Could the Pirates sign Daniel Murphy

     It was reported just a bit ago from Mike Puma of the New York Post that the Pirates are interested in Daniel Murphy. Of course, Murphy came through big time in the playoffs for the Mets, helping lead their charge into the World Series. Now, he is pretty much forgotten about because of his high demands for a contract. He is one of the more notable free agents left. He will not return to the Mets after they traded for familiar face Neil Walker. So, the question is this: Could the Pirates actually sigh Murphy?

     Firstly, the last time anyone really checked in on the dude, he was asking too much for his overall production. Outside of that amazing playoff run, his numbers were so so. His defense let him down at times, too. Looking at the whole picture, he won't get what he wants, and I think that is why the Pirates have climbed into the picture for him. 

     Secondly, I do think he would fit with the Pirates very well. He probably could see an increase in his defensive numbers as a 1B as opposed to a 2B. Also, he is a left-handed hitter. As we sit here today, the Pirates only have one regular left-handed hitter in the lineup, that being Gregory Polanco. This means that it is clear they need at least one more, if not two. You won't get very far with mainly right-handed hitters. You need some lefties to balance it out. Murphy could provide that. While his overall production isn't great, they are good enough to slot somewhere in the order where the lineup would look more balanced. 

     Again, the real question is the money. I think Murphy will have to lower his demands to sign anywhere. Knowing that the Pirates are in on him might suggest that he has or is likely going to. If he does that, the Pirates would definitely be intrigued, and there is a positional fit there. It would be crazy if, after all this, the Mets and Pirates just swapped 2B. It would be strange, but hey, this is baseball we are talking about.