Pirates Lose Lee To DL With Fractured Wrist

by Matt Shetler

It’s almost fitting when you think about it. Fitting when you think about how the past three weeks have gone for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

During a season where the Bucs were buyers at the trade deadline and acquired both Derrick Lee and Ryan Ludwick, it’s fitting that something would go wrong there as well.

After a spectacular debut as a Pirate, Lee has given the team a total of 19 at bats, a number that won’t be increasing anytime soon thanks to a fractured wrist that’s sending Lee to the disabled list.

It’s almost a fitting end to the 2011 season for Lee as well, who has battled injuries all season long. The veteran first baseman  has missed six out of the last eight games due to lingering soreness in his left hand as a result of being hit by a pitch from Carlos Marmol back on August 3.

It’s safe to say that the acquisition of Lee hasn’t worked out the way the Pirates thought it would.

In the meantime, it looks like Garrett Jones and Steve Pearce will split first base duties for the time being.

With the Pirates all but out of the National League Central race, there could be an experiment at the position if the Bucs were willing to do it. When September rolls around, why give at bats to guys that really aren’t part of the future. Instead an internal option of moving Pedro Alvarez across the diamond is something that should be experimented with.

It won’t likely happen, but I’m just saying it probably should.

Alvarez is likely more suited for first base anyway and it’s believed that many people in the Pirates front office view his as a long-term major league first baseman. So why not get him acclimated to the position a little earlier than likely planned.

Another option could be Matt Hauge who’s had a very good minor league season, but if the Bucs don’t view him as a long-term solution, moving Alvarez makes sense. There really isn’t another option in the system and we all know what the track record of the Pirates is when it comes to signing first baseman.

It’s possible they may have more luck targeting a third baseman in the offseason.

While the injury to Lee is unfortunate, it could open up more doors to the future. To replace Lee on the active roster, the Pirates recalled infielder Josh Harrison.

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