Here’s my second attempt at this post, which the internet snafed the first time. The Pirates have acquired outfielder Ryan Ludwick from the San Diego Padres, reportedly for cash or a player to be named.
Basically, players to be named later rarely turn out to be good, so the Pirates are essentially getting Ludwick here in exchange for their willingness to pick up salary. They also might get a draft pick for him at the end of the year if he is named a Type B free agent, as expected.
This is a nice, cheap move for the Pirates, who wisely avoided the steep prices other teams paid for stars – the Bucs aren’t in any position to be giving up top prospects. Instead, they acquired a starting first baseman in Derrek Lee, along with a good defensive outfielder who might still be able to hit if he’s moved out of the terrible hitting environment in San Diego, for very little. Ludwick will likely play every day until Jose Tabata or Alex Presley return, then play against lefties and in the late innings after that.
Lee will replace Lyle Overbay, and Ludwick will cut into Matt Diaz’s playing time. It’s possible that both Overbay and Diaz could lose their jobs as a result of these deals.
For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout.