Rays Trading Iwamura to Pirates
Posted by Zach Sanders on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Marc Tompkin of the St. Petersburg Times is reporting that the Rays are trading Akinori Iwamura to the Pittsburgh Pirates. As of publishing, there is no news as to who the Rays will be receiving for Iwamura. “Aki” has a club option for $4.85 MM that the Rays were not planning to pick up, so getting something of value for him is huge.
Why would the Pirates trade for Akinori Iwamura? I have no idea. They need a second baseman, but they do not need an older one who won’t be around when the Pirates are mature enough to compete.
If they give up any type of significant prospect for Iwamura, it’s not worth it. I don’t know what to say to you, Pirates fans, except “good night, and good luck.”
UPDATE (2:40) – MLB Trade Rumors says Buster Olney has told them that the Rays will receive Jesse Chavez for Iwamura. Chavez, a reliever, pitched in 73 games for the Pirates last year, striking out 47 batters and walking 22 in 67.1 innings of work.
Let’s look at this a little differently. I like the move for the Pirates. First, they get an excellent second baseman at a very decent salary and Chavez isn’t a huge price to pay prospect-wise.
If Aki can be productive for the Pirates, by June or July, he should be worth more than Chavez on the open market and Pittsburgh can flip Aki for more value. I think the Pirates can at least break even in the worst of scenarios in this deal. Just my two cents.
Considering Iwamura is very similar in value to Freddy Sanchez, whom they traded to the Giants at the deadline for one of their top pitching prospects, yes, it’s quite probable that the Pirates could flip Aki for better than Chavez if they wish to.
It also gives them an option that they could sign to a longer term contract if certain things play out.
Consider that the Pirates’ 2 best hitting prospects, Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata, are possibly going to be ready to appear mid year in Pittsburgh. Alvarez (23) is a power hitting 3B who will probably hit 30+ HR in MLB. Tabata (21) is a gap power high average OF. Put them together with 2009 ROY candidates Garrett Jones and Andrew McCutchen, and you see a real line up starting to come together.
The wildcard is current 3B Andy LaRoche, who was alternately extremely hot and cold for long stretches of 2009 and finished with a OPS+ of 97. If LaRoche can have a breakout season in 2010, then Aki might become expendable and be dealt mid year. If LaRoche falters, though, it might be LaRoche who is dealt and Aki signed long term.
In short, this move gives the Pirates options and allows them to adjust to whichever scenario plays out.