Lyle Over - yawn - bay | The "Mc" Effect

So the Pirates signed Lyle Overbay out of nowhere today. Normally I try to be optimistic about the Pirates moves and signings, but this one I just can't figure out.

I don't have a lot of time to right this, so I'll be make it simple. Here's Overbay's line for 2010:

154 G, 20 HR, .243 BA, .329 OBP, .433 SLG, .762 OPS

...and here's Garrett Jones 2010 line, the guy that Overbay will be fighting for playing time with

158 G, 21 HR, .247 BA, .306 OBP, .414 SLG, .720 OPS

The two lines are nearly identical.

Why would the Pirates sign a guy that is going to put up the same numbers as a guy they already have? Overbay has less upside than Jones and his numbers have been steadily declining the last couple of years. Not too mention that this takes away playing time from Steve Pearce and John Bowker, both young guys that have upside but need big league at bats.

All this does is add another below average name to an already clustered competition for 1st base and right field playing time. This all but guarantees that either Pearce or Bowker is left off the 25-man roster at the beginning of the season, and Overbay is not going to make any difference in the win column. If he has a career season, he still wouldn't make a huge impact for the Pirates, and he would just be holding back the young guys that need to be evaluated further at the big league level.

In my opinion, there is no way that this signing benefits the Pirates, in any way. Bonehead move by Neil Huntington. Here's hoping Overbay gets cut in spring training.

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Mike · 746 weeks ago

This reminds me of the signing of a small china man named aki.... look how much that helped.

2 replies · active 746 weeks ago

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Jon · 746 weeks ago

this is worse in my opinion. At the time, Aki wasn't blocking anybody. Overbay is now blocking Pearce and Bowker from playing time, both of whom could turn into legitimate major leaguers if they'd just get the chance.

Jeremy · 746 weeks ago

Aki was a trade not a signing.

Jimbo · 746 weeks ago

it does make the Pirates a little bit better for the 2011 season though, so it's not all bad.

julian ragins · 745 weeks ago

he is head and shoulder above jones/bowker in terms of defense. last year he was 3rd in the league in total zone runs as a 1b. 4th in range factor as a 1b. Jones is a butcher at 1st base. so if the offensive numbers are similar (and now overbay comes to a much easier division) then i think it is an upgrade. it certainly isnt a worthless move.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

Jon · 745 weeks ago

I'm still not convinced that the defensive upgrade has much of an impact at all playing first base. I don't really have the data to argue it, but I really don't think turning Jones into Overbay at first gets us even a half a win more next year.

And even if it was as big an impact as the numbers say, he'll be gone next year and the Pirates will still have had their 19th straight losing season. Then 2012 looks even worse because Pearce and Bowker didn't get the chance to progress in the major league level.

I suppose I'm too high on Pearce anyway, there's little chance he'd make an impact in the future anyway, and we'll probably just have to find cheap solutions until the whole Rendon thing happens.

pearce has been granted an additional option this year, so him playing at AAA to start the year isnt a bad thing.

Hilbeck · 741 weeks ago

i thought this made it so that jones and diaz would be in right while overbay would be a somewhat "solid" first baseman, mostly because of his defense. I doubt that anyone wants to see jones go up against lefties at all really, and with the possible lineup having overbay and diaz in the game and in later innings, they would be a pretty darn decent pinch hitter in jones against a righty.

Lyle Over - yawn - bay

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