Adam LaRoche Traded For Two Minor Leaguers

The Pittsburgh Pirates traded first baseman Adam LaRoche for minor league SS Argenis Diaz and minor league pitcher Hunter Strickland.  Diaz was rated 29th and Strickland 38th best prospects in the Red Sox system according to http://www.soxprospects.com/.

Diaz 22, SS:

Scouting Report: Diaz is an elite defensive shortstop, and if he improves his concentration on routine plays, he could compete for a gold glove in the bigs right now.  He has plus range, excellent footing, an impressive glove, and an outstanding  arm.  Makes impossible plays in the field.  However, he does make a lot of errors on off-the-mark long throws off of grounders that he has no business getting to in the first place.  He also really struggles with routine plays on occasion, almost as if he has a mental block.  That is a definite area in need of improvement. The other key for Diaz is how much he will hit. He's a slap hitter with below average to average on base ability and without much power, but he's swung the bat very well during a few prolonged stints here and there. Good bat speed through the zone.  Struggles with advanced off-speed stuff.  Can show lack of plate discipline in stretches. Hits lefties significantly better than righties.  Excellent at laying down bunts. Won't steal a lot of bases. 

 

Strickland 20, RHP:

Scouting Report: Tall righty with projectable frame. Fastball sits about 88-91 mph, topping out around 93.  Fastball is a little flat, but shows some good movement when he takes something off of it.  Strickland has a slow, easy delivery without much explosion at the moment. Good balance. Also works in a 79-82 mph slurve along with a change that sits at 83-85 mph. Changeup could stand to have some more separation from his fastball, look for that to be an area of improvement in 2009.Repeats delivery well, needs to work on his release point to improve his command. His father played in the Tigers organization.

 

Scouting reports are from Sox Prospects.

 

Diaz is planned to head to Indianapolis while Strickland is expected in West Virginia.

 

BTW Take:

The Pirates essentially got a 22 year old Jack Wilson and a right handed pitcher that seems to fit Huntington’s profile for pitchers: Tall and Projectable.  The key with Diaz, Wilson just became a little more expendable.  Expect Diaz to see some time in Pittsburgh if/when Jack Wilson is traded.

 

More later…

 

More:

2:28 - Steve Pearce was pulled from DH duties in Indianapolis’ game today.  Lastings  Milledge did not play in the game either.  Both may be recalled with Jeff Salazar returned to Indianapolis.  Huntington all but confirmed Pearce is being recalled and that Pearce has made some “significant” adjustments.

 

More BTW Take:

Considering LaRoche’s contract and pending free agency, add the fact the Pirates received two prospects in return, the deal seems to be a pretty even swap.

 

MOSS JUST GOES YARD TO TAKE THE SERIES!!!!!!….Wish this was October.

 

Some quotes from Huntington on the trade:

"Diaz is an intriguing shortstop prospect who projects to play above-average defense with soft hands, good first step quickness and an above average throwing arm," said Pirates GM Neal Huntington. "He is developing on the offensive side of the baseball, but Argenis quickly becomes the best defensive shortstop prospect in our system."

"Strickland is a young developing right-handed starting pitching prospect with a good frame, solid delivery, clean arm action and an interesting pitch arsenal," said Huntington. "He is a quality strike thrower with a fastball that has averaged as high as 93 miles per hour, with the potential for a Major League caliber breaking ball and changeup to complement his fastball."

 

BA had Diaz rated the Best Defensive Infielder in Boston’s system.

 

More Huntington Comments:

3:59 On MLB Home Plate Huntington flat out said the Pirates will not pick up the options on Wilson nor Sanchez.

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.

A Few Promising Things

I am not trying to drink the Kool-Aid. I am not saying this team will contend.

What I am saying, even with a four game losing streak, there is still a few things to believe as promising.

Even with Maholm having a bad outing, he never should have started his last inning, Maholm still fought and had his team in a position to win when he was finally removed.

The night before, the Pirates battled back to tie the game at five before the bullpen imploded.

Snell pitched very well, being out dueled in Wednesdays game.

Duke has continued to shine.

The pitching staff still lead the NL in ERA at the end of April, a five pretty good teams in Pittsburgh Pirates history did the same. So there is some hope with the pitching staff.

There are plenty of reasons to think this staff has at least 3 legitimate pitchers at the top of the rotation.

Ohlendorf and Karstens, they have even looked good at time.  They are both filling their roles in the rotation the way they should as forth and fifth starters.  The way they have pitched, many teams would take that production from the 4 and 5 spots.

The Pirates offense has not been as outstanding the last 22 innings, but slumps can be expected on any team. 

The best part of this 4 game skid...The Pirates are still at .500 on the season.  As long as the team can get this skid under control, and soon, there is still plenty of reasons to think this team might break the streak.  The key to breaking the streak, the pitching must maintain what they are doing. 

The starting rotation needs to keep from pushing, thinking they need to go 7 or 8 innings scoreless.  The only way that mind set is avoided...the offense needs to step it up and soon.

Injuries:

Jaramillo has stepped in nicely to fill the mitt behind the plate after Doumit went down with a wrist injury.  He has hit better than expected and has provided a little better defense behind the dish.  While Doumit's bat is missed, his glove has been more than adequately replaced.

Bixler has provided solid play at short with Jack Wilson on the DL.  His bat has yet to fully translate to MLB levels, but his defense has been solid. 

The loss of McLouth for 6 games did not help the offense.  Morgan has continued to play well, when not getting picked off when on base. 

The problem for the Pirates right now, they can't afford any more key injuries.  The depth still is not where Huntington would like it to be.  Luckily, the injuries have happened at positions where adequate players were waiting in the wings. 

If the Pirates take a hit in the starting rotation, that could doom the team to that record breaking season of 17. 

Brother In Arms:

I am formally retiring the Lil and Big LaWhiff titles.  Both brothers are playing well.  Andy has recovered from one of the ugliest starts of a season I have ever seen a player have.  His glove has been solid and his bat has translated enough to show he is ready to be the everyday third baseman until a certain someone arrives.

Adam is being 2nd half Adam in the first half.  If he can keep this up the whole season, he has a good shot at 35 HR's this season.  A nice change for a lineup that hasn't had much pop since the early 90's.

 

Game Thread:

The game thread may be up late again today.  Too many things to do and I am still tweaking the new Netbook.

BTW News, Pirates 2009, New Young Buc

Ahhh!

Yesterday, my youngest son had surgery to remove adenoids and to have tubes put in his ears.  Everything went well and he is doing very well.  As a parent you have a tendency to be distracted when your child is about to have an operation, no matter how minor.  Just the thought of your child going under is a scary proposition, no matter how many times you have been through it.  Needless to say, holding him in the recovery room made a huge weight be lifted from my mind.

 

Pirates 2009:

While sitting in recovery holding Nicky as he slept, my mind started wandering back to baseball and the Pirates.  The 4-3 start to the 2009 season is a good thing, like that is breaking news. 

My biggest interest going forward is what will happen first.

You see, I have a belief that it is easier to stay above .500 than it is to get back to .500.  When trying to recover lost ground, teams always seem to press because of a tangible goal of .500.  When a team gets close, then fails, the pressure keeps building.

Failing to reach .500 for a young team, such as the Pirates, seems to always have a snowball affect, more like an avalanche.  When they get close but come a win or two away from the mark, as we have seen a few times in the last 16 years, the team seems to always have that losing streak right then.

A team that is over .500 can endure a losing streak and still not worry of a tangible goal they are failing to achieve, as long as they stay above .500.

So what I am looking for is what happens first.  Do the Pirates have a long winning streak or long losing streak?  If they can attain a long winning streak first, that will go a long way towards breaking the 16 year spiral we as fans have endured.

As for players so far, here are a few things I have noticed:

• Brandon Moss seems to be a little faster than last year, I have been impressed with the speed he has shown so far.  While not blazing speed, he has been impressive none the less.
• Staying with Moss, he has yet to earn a RBI.  A somewhat distressing fact.
• Was I wrong on Nyjer Morgan?  He has been a catalyst for this team with the bat and with his speed and toughness.  He is doing a lot of little things right that have plagued him in the past.  A couple example are breaking up a double play to keep the inning going just prior to Doumit's grand slam.  Another example was taking out the catcher on an excellent hip check from his youth.  While he didn't need to make contact, the play was closer than it appeared as the ball was on it's way home.
• Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson both look like they want to stay in Pittsburgh.  Each has been fantastic, maybe no more so than the fantastic double play they turned against the Reds.
• Zach Duke looks as if he has turned back the clock, or at least hit the same point that Maholm did a year and a half ago.  He seems to be trusting his pitches again and is pitching to all parts of the plate.
• With Maholm, Duke and Ohlendorf all pitching well, getting Snell to stay in a groove rather than grooving too many pitches will be a big hurdle for Russell and Kerrigan to clear.  If Snell finds himself again, the bullpen may not be an issue as they will not be used often.

I fear the warm and fuzzy sensation I have been having about the Pirates, too many times in has turned into a stomach virus the last 16 years.

 

New Young Buc:

The Pirates have acquired Delwyn Young from the Dodgers for two PTBNL.  Look for Luis Cruz to be demoted after Young arrives in Pittsburgh.  Young will likely be used as a utility player who can play outfield and most infield positions save 1B.

BTW Take:

Cruz was on the roster due to Bixler becoming a prospect again in spring training.   This move allows the Pirates to have a bat on the bench, rather than just a glove.  It doesn't make perfect sense, since Young has not played 2B in two years. 

Random March Madness

Pitt was doing well enough in the tournament, I did not want to jinx them with my posting.  Call it my superstitious side, call it the baseball player in me reemerging.  Call it whatever you will, I had to step back from the keyboard for a couple days, and they won both.  The old rule, don't mess with a streak.

Unfortunately, I am back now.  On to the Madness...Random that is:

How's this for a 180:

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Jack Wilson have begun discussions for a contract extension.  Apparently Wilson has initiated the discussions.

BTW Take:

Did I miss something?  For the last few years Wilson has been making statements on how he would retire after his contract was up.  Now he is initiating discussions for an extension?  Personally, I would be a little annoyed with Wilson.  He has basically undermined trade discussions with his talk of retirement.  Now he wants to continue playing.  I can't blame the guy for wanting to stay in Pittsburgh, it is a great city to live in and I miss it dearly. 

Could there be more to it?

Might Wilson be looking at the team as actually being close in the next couple years?  Might he be showing faith in the direction Huntington is going?  Considering how well the rotation has done this spring.  Considering the stars of the Pirates future (McCutchen, Tabata, Alvarez) are very close.  Thinking Andy LaRoche is ready to show what he can do.  Might all those things add up to Wilson having faith in the direction?  Might he see an end to the humiliation, and end to the streak?

Maybe?  Or Jack is full of it and just wants another payday.  You decide.

 

WBC Should Be WBC:

I have an idea for the World Baseball Classic.  Change the name.  It should be the World Baseball Championship.  I want to see a true world champion determined.  No more of this country versus country crap.  Let's abbreviate it and take league champion versus league champion.  I want to see a true World Champion named.  MLB fans could cheer on their representative, Japanese League fans root for their representative.  I want to see who is the best of the best.  Make it a yearly event.  Make a true World Champion!

 

Rumor Update:

My last post was on a rumor of the Pirates hunting for someone for the rotation.  The next day the Ohman rumors started kicking up again.  Now they can be tied together.  If the Pirates can land Ohman, they will be trying to move Burnett to land a fifth starter off the waiver wire heap.  There are going to be quite a few casualties of the 25 man roster in coming days, the Pirates are scouring the wire for a target.

As a side note, I have heard Walkers name in some rumors surrounding the starting rotation, as trade bait not a position switch.

 

Wily Mo No Mo':

The Nationals released Wily Mo Pena.  Please Neal Huntington, look away from the shiny object like Wily Mo looks away from the ball on defense.

 

McCutchen, Tabata, Alvarez:

This spring, all three have shown they are nearly ready.  Look for Alvarez to finish the year in Indianapolis, he should fly through the system in quick order.  Tabata and McCutchen should be in Pittsburgh and soon. 

 

Left Field:

While Nyger Morgan is a fun and energetic guy, he does not belong on a MLB roster at this time.  It is a certainty that McCutchen will not be starting in left to start the season, more of a business of baseball thing than a baseball decision.  This leaves a few candidates for the starting job: Monroe, Salazar, Jones and Hinske.  A platoon may be in order for Monroe and Hinske.  But my money, if I were to bet, is still on Salazar.  Salazar can play better D than either Monroe or Hinske and is no slouch with the bat either.  Jones is the wildcard, I have liked what I have seen of him and he just seems to have that little something extra.  That something that it is hard to put a finger on.

 

Fifth Of Starter:

Ohlendorf has locked up the fourth starter sot in the rotation.  As mentioned earlier, the front office is not happy with the competition for the fifth starter spot and are looking to fill from outside the franchise. 

 

Jaramillo:

It was made official, Jaramillo was named backup to Doumit.  Diaz was sent to Indy.  I look at this more along the lines of wanting to get the better all around guy some more playing time.  Jaramillo is obviously better with a glove and arm, but Diaz has impressed with the bat.  If Doumit goes down for an extended period, look for Diaz to get called up and step into the starter role.

 

BTW:

It is great to be back writing again, I wish my superstition would have won Pitt the championship.  Anyhow, Jon with his beast of the east entry is leading a pitiful pack of prognosticators in the BTW Bracket Challenge.  It is not a pretty sight.

 

In my Sportsocrocy  Mock Celebrity Bracket, I still have a good chance of winning.  I need a win out of Michigan St and North Carolina today and it is nearly locked 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.

Rumor

Just heard through the grapevine the Indians may be on the market for a shortstop.  The Indians would like to have Peralta play 3B if they can find a suitable shortstop. 

Add that to Huntington's ties to the Indians.

We have a blooming Jack Wilson rumor.

I'll update this if I get any concrete evidence of the Indians being interested in Wilson.

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.

Jack Of All Trades

Well, it looks like I may be eating crow when it comes to my prediction Jack Wilson starts the season at short for the Pirates.

Here is a list of links on the topic:

Post-Gazette

Detroit Free Press

AP

Tribune Review

From the above stories, and many more links that are available throughout the web, Jack Wilson is a hot commodity.  The Dodgers and Tigers are the frontline rumors.  As many as 6 teams are at least inquiring about Wilson.

It doesn't look good for JW to be a Buc come spring.

The good news here is this could turn into a bidding war.  The Pirates have $10-15M to spend over the winter if the player is right.  That same money could be used to pay up the trade to get a higher notch of prospect in return.

Why do I mention what the Pirates can spend?  It could easily become part of the trade.  In order for the Pirates to get more in return, they will need to pick up a good portion of Wilson's salary.  The more they pick up, the better the return will be.

I still believe his value could be much higher closer to the trade deadline.  Coming off a season where he was injured for the better part of the year does not add up to a sell high scenario.

With Renteria signing with San Francisco, the short stop market just thinned a bit.  The remaining good gloves on the FA list are not known for their bats.

The best part of a bidding war, the Pirates may have to pick up less salary for an equivalent talent return.

From my hometown sources, I hear nothing imminent will happen unless Huntington gets his socks knocked off in a deal.  Likely, the deal won't happen until the winter meetings start but more likely after they conclude.

The one piece of information I did receive was another team has become a major player in the potential trade.  The only thing lacking is which team.

Speculation could be Toronto, known to have at least had passing interest in recent history.  But I don't see that trade happening.  My vision is to the west. 

One of the teams I could see interested is Seattle if they can move Beltre.

LA Dodgers have been rumored already.

The Angels could also be enquiring.

But the team that I see being that potential third team is San Diego.  They just moved Greene to St. Louis.  Their heir apparent is likely a year away.  And Wilson would fit a one year fill in quite well with his 2010 option or $600k buyout.

Just speculation, but San Diego seems to fit the bill quite well for the third suitor.

Oh, one other note on the potential trade.  It has been said in many article the Pirates do not have a replacement for Wilson.  Don't forget about Brian Bixler.  While he struggled at the plate and in the field initially, he started playing with more confidence as the season wound down. 

Don't rule out Bixler, he got a taste of the Show, now he may need to take on a full helping and not settle for a taste.

Another potential option is Andy LaRoche.  Walker could handle third and LaRoche slide into the shortstop role.

Wouldn't you rather see Bixler?  I know I would considering the butchering of third Andy LaRoche accomplished last year short could become a catastrophe.

Dodgers Losing Interest

MLB Live (XM 175) is reporting the Dodgers interest in Jack Wilson is waning. They are reportedly looking into the free agent market.

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.

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 108, The Most Important Game

Vitals:

COLORADO ROCKIES (48-60)	RHP Aaron Cook (13-6, 3.46 ERA)
PITTSBURGH PIRATES (50-57)	LHP Zach Duke (4-8, 5.04 ERA)
Game Time	7:05 PM
XM	XM 185
TV	FSN

The Most Important Game:

Game 108 may be the most important game in the last 15 years for the Pirates.  This one game could determine the future of the Pirates franchise.

How could one game between two teams with losing records be the most important in recent memory for the Pirates? 

Simply put, this game will be the last one for either team before the trade deadline hits on Thursday.  With a win the Rockies may still consider themselves buyers.  Effectively two of the larger names on the radar for many teams will be removed in Fuentes and Holliday. 

With the trade of Texeira to the Angels, many teams will be looking for a big move to match the Angels acquisition.  No Holliday gives the Pirates the upper hand in listening to offers for Jason Bay.

No Fuentes means John Grabow could be considered the 3rd best reliever available.  More power to Huntington.

Suddenly Jack Wilson may have a little more worth for a team looking to solidify their team in preparation to make a run with the Angels for October glory.

Pirates players who want to keep the team together will need to win to keep the faces of the Pirates in Pittsburgh.

A Pirates win Wednesday will dilute the market and lower both Grabow's and Bay's worth.

Wednesdays game will determine what the Pirates will look like in 2009 and beyond.  Neal Huntington has to be on pins and needles and restless as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.  If his team loses, he has a ton of bargaining power.  If his team wins, he loses the upper hand at the deadline and likely keeps the team together with the exception of possibly Grabow.

This may be the first time a GM not named Littlefield rooted for his team to lose a game.

 

Visit the BTW Forum to discuss this post, I am now allowing anonymous posts.  I want to know if I am off the mark with this post.

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Game 100, Not So Fast Freddy, Parkersburg, Tigers, Mets and Yankees

Vitals:

PITTSBURGH PIRATES (45-54)	LHP PAUL MAHOLM (6-6, 4.10 ERA) vs. RHP JACK CASSEL (1-0, 6.28 ERA)
HOUSTON ASTROS (46-53)	LHP PAUL MAHOLM (6-6, 4.10 ERA) vs. RHP JACK CASSEL (1-0, 6.28 ERA)
Game Time	8:05 EDT
XM	XM 188
TV	FSN

Not So Fast Freddy:

Was it just me, or during Freddy Sanchez's inside the park home run, I flashed back to Andy Russell returning a turnover back for a 93 yard touchdown against Baltimore in the 75 playoffs where the entire defense was walking next to his run asking for a lateral. That play seemed to last 15 minutes, he could have been called for delay of game.

Parkersburg:

I use to live in Parkersburg, WV from 1995 until 2000. Tonight they are highlighted on ESPN Sports Center as a finalist for Title Town, USA. I am going to beg you all to vote for Parkersburg up to the point they meet Pittsburgh in the voting. Consider this a grass roots movement to help a small town in West Virginia. Voting begins in 2 days at ESPN.com.

Tigers:

Last year Carlos Guillen did not want Jack Wilson as their shortstop, wanting a Gold Glove caliber shortstop if he was to move to 1B/3B. Now, the Tigers are once again looking for a solution at short. Hey Carlos, how do you like him now? Expect the rumors to start again soon.

Mets:

More talk on the Mets front. NJ.com and Newsday are both running articles on the Mets needs and their targeted players. Newsday believes that Bay and Nady are out of the Mets reach. NJ.com thinks the Pirates are playing for a .500 record and doesn't think the Pirates will trade with the Mets because of that. Of course it has nothing to do with the fact the Mets have nothing to deal.

Yankees:

In the same NJ.com article, they mention the Yankees are looking at Marte and Grabow. The nice thing here is Grabow's stock went skyrocketing last night when he saved Burnett's butt after a single and 2 walks loaded the bases with one out in the 6th. Any good game by any player right now boosts their stock, so this is a great thing and great timing by Grabow. Hopefully no one tanks before the deadline.

New Forum (Test):

I am playing with a new forum software, please let me know what you think of the potential new forum. The link is here and a direct link to the Pirates portion is here.

http://bucstradewinds.lefora.com/forum/category/news/page1/

http://bucstradewinds.lefora.com/forum/

Old Forum:

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New Forum, Bautista, Mets Wish List and Game 99

Vitals:

Pittsburgh Pirates (44-54)	RHP John Van Benschoten (1-2, 9.77)
Houston Astros (46-52)	RHP Runelvys Herndandez (0-3, 10.29)
Game Time	8:05 EDT
XM	XM 188
TV	FSN

Bautista:

So many people have ragged on the Pirates third base situation and the play of Jose Bautista, not totally undeserved, however it may be better than many think.

I ran a few numbers together to see where Bautista ranks amongst other third basemen in the league with a minimum of 150 AB's this season.  I wasn't looking at normal stats along the lines of OBP or OPS, no I wanted to see what kind of run support he gave.  Roughly, I wanted to see how many at bats it took for an RBI or a Run scored.  Surprisingly, Bautista faired pretty well.

Of the 34 players who qualified, Jose ranked 15th in number of at bats per RBI with a 6.83.  This number was better than Bill Hall, Pedro Feliz, Ryan Zimmerman, Adrian Beltre, Mike Lamb, Alex Gordon Edwin Encarnacion, Ty Wiggington and Scott Rolen.

Looking at at bats to runs scored, Bautista did not fair as well, possibly batting in front of the pitcher could explain his standing here.  Jose ranked 22 of the 34 third basemen eligible with a 8.00 AB/R ratio.  Better than Bill Hall, Ryan Zimmerman, Ty Wiggington and Scott Rolen among others.  Bautista was not far off of the numbers of Joe Crede, Brandon Inge Adrian Beltre Alex Gordon nor Troy Glaus.

I also noticed he ranked 17th in AB/HR ratio with a 25.45. 

Bottom line is Jose has produced in limited playtime, maybe not at an elite level, but he has been an average offensive third baseman this year.  That puts him in the same league as Melvin Mora, Brandon Inge, Mike Lowell and Bill Hall who are the 4 players immediately ahead of Bautista.

While Bautista has not played at an elite level, he has been a league average third baseman offensively when it comes to the all important run. 

The Mets Wish List:

AM New York has a list of players the Mets are allegedly looking at due to injuries in the outfield and bullpen.  Both Marte and Nady are listed.  The Mets are not good trade partners for the Pirates, their farm is pretty much devoid of talent thanks to the Santana deal with Minnesota.  Don't get your hopes up Met fans.

New Forum:

I am playing with a new forum software, let me know what you think of the potential new forum, the link is here and a direct link to the Pirates portion is here.

http://bucstradewinds.lefora.com/forum/category/news/page1/

http://bucstradewinds.lefora.com/forum/

Links:

Dejan runs down a list of trade rumors in the Pirates Notebook on the PG today.  Headlining is interest in Jack Wilson.

 

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