J-Bay has been traded to the BoSox in a 3-team deal involving the Dodgers. The Pirates got 4 prospects, 3 of them major-league ready. From the Sox they gote a solid at best everyday OF in Brandon Moss and a closer in Craig Hansen with wicked stuff that hasn't done anything on the major league level but I guess has potential. I'm betting we let him close until Capps comes back, and re-evaluate our closer situation when Capps is healthy. We also got Adam LaRoche's younger brother, Andy LaRoche, from the Dodgers. Hopefully a change of scenery will make him realize he must live up to his billing as a top prospect. Finally, we got some guy I'd never heard of in Bryan Morris, but he's the guy with the biggest upside. Of course, he has arm problems and sat out all of 2007 after Tommy John surgery, so who knows what'll happen? My evaluation:
Pros:
1. Moss and Hansen can help now and are still young enough that they might help for several years down the road.
2. Bryan Morris' upside.
3. Andy LaRoche's arrival means organizational depth at 3rd for the first time ever for the Bucs, and hopefully he can convince his brother that hitting during the first half of the season is a positive thing.
4. J-Bay's salary off the books means more money free to sign our yet-unsigned top 5 picks from this year's draft. Not that it was a motivating factor in the trade, but it's surely a bonus.
5. J-Bay's playing for a team I pull for on occasion. Good luck in Boston, Jason.
Cons:
1. J-Bay is gone, so we lose our resident boringly consistent Canadian. It's tough to see him go, but perhaps our future is better for it.
2. Yet another pitcher in our organization will be a top pick with arm problems. He'll fit right in.
3. Dealing with casual fans that can't see the long-term effects of this will be incredibly annoying for the next 2 years.
Here we go Steelers, here we go...
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