Last spring, during the anticipatory lull before the seemingly inevitable coronation of Gregory Polanco, the Pirates entrusted right field duties to a pair of former AL East prospects: Jose Tabata and Travis Snider.
Tabata, a putatively 25-year-old slap hitter, had just posted a .282/.342/.429 batting line during the Pirates' magical 2013 season. Snider, in contrast, had performed miserably since his acquisition from the Blue Jays, hitting just .215/.281/.333 in 2013 while battling a toe injury.
Roughly a year later, their respective fortunes have reversed. Snider, since traded to Baltimore for pitching prospects, resurrected his career with a strong 2014, while Tabata was DFA'd and demoted to AAA, and did not appear in a major league game until yesterday.