Peter Diana, Post-Gazette
Right fielder Matt Lawton has fit in nicely in the leadoff spot in the Pirates' batting order.
Click photo for larger image.

Could Dave Littlefield have snookered Billy Beane?

If you can look past the Pirates' rancid offense, shaky ace and woeful record (and I don't blame you if you can't), the trade of Jason Kendall to the Oakland A's for Mark Redman and Matt Lawton is a steal.

That November deal was the last big cleanup job Littlefield had as general manager. His task from the outset was to clear away the huge contracts left by his predecessor, Cam Bonifay. Kendall was both the greatest catcher in Pirates history and the most overpaid. His career had peaked, yet his salary would rise this season and next and the one after that.

So Beane, the much lauded general manager of the A's about whom the book "Moneyball'' was written, gave the Pirates two of his short-term money problems in exchange -- pitchers Mark Redman and Arthur Rhodes. That trade set much in motion:

Nov. 27, 2004: Kendall to A's for Redman and Rhodes.

Dec. 11, 2004: Rhodes to Indians for RF Matt Lawton.

Dec. 21, 2004: Right-handed pitching prospect Leo Nunez to Royals for C Benito Santiago.

March 31, 2005: Buy catcher David Ross from Dodgers for a reported $75,000.

The A's didn't mind that Kendall had lost his speed and gap power. He was an on-base machine, second only to Ichiro Suzuki in on-base average among leadoff hitters last season. Such production from a catcher is the baseball equivalent of a bear riding a bicycle. Beane pounced.

The financial benefit in Pittsburgh was about $15 million in savings over three seasons, but the baseball benefit was harder to see. The left-handed starting pitcher, Redman, had career stats roughly akin to Kris "Maybe This Year" Benson. Redman might benefit from PNC Park's spacious left field, but Rhodes was a left-handed reliever going to a team with plenty of them. And the Pirates were losing a top leadoff hitter and iron-man backstop who had just led all catchers in assists and runners caught stealing.

When Littlefield flipped Rhodes to the Indians for Lawton, the deal began to look better. Then, not trusting that catcher Humberto Cota could hit or that J.R. House could catch, Littlefield traded for Santiago and bought Ross for a song after Cota was injured.

So how does it all look now? Let's check the on-base plus slugging averages.

Lawton: .788 OPS

Kendall: .600

Pirates catchers: .738

Lawton is hitting .284 with a .390 on-base average and .398 slugging average, and his OPS is third among the league's leadoff hitters. Pirates catchers are hitting only .229 with a .256 on-base average, but are slugging .482. Their 11 extra-base hits (5 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs) in 83 AB are more than the team has from any other position.

Kendall is hitting .247/.320/.280, with only three extra-base hits (doubles all) in 93 AB. Don't bet against him getting his average and OBA up near his .305/.386 career numbers, but his power is gone, and the A's have a bigger problem. Kendall can't throw anyone out.

Only five of 12 base stealers have been successful against Pirates catchers while the American League is running wild on Kendall, stealing 26 bases in 30 attempts. No catcher has allowed more steals, and only the indefensible Mike Piazza has a lower percentage of runners caught.

Side question: Why do so many high-priced catchers have crummy arms? Piazza, Kendall, Ramon Hernandez, Paul LoDuca, Mike Lieberthal and Jason Varitek are all making anywhere from $4 million to $16 million, and none has thrown out even 20 percent of base stealers.

Meantime, Ross and Cota have been stellar. Cota has thrown out all three baserunners attempting to steal, and Ross four of six. Santiago has thrown out none in three attempts.

Statistician Pete Palmer suggests that every stolen base is worth 3/10 of a run and every runner caught is worth 6/10. To put that another way, a runner removed is twice as valuable as that extra base. If that be so, the three Pirates catchers have been about eight runs better than Kendall in steal situations.

Advantage to the Pirates continues with Redman, 12th in the National League in earned run average (2.78) and one of only seven NL pitchers with quality starts in each of his first five outings. Redman has gone at least six innings and given up no more than three runs each time. The league is hitting .241 against him, and his infield has backed him with six double plays.

So what? The team stinks.

That's true. It's also too early to really know what kind of hitters Cota and Ross are, or if Ryan Doumit (batting .344/.429/.688 for Class AAA Indianapolis) can catch well enough to play this year. One might also ask why the Pirates need Santiago or what Lawton is thinking on the bases sometimes.

Doesn't matter. That trade was great. At worst, it leaves the Pirates with two tradeable chits instead of a deadweight contract. And it takes away the very last excuse for this organization.

Bad contracts? Gone. New ballpark? The best. Attendance? Up. High draft choices? A dozen years of them and counting. Revenue sharing? Enough to make further cup-rattling embarrassing.

First Published: May 3, 2005, 4:00 a.m.