Pirates’ Hinske to Yanks, Morgan to Nats
June 30, 2009
PITTSBURGH (AP)—The Pittsburgh Pirates, swapping outfielders at a rapid ratefor the second successive season, sent starting left fielder Njyer Morgan to theWashington Nationals in a four-player deal involving outfielder LastingsMilledge(notes) and also shipped backup Eric Hinske(notes) to the Yankees on Tuesday.
The Pirates, who have pushed to restock a thin farm system by makingnumerous trades over the last year, get Milledge and reliever Joel Hanrahan(notes) fromthe Nationals for the fleet Morgan and left-hander Sean Burnett(notes), a formerfirst-round draft pick.
Earlier, they sent 2002 AL Rookie of the Year Hinske to the Yankees forminor-league right-hander Casey Erickson and outfielder Eric Fryer. The Yankeesalso get some cash to help pay Hinske’s $1.5 million salary.
Just as they did last season by dealing Jason Bay(notes) and Xavier Nady(notes), thePirates have traded two of their three starting outfielders before Aug. 1. Theysent former NL All-Star center fielder Nate McLouth(notes) to the Braves on June 4 forpitcher Charlie Morton(notes) and two other prospects.
Though rumored for several days, the Nationals trade is somewhat surprisingbecause the Pirates dealt Morgan—who turns 28 on Thursday—less than halfwaythrough a promising first season as a starter. He is hitting .277 with 2 homersand 27 RBIs, only four fewer than No. 3 hitter Freddy Sanchez(notes), and has 18steals, although he has been thrown out 10 times.
Milledge, a former top Mets prospect, has played in only seven games withWashington while part of the season rehabilitating a broken right ring fingerthat required surgery in May. He is expected to join Triple-A Indianapolisbefore being called up by Pittsburgh later this month.
Milledge, 23, has more power than Morgan—he has 25 homers in 897 careerat-bats—but has bothered frequently by injury problems that include a brokenright hand, sore foot and groin strain. He hit .268 with 14 homers, 61 RBIs and24 doubles in 138 games last season, earning him a spot on the cover of theNationals’ media guide this season.
Still, Milledge was a major disappointment to the Nationals, who dealt twostarters—catcher Brian Schneider(notes) and outfielder Ryan Church(notes)—to acquireMilledge from the Mets in November 2007.
The right-handed Hanrahan, 27, is 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA in 34 games—he wasdemoted from the closer’s job—and has a 5.30 ERA in 115 career games. Burnett,the Pirates’ top pick in 2000, is 1-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 38 games and haspitched in 96 games the last two seasons.
The 31-year-old Hinske hit .255 in 106 at-bats this season with ninedoubles, one homer and 11 RBIs, playing right field, first base and third base.He was 8 for 24 as a pinch hitter and has been disappointed by a lack of playingtime.
Through June 29 last year, he had 13 home runs en route to a 20-home runseason with the AL champion Tampa Bay Rays. He won the rookie award with Torontoin 2002, when he hit .279 with 24 homers and 84 RBIs, and was a member ofBoston’s World Series championship team in 2007.
The 23-year-old Erickson was 3-3 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts and 18relief appearances at Class A Charleston this season. Fryer, also 23, hit .250with 11 doubles, two homers, 24 RBIs and 11 steals for Class A Tampa afterleading the South Atlantic League with a .335 average last year for WestVirginia. He was obtained by the Yankees in February for left-hander ChaseWright(notes).
To fill Hinske’s roster spot, Pittsburgh purchased the contract of28-year-old outfielder Garrett Jones(notes) from Triple-A Indianapolis, where he hit.307 with 18 doubles, 12 homers, 48 RBIs and 14 steals.
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