Though he may not have been a part of the five straight NL East Championships, the two NL Pennants and the World Series Championship, Bobby Abreu was an integral part of the Phllies organization for the better part of nine years. He had a brief stint with the team this season in Spring Training, but Abreu eventually landed with the Mets. Today, he announced his retirement after a successful 18-year career in baseball.
His time as an every day player ended in 2011, but Bobby's career numbers are extremely consistent, posting an average of .300 or more in six seasons while hitting 20 or more homers and stealing 20 or more bases in seven straight seasons. Abreu was a two-time All-Star as a member of the Phillies and won the Home Run Derby back in 2005. Overall for his 18-year, 2,423-game career Abreu has an OPS of .870, which is a higher mark than fellow retirees Paul Konerko (.841) and Derek Jeter (.817). The Phillies parted ways with their long time right fielder in 2006, dealing him and Cory Lidle to the Yankees for four minor league prospects.
Some may not know this, but Abreu was originally drafted by the Astros. After two years with Houston, Bobby was left unprotected in the expansion draft. He was picked up by the Tampa Bay Rays but traded to the Phillies within hours for Kevin Stocker. In his first season with Philadelphia, Abreu made quite an impression, leading the team with a .312 average to go along with 17 home runs and 17 outfield assists. In 1999, Abreu finished third in the race for the NL Batting Title with an average of .335. That seasno he also hit a league-leading 11 triples, 20 homers and drove in 93 runs. He also swiped 27 bases.
In 2004, Bobby went to his first All-Star game thanks to fan voting on MLB.com. When the Phillies moved to Citizens Bank Park, Abreu hit the first homer in the brand new park on April 12th of 2004 (video above). That year he ranked in the top five in the National League in five offensive categories. In his last full season with Philadelphia, he earned Player of the Month in May of 2005 after hitting nearly .400 and belting 11 homers. He finished second in All-Star fan voting that year, earning a starting spot on the NL roster. That year, he had a record breaking Home Run Derby performance, hitting 24 homers in a single round and 41 overall.
The Phils traded Abreu to the Yankees in 2006. Bobby spent three seasons with the Yanks before joining the Angels in 2009. He was in Anaheim until 2012, when he stopped getting time as an every day player and was released by the Angels. In May of 2012, he signed a deal with the Dodgers and played in 92 games for them.
After posting great numbers in the Venezuelan Summer League, the Phillies signed Abreu to a minor league deal in 2014. The Phils released him right before the season on May 27th. Abreu then landed with the Mets, posting a .246 average in 76 games. He was designated for assignment in August but the Mets brought him up when rosters expanded in September.
During his career, Abreu was a member of the 30-30 club twice and was very well known for his patience at the plate, taking over 100 base on balls in eight straight seasons.
Abreu has had plenty of notable times as a member of the Phillies. I didn't really get much into sports until 2000, when I was 13. Abreu was the kind of player that was known best for his professionalism and patience. He was a staple of the Phillies organization for so many years in the early 2000s and provided me with a lot of memories as a young sports fan.
My favorite moment of Bobby as a Phillie was all the way back when I began watching the team in 2000. He won a game against the Giants in the 10th inning with a dramatic inside-the-park home run. Harry Kalas has the call:
Thanks for your time in Philadelphia, Bobby!
Brandon Apter, Publishing Editor for Philliedelphia.com
