Back in July of 2007 there were a lot of rumors flying around that the Pittsburgh Pirates were going to trade shortstop Jack Wilson to the Detroit Tigers. In fact, it seemed like a done deal at one point, but for some reason the deal fell through and Wilson stayed in Pittsburgh. Then the Tigers, who still needed a shortstop, went ahead and got Edgar Renteria but like many teams before them, they decided to part ways with Renteria this offseason by not offering him arbitration and now he's a San Francisco Giant.Well, obviously that means the Tigers still need a shortstop and now they've gotten the one they wanted over a year and a half ago. Jack Wilson has been traded to the Tigers.
It seems to be the week for shortstop roulette on the Hot Stove, and the latest is that the Pirates have sent Jack Wilson to the Tigers.Shortstops are just being thrown back and forth all over the place right now. The Giants signed Renteria, the Cardinals traded for Khalil Greene, and everyday it seems more likely that Rafael Furcal will end up in Oakland.
The teams had been in discussions for a while, but according to a person familiar with the deal, it is done. It's unclear what the Pirates get in return.
As for what the Tigers get in Wilson, not much in my opinion. He had one good season back in 2004, but other than that, he hasn't been anything special. I guess he's an improvement over Renteria on defense, but I'm not sure how much of one.
Hold-the-Phone Update: Both the Tigers and the Pirates are denying the report that Wilson has been traded, with Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski calling the report "inaccurate." Still, the Tigers have reportedly made a "fresh offer" for Wilson as recently as last night, and the Motor City remains the most likely destination for the shortstop.
