Should the Seattle Mariners Sign Cuban Slugger Jose Abreu?
By Paul Novak
Jose Abreu is the latest international star that is getting ready to bring his talents to America. The 26-year old Cuban first baseman is being looked at by multiple major league teams and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Seattle mariners were one of the teams in the mix.
The 6-foot-2 250 pound Cuban made a name for himself in the World Baseball Classic where he hit .360 with 3 home runs in six games.
Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik pointed out that the team will be getting creative this offseason. That may include chasing the top foreign prospect, who happens to be a hitter in the form of Edgar Martinez. The Mariners have enough DH/1st Base types but Abreu could ultimately end up filling the role most people envisioned of Jesus Montero.
However, it’s not likely the Mariners would seriously pursue the Cuban, or have much of a chance as the San Francisco Giants are rumored to be locks to sign him, given that many believe he’ll be looking for nearly $60 million in his initial contract.
"Major league officials anticipate that Abreu will command a bigger contract than Yasiel Puig‘s seven-year $42 million deal with the Dodgers."
It’s going to take some creativity to get the Mariners to the level of the division rival Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics. But spending that kind of money on an unproven hitter who can’t contribute in the field isn’t a move the already heated Mariners fans would take well.