Fantasy Baseball Fix: 2011 Bobby Abreu Projections

The Fantasy Baseball fix rolls onto number 8.

If you missed the previous entries of the Fantasy Fix click below.

Ranking as the number 8th most fantasy relevant Angel is Bobby Abreu. Bobby is expected to be the primary DH in 2011 so in some leagues that may impact his value and limit him only to a Utility spot. Mike Scioscia has expressed that Abreu will play some corner outfield ( LF, RF) so that may be enough to keep him eligible as an outfielder. At any rate Abreu’s potential position limitations and a sub par 2010 are the reason he is rather low in our ranking, 2010 was a down year for Abreu. He hit for his lowest average since 1997 ( 59 games) and saw his normally stellar on base percentage drop .38 points to .352. The one positives for Abreu in 2010 was that his power and stolen base numbers remained solid with a .435 slugging percentage backed by 20 home runs and 41 doubles. On the base paths Abreu swiped 24 bags in 34 attempts , proving he still offers value in the speed game. So while 2010 was a disappointed for Abreu and his lofty standards there are some positives there and the slight potential for a bounce back season

Lets take a look at what fantasy owners can expect from Abreu in 2011.

Abreu is expected to be the Angels primary DH and number two hitter to start 2011. DH’ing virtually everyday could help to keep Abreu’s legs fresh which could potentially provide Abreu with some gains in the power and speed categories. What remains to be seen is whether or not Abreu can regain some of his bat speed. While his power numbers were still respectable 2010 saw Abreu’s line drive rate plummet to just 16.6%. The other thing fantasy owners should monitor is where Abreu hits in the lineup. We’ve outlined before that the Angels best lineup is one without Bobby Abreu in the number two spot. While Abreu will likely start the season hitting second it’s possible he could move to either 3rd or 6th at some point which likely increases his RBI totals and opportunities.

The Hangout View: Abreu should again be a solid power speed combo available in the middle rounds of most drafts. Whether or not Abreu can rebound a post a solid average and OBP should be fantasy owners biggest concern. In leagues where OBP counts Abreu should be bumped up a round or two. If the Angels lineup stays healthy, Abreu should be able to have a bounce back OBP year as he will not feel the pressure to expand the zone as much as he did in 2010. The other aspect that will impact Abreu’s value is where he hits in the lineup. Although fantasy drafters wont have a clear answer on draft day, I fully expect Abreu to eventually be pushed toward the middle of the lineup which will increase Bobby’s RBI totals and overall fantasy value. Bottom line if Abreu is still on the board and you’re in need of a 3rd outfielder pounce! 2011 should produce the following line:

.275/.378/.432/ 19 home runs, 85 Rbi’s , 82 Runs, 18 stolen bases

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