Cesar Izturis?

The Pirates picked up Cesar Izturis today for a player to be named. This is the same guy that was traded for Greg Maddux at the trade deadline last year. There is absolutely no reason for the Pirates to make this move unless Jack Wilson is about to be traded. They've already got Jose Castillo, Don Kelly, and Matt Kata eating roster space on this team and Izturis is no better than any of them. He's actually worse than Wilson, though he'd be a lot cheaper if the Pirates manage to move Wilson. Oh, and he's played for Jim Tracy before. No word yet who's getting moved off the roster to make room at the moment, though I'd bet on Kata or Kelly unless the Pirates are planning on announcing a second move in very short order.

UPDATE: Let's talk about the monies here. Izturis is making $4.15 million this year. I doubt the Cubs are chipping any money into this deal because they're probably making it to get rid of the contract. We'll have to buy him out at $300,000 at the end of the season or pay him $5.45 million for next year, which would be ludicrous. He's probably one of Jim Tracy's guys though, so don't assume that his time in Pittsburgh will be over after 2007 just because his contract is.

UPDATE #2: The article that's now up on Pirates.com says that cash considerations are included in the deal, which is nice.

UPDATE #3: The PG updates their story with this:

General manager Dave Littlefield flatly rejected the notion that acquiring one former All-Star shortstop necessarily means another soon will be shipped out.

"This has nothing to do with Jack Wilson," Littlefield said.

I hate you Dave Littlefield. I hate you.