Pirates Sign Lyle Overbay

The Pirates signed first baseman Lyle Overbay to a one-year, $5MM deal, the team announced.  Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review provided the amount.  The statement from GM Neal Huntington:

"Lyle Overbay is solid major league player and we expect him to have a positive impact on our club offensively, defensively, and in the clubhouse."

The Pirates primarily used Garrett Jones at first base in 2010, but they expressed a desire to add a right-handed hitting complement.  Overbay doesn't fit that description; GM Neal Huntington told MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch the new plan is to have Jones could pair up with new acquisition Matt Diaz in right field.  Overbay will be the everyday first baseman.

Overbay, 34 in January, hit .243/.329/.433 in 607 plate appearances for the Blue Jays this year.  His performance picked up after a rough start.  Overbay is represented by Octagon.