That afternoon, the 24-year-old Moss (along with pitcher Craig Hansen) was traded to Pittsburgh in the blockbuster trade that sent Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles and Jason Bay to Boston. Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris of the Dodgers were also sent to Pittsburgh.
Shouts echoed throughout McCoy Stadium at quarter past four; hot dog vendors and groundskeepers asking each other if they've heard the news. Moss seemed to be the last person to find out he was involved in the deal, which occurred moments before the trade deadline.
"My wife already knew," Moss explains. "I'm excited; I don't know where I'm going."
One of the reporters told him he was going to Pittsburgh. "It's a great place- Sean Casey talks about it," Moss replied. "The Pirates are trying to build, get some young players."
Moss himself was only in high school when he was picked by Boston in the eighth-round in 2002. He paid his dues in the minor league system, starting with the Gulf Coast Red Sox, then playing for the Lowell Spinners, Augusta GreenJackets, and Sarasota Red Sox. He spent 2005 and 2006 with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, and the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox.
"I love this organization. I've basically grown up in it- I've been here for six years, since I was 18-years-old," Moss says. "It's all I really know."
"You're going to develop personal relationships with people. It's like a fraternity," manager Ron Johnson says. "But our job is to prepare people for the big league, and this is an opportunity for Moss to become a big league player.
In his Boston Red Sox debut in August 2007, Moss got his first
major league hit, his first run, and struck out against Francisco Rodriguez, with the tying run on base. He was optioned back to Pawtucket when Eric Hinske returned from bereavement leave. The next month, he was recalled to Boston when Major League rosters expanded to 40 players.Moss hit his first major league home run in March 2008 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, as a last-minute replacement for J.D. Drew in right field. He was sent back down to Pawtucket in March, after starting two games.
"[The trade is] exciting for him. He's going over there as an every day player," pitcher Jon Switzer says of Moss.
"It's a good opportunity for him," says catcher George Kottaras. "He's a great guy, a great teammate... It's sad to see him go."
Moss, who was Pawtucket's MVP last season, leading the league with 41 doubles and 59 extra-base hits, had no inkling that he was going to be part of the blockbuster three-team trade, which took management and agents days to settle upon. "I followed the Manny thing, but had no knowledge of me being traded."
"We don't have any control over that kind of stuff," says infielder Joe Thurston. "We're all excited for Mossy for getting an opportunity to play in the big leagues."
Before he cleans out his locker, and says his final goodbyes to his teammates and the organization that he's spent the last six years with, Moss explains, "Our part of the business is the easiest part... playing the game."
Moss' first home run as a Pirate: http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200808033247006&c_id=pit
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