Thoughts on the Jason Bay Trade

On Thursday evening, Pirates LF Jason Bay was shipped to Boston in a three team deal. Here is the breakdown of the deal.



Red Sox Get: LF Jason Bay

Dodgers Get: LF Manny Ramirez

Pirates Get: 3B Andy LaRoche (yes, Adam's brother), OF Brandon Moss, and RHPs Bryan Morris and Craig Hansen



This was quite the deal for the Pirates. They receive a power-hitting third baseman who will immediately take over for Jose Bautista in LaRoche. Anyone who has watched Bautista play this year will more than likely agree that this is a positive. Brandon Moss will also jump right into the Pirates' lineup. He will be the every day left fielder. Craig Hansen also joins the Pirates as part of the bullpen. Morris has been sent to Class A Hickory. If there are no lingering effects from Tommy John surgery, he could find himself at Class AA at the start of next season. Here is an article from about two weeks prior to the trade discussing how Morris was regaining his old form.



This type of trade is one that we rarely saw in the Littlefield Era. GM Neil Huntington got young talent in exchange for an aging veteran. The infusion of youth will provide for a strong base in the future. With some more additions to the minor leagues, the Pirates may have a decent farm system again.


Another positive regarding the Pirates today. They received a very solid performance in today's game against the Cubs from newly acquired RHP Jeff Karstens. Karstens, who came over in the Nady/Marte deal, pitched six scoreless innings to pick up his first win as a Pirate. Andy LaRoche went 1-for-4 with a run in his debut, but Moss went 0-for-3 with a walk. They have a rematch with the Cubs tomorrow at 1:05 pm.