Stretch run will test new players
CINCINNATI — Before the non-waiver trade deadline Friday, the Pirates traded for as many players as they had at the previous three deadlines combined.
Now begins a twomonth referendum on the acquisitions.
The Pirates added five players before the deadline and tried to strengthen, in some form or fashion, the left side of the infield, the rotation, the bullpen and first base, all areas of need for a club that entered today with a 60-42 record and a good chance at a third consecutive playoff spot. They hold the first National League wild-card berth and were second in the NL Central Division, 5½ games back of the St. Louis Cardinals.
“We felt like we’ve worked to continue to position this club to be a postseason-caliber club, and one that if we get there will have a chance to go deep,” general manager Neal Huntington said.
Though they addressed areas of need by trading Friday for left-handed starter J.A. Happ and first baseman Michael Morse, they acquired two players in the midst of average-to-poor seasons. The Pirates sent Class AAA Indianapolis righthander Adrian Sampson to the Seattle Mariners for Happ, who had a 4.64 ERA in 108⅔ innings for the Mariners this year, and Indianapolis outfielder Jose Tabata to the Dodgers for Morse and cash considerations.
Strict proration of salaries the Pirates took on by trading for Happ, Morse, Aramis Ramirez, Joe Blanton and Joakim Soria indicate they added about $8.9 million in payroll. It was not immediately known how much the Dodgers sent with Morse, an
amount that offsets the increase.
This increase does not account for the $5.85 million guaranteed that they owed Tabata through next season because Tabata was not on the 40-man roster.
“Knowing that we’ve got some resources available because of some decisions we’ve made, because of the fans coming out, because of being able to pour money back into the club as we get it, that’s tremendous,” Huntington said. “It’s something we’ve talked about wanting to do and something that we're doing.”
The addition of Happ, 32, whose first name is pronounced “Jay,” resulted directly from right elbow inflammation that sent A.J. Burnett to the 15-day disabled list Friday. Burnett made the All-Star team because of a 2.11 first-half ERA and 100 strikeouts in 119⅓ innings. In three starts since, he has allowed 32 hits and 18 earned runs in 16 innings. Huntington said Burnett told the team of elbow pain after his start Thursday night and that it was too early to determine the severity of the injury.
“We’ll see how it plays out over the next handful of days and how quickly the inflammation subsides and how he feels as he starts to get back to baseball activity,” Huntington said.
Happ will be a free agent after the season. He will start Tuesday in Burnett’s rotation spot.
“Our scouts like the stuff, our analysts like some things that they see in him,” Huntington said. “He’s a guy we’ve actually liked for a handful of years, tried a couple of times to get, and believe that he’ll come in here and help us and solidify a hole.”
Morse, 33, has been busy this week. The Miami Marlins sent him to the Dodgers in a three-team, 13-player trade Thursday. Before Morse could put on a Dodgers uniform, they designated him for assignment. Morse is making $7 million this season and is under contract for $8 million next year. He will be a free agent after the 2016 season.
Morse broke out with the Washington Nationals, hitting .303 with 31 home runs in 2011 and hit .294 with 67 home runs in his four years with the Nationals. He has not approached those numbers since. This year, in 174 plate appearances, Morse is hitting .213 with a .276 onbase percentage, a .313 slugging percentage and four home runs. In 2914, he hit .279/.336/.475 with 16 homers. Morse will serve as a right-handed complement to Pedro Alvarez.
“Obviously having a tough year this year,” Huntington said.
“… But a veteran that’s done some things in the past and maybe we can jump-start him and get him to help us win some games here for the rest of the season.”