FloridaMarlins.com

 

 

 

MIAMI -- In five years in the Minor Leagues, from 2001 through last season, Reggie Abercrombie struck out an incredible 727 times. Yet the Marlins have been able to see far beyond that quirk in his ability. They see something quite different -- a potential Major League All-Star.

Abercrombie is 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds of muscle. The center fielder is one of the fastest Marlins and certainly one of the strongest, as shown by his homer last month in Cincinnati that was estimated at 493 feet. And he has a strong arm.

 

"He is a five-tool player, which you don't see that often," said Marlins utility player Wes Helms, who has become one of Abercrombie's biggest boosters. "I tell him every day, 'You can be an elite player in this game. I would love to have your tools.'"

 

Helms does his part on a regular basis to try to make sure Abercrombie is motivated and prepared.

 

"I tell him, 'You ought to make it a point in your life to be one of the best in the game,'" Helms said. "He's got power, he's got speed. I think he can be a 30-30 guy, easy."

 

Abercrombie, 24, is barely starting to scratch the surface on that potential. With the Marlins heading into a three-game series with the Mets that commences Friday night at Dolphin Stadium, Abercrombie has three home runs and three steals, and he's hitting just .229, though he has hit safely in 12 of his last 16 games.Abercrombie is still learning pitch selection and how to have more patience at the plate. For instance, he hit two jaw-dropping 400-foot-plus foul balls in the Cubs series that just concluded. Those were good for the ego, but irrelevant to his statistics.

 

Still, Abercrombie clearly has made progress from the season's start. He went 2-for-5 in his Major League debut, but then was hitless in his next 22 at-bats. It appeared as if his time with the Marlins might be short. But Abercrombie went 2-for-5 against the Reds and the following day, after showing up early for a hitting session under the watchful eye of manager Joe Girardi, he unleashed the tape-measure homer as part of a 3-for-5 game.

 

"Reggie swung at everything they threw up there at the beginning," Girardi said. "Now you see him get into some 0-2 counts, then work it to 3-2 and get a base hit. Until the last couple of days, he's certainly cut down on his strikeouts."

 

Abercrombie struck out four times in the last two games of the Cubs series to bring his season total to 45. That's still more than the Marlins would like, but they feel he's very much a work in progress. Minor League hitting instructor John Mallee kept hammering home some hitting fundamentals to him last season, and Marlins hitting coach Jim Presley is doing the same now.

 

"I used to have a habit of trying to go out and get the ball more," Abercrombie said. "Coach has talked to me about letting the ball come to me, trusting my hands. So far it's been helping me out some."

 

After a pause, Abercrombie added, "I might swing at one bad pitch, but the thing is not to let that one bad swing take your whole at-bat away from you. Everybody swings at bad pitches once in a while. Just don't make the mistake of swinging at more than one."

In Girardi's session with him before the Reds game, Abercrombie said they talked about him about playing with confidence.

 

"I understand this game is all about confidence," Abercrombie said. "Then you can just go out and play."

 

With Jeremy Hermida (right hip flexor) coming off the disabled list last Monday, Girardi now feels he has four outfielders he can offer plenty of playing time -- Hermida, Josh Willingham, Joe Borchard and Abercrombie. Perhaps, though, it was telling that in Hermida's first day in the starting lineup, on Tuesday, Abercrombie was still penciled in as the club's center fielder.

 

Certainly, with his speed and strong arm, Abercrombie appears to be the most obvious option for the Marlins in center field. Yet the Marlins are expecting him to keep making progress offensively. Girardi said Borchard, who had a three-run homer in Wednesday's victory, has told him he has played all three outfield positions.

 

It sounded as if Borchard may present the most significant challenge to Abercrombie's regular status.

 

"I'm a believer that you don't shortchange guys," Girardi said. "You believe in them. If they show you maybe that's not their natural position or it's a struggle for them, then you might think about doing something else."

 

Meanwhile Helms plans to keep pumping Abercrombie with positive thoughts.

 

"Players with special potential like him, it's up to them what they make of their career," Helms said. "I tell him every day, 'Just go, go, go until somebody stops you.'"

I saw him play last summer in Zebulon, NC and he made a spectacular diving catch in centerfield.

I'll believe it when I see it

I'll believe it when I see it

 

Agreed, I haven't seen much out of him. I still think he should be in AAA, but we don't have any other options.

He has a long wya to go before he is anywhere close to being a star. I think he can be a moderate producer, but its no guarantee that he will become a star jsut because of the tools he has.

Kool Aid is doing just fine!...We have to admit We are spoiled due to the beyond imagination performance of Shadez, Uggla and Willy...we also have a phenom ready to shine in Hermida. Kool Aid also has wonderful assortment of skills and he is bringing it together steadily...yes he is a work in progress, but he is learning fast...Like I have said before Abercrombie is a major league baseball player

his homer last month in Cincinnati that was estimated at 493 feet

 

that quote is getting old fast

his homer last month in Cincinnati that was estimated at 493 feet

 

that quote is getting old fast

 

Is "Last month in Cincinnati, he hit a homer that travelled an estimated 493 feet" better?

his homer last month in Cincinnati that was estimated at 493 feet

 

that quote is getting old fast

 

Is "Last month in Cincinnati, he hit a homer that travelled an estimated 493 feet" better?

 

It's not how far the guys hits it, its how often he hits it far. Just because a guy can crush the ball doesn't mean he should be an everyday player at this level.

his homer last month in Cincinnati that was estimated at 493 feet

 

that quote is getting old fast

 

Is "Last month in Cincinnati, he hit a homer that travelled an estimated 493 feet" better?

 

It's not how far the guys hits it, its how often he hits it far. Just because a guy can crush the ball doesn't mean he should be an everyday player at this level.

 

Abercrombie is really coming around lately, with an .855 OPS with a .287 BA in May.

 

Coupled with good defense, I'd say he should be an everyday player.

All star? NO.

 

Preston Wilson clone? MAYBE. Just maybe....

All star? NO.

 

Preston Wilson clone? MAYBE. Just maybe....

 

I think he will be better than Preston Wilson :shifty

his homer last month in Cincinnati that was estimated at 493 feet

 

that quote is getting old fast

 

Is "Last month in Cincinnati, he hit a homer that travelled an estimated 493 feet" better?

 

It's not how far the guys hits it, its how often he hits it far. Just because a guy can crush the ball doesn't mean he should be an everyday player at this level.

 

Abercrombie is really coming around lately, with an .855 OPS with a .287 BA in May.

 

Coupled with good defense, I'd say he should be an everyday player.

 

I'm all for getting him PT this year, we've got nothing to lose and he has potential. I'm just saying that sooner or later, the guy has to pan out and produce more than he has so far. His early start in May was impressive, but that average is dropping once again.

his homer last month in Cincinnati that was estimated at 493 feet

 

that quote is getting old fast

 

Is "Last month in Cincinnati, he hit a homer that travelled an estimated 493 feet" better?

 

It's not how far the guys hits it, its how often he hits it far. Just because a guy can crush the ball doesn't mean he should be an everyday player at this level.

 

Abercrombie is really coming around lately, with an .855 OPS with a .287 BA in May.

 

Coupled with good defense, I'd say he should be an everyday player.

 

I'm all for getting him PT this year, we've got nothing to lose and he has potential. I'm just saying that sooner or later, the guy has to pan out and produce more than he has so far. His early start in May was impressive, but that average is dropping once again.

Of course.

 

Did you expect him to hit .350 all month? He is going to have times where his average dips and times where it soars, but he needs to just keep his average going up every couple of weeks.

 

Starting 2-27 is going to make his average look much worse the it actually is. If you take out his 2-27 to start the year anyone know what his average would be?

I'll answer my own question.

 

Take out Reggie's 2-27 to start the year, and he is batting .269.

 

Not bad at all.

Oops, you beat me to it.

I'm not expecting .350 or anything. But he hasn't shown consistency either and a small hot streak doesn't show that he will pan out. Even during his hot streak he wasn't a huge producer, partially due to the lineup but he wasn't getting extra base htis that frequently either.

He is currently 4 for his last 28 over the last 8 games and 1 for his last 17.

 

Between the start to the season and what he is currently mired in, he was actually looking pretty nice batting over .300.

I'm not expecting .350 or anything. But he hasn't shown consistency either and a small hot streak doesn't show that he will pan out. Even during his hot streak he wasn't a huge producer, partially due to the lineup but he wasn't getting extra base htis that frequently either.

 

You got to understand something. Reggie was not a player ready for MLB. He should probably be in AAA right now. However he has all the "tools" to be a pretty good player at this level. If Reggie can hit .260-.270 this year IMO it would be damn impressive.

 

And want to know what young players usually are?

inconsistent

I thought Reggie was 26?

I liked him better as a clothing company.

All star? NO.

 

Preston Wilson clone? MAYBE. Just maybe....

 

I think he will be better than Preston Wilson :shifty

 

And you base that one what? Blind home-town fan enthusiasm?

A 26 year old who had never played above AA in his career, and did not play well at AA, does not belong in the majors.

 

At least Vargas was much younger, and had a much better minor league record, before we called him up from AA. Same goes for D-Train and Cabs.

All star? NO.

 

Preston Wilson clone? MAYBE. Just maybe....

 

I think he will be better than Preston Wilson :shifty

 

And you base that one what? Blind home-town fan enthusiasm?

 

 

lol yes he does....

 

Preston had 23, 23, 26, 31, and 36 homer seasons (one season of 121 RBIs/one season of 141 RBIs)..... I like Reggie and all but I DOUBT he can live up to that.

 

Preston is 32 and Abercrombie is 26....

First Reggie needs to lay off of those low and away pitches. When he can do that he will be pretty good.