Jose Who?

The Xbox game MLB the Show 2012 has a mode where you can create a player and develop his skills. My player’s name is Dale Lepire and he is a 6’5” switch-hitting shortstop from Vista, California. I’m proud to say all of his skills have the maximum rating making him the only legitimate six-tool player, speed, power, contact, arm strength, glove, the ability to hit a homerun off of Chuck Norris. In his rookie year he hit .415 with 75 homeruns and a .550 on base percentage, won the MVP and led the Los Angeles Dodgers to a World Series Championship. Every time I turn off my Xbox I appreciate that I have created the best player of all time. However recently I came across a stat line that was better than my avatar. Someone created a player that hit .453 with a .597 on base percentage and 33 homeruns in 212 at bats (on pace for 90 homeruns in 580 at bats, a typical 162 game season). I didn’t understand how this was possible; my guy had no room for improvement. According to MLB the Show there was no way anyone could create a player better than mine. Then I was dumbfounded to learn the most astronomical, outrageous thing about this new player….. he actually exists.

His name is Jose Abreu, and he hails from the great baseball country of Cuba. He is a great example of why Cuba may be the last refuge for baseball’s unknown. It is well documented that Cuba’s current political state makes it difficult for Cubans to immigrate to other countries. Unfortunately for baseball fans, this means that the great baseball players that hail from Cuba are hidden by its borders, which is why we need to appreciate the World Baseball Classic as a rare opportunity to watch an unexplored pool of talent.

Jose Abreu is a great example of the great talent that very little people know about. The first basemen began playing in the Cuban Professional League at the age of 17 and has been tearing it up ever since. His stats are downright unbelievable, posting over a .390 batting average and over a 1.300 OPS in the past three seasons.   

There’s no telling how those stats would translate in the MLB but there are people who try to make the case that he is the best hitter on the planet. Jose Abreu’s talent may be world class, but the only way we’ll ever find how he compares to the Miguel Cabreras of the world is to put him against the best competition. So let’s pray that Aroldis Chapman can send him his defect plan because right now he is just a great “what if” debate.

Here's him hitting a mamo to center \/\/\/\/

-Blake Dale Lepire