Apparently the Pirates weren’t quite done with their off-season shuffling: last night Rob Biertempfel reported that they had signed David Freese to a one-year deal with no incentives.
Freese has dropped off at the plate quite a bit since his All-Star season with the Cardinals in 2012 (let us, uh, not discuss his post-season in 2013), but he’s still hit for an almost exactly-average 104 OPS+ in those three seasons with the Cardinals and Angels while playing strong enough defense to be rated as a two-win player in his two seasons with the Angels.
It would be easy enough to read into this signing as a comment on Jung Ho Kang’s rehab going a bit slowly (and indeed, maybe it is just that), but I’m guessing that it’s every bit as much about building up infield depth. One of the more valid criticisms of the Neil Walker trade was that even if the Pirates don’t miss Walker much with Josh Harrison stepping right up into his place, they lose Harrison as a utility player and the trade depleted the infield depth that’s been so important to the Pirates the last few years. Freese helps replenish that a bit while the Pirates wait for Alen Hanson (if anything, I’d read this deal as a comment on the club’s evaluation of Hanson more than anything); he lets Jung Ho Kang play short if Jordy Mercer struggles, or to play second if Harrison struggles, or to rotate Harrison into the outfield if Gregory Polanco struggles. It means less playing time for Sean Rodriguez, it could mean a second right-handed option at first base if Mike Morse doesn’t hit, and it means they won’t have to rely on Jason Rogers to play third base at any point.
In other words, I don’t know that Freese is all that exciting of a player at this point in his career, but he’s still solid enough that this makes for a nice addition for the Pirates in a spot where they needed a bit more depth.
Image credit: Harry How, Getty Image Sport
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