With Jack Wilson saying that he will play only two or three more years, can Luis Cruz and Brian Bixler be ready and consistent at the shortstop position?
-- Zachary W., Pittsburgh
Bixler has put his name back on management's radar after the significant improvement he showed offensively and defensively this spring. He was one of the organization's most improved players in both areas. It was because the Pirates now see Bixler as being a potential everyday middle infielder that they decided to keep Cruz on the roster and send Bixler back to Triple-A. He'll get everyday at-bats in Indianapolis, whereas Cruz will likely be used just sparingly in the big leagues.
Cruz is seen as a versatile and capable Major League option at this point, but he is not someone whom the Pirates see as a potential starter down the road.
Keep in mind that regardless of how long Wilson wants to play and how much he wants to stay in Pittsburgh, there is certainly no guarantee that he will be here beyond this season -- or beyond July 31, for that matter. The Pirates will not pick up his $8.4 million option at the end of the season. And with Wilson's declining production these last few years, it's unlikely that the Pirates would be willing to dedicate much money to him in a new contract. He'd have to take a sharp pay cut, because management does not see him as a cornerstone of the future.
That said, Bixler would be the most likely immediate option for the shortstop position. Chase D'Arnaud, Brian Friday and Jordy Mercer are all middle infielders in the lower Minor Leagues that could fill the Pirates' shortstop hole a few years down the road.
Pirates Official Site
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