In MLB, players who have a reputation for being good clubhouse presences are valued, especially if they are respected veterans who have had success.
Of course, there has to be a minimum of on-field production to justify their presence on the roster.
In the specific case of Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu, the performance just wasn’t there to justify him being a part of their lineup.
The 37-year-old slugger has declined to the point he has hit .124/.167/.195 with a shockingly bad .361 OPS in 113 at-bats.
The Astros’ hands were tied: they had to release him, and they did just that on Friday.
They will eat about $30 million left on Abreu’s contract, but it was time to move on.
Astros insider Brian McTaggart certainly feels the move was long overdue.
“Ultimately, the Astros were left with no choice but to cut ties with José Abreu. It’s was a difficult decision considering the money involved and the kind of person that Abreu is, but they simply couldn’t have him in the lineup anymore,” he tweeted.
This is where the clubhouse presence vs. on-field production debate finds a dead end: ultimately, it doesn’t matter if a specific ballplayer is a great guy.
Production will dictate how long everybody stays in the bigs, and Abreu was certainly no exception.
Perhaps the 2020 AL MVP decides to extend his MLB stay and signs with another team on a cheaper deal.
Maybe he retires.
In any case, he should have no regrets: Abreu was a monster in his prime and always played the game the right way.
