Pirates Release Brandon Moss, Might Regret Bay Trade

July 31, 2008 was supposed to be a pretty significant day in the rebuilding efforts of the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was the day they traded Jason Bay, who still had a year and a half left on his contract, and acquired several of the pieces that were supposed to bring the team back out of the basement and into respectability.

Fast-forward to today, when the Pirates designated Brandon Moss for assignment, and the trade doesn't look so good anymore. In a season and a half as a Pirate, Moss has hit .232/.300/.381 over 600 plate appearances as a corner outfielder, and this spring he was beaten out for a job by Rule 5 pick John Raynor, who hit .257/.327/.360 in AAA last season.

The Bay trade might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but here's the hill of magic beans the Pirates received in exchange for a former NL Rookie of the Year and three time All Star:

• Andy LaRoche, who served as the team's primary third baseman in 2009 but has posted just a .666 OPS in a season and a half in Pittsburgh.
• Moss.
• Reliver Craig Hansen, who has appeared in 21 games as a Pirate and posted a 6.95 ERA.
• Low-level pitching prospect Bryan Morris, who posted a 5.57 ERA in 15 starts as a 22-year-old in High-A last season.