This Spring the Phillies welcomed back an old friend in outfielder Bobby Abreu. Having #53 in the outfield for the Spring brought back some nice memories. However, Abreu's play was not enough to warrant giving the 40 year-old a roster spot.
Chris Branch of the Delaware News Journal reports:
After a disastrous day in right field, the Philies informed franchise legend and 40-year-old Bobby Abreu on Tuesday that he will not make the Opening Day roster.
The Phillies could find themselves cutting John Mayberry Jr. once Darin Ruf returns from a disabled list stint. To guarantee Abreu the $800,000 he would have earned and have to cut him soon thereafter would have meant that the Phillies would be eating two contracts. For now, Mayberry and Tony Gwynn Jr., a natural center fielder, will probably open the season as the backup outfielders.
The Phillies needed a center fielder and a power bat for their two outfield bench spots. Committing to Gwynn, a left-handed hitter, would make the Phillies want a right-handed bat to complement it. That right-handed bat, for now, appears to be Mayberry.
Abreu has a minor league contract with the Phillies. He could accept a minor league assignment if he wishes, or the team would simply release him at his request. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reported that some scounts said that Abreu looked good this Spring, so maybe another team would take a chance on him.
