Five Possible Destinations For Jack Wilson And/or Freddy Sanchez

The yearly dismantling of the Pittsburgh Pirates, already underway with the trades of Nate McLouth to the Braves, and Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett to the Nationals, will likely continue in the next two weeks with the middle infield.

Second baseman Freddy Sanchez and shortstop Jack Wilson both rejected two year contract extensions from the Pirates, and could both become free agents at the end of this season.

Where could these players end up? Let’s explore.

Tampa Bay Rays: Ben Zobrist has done a great job filling in for Akinori Iwamura, but putting Zobrist in right field might make more sense in the short—term. If Iwamura’s knee injury doesn’t allow him to return within the next couple weeks, the Rays might be able to acquire Sanchez as a short—term rental on the cheap.

Minnesota Twins: Both Alexi Casilla and Nick Punto have grossly underachieved at the plate this season. Punto’s batting average is currently just over the Mendoza line, and Casilla has been even worse, with a stint at AAA unable to have any significant effect. Brendan Harris has played well, alternating between second base and shortstop, and could be slotted into either spot full—time, depending on whether Wilson or Sanchez is acquired.

New York Yankees: If anyone’s going to acquire a former All—Star or someone making over $7 million per year as a utility infielder, it would have to be the Yankees. Cody Ransom just isn’t a very good option, and Angel Berroa wasn’t good enough for the Bronx Bombers. Obviously, Cano and Jeter would continue to get the bulk of the starts, but going into a playoff run, a more experienced utility infielder would be valuable. The Yankees and Pirates also have done a couple deals in recent history, including the Xavier Nady/Damaso Marte and Eric Hinske trades.

St. Louis Cardinals: Trading within the division is rare, but Brendan Ryan hasn’t provided much offense in Khalil Greene’s absence. The Cardinals would probably prefer Greene to Jack Wilson, but Greene’s struggles with an anxiety disorder have prevented him from being a productive player this year. Unlike physical ailments, putting a timetable on recovery from an ailment like Greene’s is difficult at best. At this point, if the Cardinals want to contend, they might need more from the shortstop position than Ryan can provide.

Chicago Cubs: Again, this would mean trading within the division, but the Cubs haven’t got much production from the second base position this year. Mike Fontenot has played well against right—handers, but Sanchez hits from the right side, and could be a good platoon, at the very least. Sanchez is hitting almost 70 points higher than Fontenot against right handed pitching, and while Fontenot has a little more power, they have similar RBI totals in just over 200 at bats.

The Brewers have just upgraded at second base with the acquisition of Felipe Lopez, giving the Pirates one less potential trading partner. While the Pirates can’t necessarily expect to get premium prospects in exchange, they’re likely to find multiple willing partners before the end of the month.