Five-tool players are a rarity in baseball these days. So much so that Bobby Abreu is sometimes criticized for not doing any one thing well enough. A .300 hitter with home run power, he boasts speed on the bases and in the outfield, where he has a good glove and a strong and accurate arm. What’s not to like? Ask the Phillies. After eight great years by Bobby in the City of Brotherly Love, the team came to the curious conclusion that it couldn't win with him. That's fine with New York fans. Now that Bobby is wearing Yankee pinstripes, they're feeling like they can't lose. This is his story…

GROWING UP

Bob Kelly Abreu was born March 11, 1974, in Aragua, Venezuela.(Click here for today's sports birthdays.) His parents, Agueda and Nelson, would welcome three more boys into the world: Denny, Nielsen and Nelson Jr. A pair of girls rounded out the family.

Bobby grew up in northern Venezuela—a part of the country where jungles, beaches and flat plains come together. Money was often tight in the Abreus. In fact, Bobby worked at a fruit stand as a boy to earn money for the family.

Aragua is a town baseball and soccer are played with great skill and incredible passion. Bobby and his brothers were no excpetions. They all excelled in stickball and later graduated to baseball. Bobby started as a second baseman, emulating his favorite player, Roberto Alomar. Soon, however, it became apparent that his best position was in the outfield, where his speed, instincts, and cannon-like arm would be put to most advantageous use.

Bobby learned the game from his father, who was a baseball fanatic. Nelson played some himself and was also a devoted fan of Venezuela's winter leagues. Bobby’s middle name came from Pat Kelly, who spent many off-seasons in South America. The one-time All-Star impressed Nelson with his speed and defensive ability.

Baseball was life for all the Abreu boys. When they weren’t out playing, they were inside listening to games on the radio, or watching them on TV. Nelson knew something about every player. He worked our regularly with his sons until he lost the use of his legs in a car accident.

No team in the majors was more connected to Venezuela than the Houston Astros. After scouting Bobby locally, they came to the Abreu home with an offer just after his 16th birthday. Looking to his father for guidance, he got it. “Here’s your chance,” Nelson said. “Take it.”

Two years later, Nelson decided to undergo an operation to restore his mobility. He traveled to Havana, Cuba for the procedure, but the family could not afford to send someone with him. They learned by phone that he died on the operating table. Grief stricken, Bobby considered giving up baseball before deciding to move on with his career.

Bobby's first taste of professional ball came in 1990 at the Astros’ Venezuelan academy. After a year of polishing his skills there, he joined Houston's rookie-level squad in the Gulf Coast League. He knew three words of English when he stepped off the plane in Florida—Hi, Goodbye, and Toilet.

ON THE RISE

With Kissimmee, Bobby hit .301 in 56 and stole 10 bases, and also gunned down 13 runners to lead the league. He more than held his own against older, higher-ranked prospects like Jimmy Gonzalez, Buck McNabb, and Shawn Livsey.

The following year, Bobby played his first full season of minor-league ball with the Class-A Asheville Tourists of the Sally League. He batted .292 and showed excellent plate discipline for a player who just turned 18. The club’s star was Gary Mota, but Bobby was rated just behind him as a prospect by league managers.

In 1993, Bobby took another step forward with Osceola of the Florida State League. He batted .283 and began to show gap power with 21 doubles and a league-record 17 triples. He also reached double figures in outfield assists for the third year in a row. After the campaign, Bobby had rotator cuff surgery done on his right shoulder, which had periodically given him problems.

The Astros were not overly concerned about Bobby's injury. It seemed to diminish his arm strength somewhat but didn't hurt his accuracy. Besides, he had the smoothest, prettiest swing in the organization. That easy stroke would be his ticket to the majors. Indeed, Bobby was creeping up the talent charts other teams were keeping on the Astros. Among the converts was Ed Wade of the Phillies, who was bowled over by the 19-year-old when he was scouting the Houston system.

Bobby’s power surge continued in 1994, when he belted 16 homers for Class-AA Jackson and led the Texas League with a .530 slugging average. He spent the entire 1995 season at Class-AAA Tucson, where he was the Toros’ youngest player and their best all-around hitter. Bobby batted .304 with 51 extra-base hits and 75 RBIs. Despite his impressive numbers, there was no thought of promoting him during the season. Bobby was still a raw talent. His 120 strikeouts and 14 caught stealings suggested he had a ways to go.

The Astros watched Bobby closely as he began his second stint in Tucson in 1996. After another solid season at the plate and in the field, he got the call to the big club when rosters expanded in September. Bobby started four games in the outfield down the stretch and collected his first major-league hit off Bobby Jones of the New York Mets. That winter, he tore it up in the Caribbean World Series, leading all batters with a .588 average.

Bobby stayed hot through the follolwing spring and made the Astros for the 1997 campaign. He was in right field on Opening Day and hit safely in his first nine games. Bobby launched his first two homers against the Colorado Rockies in an April 28th game, but slumped badly after that. A few weeks later he was on the DL with a broken hamate bone.

Bobby spent most of the summer rehabbing with Jackson and New Orleans. With the Astros were leading a weak NL Central, they recalled him in time to be eligible for the playoffs. He batted over .300 the rest of the way to finish the year at .250, with three homers in 59 games. He watched from the bench in the playoffs as the Astros went down in three straight against the Atlanta Braves. Bobby pinch-hit in each contest and collected one hit.

The winter of 1997-98 was a busy one for baseball. Two new teams, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks, needed to stock their teams in the expansion draft. When Houston exposed Bobby instead of Richard Hidalgo, the D-Rays grabbed him. The Astros justified the decision, claiming Bobby had taken a step backwards at bat and on the bases. In their opinion, he was fooled too often by breaking balls, and he had become a tentative baserunner despite the fact that the Astros had given him a green light.

In retrospect, the criticisms of Houston's brass could not have been more off the mark. Amazingly, however, Tampa Bay didn’t know what it had in Bobby, either. When the Phillies offered shortstop Kevin Stocker, the D-Rays sent Bobby packing. Wade was the man who pushed the deal through, convincing GM Lee Thomas that Bobby was easily worth Stocker, who became expendable now that Desi Relaford was ready to take over at short.

The 1998 Phillies were a team in transition. World Series hero Curt Schilling was still the stud of the rotation, but the rest of the staff was thin. Meanwhile, a new group of young stars was stepping up on offense, led by Scott Rolen, Rico Brogna and Doug Glanville. With limited options, manager Terry Francona did his best in guiding Philly to a third-place finish in the NL East.

Bobby was one of Francona's big bright spots. He rediscovered his picturesque stroke and led the team's regulars with a .312 average. A dependable clutch hitter from the sixth spot in the order, Bobby flashed emerging power with 17 homers and showed good patience with men on base. He also stole 19 bases and established himself as one of the league’s best right fielders, gunning down 17 runners.

While the Phillies failed to improve in 1999, Bobby, by contrast, had a great year. He killed righties all season and finished third in the league with a .335 average and .446 on-base percentage. Bobby’s approach was simple. Against lefties he drilled balls to left and center (.298 average and 20 RBIs). Against righties, he turned on the ball and drove it with authority, batting .348 and smashing 20 home runs. Bobby also swiped 27 bases, and his 11 triples tied for the NL lead.

Bobby put up his numbers despite a bothersome right elbow. After the season, doctors looked at it and recommended surgery. He was ready for spring training.

As Bobby’s game surged upward, the Phillies continued to go South. They lost 97 games in 2000 and had a fire sale over the summer, including a deal that sent Schilling to Arizona. His departure left Bobby as Philly's top star. Accordingly, he saw fewer and fewer good pitches at the plate—opponents wouldn't let Bobby beat them. Still, he managed to hit .316 with 42 doubles, 10 triples and 25 home runs. He also drew 100 walks and displayed a little power against lefthanders. When Francona asked Bobby to fill the club’s leadoff role for a few weeks late in the year, he was superb. But friction with the normally laidback manager and the strain of losing made the '00 campaign a disappointing year for Bobby.

High-strung Larry Bowa was hired to manage the Phillies in 2001 and the team responded with a good year, winning 86 games and finished just behind the Braves in the NL East. That might have changed had the offense been more dependable. Indeed, while the team got surprising pitching performances from journeymen Robert Person, Omar Daal, Rheal Cormier and Jose Mesa, it didn't produce in the clutch. Bobby, however, did his part. Though his average dipped below .300, he became the first 30-30 player in team history, while also driving in 100 runs and scoring 118.

The promise of 2001 turned to disappointment in 2002. Rolen, no fan of Bowa’s, left for St. Louis and the Phillies started slowly. They played better as the season wore on, but were never a threat to make the playoffs. Once again, Bobby had a monster year. He rapped out a career-high and league-leading 50 doubles and hit .318, which made up for a dip in homers and RBIs. He was also aces in the field.

Now established as a player who could be counted on year in and year out, Bobby was in position to name his price. The Phillies recognized this and inked him to a five -year extension at $64 million. With that payday, the pressure intensified on him to lead the club out of the doldrums and challenge for the division crown.

Bobby would have help from new acquisitions Jim Thome and Kevin Millwood, both of whom came through with solid years in 2003. Unfortunately, Pat Burrell did not. The young slugger—viewed by most Philadelphia fans as being superior to Bobby—was a disaster. His average sank to .209, creating a black hole in the middle of an otherwise strong lineup. The Phillies won 86 games, but came nowhere near the Braves, who ended with 101 victories.

Though Bobby had another good year, he drew criticism for not evolving as a hitter. Those who saw a developing slugger were disappointed by his 20 homers. Those who saw a slashing batting champ were dismayed by his high strikeout total and his .274 first-half batting average.

With a cozy new ballpark and several impressive new arms, the 2004 Phillies seemed primed to finally make a move on the division leaders. But a rash of injuries gutted the pitching staff, and Bowa began to grate on the players’ nerves. The Braves and the Wild Card—both in Philly's crosshairs—disappeared in September, when the cantankerous skipper finally bid Philadelphia adieu.

MAKING HIS MARK

Bobby weathered the storm and had another fine year. He became the club’s first 30-40 player, hitting those power-speed numbers right on the nose. He was second in the league with 127 walks and third in stolen bases. In the field, Bobby was excellent again. The result was his first All-Star selection and first Silver Slugger Award as the NL’s top-hitting right fielder.

Charlie Manuel took over the Phillies in 2005, and once again it seemed they had all of their puzzle pieces in place. The pitching staff included starters Jon Lieber, Brett Myers, Cory Lidle, Randy Wolf and Vicente Padilla. The bullpen starred Ryan Madson and Billy Wagner. Mike Lieberthal, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Kenny Lofton made the Phillies strong up the middle, while Thome and Burrell joined Bobby in the heart of the lineup.

The season unfolded in some surprising ways. Thome ruined his elbow, draining the lineup of power, but rookie Ryan Howard stepped in to save the day. The Phillies were good, but so was everyone else in the NL East. Even the Washington Nationals played .500 ball. Despite adding Ugie Urbina down the stretch, the Phillies came up two games short, and the Braves somehow managed to win again. Even more frustrating, the Phillies missed the Wild Card by one victory.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the season was Bobby’s performance at the All-Star Game. During the Home Run Derby, he got in a groove and blasted 24 home runs in an awe-inspiring first round. He launched six more to reach the finals, where he out-homered Ivan Rodriguez 11-5. In the space of less than two hours, Bobby had hit more home runs than he had during a season.

The aftermath was predictable. Bobby’s head and swing were no longer in sync, and he couldn’t buy a home run. His final numbers were good but not great, and his subpar second half was blamed for the Phillies’ 12th straight year without a playoff appearance.

The Philly funk continued into 2006, as the team struggled to win in April and was still below .500 at the All-Star break. GM Pat Gillick decided to dump salaries, and Bobby was the man everyone wanted. A mere eight homers and an average in the .270s for the second straight year—combined with an eight-figure salary—deflated his market price. Gillick could not get the Grade A prospects he wanted, and ended up shipping Bobby and Lidle to New York on July 31 for mid-level minor leaguers.

Yankee fans could barely believe their windfall. With right fielder Gary Sheffield on the shelf and Hideki Matsui also injured, Bobby was the middle-of-the-lineup hitter the team needed. Bowa, now a coach with New York, vouched for Bobby’s character and hard play. The newest Yankee began winning over the fans from the start. Overall, Bobby batted .330 for the Yankees, with seven homers and 10 stolen bases. In a nail-in-the-coffin series with the Boston Red Sox, he went 10-for-20. In New York's post-season loss to the Tigers, he was one of the few pinstripers to hit Detroit pitching, going 5-for-15 with four RBIs. His totals for the year were .297 with 41 doubles, 15 homers and 107 RBIs.

Newcomers to the Bronx often take a while to connect with fans. Some never do. But Yankee fans “get” Bobby. In fact, many stood and cheered him in his first game when he drew a walk after a nine-pitch at-bat. In the now-distant days of the Yankee World Series dynasty, these were the girtty little things that won championships. Fans breathed a sigh of relief when the team inked Bobby to an extension, guaranteeing he would be in pinstripes past 2007.

Bobby can and probably will bat anywhere between second and sixth in the Yankee lineup. He still dreams about winning a batting title or an MVP, but in New York he can afford to shoot a little higher. A return to the top of the game could well be in the team’s future—especially if they build around guys like Bobby.

BOBBY THE PLAYER

Judging Bobby by his numbers is tricky. He is a unique ballplayer in many respects. No one makes pitchers work harder, and few players have his lovely, compact stroke. Yet he also swings through an astonishing number of pitches, many right down the pipe.

Bobby looks to drive pitches from righties and has the power to hit home runs, but more often the result is a line drive. Even he cannot explain his failure to elevate certain pitches. Against lefties, Bobby takes what they give him, often hitting the other way. That could change now that the Yankees have signed him to a lucrative extension. Few places offer as tempting a target as right field in Yankee Stadium.

In the field, Bobby moves well and take a good line to the ball. He does not have the arm he once did, but base runners still respect him. On the basepaths, Bobby has good instincts and speed, even as he has become stockier in his 30s. His pop-up slide looks good, but might cost him a few out calls from umpires on bang-bang plays.

Bobby is unusually productive between at-bats. He studies pitchers from the dugout, and if someone is tipping pitches he’ll usually spot it before anyone else on the bench, including the coaches.

The rap on Bobby in Philadelphia was that he did not exude the gung-ho spirit of a Lenny Dykstra or Pete Rose. Philly fans booed Mike Schmidt for the same reason. The adjectives used to describe Bobby by the local papers included unemotional, lackadaisical, and inscrutable.

So who is Bobby? He's a good-natured but low-key guy. Accused of drifting in and out of games and occasionally showing a lack of hustle, Bobby himself points out that players guilty of these transgressions simply could not put up the numbers he does year in and year out.

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