New Lineup

Wow! 

I said that shortly after Andrew McCutchen got his first MLB hit in his first at bat.  When McCutchen turned on the afterburners rounding second after Nyjer Morgan’s single in the first.

All I could say was “Wow!”

With the combination of McCutchen and Morgan at the top of the lineup, that kind of speed is hard to defense.

Wow!

Speed kills.  Speed creates runs.  With the speed the Pirates now field, and Freddy hitting like Freddy in the 3 hole.  There could be a ton of created runs through the rest of this season and beyond.

You can’t teach speed.  Other teams can only hope to contain it.

I have seen McCutchen in a few games.  I have never noticed, until today, how fast he actually is.

Wow!

It is entirely possible the Pirates may end up in a better place without McLouth.  Sanchez is a Tony Gwynn like 3 hole hitter.  He just hits.  The Pirates had an issue before today.  They had two number 3 hitters.  Freddy batting second was wasting some of his talent.

Now they have two leadoff guys.  This could be fun to watch.  Especially after Doumit returns.

Wow!

It is only one game.  But…

Wow!

McLouth Now A Brave

Like I said in my last post, if something major happens during my hiatus I will post on it.  What happened was one of the last things I expected to be posting on.  Nate McLouth has been traded to the Braves for three prospects.

The three prospects the Pirates have received in return are:

LHP Jeffrey Locke 21 A – Locke is a 6’2” lefty who was ranked number 7 by Baseball America in the Braves system.  Locke projects as a middle of the rotation pitcher with top of the rotation potential.  John Sickels had him rated as a B- player prior to 2009.

RHP Charlie Morton 25 AAA – Morton is a 6’4” righty.  The only info I can give, he was projected as the braves number 5 starter for 2012 by Baseball America.  He seems to project as a back of the rotation guy.  He has looked good in AAA this season going 7-2 with a 2.51 ERA.  He does have 16 games of MLB experience last year with the Braves.

OF Gorkys Hernandez 21 AA – Hernandez may be the most intriguing of the 3 players, in my eyes.  He was ranked number 4 in the Braves organization by Baseball America.  He is a right handed batter with speed and was ranked as a B- by Sickels.  He has yet to show the power he is expected to grow in to.  His defense is above average and could provide the Pirates a deadly outfield with McCutchen and Tabata also in the fold.

 

BTW Take:

My initial thought was, “WHAT?!” when I heard the news.  Then after I started digging, my impression did not change.

After spending some time looking at the deal, Huntington did what we have been waiting 16 years for a Pirates GM to do.  Sell high.  He has done that 3 times since last July with Nady and Bay being the other two deals.  In less than one year, Huntington has remolded the entire Pirates top 20 prospect list.  He is sticking to his plan and making the tough moves. 

Only time will tell if these were the right moves, but they haven’t looked bad so far.

Ironically the player who made this deal possible wasn’t even part of the trade.  Nyjer Morgan is the player who made this deal possible.  Morgan’s defense, as reported by Dejan in Wednesdays Notebook, is rated as a major defensive asset.  His number one rating in Ultimate Zone Rating among all MLB players helped make this deal possible.  The fact that he has been an offensive game changer has only helped his standing with the Pirates.  So far, I have been dead wrong on Morgan.

McCutchen is on his way to Pittsburgh for his MLB debut.  With McCutchen, Morgan and Moss (another highly ranked UZR) the Pirates could have one of the best defensive outfields around.  The Pirates as a team are ranked 3rd in MLB in UZR, McLouth was rated at a –1.00, and McCutchen should provide better performance than that. 

As with any defensive ratings, they are highly flawed.  There is no doubt in my mind McCutchen is a better defensive center fielder than McLouth.  My concern is if his bat is ready to make the jump.  Too often in Pirates history, highly touted prospects have failed to bring their bat to Pittsburgh with them. 

While this trade is not a popular trade, it is likely the right deal.  The Pirates get at least two players who will be in their top 10 prospect list and open a spot for their number one prospect to come up.  McLouth was traded while his value was still at a high point and the return was maybe more than valid for a one year starting outfielder.  This trade should also serve notice to players that they aren’t safe no matter the contract.  Ian Snell needs to take notice, Morton may be his replacement soon.

Just to be clear, I love Nate as a player, and his birthday should be a Holiday (same birthday as yours truly).  This deal, unlike Bay or Nady deals, will not show its true value for a few years to come.

 

BTW Slide Note:

I’ll likely be making some semi regular posts as I ramp back up to daily posts in the next couple weeks.

Well. It is a deep subject.

.235

.229

.195

 

.167

.160

 

Those are batting averages.

 

These are the players:

 

Monroe

Hinske

Moss

 

Bixler

Vazquez

 

Jack Wilson can not get back soon enough at short.  His .255 batting average dwarfs those of Bixler and Vazquez.  Vazquez has the redeeming value of walking 12 times to double his batting average to have a respectable on base percentage.  Only problem with walks, they rarely drive in runs.

 

What to do in right is another question.  Could we see McCutchen called up to play right?  If Andrew is called up, does McLouth move to right?  Will McCutchen be called up soon?

Don't expect that call up too soon.  McCutchen is batting a pedestrian .255 in Indianapolis.  While a top of the lineup of McCutchen, Nyjer Morgan could create some early runs with speed alone, McCutchen is not looking like he is ready just yet.

The way Morgan can bunt or line one past a drawn in 3B when they are cheating in for the bunt, the Pirates could have a run on the board before the ball left the infield.  Not that many balls the Pirates have hit recently have cleared the infield.

 

Don't look now, Andy has a better average than Adam.  Andy is hitting .250 compared to Adam's .240.  Maybe it was too soon to claim Adam has shaken the early season slow start.

 

Don't blame the recent 1-9 run on Doumit's injury.  Injuries have played a huge role in the slump with Wilson and McLouth missing considerable time.  Even Capps has not been right.

 

The pitching is coming back to earth as well.

 

I asked a few weeks back about which came first, a long winning streak or the long losing spell...guess that was answered.  Now let's see what happens as they get healthy, and no doubt make some sort of call up.

McLouth Signs Long Term Deal

Nate McLouth and the Pittsburgh Pirates have come to terms on a long term deal covering all 3 of his arbitration years as well as a club option for his first year of free agency eligibility.  The deal prevents the arbitration hearing that was scheduled for later today.

Contract terms have not yet been revealed.

BTW Take:

Look for the money to be similar to the deals Ryan Doumit and Paul Maholm signed earlier this offseason.  From what I have heard, the deal is most similar to Maholm.

This is a great move for the Pirates as it almost sets the outfield in the coming seasons to include McCutchen and Tabata alongside McLouth.  With the outfield taken care of and enough arms to go around in the rotation, the Pirates can now focus on what the future of the infield looks like beyond Pedro Alvarez.  I look to see the Pirates to begin to address the middle of the infield come June.

If no long term deal can be reached with Adam LaRoche before the July trade deadline, look for the Pirates to try and land a middle infielder in any deal that happens around the deadlines for Adam LaRoche, Freddy Sanchez or Jack Wilson.

Also look for more arms to be acquired.

 

Donate:

I will be walking in the MDA Stride and Ride locally. Please sponsor me in my Stride and Ride Walk for MDA at https://www.joinmda.org/srcoralvilleia09/dharr18. Every dollar is appreciated.

Andy LaRoche IS The Future Of The Pittsburgh Pirates.

When it pertains to 2009 performance, who would you say is the most important player on the Pirates current roster as it pertains to the future look of the team?

Quite possibly, that player is Andy LaRoche.

Depending on LaRoche’s progress and his ability to establish himself as the everyday third baseman for the Pirates many players could be affected as to their future with the team.

Let us take a look at how these players futures could change if Andy LaRoche does establish himself as a Major League third baseman:

Pedro Alvarez - With LaRoche established as the Pirates third baseman, the 2008 first round selection of the Pirates could be moved to first base.  Look for Alvarez to play some first base in A ball and more as he progresses through the system in 2009.  The more he plays first, the more likely Andy LaRoche has established himself as the Pirates third baseman of the present and future.

Adam LaRoche - Big brother Adam, regardless of his production in April and May, will likely be traded before the trade deadline.  If he does make it through to the end of 2009, he will become a free agent.  I look for Huntington to move him when his value is his highest, right after he starts heating up in June.

Neil Walker - Walker, who was moved from catcher to third, should expect to move to a corner outfield spot.  He is the most athletic of the Pirates third base prospects and started to show some of the power expected from him in 2008.  I'd expect Walker to move to right field, as he has a strong arm and right field is the easier position for 81 games a year playing at PNC Park.  Another possibility is second base.

Andrew McCutchen - Prior to McLouth establishing himself in center, McCutchen was looked at as the next Pirates center fielder.  After Bay was traded, McCutchen was looked at as the Pirates next left fielder.  With Walker likely tabbed for right field and Tabata likely slated for left field, McCutchen is once again the Pirates center fielder of the future.  He may arrive as a left fielder until...

Nate McLouth - With long term contract talks stalled, look for McLouth to be traded at the deadline, or in the offseason, if LaRoche has established himself at third.  McCutchen would then slide over from left field with Nyger Morgan moving back into left...

Jose Tabata - Morgan would likely man left field until Tabata was deemed ready for the jump.  Look for Tabata to be a call up, if he is ready, at the trade deadline.  Also, look for the McLouth trade to happen only when Tabata is ready.

Brandon Moss - Moss, acquired in the Bay trade, will man right field until Walker is ready and seasoned.  If Moss establishes himself as an everyday player, Walker gets relegated to super sub status or forces Walker to play second base.

Freddy Sanchez - Second is the only other position that Walker could potentially play.  Depending on Sanchez's health and if he regains his stroke that earned him a batting title, second may be a reach for the near term for Walker.  At the same time, Sanchez could be shopped on the open market.

Nyger Morgan - Nyger will be the filler player.  Until a player is ready, he will see significant playing time.  He will remain as the Pirates 5th outfielder for the foreseeable future.  His speed is what will keep him on the roster.  His bat and poor routes to the ball on defense is what will keep him as a reserve at best.

By my count, that is nine players whose fortunes could change if Andy LaRoche establishes himself as the everyday Pirates third baseman.  There are easily more scenarios that could plan out, but these are the most likely.  The performance of Morgan, Moss, Walker and Sanchez will determine their roles.  The timing of moves pertaining to McCutchen and Tabata depend on their development speed and when they are deemed ready.  Another factor is how well Walker can adjust to yet another position, but he would still be making that move if Alvarez is kept as a third baseman.

Andy LaRoche, in 2009, is the key to the look of the future of the Pittsburgh Pirates, at least in my eyes.  At the least, the view of six positions could change if Andy LaRoche is the real deal.

 

If Andy Fails:

If Andy LaRoche struggles and fails, the scenarios all change.

Pedro Alvarez – Still would be considered the Pirates third baseman of the future, Walker is the only one stopping him from claiming the position.

Adam LaRoche – The Pirates could look to sign a long term deal to keep Adam in the black and gold.  If it does not work out, there is always …

Neil Walker – Could still be viewed as a potential candidate for third or first.  His position switch could add yet another position being first base.  You could effectively take outfield off the list since the outfield would already be four deep.  Super-sub could once again be his destination depending on Adam LaRoche.

Steve Pearce – Yet another name thrown in the mix, he plays first and right.  He could be the first baseman of the future, if he can get his bat working at the MLB level.

Brandon Moss – Depending on his performance, he could keep the right field job without much in the line of competition  until Tabata is ready at which time he slides into the fourth outfielder role.

Nate McLouth – His trade scenario is significantly changed.  McLouth would own an outfield spot as long as he is on the roster.

Jose Tabata – Rather than looking for a job in left, right now becomes his destination and he is likely kept in AAA a little longer to better prepare himself.

Andrew McCutchen – His roll becomes a left fielder as long as McLouth is still on the roster.

Freddy Sanchez – Could still be shopped, but the need to find a position for Walker is subsided and forcing Walker to a job at second is minimized.

Nyger Morgan – When Tabat, McCutchen and McLouth are the starting outfielders and Moss is the fourth outfielder, Morgan has little value on the team and become trade bait or an organizational player.

 

If you ask Neal Huntington, he would prefer to have these issues as opposed to constantly looking for players to fill out the roster.  Problems that would be created by Andy LaRoche succeeding are the problems GM’s love to have. 

Here’s to hoping Andy LaRoche succeeds and gives Neal Huntington headaches of a good nature in 2009 and beyond.

 

Addition:

Something I thought of after I submitted the post.  Anyone trying to project a lineup beyond 2009 needs to look no further than their outlook for Andy LaRoche.  I hope I am not putting any additional pressure on Andy, so Andy please forgive me if I do.  I am hoping someday a site will be called “Where Have You Gone Andy LaRoche” because you have earned a place in Pirates lore.

Sorry Pat for snagging a naming idea.  I have also finally updated your link.

 

Discussion:

Over at The Buccos Forum we have a discussion going on this topic.

http://www.thebuccosforum.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1234117540

 

Donate:

I will be walking in the MDA Stride and Ride locally. Please sponsor me in my Stride and Ride Walk for MDA at https://www.joinmda.org/srcoralvilleia09/dharr18. Every dollar is appreciated.

The Pirates Avoid Arbitration With Four Of Six

The Pittsburgh Pirates have avoided salary arbitration by coming to terms with Adam LaRoche ($7.05M), Zach Duke ($2.2M), John Grabow ($2.3M) and Tyler Yates ($1.3M).

The two remaining arbitration eligible players are Nate McLouth and Paul Maholm.  McLouth and Maholm are each asking for $3.8M, while the Pirates submitted $2.75M for McLouth and $2.65M for Maholm. 

BTW Take:

To celebrate his contract signing, Adam LaRoche should purchase Super Bowl tickets for all Pirates bloggers.  If he does have a slow April, I am sure we would all cut him some slack this year.  When you read this Adam, just email me for my mailing address.

The million plus difference in the two remaining cases almost assures the Pirates will be heading to at least one hearing, possibly two. 

 

Slide Note:

Due to a heavy workload, I will not be posting the next part of the Free Agent series for a couple days. 

 

Got A Ticket?:

Anyone who has a spare ticket to the Super Bowl, look no further.  Just email me and I will gladly accept such donations.  :)

Prospects On The Rise, Other Stuff

First, I would like to pay on my sympathy to the Pirates organization, former teammates and family of Dock Ellis who passed away Friday.  I remember watching him pitch as a young child.  The baseball world lost a valuable member of its family.

Prospects On The Rise:

According to Dejan the Pirates are hoping to start Pedro Alvarez at High A Lynchburg.  Tabata could start in AAA, creating a log jam of center fielders in Indianapolis.  Lincoln and Moskos could be starting in Altoona to start the season as well.

BTW Take:

I hope Coonley and Huntington aren't rushing Pedro too fast to make up for missed time.  Actually it looks like they are moving quite a few prospects up quickly.  This type of expectation reeks of an organization trying to force its hand and show they are improving well before it is time. 

This is a nice change from the Littlefield era where no one seemed to move at all unless they seemingly had been ready to move up for at least half a season.

If Tabata and McCutchen are both in Indy to start the season, look for both to get significant time playing in left as well as center.  With the large size of left in PNC, this season in Indy should tell the team who will be the left fielder of the future for the Pirates.  I would not be surprised to see an outfield of Tabata, McCutchen and McLouth to close out the year in Pittsburgh.

 

Other Stuff:

Another Bucs Outlet:

Another location to follow the Pirates this season, Evan Foley will be covering the Pirates at Study Of Sports.

 

Doug Is A Good Guy:

An interesting quote from Dejan's Hot Stove Report:

"Busiest guy on the phone this winter might be Doug Mientkiewicz, who has made a habit of calling teammates to ensure they are staying in shape. And this is especially noteworthy, considering Mientkiewicz not only is a free agent but also has yet to receive an offer from the Pirates."

BTW Take:

It seems like Doug might return after all, either that or he is just that good of a person.  Doug will be a great manager someday.

 

Free Agent Updates:

No major updates on the Turnbow, Bootcheck, Hairston nor Cabrera fronts.  The Pirates are still believed to be in the running for each player.  There are at least a dozen teams interested in Cabrera.  At least a handful of teams are interested in Hairston and Turnbow.  There are a couple teams interested in Bootcheck, with the Pirates being the closest to signing him at this time.

 

Contract Negotiations:

A contract is expected to be announce with Ryan Doumit early next week, likely before the Christmas to New Years break.  One thing to consider, the Pirates may actually be busy over the holiday break in hopes of landing an extension or minor free agent signing.

 

Minor League Managers Named:

Several coaches and managers were named.  Here is a link to the PG recap of the moves.

Pirates Close To Signing Doumit

According to multiple sources, the Pirates are close to a contract extension with Ryan Doumit.  Some sources believe the signing could happen before Christmas.

Talks with Maholm are preliminary at this time.

Talks with McLouth are not as promising, but they are not dead either.

BTW Take:

While I like Doumit, there really is no surprise he would want to lock down some figures for the rest of his arbitration years.  Considering his injury history, I would not be surprised if a deal is worked out into 2012, his potential first free agency year.  I am sure Ryan would welcome a steady paycheck.

I expect Maholm to follow a similar path as negotiations progress.  With the volatility and injury risk of the position, any pitcher would be wise to take a guaranteed deal through their arbitration years.

As for McLouth, I don't see a deal getting done this Winter.  A signing is a possibility during spring, but not during Hot Stove Season.  Considering he won a Gold Glove and made the All-Star team, the squabbling will likely be over bonus money and rewarding him for a wonderful 2008 season.  The Pirates are looking at McLouth to leadoff in 2009 while McLouth is looking at the numbers he put up in 2008 and wants to be paid accordingly.  This will be a slow process that could become volatile if McLouth is forced into batting leadoff the entire 2009 season, potentially affecting his offensive numbers especially RBI's.  Nate will want the money a 100 RBI guy gets.  A deal will likely happen before the season to protect the Pirates if Nate slides backs down to a middle of the order into an RBI producer position and to protect Nate if he is forced to stay in a leadoff position limiting his RBI potential.

A Wild Thought Looking to 2012

All the anticipation of a Mark Teixeira signing has me thinking.

While listening to an interview on MLB Live (XM 175) during the winter meetings, a key quote came from one of the GM's who were being interviewed.  He made a comment that you aren't building a team for just this coming year, but also building with an eye five years down the road. 

This had my mind wandering with thoughts of what the Pirates moves might mean five years down the road.  None of the recent signings fall under that scenario.  However the rumored discussions going on with McLouth, Doumit and Maholm would at least be looking three or four years in the future.

That lineup in 2012 could have a nucleus of McLouth, McCutchen, Tabata, Alvarez and Doumit.  A few other names could be Sanchez, Andy LaRoche and Walker.  All in all, that seems like a pretty nice lineup to manage.

The rotation in 2012 could consist of Maholm, Gorzelanny, Snell and Bryan Morris and about 10 others to chose from for the remaining spot.

Now the question is, should the Pirates be looking at adding to that lineup now?

Adam LaRoche likely will not be a Pirate beyond 2009. 

In 2012 Alvarez will be manning one of the corner infield positions.  Walker or Andy LaRoche might be manning the other.

Why not make a move to have the veteran centerpiece to the lineup added now?

Teixeira is a rare talent.  Offering a contract to him with an eye to the future could make a nice lineup be formidable.  Obviously there would have to be some sort of out for Teixeira in the event season 20 of losing is looming.  The Pirates would probably like an out too.

Offer Teixeira a $200M 10 year contract with opt outs after year 3 (2012), year 5 (2014) and year 8 (2017).  The Pirates also should receive an opt out after year 5 also.

This would destroy payroll, and could never happen with the somewhere in the range of $50M payroll.  Or could it?

Adam LaRoche will be getting somewhere in the $7-8M range after arbitration.  If that contract was traded, the Pirates still have $12M to pick up.  Ironically there have been many references to the Pirates have $12-15M to spend if the fit is right.

A trade of Jack Wilson would free up some additional room under the estimated payroll.

It seems most of the rotation is already in place.  Why not add the key piece if he would be interested in playing on the east coast, close to where he calls home.  If Teixeira is honestly considering Baltimore or Washington, why not Pittsburgh?  He could be mentioned with Stargell, Clemente, Maz and many other in Pirate lore and be a local hero in a town that follows baseball until Steeler camp opens.  That could change with a player like Teixera on the roster.

A signing like this would sell some tickets in a tough economic time for the Pirates.  Teixeira would be a named face of the team for years to come. 

If LaRoche is not moved?

Teixeira can play third.

Why would Teixeira want to play in Pittsburgh besides being a Pittsburgh hero? 

Take another look at the talent that will be around him in the next couple years.  If $20M isn't enough, the talent that will be coming in the next couple of years could make the decision easier.  He won't be coming into a rebuilding project.  He will be reaping the benefits of coming in at the end of a 16 year rebuilding project.

If Baltimore and Washington are actually part of the discussion, the Pirates have a better future looming based on prospects than Washington.  Baltimore has Weiters and a few other nice prospects similar to the situation the Pirates are in.  My personal biased opinion is the Pirates have better closer than Baltimore.

Another reason, in three years he has an opt out that would likely be a much better market for free agents. 

Why would the Pirates make such a 10 year gamble?

In order for Huntington to build the franchise through trades, there needs to be pieces to trade.  The Pirates could always trade him for a bounty of young talent before year three and further rebuild their minor league system.  Teixeira could be that huge piece, even if he is not in the 2012 lineup.  If he is still here in 2012 and beyond, the Pirates have their new star to hang their hat on.  Not just a nice player hyped by the team as an elite player.

This scenario will never happen, but it is fun to dream isn't it?

Non-Tendered and Possible Pirate Targets

Here is a link to the non-tendered players:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=3766373

 

The three guys I'd like to see as possible targets are:

Willy Taveras -The Pirates have gone a long time without a speedy leadoff guy.  I don't count Duffy in this since he never really established himself in MLB.  Plopping Taveras in CF with McLouth in LF and Moss in RF makes a decent offensive outfield.  Defense could be poor though.  This would also buy a little more time for McCutchen in Indy.

Aaron Miles - IF the Pirates are actually looking at moving Sanchez, this is a good target for them.  The other option is getting Miles and sending Freddy back to 3B.

Tkashi Saito - If his new age medicine works, this is a guy who would solidify the late innings in Pittsburgh.  Saito in the 8th, Capps in the 9th.  That should take some strain off the starters from having to go 7 to feel safe with a lead.

With a first 3 in the Lineup of Taveras, Miles and McLouth the team is in good shape for small ball and good speed at the top of the order.  Sanchez could also bat second if he played 3B. 

If McCutchen can take away an outfield spot, Taveras could slide to left and McLouth moves to right.  While the team would lack power, it could be a very aggressive lineup on the base paths.  I am thinking along the line of St. Louis in the Coleman days.

If Huntington was sincere in saying McCutchen will be on the roster at some point in the season, a possible lineup of the following could produce some RBI chances and a few interesting games.

Lineup:
McCutchen, CF
Taveras, LF
Sanchez, 3B
Doumit, C
McLouth, RF
LaRoche, 1B
Miles, 2B
Wilson, SS
Pitcher, P

Just a drunken thought, that's all.

Winter Meeting Recap

Thanks to a wonderful site called Woot I have been sidetracked from writing.  Woot was kind enough to have a 3 day Woot-off during the Winter meetings.  Sorry people, my geek life takes precedence occasionally.

Now, onto the recap.

No Mo Ro Pa:

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies swapped catchers.  Ronnie Paulino was sent to the Phillies for a return of Jason Jaramillo.

BTW Take:

Looking at stats alone, it seems Jaramillo has a better eye in the minors based on his walk numbers alone.  Beyond walks, there minor league stats aren't much different. 

The sad think for Ronnie, he went from being a backup catcher to Ryan Doumit to potentially being blocked by Carlos Ruiz and Lou Marson.  People seem to think Paulino is a good hitting catcher.  He never showed a .310 average was in him while playing in the minors.  Remember it took a few injuries to even get a shot in Pittsburgh. 

He was praised for his handling of pitchers, but his defense was lousy and his offense came back to earth after his fluke of a .310 season as a rookie.  A .280 minor league hitter does not turn into a .310 MLB hitter.  Paulino also earned a tag of being lazy, whether he deserved that tag or not is something you can decide.

Jaramillo was considered a top prospect not long ago.  He is only a year younger than Paulino.  This seems to be a trade to grant Paulino his wish of a trade while getting a player back that Russell has managed in the past and was very high on.  More or less, a slacker for a hard worked.

 

Rule 5:

The Pittsburgh Pirates took Donnie Veal in the MLB portion of the Rule 5 draft.

In the Minor League portion, the Pirates did something unusual, grabbing players from the Latin Summer Leagues.  The players taken in the Minor League portion are Andres Santos ( 22, New York Yankees) Rafael Quintero (21, Cleveland Indians), Gerardo Esparza (21, Seattle Mariners). The first two were in the DSL, Esparza in Venezuela.

BTW Take:

Veal seems to be a solid pickup.  He has had some tough times over the last 3 years off the diamond.  If he can get his game together, this guy could be a steal.  I found this article on his personal problems over the last 3 years.  He lost both his parents, his mother to cancer and his father to a diving accident.

The minor league pickups I have not found much on, but the fact the Pirates went outside the norm makes these moves even more impressive in a creative kind of way.  Dejan has a nice little write up on this in the PBC Blog, the 6:05 update.

 

Free Agent Signing:

The Pirates are on the verge of signing a 2 year contract with Ramon Vazquez. 

BTW Take:

Everyone seems to think this is a precursor to a Jack Wilson or Freddy Sanchez trade.  I have my doubts.  This has the smell of a move to have an additional option if Andy LaRoche or Neil Walker can't take the Hot Corner.  Vazquez could play third or Freddy could move back to third if both prospects fail to make the grade.  Vazquez has played 255 games at third.

Just because rumors swirl about a Wilson trade doesn't make Vazquez the next shortstop.

 

Bixler a Marlin?:

Rumors swirl about the Marlins being interested in Brian Bixler.

BTW Take:

I'd hate to see Bixler go.  I had the opportunity to see Bixler play in College.  If you asked me to give a CHP (Can He Play) rating, I would say he can play.  I think he struggled with the initial call up.  Don't be surprised if he doesn't perform worlds better in his next call up.

 

McCutchen To Pittsburgh:

In one of Huntington's press meetings, he made a statement McCutchen will "likely" be on the MLB roster sometime in 2009.

BTW Take:

I am anxious to see what he can do.

 

The BIG News:

The Pirates are in discussions to sign extensions with Maholm, McLouth and Doumit.

BTW Take:

McLouth and Maholm make sense.  Doumit scares me with his injury history.  Last season he stayed mostly healthy, but I'd like to see him do it again before dropping a long term deal on him.

Trade Bait Special

Here are some rumors, and me shooting holes in a few...

Jack Wilson

The Detroit Free Press is reporting the Pirates could be working on a deal with the Marlins as a precursor to a deal sending Wilson to the Tigers.

Foxsports.com reported Saturday that the Pirates are attempting to acquire catcher Matt Treanor from the Florida Marlins and then package Wilson and Treanor in a trade with Detroit.

The Insider on Pittsburgh Sports claims the following teams are interested in Wilson: Det, Tor, Bal, CLE, LAD, ATL.

 

BTW Take:

The rumors are starting to fire up as we near the winter meetings.  My advice, take it with a grain of salt.  Huntington has said he will listen to offers, but don't read too much into that statement. 

Wilson is coming off an injury plagued season, his value is quite low at this point.  Wilson will take the field at PNC this spring in a Pirates uniform.  Huntington will hold onto one of his bargaining chips until his value is back where it should be. 

Why do I think this?

Bay and Nady could have been moved last off-season, but the return would be nowhere near what was gained at the July non-waiver deadline.  Wilson fits the same mold.  For the Pirates to gain, they need to be patient and hope a bidding war arises or Jack is hitting .300 in July to improve his value.

 

Freddy Sanchez

There has been a lot of speculating on Freddy's future with the Pirates.  Follow the same line of thinking for the former batting champion.  Freddy is coming off a season where arm, shoulder and eye problems affected him throughout.  The Pirates need Freddy to be healthy and hitting if he is to have any value on the trade market.

At the end of 2008, he was once again hitting like a batting champion.  Freddy needs to start 2009 the same way proving he is healthy and boosting his value. 

Freddy is the opening day second baseman for the Pirates.  No doubt in my mind.  I won't say he will finish the year with the Pirates, but he will start the season there.

 

LaRoche

Pick the brother, and either could be traded.  The more likely of the two is Adam.  A team in need of a defensive first-bagger who can carry a BIG stick late in the season will be interested, but not until that bat starts warming up.  Adam won't be traded until he starts hitting.  If he can start early in the season, that will make his value skyrocket.  Don't wait for fireworks though.  Adam has never hit in the first couple months of the season.  Teams will wait until his offense is worth picking up.   Another deadline day deal is in order here.

Andy is another story.  IF he can hit and play defense like he has in the minors at the Major League level, he will keep the position warm for Pedro Alvarez to arrive.  If he flails early in the season, Neil Walker will be on the bus from Indy to Pittsburgh.  Don't think for a second that Andy doesn't feel Walker breathing down his neck on the 40 man roster.  If he fails with regular playing time, he will either spend time in Indy or be traded as a throw in component for another deal.

If Andy LaRoche succeeds, don't be surprised to see him move to second after Sanchez is moved.  Look for him to get some time there in spring training as well with some spot starts throughout the season to spell Freddy.

Walker was not added to the 40 man to push Andy LaRoche, but that is what he will do.  Walker was added to protect him from the rule 5 draft.

 

John Grabow

Grabow is the one Pirate that will likely be moved this off-season.  He had a good left-handed year and will garnish some attention.  As mentioned earlier, if Matt Treanor is acquired, and possibly traded to Detroit, don't be surprised if Grabow is in the deal somewhere.  Most general managers covet lefty help in the bullpen and will pay a nice price to land even an average lefty.

 

Nate McLouth

I doubt his value could get any higher. 

He should be traded. 

He may be traded.

But...

This is the Pirates we are talking about.  They will hang onto McLouth and hope he hits well to start the season and see what happens on the trade front.  He still has 2 arbitration years ahead of him so the Pirates will roll the dice and hope for more of the same offensively from their new left fielder. 

He could be a mid-season trade if the offer is good enough to land a gold glove center fielder.

 

Zach Duke

Texas has shown a lot of interest in Duke, but I doubt there will be much of a return.  If Duke goes anywhere, look to the Lone Star State.

 

Rule 5

I look for the Pirates to be active in the rule 5 draft this year.  Huntington wants to get some talent in the minors and the drafts are the way to do it.  It would not surprise me if the Pirates actually took multiple players in the Major League portion of the draft and also be quite active in the minor league portion of the rule 5 fiasco.

 

That's it for now.  I'll start doing some "off-season" posts going over rumors and such.

 

Join The Buccos Forum and leave some thoughts there.  There are quite a few entertaining characters that hang out in the forum and will likely help you bash me.  There are always plenty of topics and plenty of opinions to keep you entertained and informed.

Good News, Congratulation and Disturbing News

Good:

My dad got out of the hospital yesterday.  Everything is fine and he is now at home.  In case anyone was wondering why I had not been posting.  Baseball was the furthest thing from my mind recently.

 

Congratulations:

Nate McLouth was an unanimous winner of the Roberto Clemente Award, presented annually by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America to the Pirates player who best exemplifies the standard of excellence achieved by Roberto Clemente.

 

Disturbing:

According to the New York Post, Nate McLouth is rumored in a deal with the Yankees.

Decision makers in The Bronx and Pittsburgh said yesterday there was nothing to the New York Yankees acquiring outfielder Nate McLouth from the Pirates - yet.

BTW Take:

If the deal happened, there would have to be a ton of talent coming to Pittsburgh.  I am not sure the Yankees have enough left in the farm system to make this deal happen, at least not enough they would be willing to part with.  Most of their best prospects are pitchers.

New Lineup

It seems like the offense has not lost a step. After Adam LaRoche returns, the middle of the lineup could be just as potent. McLouth, Doumit, LaRoche and LaRoche could be a potent 3 through 7. It seems 3B may no longer be a complimentary position in the lineup.
It was relaxing to see Andy deliver big in a clutch situation.
My big question is, who bats 1 and 2? My guess is Sanchez then Wilson.
Any thoughts?

While I am on "vacation", I will be doing mostly quick thoughts with the occasional deeper post when I can get to a computer.
Posting from my handheld means no spell checking...

Game 107, Great Nate Debate, Promotions, Links and DL.

Vitals:

COLORADO ROCKIES (48-59)	LHP GLENDON RUSCH (4-3, 5.74 ERA)
PITTSBURGH PIRATES (49-57)	RHP YOSLAN HERRERA (1-1, 9.75 ERA)
Game Time	7:05 EDT
XM	XM 185
TV	FSN

Promotions: 

• Brian Bixler recalled from Indy and will be available tonight.
• Jason Delaney was promoted to AAA Indianapolis.
• Jamie Romak and Jim Negrych were promoted to Altoona.
• Matt Miller retired.

Great Nate Debate:

Some interesting notes on Nate McLouth:

• he leads all National League center fielders with 22 home runs and 72 RBI
• leads N.L. with 34 doubles, ranks fifth in total bases & second with 59 extra-base hits (Ryan Braun has 61).
• he leads all N.L. center fielders in fielding percentage
• he has yet to make an error in 254 total chances
• is six home runs shy of the club record for most home runs hit by a center fielder held by Brian Giles (28 in 1999)
• only two other Pirates have homered more times in one season while playing center field - Frank Thomas (25 in 1953) and Andy Van Slyke (25 in 1988)
• ranks third among National League leaders with 80 runs scored
• scored 20 runs in his last 19 games and is on pace to score 122 this season (Jason Bay led team with 78 runs in 2007).
• is the only player to hit one in the river this season, having done so on Monday.

Any questions on wether he deserved a shot at being an everyday center fielder?

Disabled List:

• Right-handed pitcher Matt Capps (bursitis in right shoulder) 15-day disabled list.
• Left-handed pitcher Phil Dumatrait (bursitis in left shoulder) 15-day disabled list.
• First baseman Adam LaRoche (right intercostal strain) 15-day disabled list.

Links:

The latest Pittsburgh Pirates Round Table is up on MVN.

 

Visit the BTW Forum to discuss this post.

Register for the forum here:
http://forum.bucstradewinds.net/index.cgi?action=register

Fruit Baskets, Game 101, D(eal) Day

Snelled Again:
Ian Snell should send Dave Littlefield a nice fruit basket or something. The only thing between Snell and Indy is the fantastic farm system Littlefield assembled. If there was any pitching help in the minors at all, Snell would still be sharing a rotation with Gorzelanny.

Game 101:
What a catch by Nate McLouth in center. With his back to the infield, he caught a tailing fly ball over his shoulder. Too bad ESPN didn't watch the game for a highlight.

Count Down To D(eal) Day:
There are only 7 days until the non-waiver trade deadline. After the first deal, don't be surprised to see Davis added to the 40 man roster. He has been the only reliable pitcher in Indianapolis.
I doubt Marte gets dealt unless two proven prospects are the return. If Huntington can't land something better than the equivalent talent of two late first round picks, the deal would make no sense. That is why the asking price is so high.
I am interested in seeing what Huntington does with Marte more than any other deal.