Opposite Day in Pittsburgh: Pirates Trade Prospect for Light-Hitting Veteran

Thanks to Buccofans.com for this informative history. One day, we'll use it to cry ourselves to sleep...

Apparently 2010 will be different for the Buccos. Pirates fans generally know what to expect when July rolls around - flipping the team's veteran players for prospects. Sometimes it's a shrewd practice that sends out a one year contract veteran to a competing team (Eric Hinske, Mark Redman, Arthur Rhodes) in exchange for some lukewarm prospects, other times it's a complete fire sale shipping out longtime players and former All-Stars (Jason Bay, Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez) for slightly better prospects. And sometimes it's a combination of the two (Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton to Chicago for Bobby Hill, Jose Hernandez, and Matt Bruback...)

We gave up Aramis Ramirez for this?

Most of the bad trades were trademarks of the Dave Littlefield era, which ended in 2007. The Neal Huntington era has seen higher profile trades that haven't had enough time to be properly judged. And now this:

Nov. 3, 2009 - RHP Jesse Chavez to Tampa Bay for 2b/3b Akinori Iwamura.

At the very least, it's different.

Welcome to the Pirates. You'll find Tampa and Pittsburgh are very similar cities.

Chavez is a 26 year old reliever who posted an ERA of 4.01 in his team-high 73 appearances and 15 holds. He was arguably the team's third best reliever after John Grabow was traded (for some very average prospects) behind Evan Meek and Steven Jackson. Iwamura, on the other hand, was a touted player coming out of Japan that failed to be more than a placeholder in Tampa. He missed half of last year due to injury, has never hit for power, and never driven in more than 48 RBIs in a season. So why make this trade?

With Meek and Jackson, the Pirates had three right handed middle relievers with limited ceilings on their talent. They sold high on Chavez, who had seemingly the smallest window for Major League success and will now have to prove himself as a pitcher without great stuff in a superior league. Meanwhile, Iwamura plays solid defense, gets on base, hits around .270-.300, and is an unselfish teammate, as evidenced when he quietly moved from 3rd base to 2nd to allow Evan Longoria to start. Does that sound familiar to Pirates fans?

To me, THIS MAN is the face of the Pirates. That's the most depressing thing I've ever written here...

Yes, in this deal the Buccos have essentially brought back the Japanese hybrid Freddy Sanchez/Jack Wilson. Iwamura, if healthy, will probably bat around .270, hit 10 home runs, and drive in 50 RBIs. Not great production, but with solid defense he can be a contributor to the team. What's more telling is the Pirates' lack of confidence in their free agency skills.

Iwamura was set to be bought out of the final year of his contract by the Rays for $650,000. Instead, the Buccos swooped in with this trade, keeping the contract valid, and ensuring Iwamura's $4.85 million to be paid in 2010. If Huntington wanted to gamble, he could have let Iwamura become a free agent, offered him more than market value, and still likely saved ~$2 million or so. Akinori isn't exactly hot property right now.

But instead, the Pirates got their replacement at second base, and he'll make nearly twice as much as their 2nd most highly paid player, Paul Maholm. Iwamura will make twice as much as the Bucs entire outfield corps (5 players) in 2010. In fact, he'll make more than the entire infield - combined (8 players!).

The cornerstone of the franchise makes 1/12th what Iwamura will make...that might come up around contract extension time.

The Pirates are sending a message that they're willing to pay for the right players. Unfortunately, Iwamura doesn't fit that bill.