New Pirate @ The Hot Corner?

3 days into free agency, there have yet to be any blockbuster deals and don’t expect to there to be any, at all, this off season. There are only a few, relevant, big names available on the market;  Cliff Lee,  Carl Crawford,  Victor Martinez, Jayson Werth, Adam Dunn and Adrian Beltre. An argument can be made on the relevancy of Derek Jeter and Manny Ramirez, both,  who are over the hill, in baseball terms.

This past September,  the Pittsburgh Pirates President, Frank Coonelly,  suggested, in an interview, that they would be adding $10 – 15 million, onto the payroll. The increase, would add a little over 40%, to the payroll and give the opportunity to shop around. Though it’s a long shot to land any of the big names available, the Pirates have already been rumored to be pursuing 3B Adrian Beltre.

Adrian Beltre, coming off a great 2010 season with the Boston Red Sox (posted:  28 HR, 97 RBI, .328 avg, and .941 ops), will be looking for mid to long term contract. Beltre, 31 years of age, would be a great pick up for the Pirates, adding a strong glove at 3B and much needed bat on the right side of the plate. If, and only if, his addition to the roster, were to happen, the eventual move of Pedro Alvarez to 1B would come sooner than expected.

Beltre’s 1 year, $5 million contract, with the Red Sox, had a player option for 2011, that was triggered when he reached 640 at-bat appearances, was worth $10 million, though he informed the team that he was declining the option. In December of 2004, the Seattle Mariners signed him to a 5 year, $64 million contract, after declining $10 million for next season, it  is difficult to see what he may be asking for, being in his prime. It should also be noted that, statistically, 2010 was his best year in 6 seasons.

Realistically, it is unlikely the Pirates will come to terms, with Beltre, though it is possible (more unlikely). In my own opinion, he can be gotten for 3 – 5 years, initially making $7 million a year and increasing over the duration of the contract. With the Pirates farm system having plenty of prospects, his services may not be needed towards  the end of, such, contract, and would become trade bait, thus fulfilling the ‘circle of life’ as a Pirate.

‘Circle of life’ to be explained in a later post.