Jeff Francoeur and Melky Caberera in the same outfield? It’s like Christmas for snarky baseball bloggers.
From Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes comes word that Cabrera has reached agreement with the Royals on a one-year, $1.25 million contract that includes $250,000 in performance-based incentives.
Cabrera was released by the Braves two months ago and drew very little interest on the open market this fall and winter. He batted just .255/.317/.354 over 509 plate appearances for Atlanta in 2010 and had trouble covering ground in the outfield by the end of his tenure.
Most of Melky’s recent failures have to do with his poor level of conditioning. That’s a mental thing, not a physical thing, and the Royals will have to hope that he decides to stay in shape and commit himself to his talents.
At $1.25 million, it’s not a terrible deal. The Royals have to take chances to fill some holes. With a farm system bursting in potential, maybe they won’t have to in the near future. For now, though, it’s all aboard for guys with question marks.