Bobby Abreu

The Angels did not expect Bobby Abreu to hit 35 home runs this season. Though he averaged 22 homers over the last nine years, Abreu played his home games in hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium and Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park. He also turned 35 in March, an age when power usually tends to tail off. But the Angels did expect more power than Abreu has supplied so far, which is none. Abreu has a .302 average, .397 on-base percentage and 12 runs batted in but no homers in 116 at-bats.

There is no secret to Bobby Abreu's offensive struggles, which have extended into a fifth week. The American League player of the month in July, when he hit .380 with 28 runs batted in, Abreu knows exactly why he is hitting .214 (25 for 117) with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 32 games since Aug. 1. "I've been pulling the ball too much -- that's why I'm in such a big slump," the Angels' right fielder said. "They're pitching me different now, especially with runners in scoring position.

BOSTON -- The surging New York Yankees made a significant trade Friday, then scored an important victory over Boston. Hours after acquiring outfielder Xavier Nady and relief pitcher Damaso Marte from the Pittsburgh Pirates for top outfield prospect Jose Tabata and three minor leaguers, the Yankees defeated the Red Sox, 1-0, to move to within two games of their longtime rivals and remain three games back of Tampa Bay, the AL East leader. Joba Chamberlain dominated the Red Sox with his best major league start, giving up three singles and striking out nine in a career-high seven innings, Mariano Rivera shut down a threat in the eighth and the Yankees improved to 7-0 since the All-Star game.

Bobby Abreu hit 24 home runs in the first round, six in the second, 11 in the third and 41 overall Monday night at Comerica Park to win the home run derby. His first-round, championship-round and overall total, were competition records. The left-handed-hitting Philadelphia Phillie outfielder defeated Ivan Rodriguez in the final round, when Rodriguez, the favorite among Detroit Tiger fans, hit five. Hee-Seop Choi of the Dodgers hit five home runs in the first round and was eliminated.

The Dodgers acquired a starting pitcher from the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, but it wasn't Cliff Lee. They instead traded for Joe Blanton. The Dodgers will send the Phillies a player to be named later. Blanton, 31, figures to move into the Dodgers rotation and replace rookie Stephen Fife. Blanton is 8-9 with a 4.59 earned-run average this season. His 22 home runs allowed are tied for most in the National League with Mike Minor of the Atlanta Braves. Blanton is 81-71 with a  4.35 ERA over nine major league seasons.

BASEBALL URBAN LEGEND : The Yankees left Mickey Mantle unprotected in the 1968 expansion draft. Major League Baseball (MLB) has held six expansion drafts in its history (1960, 1961, 1968, 1976, 1992 and 1997) , where incoming expansion teams can draft players from the rosters of the other MLB teams (with each current team being allowed to protect a certain amount of players from being drafted). There have been a number of standout players drafted via these drafts (to name three - a young Lou Piniella was taken in the 1968 draft, a young Vinny Castilla was taken in the 1992 draft and a young Bobby Abreu was taken in the 1997 draft)

Bobby Abreu finished off the Devil Rays in the first inning. Hideki Matsui kept getting applause all game. Abreu hit a three-run homer and a three-run double in a nine-run first and finished with a career-high seven runs batted in Tuesday night, and the New York Yankees cruised to a 12-4 victory over Tampa Bay. "It was crazy," said Abreu, who went two for three with a third-inning sacrifice fly and fourth-inning fly out to the warning track, just missing a grand slam.

Critics say Bobby Abreu is a selfish player who sometimes loafs and doesn't deliver in the clutch. Others argue he's a gamer who plays hurt and is underappreciated because baseball seems easy for him. One thing everyone should agree on is this: Abreu is one of the most consistent players in the major leagues. The two-time All-Star right fielder is a lifetime .303 hitter and has averaged 23 homers, 94 RBIs and 29 steals during eight seasons with Philadelphia.