The Pirates were buyers at the Trade-deadline. Let that sink in for a
second. . . ah! Neal Huntington did what many fans thought impossible
after a decade's worth of dumping talent to contenders & got the team some
help where they needed it the most. This Trade-deadline was not about
gaining draft picks, cash considerations, players to be named later, or
prospects. Rather, the Pittsburgh Pirates went out & got power. Maybe not
the kind of power that would entice Doctor Doom, but better power than the
team has now.
So let us welcome the newest Pirates on the ship; first baseman Derek Lee
& right-fielder Ryan Ludwick!
Derek Lee will probably replace Lyle Overbay at first base starting Monday
as Lee's former team the Chicago Cubs roll into town. While Lee is not
having the most productive year at the plate (.246 average, 12 home runs,
41 RBI), he is above & beyond a better option than Overbay (.227 average,
8 homers, 37 RBI).
Defensively, there are few better than Lee who is a three-time Gold Glove
winner at first base. His addition makes the already good
infield defense even better. Lee has posted some awesome power
figures, but nothing grandiose since 2009. Still, he can pass down his
substantial knowledge to his younger teammates & make them better. Also,
anyone is an improvement over Overbay. Derek Lee is worth the price of
Class A talent Aaron Baker.
Ryan Ludwick is a name Pirates fans should be familiar with. Ludwick
played for the St. Louis Cardinals for four years (2007-2010) before being
traded to San Diego. Thankfully, the Padres have a itchy trigger finger &
dealt Ludwick, for the second time less than a year, to the Pirates for a
player to be named later or cash considerations.
Ludwick should be ecstatic to being leaving the void of Petco Park, which has killed his
numbers. In 2010, Ludwick had 11 homers, 43 RBI & batted .281 with the Red
Birds (77 games).
After the trade, those numbers plummeted to 6 home runs,
26 RBI, & a horrible .211 average (59 games). Being in any ballpark other
than Petco makes him a power threat again.
His 64 RBIs ties him with Neil
Walker for the team lead & gives the team a solid presence in right field,
something the Pirates have not had all year. While he will probably not
repeat his 2008 campaign, Ludwick makes the Pirates better in both aspects
of the game.
Both Lee & Ludwick give the Pirates a boost at the plate. Their names on
the lineup card add depth to the batting order. They also add protection
for Walker & Andrew McCutchen. The infield defense gets an upgrade while
the outfield stops being just McCutchen. Neal Huntington & Clint Hurdle
have made the Pirates better.
Maybe not as good as the Cardinals or
Brewers, but they're in a greater position than they were before. These
trades also give the organization validity. A foreign word to fans, &
something that has been lacking for years. That & a chance to win.
Written by, Andrew Brown
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