Minneapolis (KCSI-T.V. Sports) –The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired first baseman Justin Morneau from the Minnesota Twins for outfielder Alex Presley on Saturday.
Morneau cleared waivers earlier this month.
“I’m pretty excited,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “I talked to Justin on his phone and he is excited and I talked to his former manager, Ron Gardenhire, on the phone and he’s not excited, though he’s happy for Justin to have this opportunity. Gardy spoke volumes about Justin’s approach, intent and conviction to the game. We talked about (Morneau’s) second half and how he’s been moving forward and has put himself in a good place.”
“I think he’s found some ways to spark some things offensively in the second half,” Hurdle said.
The 32-year-old Morneau hit .259 with 17 homers and 74 RBIs this season for Minnesota and is finishing off a red-hot month in which he smacked nine home runs.
The Pirates will pick up the remaining portion of Morneau’s $14 million salary, estimated at around $2 million. It’s not an insignificant investment for an ownership group that has sometimes shied away from paying the tab for proven players.
Morneau won the 2006 AL MVP award and was one of the best hitters in the game until a concussion knocked him out of action in 2010. Still, he remained one of the cornerstones of the Twins’ clubhouse. His departure is another emotional low point in a disappointing season.
