After trading away Freddy Sanchez in July, the Pirates were left with no strong internal replacements at second base. With Iwamura in tow, the Pirates now have their immediate answer. Delwyn Young got his chance to be the team's everyday second baseman for the final two months, but even after intensive daily defensive work with infield coach Perry Hill, Young was not seen as the optimal choice for next season. Iwamura was limited to only 69 games in '09 and needed left knee surgery to repair a partially torn ACL. Huntington said that the Pirates have not independently examined Iwamura's knee, but that all the medical reports suggest that there will be no lingering issues. His departure from Tampa Bay enables Ben Zobrist or Reid Brignac to move to second base on a full-time basis.

Young could be seen as a sleeper candidate at second base next year. The job appears to be his, and given that he's hitting .268 with seven homers, 43 RBIs and 40 runs, the 27-year-old could finally turn in a mixed-league worthy year in 2010 in what could be his first full season in a starting role.

Pirates GM Neal Huntington said that Vazquez's symptoms and level of discomfort will dictate how much he plays down the final stretch. The veteran infielder, who hasn't played since Sept. 18, said that he has never had any sort of knee injury during his nine-year career. Now that Delwyn Young has returned from a back injury, the Pirates' need for Vazquez has decreased, and will probably remain that way moving forward.

Young, who was able to pinch-hit in Sunday's game, has seen steady improvement with the lower back tightness than began bothering him a week ago. As recently as this weekend, Young had been unable to bend over without feeling some discomfort. His returns comes amid a miserable 0-for-25 slump.

There is no exact time frame for when Young will return to the lineup, though the Pirates hope to have Young available off the bench over the next few days if he's not starting at second base. Young hasn't played since Sept. 13, creating more playing time for Ramon Vazquez.

Young is expected to be back in the lineup and playing second for Wednesday's series finale against the Cubs.

The 27-year-old infielder has seen the most playing time of his career with the Pirates this year and has used those extra at-bats to smash career highs across the board, hitting .309 with 32 runs scored and 36 RBIs on the year.

Young has quietly emerged as a viable second baseman, thanks to his 11-game on-base streak and a .309 average, six dingers, 34 RBIs and two steals in 233 at-bats.

Young has found a groove since a 2-for-24 skid, putting together a modest five-game hitting streak and going 9-for-23 with six RBIs to kick his average back over the .300 threshold.

With Freddy Sanchez now manning the keystone for San Francisco, the second base gig is Young's for the taking. The 27-year-old is a solid sleeper candidate, hitting between run-producers Ryan Doumit and Andy LaRoche near the heart of the Bucs' youthful lineup.

Delwyn Young started at the keystone and batted second. Sanchez, who has been linked to the Giants and Twins in recent trade rumors, did not think a DL trip will be necessary. Pittsburgh does not have a game Thursday, so Sanchez could be ready to return on Friday. He’s batting .296 with six home runs and 34 RBIs this season.

This was Young's sixth start at second base this year, which nudges him across the eligibility threshold in some leagues. That won't matter much if Young returns to a fourth-outfielder role once Freddy Sanchez's knee allows him to rejoin the lineup. However, Sanchez has been the focus of various trade rumors and he's not guaranteed to make it past Friday's Deadline still wearing black and gold. There is not a capable replacement for Sanchez sitting in Triple-A, which means Young would likely get first shot at the job. Young's .319-4-23 line and .816 OPS in 163 at-bats would make him a very valuable fantasy second baseman should a deal go down.

Young has worked hard at the plate and has seen his matured approach pay off with a .318 average on the year, over 30 points above his career mark. The youthful infielder has already logged more at-bats than in any of his previous three seasons and will get plenty of looks for a Pirates team that is searching for offense in the wake of the Nate McLouth, Nyjer Morgan and Adam LaRoche trades. He could be worth a shot in NL-only leagues if he can keep working himself into the lineup.

Young is hitting .310/.370/.500 in 42 July at-bats, but he's still not starting every day. It's possible his at-bats will increase after the Adam LaRoche trade, and NL-only owners should be quick to pounce if that's the case.

This was just Young's third start in his last seven games and it's not clear if he'll receive a more consistent starting role. The Pirates seem committed to exploring several options in the outfield. That makes Young an attractive choice for NL-only formats yet a far too unpredictable one in mixed leagues.