NewsReport: Pirates set to trade for Iwamura
Second baseman would address one of club's biggest needs
By Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com
11/03/09 5:33 PM EST
The Pirates are on the verge of completing a deal for Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura, according to The St. Petersburg Times, which is reporting that the deal has been finalized and an announcement will come on Tuesday evening after Tampa Bay has been able to reach Iwamura, once the sun rises in Japan.Right now, it's unknown who the Pirates will part ways with in the trade, though the Rays are known to be in the market for young catching and young pitching.
The deal will be a sign-and-trade one, as the Rays hold a $4.85 million club option on Iwamura for 2010. Tampa Bay was not expected to pick up the option and had been prepared to pay a $550,000 buyout and watch Iwamura enter the free agent pool. Now, though, the Rays can exercise the option, then immediately send Iwamura to Pittsburgh.
Trading for Iwamura, who hit .291 while missing much of the 2009 season with a knee injury, would address one of Pittsburgh's biggest needs this winter, because the Pirates entered the offseason without an established second baseman ready for '10. Delwyn Young spent the last two months of the season trying to show that he could be the second baseman of the future, but when the season ended, there were still questions about his defensive ability.
Iwamura, 30, hit .281 with 103 RBIs in 344 career games over three seasons with the Rays. He played third base his first year in the Majors before converting to second base.
Jenifer Langosch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
