Second base hole is now plugged

The Pirates have done it again and pulled off a miracle trade. Well, at the very least this should silence the critics that think that Pirates are never playing for this year.

Akinori Iwamura, a second baseman for the Tampa Rays, was acquired for Jesse Chavez, the right handed bullpen guy. While Iwamura is now the highest paid Pirate and Chavez would be under the Pirates control for a longer time, the trade is great. Chavez is a slightly above average middle relief guy. He was not a closer, and did not appear to be able to handle set up work. The Pirates have lots of guys who can do that. Even if it means a slight drop off in the bullpen the gaping hole at Secondbase was more pressing. Iwamura fills that hole. His careers .281 batting average is 20 points higher than Dwelven Young, who was also not a natural second baseman.

Interestingly Huntington said that this returned Dwelven to a bench role. That I guess rules out Young returning to the outfield where a corner position is still open if the move Jones to first base. This trade also gives the Pirates a few more trading options. One would think with Young on the roster along with Iwamura that Andy LaRoche’s possible move to second base is no more. That means by mid-season he will be a trading piece. Or Neil Walker could be a trading piece. Also it makes Brandon Moss a possible trade option as Young is a natural outfielder. The bench spot Young occupies just might be Moss’s 4th outfielder spot.

No matter how you look at this trade, the Pirates are fixing problems with their major league roster. They have already addressed the lefty in the pen, and now the hole at second not to mention upgraded a weak offense. And we have not even gotten to the winter meetings.