Struggling Iwamura's future with Pirates murky
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Pirates second baseman Aki Iwamura on his struggles: "I'm just not getting the results in numbers. That's it. But I know it's important to have the results."
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LOS ANGELES -- When the Pirates traded for Aki Iwamura over the winter, they openly broached the idea that he might be their long-term solution at second base, even though he was 31, would make a team-high $4.85 million, could become a free agent in the fall of 2010, and might not have been the best fit in coming from a highly talented team in Tampa Bay.
To date, nothing would suggest Iwamura will play baseball in Pittsburgh beyond this summer.
Not on any front.
Start with the most obvious: Iwamura is not performing well, offensively or defensively, certainly not to the degree where management could remotely entertain approaching him with the kind of multiyear contract needed to keep him.
Game: Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs, 7:05 p.m., PNC Park.
TV, radio: WGN, WPGB-FM (104.7).
Pitching: LHP Paul Maholm (1-2, 4.83) vs. RHP Ryan Dempster (2-1, 2.78).
Key matchup: Pirates hitters vs. world. When they score three or fewer runs, they are 1-14. When they score four-plus, they are 9-1.
Of note: Dempster is 1-0 with a 1.32 ERA in two road starts this year and won two September starts last year vs. the Pirates, against whom he is 6-7, 5.46 ERA for his career.
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At the plate, Iwamura's average is at .214 despite batting first or second with solid protection from Andrew McCutchen. He has drawn 14 walks, which has kept afloat a .317 on-base percentage -- still about 60-70 points below a proficient top-of-the-order type -- and reached base safely in 20 of 23 starts. But there has been little production and less pop, with five extra-base hits in 89 at-bats.
"Hot and cold," manager John Russell said of Iwamura Sunday at Dodger Stadium. "One day, he'll look really good and drive a few balls. The next day, he doesn't have really the same approach. We need -- not only him -- but a few guys to start swinging the bats. We're not scoring."
First Published May 4, 2010 12:11 am
