MLB Free Agency: Five First Basemen the Pittsburgh Pirates should target
By Matt Shetler
3. Corey Hart – Right about here, the prospects become iffy as none of the next three guys are great fits for the Pirates, which goes to show how thin the market really is. After converting to the Brewers’ full-time first baseman midway through the 2012 campaign, Hart hasn’t played an MLB game in a full calendar year due to knee problems, which included microfracture surgery on his right knee in 2012.
While he missed all of last season Hart still has a ton of power. He mashes lefties, but from 2010-12, Hart posted an .822 OPS against right-handed pitching. He is only 32, so it would be shocking to see a major decline in his power numbers. The good thing is the fact that Hart will likely only get a one-year deal as a free agent this year. That’s a ton of pure power that could be had at an affordable price.
Aug 15, 2013; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter
Kendrys Morales(8) strikes out during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. The Tampa Bay Rays won 7-1. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
One big negative with Hart is the fact that he isn’t a great defender. He was a poor right fielder in Milwaukee and wasn’t that much better at first base. He also struck out in nearly 23 percent of his plate appearances from 2010-12, and he’s never been one to take many walks. There’s also the risk involved of wondering if Hart will come back as the same player he was before.
However he makes the list as Hart is the typical low risk-high reward type of player that Huntington has targeted in the past.
4. Kendrys Morales – The Yankees and Mariners are currently showing interest in the 30-year old, so that doesn’t bode good for the Pirates, but considering the fact that he is a legitimate middle of the order hitter, he could be worth opening up the checkbook for considering the fact that there aren’t many big bats on the market.
Morales doesn’t have many holes at the plate as he owns a .280 career average, has good power and doesn’t strike out a lot. He has never posted a slugging percentage lower than .449 and as a switch hitter, posts solid lines from each side of the plate. Over the last two years, he’s hitting .269/.338/.448 against lefties and .278/.326/.460 against righties.
Of course there are major drawbacks as well as he is likely more of an American League player who can be hid as a DH sometimes. He only played 28 games at first base in 2012 and 31 in 2013 and is one of the slowest players in the game today.
To consider Morales, the Pirates would have to be absolutely sure he could handle first base on a daily basis. Having Sanchez around helps late in games, but you can’t have a first baseman that can’t pick it. Then there is the Scott Boras factor. That alone will probably put Morales way off the Bucs radar.
His bat is intriguing for sure, but there’s too many other factors that could play against him being a great fit for the Pirates.
5. Paul Konerko – Ultimately I feel Konerko will end up back with the White Sox, but he is a bat worth the Pirates checking in on. The White Sox did sign Cuban power prospect Jose Abreu, so there is a chance they let the 37-year-old walk.
He would be the short-term answer the Pirates could be looking for as he could likely be had for a cheap one-year deal. Konerko put up an uncharacteristically low .244/.313/.355 slash line in 2013 and missed nearly an entire month with back troubles. He also hit a career-low 12 homers.
I’m not overly excited about the possibilities, but Huntington does have the reputation an taking chances with aging veterans hoping to get one more good year out of them.
If Konerko could prove to be 100 percent healthy, he could be worth rolling the dice on. Unfortunately he is a little too risky for my taste.