Hey, it’s not my money, why should I care?

All indications point to Jose Abreu and his albatross contract rejoining the Houston Astros early next week. Abreu will be inserted into the lineup, at least on a platoon basis, with lefty Jon Singleton, and given “every opportunity” to regain the form that won him an American League MVP in 2020.

But how long does “every opportunity” last? Of course fans (more so Astros owner Jim Crane) hope that Abreu’s return is successful and he is once again a productive Major League power hitter, like when he led the American League in RBI in 2019.

What if he goes 0-4, 1-4, 0-2 (his batting average when he left the Astros three weeks ago) his first week back and the Astros struggle? What if Abreu, as many suspect, is washed?

What then? It’s believed that owner Crane is loathe to cut bait on Abreu and eat the remainder of the $58.5 million contract he signed before last season – which would be about $34 million with nothing to show for it.

On April 30, the day Abreu was dispatched to West Palm Beach instructional camp to find his long-lost swing, the Astros were 10-19, dead last in the American League West.

Since Abreu’s departure, the Astros have gone 12-8 and moved into third place trailing the first place Mariners by only five games and the second place Rangers by a mere two games. Simply, the Astros have a shot at making the playoffs.

Singleton has taken advantage of inheriting the starting first base job. He’s hitting .229 with five homers and 14 RBI – including a mammoth shot into the Minute Maid Park batting eye Tuesday night in the Astros 6-5 win over the Angels.

This week outfielder Chas McCormick returned from injury and the Astros sent infielder Trey Cabbage down to Sugar Land.

What’s going to happen when Abreu is back? Who is on the chopping block? Astros general manager Dana Brown suggested, or at least raised the possibility, that Joey Loperfido could be demoted to Sugar Land so he can play every day and cut down on his strikeouts.

Joey is a fan favorite. How you doin’? Almost a month after leaving the Sugar Land Space Cowboys for the Astros, he’s still tied for the home run lead in the Pacific Coast League. If Loperfido is sacrificed to make room for Abreu, it won’t sit well with fans.

Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada are fond of saying “look at the back of his baseball card” when defending Abreu.

OK, let’s do that.

Abreu, 37, is batting .099 with no home runs and three RBI in 77 plate appearances.

Loperfido, 25, is batting .333 with one home run and five RBI in 43 plate appearances.

Seen enough?

Abreu spent the last three weeks in Florida trying to regain his stroke. In four games in the Gulf Coast League, he went 6-for-18 for a .333 batting average. The Gulf Coast League is rookie-level. It’s the lowest-rung of minor league baseball in North America.

Sending a big leaguer to the Gulf Coast League to rediscover his batting form is like sending a PGA golfer to play goony golf at Chuck E. Cheese to improve his putting.

Again, everybody hopes that the Astros are getting the Abreu of old. There’s a chance he could just be old.