Texas)
1a 45 Jed Lowrie, Stanford
1a 47 Michael Bowden, Waubonsie Valley HS (Ill.)
They let him go in 2004. They could have brought him back a number of times after recieving the draft pick compensation, including this season, when he was shopped to Boston, and Theo again passed.
Maybe its just because hes not that good? He's got a career .700 OPS. Lowrie was better than that his rookie year, and Lowrie is statistically a MUCH better defender. (lowrie: +22 Runs per 150 games, OCab: +4 runs per 150 game career).
For the record, Cabrera has been terrible defensively this year (-13 runs per 150)
Cabrera has a career OPS of .716. Well below league average.
JD Drew has a career OPS of .888. Well above league average. Cabrera isn't fit to hold drew's jock strap.
Lowrie is in no way a better defender (or player) than Orlando Cabrera. Absolutely no way dude. Maybe someday he'll be (I highly doubt it), but certainly not right now. Defensive stats are far from a proven science, but if you want to use them, Lowrie has anemic range at SS. Also, I never said, nor intimated, that Cabrera was a terrific SS. I said he is the best SS the Sox have had since Nomar. Furthermore, Lowrie's career OPS is under .700, and his career BA is a paltry .237. Granted he's been hurt this year, but Lowrie is not a MLB starting SS, and I'm not sure he ever will be. He can play there, but his future is elsewhere.
Sox SS since Nomar: Edgar Renteria, Alex Gonzalez, Alex Cora, Julio Lugo, Nick Green, and Jed Lowrie.
All things being equal, I'd take Cabrera > Gonzalez > Green/Lowrie.
I agree. I don't know about unsubstantiated rumors, but Cabrera came through big time in '04. Renteria & Lugo couldn't handle Fenway pressure, and the jury is still out on Lowrie and Green. I liked Cora a lot, but he wasn't an everyday answer. Gonzo? Good glove.
Lowrie is in no way a better defender (or player) than Orlando Cabrera. Absolutely no way dude. Maybe someday he'll be (I highly doubt it), but certainly not right now. Defensive stats are far from a proven science, but if you want to use them, Lowrie has anemic range at SS.