Michel Abreu
From BR Bullpen
Michel Abreu MartÃnez
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 220 lb.
- School Universidad de Matanzas
- High School Escuela de Iniciacon Deportivoa
Michel Abreu played 8 years in Cuba and later won a batting title in AA.
Abreu hit .315/~.429/.523 in the Cuban leagues. He was 0 for 4 in the 1999 Intercontinental Cup. He also was on the Cuban national team during their games with the 1999 Orioles. Other than 1999, he never played for the national team. In the 2001-2002 Serie Nacional, the Matanzas first baseman won the MVP award after leading the league with 23 homers and 78 runs.
Abreu reportedly was disappointed that Kendry Morales was given the job as first baseman on the Cuban national team after Orestes Kindelan retired and this led to Abreu's leaving Cuba in 2004. He switched agents and countries a couple times and failed in a bid to get residency in Mexico. In 2005, he signed with the Boston Red Sox for $450,000 but the team voided the deal after it found out that Abreu had subtracted four years from age. Records were publicly available in Cuba but as is so often the case with defectors, the baseball media in the USA did not double-check with those. The 2007 Mets Media Guide still lists the incorrect January 2, 1979 birthdate.
Abreu signed with the New York Mets in January of 2006. He was 3 for 9 for the St. Lucie Mets but spent most of the year with the Binghamton Mets, where the veteran hit .332/.404/.530 with 17 HR. He led Mets minor leaguers in total bases (245), slugging and extra-base hits (54). He won the Eastern League batting title by 29 points over Brett Roneberg, had the best OBP in the EL and drew the most intentional walks (9). He was third in slugging. He made the EL All-Star team at first base.
Abreu had visa problems in 2007 and had not yet appeared in the minors by July 23.
Sources: 2007 Baseball Almanac, IBAF website, A History of Cuban Baseball by Peter Bjarkman, 2007 Mets Media Guide, 9/13/05 Boston Globe article by Gordon Edes, Speculation on Abreu's retirement because Morales got the 1B job on the national team, Soxprospects.com, Reporting on the Sox voiding Abreu's deal, 2005 Guia Official de Beisbol
