UPDATE by Charlie: This video really is eye-opening.
There has been a lot of debate surrounding the Pirates' decision to trade for Akinori Iwamura after his knee injury last year. Aki has seemed slow and lumbering this year, and many have attributed that to his knee injury in 2009. Others have mentioned that Aki just looks heavier and may have been depressed that he had been traded to the dreadful Pirates and let himself get out of shape.
Huntington has said the Pirates scouted Aki last year after the injury and the scouts reported that Aki's running and time down the line to first was not affected, and that his range at 2nd base was good.
I decided to go back and find some plays that would show him running and playing 2nd base to see if there was a noticeable difference.
What do you think? Should the scouts have come to the conclusion that Aki was on the decline or not?
Poll
From this video evidence, do you think the Pirates should have known that Aki was hampered by his knee injury and that his play would decline precipitously?
No. He looks fine running and fielding the position to me. (149 votes)
Yes. He looks similar to the Aki we've seen in a Pirates uni. (41 votes)
190 total votes
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