|
2006 No, his last name is not a vanity plate of a fur fetishist. Acquired from the Padres in exchange for David Ross, Furmaniak hasn`t shown adequate pop outside the hitter-friendly California and Pacific Coast Leagues. On the plus side, he`s a capable defender at second, third and short, and the Pirates believe he has the speed and tracking instincts to handle all three outfield spots. His bat won`t play every day, but positional flexibility and `scrappy` cachet have gotten plenty of guys long careers. 2005 The last man added to the 40-man roster this off-season, Furmaniak shows good power for a player who won't embarrass himself on either side of second base, or over at third. Ramon Vazquez had been entrenched as the primary utility guy, but with his departure and Aurilia's, Furmaniak can hope to nail down one of their roster spots. Petco favors right-handed pull hitters, so he could prove useful if the Pads give him a chance in '05.
|