Since he took over in 2007, Neal Huntington’s job as General Manager has been to strip the team down to the studs and drywall in preparation for a complete renovation. In the process, he has traded away numerous fan favorites for low-wage journeymen who are mainly placeholders for prospects unknown to most ticket buyers. It is not yet certain whether he will manage to complete this process before the public gives up on the team entirely.
1B — Jeff Clement replaces Garrett Jones
The Pirates received Clement in a trade with the Seattle Mariners and moved him from catcher to first base. Jones, the surprise rookie-of-the-year candidate who took over first base from Adam LaRoche when the latter, in one of Huntington’s many cost-cutting moves, was traded to Boston, returns to right field. It seems a lifetime since Clement was chosen third overall out of USC in the 2005 draft. After 1,549 plate appearances at AAA, it’s now or never.
2B — Akinori Iwamura replaces Freddy Sanchez
A member of Tampa Bay’s 2008 World Series team, Iwamura is a pretty good offensive second baseman, but he’s no Ben Zobrist, so the Rays traded him to Pittsburgh for relief pitcher Jesse Chavez. He’ll hit a little, run a little, and field a little, displaying no great strengths yet no glaring weaknesses.
