Pirates Get Matt Morris
Posted: Wed Aug 1, 2007 3:56 am
LOS ANGELES -- Trade rumors involving Matt Morris came to fruition Tuesday as the San Francisco Giants dealt the right-hander to the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Rajai Davis and a player to be named.
Morris, 32, was 7-7 with a 4.35 ERA. Giants general manager Brian Sabean said that Pittsburgh will pick up the remainder of his salary. Morris is in the second year of a three-year contract that pays him $9.5 million both this year and next season. The deal includes a $9 million club option for 2009 with a $1 million buyout.
Russ Ortiz and Pat Misch are the leading candidates to replace Morris in the starting rotation.
Davis, 26, was ranked as Pittsburgh's 27th-best prospect entering this season by Baseball America. The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder was hitting .271 (13-for-48) with two doubles, two RBIs and five stolen bases in 24 games for the Pirates.
Pittsburgh recalled Davis from Triple-A Indianapolis on June 5, and he has made 12 starts in center field for the Pirates. The University of Connecticut at Avery Point product posted a .409 average (9-for-22) with two runs, two doubles and two stolen bases in his final 13 contests in a Pirates uniform.
Originally Pittsburgh's 38th-round selection in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft, Davis has stolen more than 40 bases in each of his last four full Minor League campaigns. The Norwich, Conn., native paced the Carolina League with 57 thefts for Class A Lynchburg in 2004, while sharing the Double-A Eastern League stolen-base title in 2005 with 43 for Altoona.
Prior to his recall to the Pirates this season, he hit .318 with 31 runs, 12 doubles, four triples, four home runs and 30 RBIs in 53 games for Indianapolis. Davis finished his Triple-A stint with a 21-game hitting streak.