After the 2010 season, the Pirates went out and signed Lyle Overbay for $5 million, which seemed expensive even then. This was coming after a season where he hit 20 home runs, which was only the second time in his career where he reached the 20-homer mark. He was said to be a great defender and clubhouse leader, so it seemed like a somewhat reasonable signing if he could hit around .260 with 20 homers. However, he did none of that. Instead, he hit .227 with eight home runs in 352 AB’s, and his fielding was decent, but not as advertised.
While Overbay was struggling in the majors, the AAA team’s first baseman Matt Hague was hitting well over .300, and fans in Pittsburgh wanted to see him called up and Overbay benched. This would have been a smart decision, but Hague’s long term potential seems to be that of a hitter similar to Lyle Overbay in his prime, but a worse fielder. Calling Hague up would have helped the club because there was no way that he could have played worse than Overbay, and it would have helped the coaches see how he can handle major league pitching. In the end, he was never called up, and he only has an outside chance of making the club out of Spring Training next season.
Lyle Overbay was eventually designated for assignment the day after the Pirates acquired Derrek Lee from the Orioles. Lee immediately became the everyday first baseman, and made an instant impact when he hit two home runs in his Pirate debut. Unfortunately, he was hit by a pitch in the wrist and went on the DL for 21 days, but when he returned, he provided a major boost to the team. For the Pirates, Lee hit for a .337/.398/.584 line with seven home runs, and did a great job in the field.
Right now, it is unknown who will be the starting first baseman for the Pirates in 2012. Lee is a free agent, Hague isn’t a great option as a starter, Garrett Jones can’t hit lefties, and Steve Pearce will probably be non-tendered. GM Neal Huntington has expressed interest in resigning Derrek Lee, but that is going to require Lee to actually want to come back. There has been talk of retirement with him, but the way he finished the season should give him the desire to play again. If the Pirates can’t resign Lee, then they will most likely turn to the free agent market, although there aren’t many good options outside of Pujols and Fielder, and that just isn’t going to happen for the Buccos. Also, Huntington will try to avoid another Lyle Overbay situation, so any player that is similar to him should not be considered. Some players that they may consider are Jorge Cantu, Michael Cuddyer, Casey Kotchman, and Carlos Pena. Cantu has the chance of being Overbay 2.0, so the Pirates won’t chase him, and Kotchman doesn’t have enough power for a team the desperately needs that aspect of the game. That leaves Cuddyer and Pena, but their asking prices may be too high for the Pirates. But, with the front office claiming they can raise payroll, the team may be willing to meet their demands. Still, it is more likely that the Pirates persuade Derrek Lee to return for another year.
Another way the Pirates can acquire a new first baseman is through trades. The Pirates have built up their minor league system to a point where there are prospects who are expendable in trades, so this route should be explored. One player the Pirates could go after is Yonder Alonso of the Reds, who has played mainly 1B in the minors, and with Joey Votto at first, he could be included in a deal. He would cost a lot for the Pirates, as he will only be 25 next season and was the #73 prospect in Baseball coming into this year. ESPN analyst Jim Bowden suggested the Pirates should trade prospect Starling Marte for him, but that would not be a good deal for the Bucs.
The first base picture isn’t clear heading into next season, and the team’s best option seems to be resigning Derrek Lee. Garrett Jones is arbitration eligible, but he is a good backup option with power, and the team could also use Matt Hague if needed. The Pirates don’t seem to have a first base prospect that will arrive in Pittsburgh this season, so they may be in a similar predicament during the 2012 off-season as they are now.
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