Here's a reason Aki was better to sign than Kelly Johnson

[shamtown]

• Telling moment during the morning infield practice: New second baseman Akinori Iwamura felt strongly enough about sharing a defensive tip with Alvarez that he hastily summoned his translator to the first-base line, pulled Alvarez aside and engaged him in an animated, one-way discussion.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10067/1041017-63.stm#ixzz0hZc1xGhr


The veteran presence and knowledge of the third base position is something a guy like Johnson just doesn't have.  If Iwamura is willing to share the knowledge he has learned with guys like Alvarez, LaRoche, Walker, and even Delwyn Young that will help the team just as much, if not more than a stop gap at second base.

[Doumits Girl]

?!?!?!?!?!?!

And exactly how much has "veteran presence" allowed the Pirates to win over the past 17 years?

C'mon buddy- you're starting to sound like Lloyd Mac.  Every year there are feel-good stories about Spring Training that make people think some aging mediocre veteran is going to be this special sparkplug.  Not happening.  Never does.  The Pirates just don't have enough talent around them to make it happen.

I would've rather the Pirates saved $5,000,000+, saved Jesse Chavez, and started Ryan's friend Neil at 2B this year.  I can't see the little Japanese guy being much better.

EDIT:  And frankly, if Neal HAD acquired Kelley Johnson, all we would've heard about was how smart he was for acquiring a guy both younger and cheaper than Iwamura.  So either way, Neal would be portrayed as very savvy.


Jacen

[thevampvinny]

Jacen, I'm going to have to politely disagree with you.  Look at most of the veteran free agents that have been brought in over the years.  Other than a few exceptions, Doug Mienthoweveryouspellhislastname, Sean Casey, maybe Kenny Lofton, most of our free agents have been poor attitude, collect your last paycheck type players.  And if they aren't poor attitude, they are often seldomly heard from which leads me to believe that they either, realized that their skill set was equal at best with our younger players, lacked an outstanding skill that they could tutor to other players, or just didn't care enough/didn't have the mindset to be a molder of younger, more gifted minds.  I mean look at the parade of these types: Mondesi, Monroe, Burnitz, just to name the most obvious.

Aki, however, is well known for being a good teammate and if he is going out of his way to help out then he is doing his job.  Other than the people that have their heads in the clouds, we all are fairly certain that this team is not going to compete for the playoffs this year.  I doubt that, whenever Aki was brought in, anyone thought that he was more than a complimentary piece to shore up the infield so our pitchers didn't have to worry about having a butcher up the middle.  He is definitely going to make the on-field product more entertaining and will hopefully help us add a few more wins, but special sparkplug, he is not.

The way I see it, if Pedro sticks at 3rd an extra year or two aided by the mentoring from Aki, the 5 million dollar investment was well worth it.  If you don't believe it, its fine, but having played baseball for nearly 17 years (basically from age 3 or 4 until last summer), I know that having someone who has experience and the accolades of Aki give you tips on your fielding is invaluable.  I know that Pedro is a professional athlete and everything, but hearing something from an authority figure, like a coach, and hearing something from a peer just sounds different and is easier to apply to your game.  All of this is based purely on my own personal experience, but I assume that human nature still applies to these gentlemen.

[RJReynolds]

I just don't get the whole veteranosity thing on a rebuilding team. To me, the only value Iworm can have would be as a trade deadline deal. Having played baseball myself for over 20 years, I know what a coach is for and what a teammate is for. At the major league level, there are enough good coaches to listen to that input from fellow teammates is an ancillary benefit.

I too would rather see a Walker or Laroche or D Young at 2nd this year than paying $5 mil to a veteran who is coming off a major injury.

RJR

[gamecckfn]

I too would rather see a Walker or Laroche or D Young at 2nd this year than paying $5 mil to a veteran who is coming off a major injury.

RJR

Which Iwamura is not.

[Dignan]

I don't care about this supposed intangible veteranosity either.  I do care that we have an improvement at the 2B position over what we already had, and I think that Iwamura will bring that.  I don't care too much about losing Jesse Chavez though.

What immediately struck me when I saw the picture and blurb about him giving his advice to Alvarez was the thought about how uncomfortable that might have been for Pedro.  The rookie being cornered by the veteran for a little speech about what he should do, and all this having to go through the painful task of being translated by some other guy.  I can just imagine him standing there thinking "OK, when will this be over?" while nodding and smiling to the friendly foreigner.

[RJReynolds]

I too would rather see a Walker or Laroche or D Young at 2nd this year than paying $5 mil to a veteran who is coming off a major injury.

RJR

Which Iwamura is not.

Right. I forgot that a partially torn ACL and torn ligaments in one's ankle aren't considered major...especially for a second baseman.

RJR

[gamecckfn]

So major that he came back and played, and did not require reconstructive surgery.  Not minor, but not major.

[CentralCABucsFan]

Did he tear ligaments in his ankle?  I hadn't heard that.

His knee injury was significant, but I'm not sure I'd call it major.

Either way, I'd say that obtaining Iwamura is not a big deal either way.  And Kelly Johnson isn't the guy I'd want the most if we hadn't signed Iwamura.  I'd prefer Orlando Hudson.

[aso513]

When your argument includes being upset about losing Jesse Chavez, I stop reading. And the Pirates havent had veteran leadership in the last 17 years. Don't talk about a Giles or Kendall because those two were the biggest jerks in baseball. And Jack and Freddy were too pissed about contracts and rebuilds when it was their team that they weren't real leaders. This team knows that they are gonna be together for a bit. Aki is the only guy that could leave but he is one of the best guys in baseball and acts like a true pro. And why te big fuss over Kelley Johnson, I'll male a wager with anyone that Aki has a better year.

[Possum]

Thanks for taking this thing way off topic.  But none of you supposedly knowledgeable baseball fans seemed to care what it was that Aki said to Pedro and if Pedro took the advice to heart?

All I see is that same old song and dance about whether or not getting Aki was a sound one fiscally as well as for filling a big hole in this team with some one who is better than what we had last year.

Okay, guys use your contacts and find out what Aki said and whether Pedro took it to heart.   

[RJReynolds]

Thanks for taking this thing way off topic.  But none of you supposedly knowledgeable baseball fans seemed to care what it was that Aki said to Pedro and if Pedro took the advice to heart?

All I see is that same old song and dance about whether or not getting Aki was a sound one fiscally as well as for filling a big hole in this team with some one who is better than what we had last year.

Okay, guys use your contacts and find out what Aki said and whether Pedro took it to heart.   

I'm more concerned with the lost opportunity cost Possum. In taking on Iwamura and his handsome contract, the Pirates are taking away at bats from someone who could actually help this team longer term. If they were to be interested in signing Iwamura at the end of the year, they could have done that anyway and not wated the years worth of plate appearances on him in 2010. Can Laroche play the position? Can Walker play the position? Can D Young play the position without tripping over himself in the field or being "found out" at the plate after 100 at bats? Could the Pirates have brought in a player from the outside over whom they would have had more control than a single high priced year?

I agree with you that he is a better option for 2010 than anyone else in house, and most likely will produce better than anyone they could have brought in otherwise. But 2010 doesn't concern me in the least. I would rather they use the at bats to evaluate players under their control beyond 2010.

RJR

[The Great Goemon]

Can D Young play the position without tripping over himself in the field or being "found out" at the plate after 100 at bats?

Didn't we find that out last year after Sanchez was traded?

[PMike]

I don't care about this supposed intangible veteranosity either.  I do care that we have an improvement at the 2B position over what we already had, and I think that Iwamura will bring that.  I don't care too much about losing Jesse Chavez though.

What immediately struck me when I saw the picture and blurb about him giving his advice to Alvarez was the thought about how uncomfortable that might have been for Pedro.  The rookie being cornered by the veteran for a little speech about what he should do, and all this having to go through the painful task of being translated by some other guy.  I can just imagine him standing there thinking "OK, when will this be over?" while nodding and smiling to the friendly foreigner.

I doubt that Alvarez was backed down to some pile of jelly.  I mean, the guy is a top prospect in baseball.  He is a huge guy physically (especially compared to Iwamura).  And he is in his early-mid twenties.  He isn't some diminutive 6th graders.  I am pretty sure he can stand there and hear the words of a quality veteran without being intimidated.  He's a big boy.

And if he can't hear things like that, what does it say for his future a big time player (in Pittsburgh no less).

Mike

[Novelist]

Keep in mind, Aki was a star 3rd baseman in Japan, so his advice may be quite relevant.