DownSwinging.com

The Pittsburgh Pirates traded away the second part of their double-play combination this afternoon, trading second basemen Freddy Sanchez to the San Francisco Giants in a straight-up exchange for AA pitcher Tim Alderson. Most are regarding this move as a good return for Sanchez. According to MLBTradeRumors, Keith Law recently ranked Alderson as the 26th best prospect in baseball.

When Alderson was drafted by the Giants in 2007, he was seen as someone with excellent command and who had been able to handle pressure in the past. According to Baseball America, at the time scouts were divided about whether he would be a starter or reliever in the long term. This season in AA, Alderson is 6-1 in 13 games started with a 3.47 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 5.70 K/9.