I find baseball's amateur draft endlessly fascinating. Others may gravitate to the glitz and glamour of the football or basketball drafts, but not me. I like baseball's. The baseball draft isn't dumbed down -- it makes you work for its love.

I had been planning on doing some kind of retrospective of past Pirate drafts, but those plans may have been recently made moot. Wilbur Miller over at the Pirates Scouting Report has just put up a comprehensive summary of the Pirate drafts between 2000 and 2004.

The world of prospect evaluation can sometimes lean towards the eternally optimistic, but Mr. Miller offers a refreshingly pragmatic voice. Organizations (and as a result, the press) tend to over-hype prospects, but Mr. Miller's write-up shows he has a good grasp of how the Bucco prospects fit in the overall context of the league. Check it out, it's definitely worth a read.

The throrough draft commentary from the Pirate Scouting Report probably makes any analysis of my own somewhat redundant, but my love of the draft persists. I may just have to forge ahead with my plans for a retrospective of one kind or another -- albeit in some kind of altered form.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 6:47 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (1)

When I started this blog a short time ago, I made up my mind that I would not let the real world intrude upon my small internet home of baseball geekery. This was to be my escape from the issues of the real world -- a place where I could get lost in the world of earned run averages and runs batted in. Unfortunately, some things are just too big to shut out.

The tragic news from South Asia has left me shell-shocked. With each news report, my sadness grows along with the death toll. Worse yet, this may be just the beginning. The situation seems destined to get a lot worse before it gets any better.

I am not usually one for donations. It is not for a lack of charitable instincts, but rather from suspicions that my donation wouldn't make it to the right place. In light of the growing devastation, my suspicion feels like a petty luxury. Today, I made a small donation to the Red Cross via Amazon. Amazon has served me well in the past, and I trust that my donation will reach those who need it. I wish I could do more.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 8:22 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink">

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend (I know I did).

I probably won't be getting back into the groove until next week. In the meantime, I thought Bucco Nation would find this interesting. I stumbled across this interesting bit of commentary on the Santiago for Nunez deal from Rob Neyer (ESPN) and Rany Jazayerli (Baseball Prospectus). I was unaware that these guys ran a blog (of sorts) devoted to the duo's beloved Kansas City Royals. In the course of kvetching about KC's Marrero move, Neyer offers this opinion of the Santiago move:

In the interest of fairness, we have to discuss the great deal Allard made, earlier in the day, when he traded a burned out, juiced up, over-paid catcher (Benito Santiago) for a young pitcher with electric stuff (Leo Nunez). Your prototypical skinny Dominican, Nunez was 21 last season and, pitching in the South Atlantic League, went 10-4 with a 3.06 ERA, 140 K’s and 46 walks in 144 innings.

He’s just a kid and the odds are against him. But turning Santiago into anything positive is a real coup for Allard. I don’t know if this balances the Marrero deal, but you sure have to wonder what kind of Kool-Aid they’re drinking in Pittsburgh…

To which, Jazayerli adds:

Overall, it’s a wash, or maybe even slightly tilted in the Royals’ favor, which only serves to remind us how amazing it is that Allard got anything for Santiago.  And it reminds us, not that we needed reminding, just how unhinged the Pirates’ view of reality is.

Ouch. I can't really argue. I still don't think this trade will mean much to the Pirates (for better or worse) in the end. I would have preferred they hadn't made the move, but I am just relieved that we are not saddled with Charles Johnson for two seasons.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 5:09 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (2)

Happy Holidays to one and all. Here's a Christmas themed interview with Jason Bay to warm the cockles of your heart.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 10:57 AM | <__trans phrase="Permalink">

About a year ago, my doctor informed me that my blood pressure was a bit on the high side for a guy my age and weight. I chalked up the news mostly to my job, which is deadline-driven and is often highly stressful (part of the job's attraction, actually). However, when I read articles like this from the Post-Gazette, I begin to realize that a great deal of my tension probably lies with the simple fact that I am a Pirate fan.

The article linked above is your standard Q & A with Pirate owner Kevin McClatchy. Nothing earth shattering and pretty much the answers you'd expect from the principal owner of a small market team that is coming off 12 losing seasons. Pretty innocuous. But sometimes even the most innocuous articles can contain small tidbits that can set one off. This is what did it for me:

People won't see what we're doing until they see John VanBenschoten and Zach Duke and Brad Eldred. When they see these guys, I think people will say, "Yeah, these guys are doing it the right way."

In the same paper, Paul Mayer states the following in his Pirates Q & A:

The days of Littlefield having to sign -- or trade for -- stopgap players are just about over. In fact, maybe this is the final winter he'll have to do that. The farm system should be ready to deliver regular talent by the start of the 2006 season -- outfielders Chris Duffy and Nate McLouth come to mind

Now here's why these statements get my knickers all in a twist. The Pirates have a good farm system. The keyword here is good. It is not a great farm system. And it certainly is not the kind of farm system that is indicative of a team "doing it the right way."

Littlefield has done an excellent job of stocking the system with quality arms. We have some serious pitching depth down on the farm right now. That is a good thing. However, despite our depth, the system lacks one or two true studs. Most of the guys we have project as middle-of-the-rotation type of guys. That is not a bad thing (especially if Oliver Perez proves to be a true ace). Pitching will always be at a premium, so its good to have a surplus of it. Unfortunately, quantity isn't always as valuable as quality. One or two potential aces are sometimes worth more than four or five middle of the rotation guys. Don't get me wrong, I like our young arms, but I am also careful not to over-estimate them.

Pitching is an important aspect of the game, unfortunately for the Pirates; it is not the only aspect. Offense is also an important part of the game, and in that area the Pirates farm system is woefully thin. This is why I want to pull my hair out when I hear people talking about the Bucs building through player development. It is an excellent idea, but is simply not happening. I hear these comments about how Littlefield's grand plan is on the verge of paying off, but I simply can't see how that could be. Granted, there is some encouragement on the way in terms of pitching, but where are guys we could potentially build around?

Some of the names mentioned above give me serious doubts about the organization's idea of player development. Chris Duffy?! Paul Meyer has pointed to Duffy twice in two weeks as an exciting sign of things to come. I just don't see it. How can anyone get excited about a leadoff hitter with little pop that strikes out too much? From all accounts, Duffy is an excellent defensive player and I am sure he could make a decent fifth outfielder. Good organizations do not point to Chris Duffy-type of players as potential building blocks.

Brad Eldred?! Look, I find his power as intriguing as anyone, but I don't think its wise to hang your hat on him. Eldred strikes out way too much and has the type of long swing that will get eaten alive at the major league level. Sure, he put up excellent numbers last year. And sure, his one asset (his power) is major league caliber (and desperately needed). However, everything else about him points to a marginal major league career. Think Russell Branyan; only Branyan was putting up similar numbers at similar levels when he was two years younger than Eldred.

Littlefield has thus far shown an inability to find and develop the kind of offensive players that you can build around. The warning signs were there early. During the 2002 draft, the Bucs selected Taber Lee in the third round. Taber Lee is a slick-fielding singles hitter. When you are a small market team, it is vitally important to bring in talent, and not just any talent. Small market teams need high-ceiling talent. You can still find high-ceiling talent in the third round of the draft. Taber Lee is not a high-ceiling talent. All glove/no bat infielders are a dime a dozen. Why waste a high draft choice on a guy like Taber Lee? Guys like Curtis Granderson (recently named the Tigers top prospect by Baseball America) and Val Majewski (who already got a taste of the bigs) were both selected in that round after the Pirates selected Lee. Guys like Elijah Dukes of the Devil Rays and Larry Broadway of the Expos/Nationals were also selected in that round after Lee. What hurts even more is the fact that the Lee pick was not made for financial reasons -- the Bucs gave him the third-highest signing bonus of the round -- $525,000. A half million dollars for the right to add Taber Lee to your organization.... inexcusable.

Hindsight is 20/20, and the draft definitely has an element of unpredictability to it. I am not picking on Littlefield for not drafting Granderson or Majewski instead of Lee. I am picking on Littlefield for not selecting guys like Granderson or Majewski instead of guys like Lee. Guys like Lee are almost worthless for a small market team. If you need them, they are much easier to find than a guy who could hit 20+ homers and knock in 100. Let's say that the Pirates had drafted a guy like Jason Cooper or David Jenson instead of Lee. Both of those guys were drafted in the third round that year and both have struggled to establish themselves. The pick would not have worked, but at least the potential was there to help their club. Lee never had that potential.

Hopefully, things are changing. Littlefield and the scouting department seemed to emphasize offense a bit more in last year's draft than in previous ones. We'll see if it pans out. Unfortunately, any benefits from a revised mindset will be a few years in coming. In the meantime, there are few legitimate offensive contributors on the horizon. It's possible that we may get lucky. I really like guys like Nate McLouth and Ryan Doumit (provided he can stay healthy), but they probably wouldn't be top prospects in truly good farm system. That doesn't mean that those guys can't step up and be big contributors, it just means that a truly good farm system would have surer bets ahead of them. If we want to get surer bets in Pittsburgh -- players we can actually build around -- odds are we will have to trade some of our pitching depth to get it. That's one way a farm system can pay dividends, but I would feel better if there were better homegrown options on the way.

Guys like Eldred could very well beat the odds and prove me wrong. That’s not the point. The point is that smart organizations don't look at Brad Eldred and Chris Duffy types as raising stars. Those types of guys are interesting and they are definitely worth keeping on eye on, but it's not wise to count on them.

Building a top-notch player development system is essential for any small market team. McClatchy expressed an interest in "doing things the right way". Well, Oakland, Minnesota, Cleveland and Milwaukee are doing it the right way. I don't think the Pirates are at the point where they can say the same.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 6:27 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (5)

The deadline for teams to tender a contract to their arbitration-eligible players has passed, and 41 new free agents are now on the market. Unfortunately, the crop is not as bountiful as I had first hoped. Jay Gibbons and Jacques Jones, two ballplayers that might have looked good in black and gold, were unexpectedly among the ranks of the tendered. The remaining list of names has some potential gambles, but little in the way of the kind of help I had hoped would be available.

The sexiest name on the list, and one of the biggest surprises, is Wade Miller. Formerly of the Houston Astros, Miller has been battling injuries the last two years and was limited to only 15 starts last season. If healthy, Miller could be a real asset. The fact that the Astros cut him loose is somewhat puzzling. Does it mean that his health is in the crapper? Or does it simply mean the Astros are trying to free up some money to resign Carlos Beltran? I would love to see the Pirates take a flyer on him, at the right price, but I don't see it happening. I see a team with some money in their pockets swooping in to grab him.

After Miller, the talent pool drops off significantly. I've always liked Josh Phelps, but in a sense, we already have him and his name is Craig Wilson. Like Wilson, Phelps is a right-handed power hitter who strikes out a lot and lacks a true position. Like Wilson, Phelps came up as a catcher, but defensive shortcomings pushed him to first base and the outfield. The difference is that Wilson took a step forward last year and Phelps took a step back. Phelps will be 27 years old this year, so he could still right himself. If he was left-handed I would be more inclined to take a flyer on him, but we really don't need another right-handed defensive liability.

Eric Munson might also be worth a look. He's got huge power, but he is also the ultimate all-or-nothing type player. Like Phelps, he is not known for his defense. He can play third, but not particularly well. The attractive thing about Munson is that he is left-handed. I typically hate one-dimensional ballplayers, but I wouldn't be opposed to signing Munson to a minor league contract. I wouldn't guarantee him a job, but I would make him earn his way into the lineup. I wouldn't expect any miracles, but at least we wouldn't have to drop someone from our 40-man roster to add him.

I'd also take a long look at Dustan Mohr. He's a scrappy Pittsburgh-type-of-player who plays hard. Mohr is not really best used as an everyday player, but he could be a very productive as an extra outfielder. At worst, I would rather have Mohr in the lineup than Tike Redman. I am not sure what the market for Mohr is, or even if he would signup as a bench player, but it's worth exploring.

Unfortunately, I was hoping there would be some good gambles on the non-tender list, but I don't see a lot of fits. Some of the guys mentioned above could help, but none inspire a lot of confidence? Good general managers take good gambles. Whether or not there are any good gambles, or if they Pirates will play a hand, remains to be seen.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 6:07 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink">

As you might expect, the initial reaction (e.g. here and here) to the news that the Pirates had acquired a 39-year-old catcher for a 21-year-old prospect was not positive. I gotta say that I can't blame anyone who would take that kind of stance. Trades like Benito Santiago for Leo Nunez usually make sense for a top tier team that is looking for the final pieces to the puzzle. The Pirates, on the other hand, still have the puzzle pieces strewn across the table, hoping that none of them will be missing when the puzzle finally starts to take shape.

That being said, I am not outraged by this deal. Why, you ask? Have previous debacles (like the Aramis and Benson deals) exhausted my outrage? Have I forgotten my own previous diatribes about the disconcerting direction the team has been heading? Or, have I have dipped into the spiked eggnog one too many times? No, it’s none of these (tho' I am due for another glass of eggnog). It's simply that I think this deal will have no lasting effect (either positive or negative) on this team at all and, in that respect, it's not worth getting upset over.

I always think of baseball trades as these team-altering events. That perception is true a good number of the times. There are plenty of examples of trades that are either helpful or harmful to the teams involved. However, I think the majority of trades made in baseball really just don't matter when it’s all said and done. I think this trade will be one of those trades.

In all likelihood, Santiago's impact on the team (positive or negative) will be negligible. Unless something strange happens, he will be gone after the season. During his short stay here, I can't see him doing a whole lot to make things significantly better or worse. Think of Santiago like an "inbetweener" girlfriend. Share some laughs. Have some fun. And then go your separate ways (hopefully to a more substantial relationship).

One persistent criticism of the deal is that it takes away valuable development time away from Humberto Cota and J.R. House. Normally, I would agree with the sentiment. The Bucs definitely have a track record of going with stopgap veterans to the detriment of the development of younger players. In this case, however, I am skeptical about the possible development of Cota and House to begin with. I think Cota slots in as a very useful backup catcher whose usefulness decreases as his playing time increases. House is more interesting. He could have a plus bat at the position, but obviously the Pirates have serious reservations about his ability to play the position at the major league level. I think I might agree with them. I get the feeling that House will ultimately top out with a career similar to that of Todd Greene -- a useful bat that is best served coming off the bench filling in at catcher (as the third option on a roster), first base and outfield.

Another source of criticism for the deal is the fact that the team gave up a prospect to bring Santiago in. Again, I would usually agree with such criticism, but I don't think Nunez will have any kind of impact at the major league level -- if he even gets there. Nunez has been labeled "Little Pedro" because of his slight build and electric fastball. However, there have been a number of prospects that have been saddled with that label and none have been able to live up to it. Like most of those guys, Nunez has yet to develop the one pitch that sets "Big Pedro" apart -- an effective changeup. You can survive with a killer fastball at Low-A, but the higher levels will usually weed those guys out. It is also worth pointing out that Baseball America neglected to list him among the top 20 prospects in his league last year. Those lists are far from infallible, but it still telling that Nunez failed to stand out given the good numbers he put up. I think it is entirely possible that Nunez may reach the majors and become an effective middle relief pitcher or setup man. However, odds are if he remained with the Pirates he would have been the victim of a numbers game at some point.

I don't want to give the impression that I am happy with this deal. This is exactly the kind of deal that I loathe. The Pirates should be building a viable core that will set them up to compete for an extended period of time. Santiago is definitely not part of that. But the thing is I don't think that Cota or House (or Nunez for that matter) are a part of that either. If I had my druthers, I would have leaned towards giving the young guys a chance rather than bring in a veteran. Management obviously felt otherwise. It's unfortunate, but I don't think it’s worth losing any sleep over it.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 6:14 AM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (5)

For a baseball fan, life in New England is always interesting. The area is passionate about the sport and the Red Sox always make for good theater. They are always making news of one sort or another. Even though I am not a fan of the team, I gotta admit that's it fun to follow the circus.

When I tell people around here that I am a Pirate fan, I usually get one of two reactions -- contempt or pity. They wonder how I can possibly continue to be a fan of a team that has been the epitome of futility for so long. And they wonder why I haven't "traded up" and switched allegiances to their beloved Red Sox.

Today is a good example of the different worlds that Red Sox fans and Pirate fans live in. The Red Sox will formally introduce Edgar Renteria as their new shortstop this afternoon. The Sox had a hole and went out and got the best player available, shelling out $40 million over 4 years to do it. This is not a rare occurrence in Red Sox Nation. Last year they needed an extra starter and a closer. They went out and got Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke. The Red Sox aim high and usually hit their mark. They don't always get their way (see Pedro Martinez's departure), but they are always in the midsts of the action. By contrast, the Pirates announced yesterday that they made a trade to fill their hole at catcher. Top-flight free agent options like Jason Varitek were never even considered. Even a recently released catcher like A.J. Pierzynski was deemed too rich for the Buccos' blood. So instead, they decided to trade for a 39 year old catcher. As I said, different worlds.

The Red Sox like to complain about how much money the Yankees throw around, but that's kind of like Jessica Simpson calling Anna Nicole Smith stupid. Looking at it as a Pirates' fan, the Red Sox and the Yankees are two peas in a pod. Both spend money to overcome any obstacle. True, the Yankees' budget (if that word can even apply) is much higher than the Red Sox. But, the Red Sox budget is much higher than the next team on the ladder. This year's world championship team had the largest payroll of any world champion in history. Having that kind of dough in your wallet definitely takes a lot of pressure off any kind of personnel decision the team makes. If things go sour, you can usually throw some more money at it. Case in point is Byung-Hyun Kim. The Sox signed him for 2 years at $10 million. He flamed out -- not so much a Derek Bell kind of flameout -- but close. That kind of poor investment would kill a team like the Bucs, but it barely was a bump in the road for Boston.

Unless the economics of the game make a drastic change, I don't see the Pirates ever being one of the movers and shakers of the league. And in a weird way, I am okay with that. I think the money that the Red Sox and the Yankees throw at problems is totally ridiculous. What's more, I think its spoiled their fans. I don't think Red Sox fans truly appreciate a great player when they get them, because in all likelihood there is another one right around the corner. When a small market team gets a great player, they truly appreciate them, because you never know when the next great one is going to grace their presence.

No, I wouldn't trade being a Pirate fan for anything. Sure, I wouldn't mind it if they loosened their purse strings a bit (being too stingy is not a good thing, either), but I don't have any regrets that the team is not the Red Sox. Here's the way I look at it. If you are still a diehard Pirates fan, especially after all that has transpired over the team's history, you've proved your mettle. Because no matter how horrible it gets, it just will make the good times all that much sweeter. I just hope the good times get here sooner rather than later. The moral high ground is nice, but a winning season could keep me warm all winter long.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 7:06 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (1)

Reactions of what ended up being the Kendall deal (Lawton, Redman and cash for Kendall) keep trickling in. Paul Meyer is quoted in the Post-Gazette as saying that the deal could turn out to be Littlefield's best. With all due respect, I think that's a bit of a silly notion, considering that the deal has little concrete long-lasting benefits for the team. To me, there's no beating the Giles for Perez, Bay and Sterwart deal. That deal brought in two core players. I think the Ritchie for Wells, Fogg and Lowe is miles ahead of the Kendall deal as well. Heck, I think the Jason Christianson for Jack Wilson deal ranks better.

To be fair to Mr. Meyer, he does qualify his statement by saying that there is still much work to be done for the deal to live up to Littlefield's best. In that respect, he's right. This deal could still yield dividends. The extra money could be invested wisely and Redman and Lawton could be turned around for something down the road. However, it remains to be seen whether Littlefield can pull off another steal like the Giles deal or whether he'll serve up another disaster like the Aramis deal. At this point, I'd settle for a happy medium.

Most of the reaction from the Bucco faithful (here and here, for example) has been generally positive. For a non-Pirate viewpoint, Michael Berquist's Citizen Blog offers a less optimistic take -- calling the deal "the worst move [he's] seen the team make. Awful, truly awful." Ouch. While I don't totally agree with that, he makes an interesting case based on Lawton's subpar defense.

It was mentioned in numerous places, including in the comments to my Lawton write-up, that Kendall wasn't going to yield a whole lot more than what we got for him. This is probably true. The deal we ended up with is a heckuva lot better than an earlier rumored deal that had Kendall being shipped off to San Diego for Kevin Jarvis and Jeff Cirillo. Of course, that's kinda like saying Police Academy 6 is better than Police Academy 8 -- better doesn't necessarily mean good.

I think what it comes down to is that the Kendall deal rubs me the wrong way, not so much because of the deal itself, but because of the bitter aftertaste of the Aramis and Benson deals. The Kendall deal isn't horrible, it just doesn't get me excited for the future.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 6:50 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink">

When you are a fan of a team, it's really easy to grow attached to a player. But in the process of becoming a fan of a player, it is really easy to lose sight of that particular player's true value. Not just in the context of his value to his team, but also in the context of his value in the league as a whole.

One of the most interesting things to emerge from the clamor and commotion of this weekend's winter meetings was a rumor that floated around that the Blue Jays were interested in trading Alexis Rios for Craig Wilson. The rumor ended up being just that, a rumor. But the trade ended up generating a lot of discussion among Pirate fans. And to be honest, a lot of it surprised me.

When I first heard the rumor, my immediate reaction was that the Pirates should jump on it. I am a big Craig Wilson fan, but the opportunity to add a possible core player proved too good to pass up. That being said, I didn't get my hopes up. I had serious doubts about the validity of the rumor. Rios isn't Blue Jay GM J.P. Riccardi's favorite type of player, but he still has some tremendous upside (and more importantly, he is still very cheap). I didn't see the Jays giving him away too easily.

Whether it was true or not, it was still fun to speculate. Rumored trade scenarios always generate discussion, so I looked to various message boards to gauge the pulse of the Bucco faithful. I did not find what I expected to. Some saw the trade as I did, that the deal seemed like an excellent opportunity to roll the dice and possibly add a core player. But to my surprise, a vocal segment of fans hated the deal, and just couldn't understand trading away one of the few Pirate power threats.

I have to admit that I have a soft spot in my heart for Craig Wilson. I think he is a useful player and could help a team win some games. He seems to work hard and he made the most of his opportunity when it presented itself. That being said, there is no way in the world that I would call Craig a "core player". Or maybe more accurately, I don't think he should be a core player on any team with any kind of aspirations to be a contending team.

Again, I like Craig. I am not trying to put him down as a player. But it is very important, not only for fans but management as well, to make sure they recognize his true value. Is he an important part of the Pirates? Yes. Would it hurt to lose him? Sure. But it is important to remember that Pirates are not really a very good team. And the thing about "not very good teams" is that they are usually forced to put players in positions that they are under-qualified for. Craig is the Bucs' cleanup hitter, but could you imagine a contending team that had had him batting cleanup for them? How about fifth? I could see him hitting sixth (or better yet seventh), but any contending team with Wilson at cleanup (or fifth for that matter) would seriously be looking for an upgrade. Just because Craig is the Pirates' cleanup hitter, doesn't mean that he IS a cleanup hitter.

Craig reminds me a lot like Kevin Millar. They are similar players in a number of regards. Both have some pop. Both don't really have a true offensive position. Both have been known to go on serious hot streaks. And both have been know to go on extended slumps. Millar hits for a higher average, Wilson hits for more power. Both are important cogs for their respective teams. Both have endeared themselves to their fans with their play and personalities. You essentially know what you're getting with both players at this point in their careers. They might have good years and bad, but odds are they have both reached their potential.

The difference between the two players is that Wilson plays for a sub .500 team and Millar plays for a world champion. Wilson bats cleanup for the Bucs. Millar usually bats sixth or seventh (sometimes fifth, if injuries warrant). If Millar batted cleanup for the Red Sox it would be an indication that something terribly, terribly wrong was happening with the team. The only reason Wilson bats cleanup for the Bucs is because the team lacks a true cleanup hitter.

It's no secret that the Pirates are short on high-caliber talent. In my mind, we are missing a quality number three hitter and a quality cleanup guy. Jason Bay is an excellent five hitter and Craig fits nicely as a number six. Jack Wilson is an excellent eight hitter. But those number three and four guys are key. We don't have 'em and we ain't going to be a contender until we get them. Will Craig Wilson still be around by the time we do get them? I don't know. But at the right we are going, it doesn't look likely.

That's why I don't think we can hesitate if something like the Rios for Wilson deal ever comes up. I'm not saying Rios is a lock to be a stud -- no prospect is a lock. There is always risk. But, fortune favors the bold, and at some point you have to trust in your player development people to make the right decision. Legit three, four and five hitters are hard to come by. The Bucs don't have the resources to secure a proven one on the open market. That means we either have to develop our own (which we have been unable to do) or get one from another team before he's proven himself at the major league level (like we did with Bay). I say, if you have an opportunity to trade a six hitter to potentially get a core guy, you do it. If not, get used to living in the basement.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 6:11 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (3)

Trades are an interesting thing. They seem straightforward enough, but when you start to look at them closer their complexity becomes more apparent. Some trades seem to take on a Rashômon-like quality because the evaluation of them changes depending on the perspective you view it from. Yesterday's Matt Lawton for Arthur Rhodes deal is one such trade.

At face value, the deal is a good one for the Bucs. Rhodes was never in the Bucs' long-term plans. They have younger and cheaper options that fill the same role, while glaring holes exist in other areas. Some of those areas get filled in the Lawton deal. He's a lefthander. Check. And he's a leadoff hitter. Check. So essentially, the Pirates got a player you could help them next year for a player who was likely not going to help them much. In all likelihood, this trade will make the team better.

That's one perspective.

Another perspective looks at this deal in the larger context of deals the team has made over the last two years. The Lawton acquisition is a small part in the talent turnover that has marked the team's recent history. Players like Jason Kendall, Kris Benson, Brian Giles, and Arams Ramirez have been shipped out. New players have been brought in. All the while, management has brought out the dreaded "D" word -- rebuilding. Rebuilding is obvious, but no fan likes to hear it. Especially Pirate fans, who have been hearing it quite often for over the last decade. But if we are rebuilding, where are the parts needed to do it? The Giles deal brought in Oliver Perez and Jason Bay. There's two. But the rest of the deals yielded little to hang your hat on.

With all due respect to the player's involved, it's impossible to rebuild with players like Ty Wigginton, Mark Redman, Bobby Hill, and now Matt Lawton. Those players don't say, "rebuilding" to me, they say, "treading water." Rebuilding requires acquiring players who have a chance to get significantly better. With the players mentioned above, you pretty much know what you are getting.

Getting back to the Lawton deal, some may say it's unfair to assess the Lawton deal in the context of rebuilding. Perhaps. But since he was acquired for Rhodes, and since Rhodes was a part of the Kendall deal, then he must be evaluated in that light. Like it or not, Kendall was one of our few remaining valuable trade parts. True, he was expensive, but teams still valued him. But all we got for him were two players that will only be helping the team for a limited time and some supposed "financial flexibility".

It is also difficult to evaluate the Lawton deal until we get a clearer picture of the other moves Littlefield will make. How (or even if) he takes advantage of this new found "financial flexibility" is key. The Lawton deal does not exist in a vacuum. There will be other deals, and hopefully those other ones will bring in some more long-term help we can invest in. Littlefield has stated that Lawton will be the team's right fielder next season, but he has also stated a desire to move Bay to center and add an additional outfielder. I am not sure that Bay is best in center (though, McClendon has gone on record calling it his best position), but I like the idea of moving Lawton to left. I think he's sub par defensively in right, and offensively I'd rather have more pop there. With Lawton in left and Bay in center, that frees the team up to get another outfield bat (I'm still advocating Jay Gibbons). Or, we could leave Craig Wilson in right and bring in a first basemen to share the position with Daryle Ward. Josh Phelps is available and would fit that bill nicely.

Despite what other players may be brought in, it seems apparent that Lawton is another in a long-line of short-term solutions. Lawton is only signed through this year, and seems likely to bolt the team when his contract his up at the end of next season. That's fine. If he can help us for a year and then leaves, it's fine for the short-term, but it doesn't leave me all warm and fuzzy for the long-term. I am just hoping that Lawton has a good season and some team in the pennant hunt comes calling. If so, the Bucs may be able to wrest a decent player from them, provided the contending team is desperate enough. It's a long shot, but it could happen. And if it does, suddenly I'd look back at the Lawton deal in a whole new light.

I am adopting a wait-and-see attitude concerning all of this. Hopefully, Littlefield will make the additional moves so that we can feel like the Bucs are moving forward as an organization. The Lawton deal isn't a bad deal. He definitely will help fill a couple of key spots for the Pirates, but it just doesn't leave me feeling that the team is finally ready to turn things around.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 6:17 AM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (3)

Stay with me folks, this is the home stretch. This series of articles was never intended to turn into the basbeall blog equivalent of War & Peace. It started out as a short look at some of the right fielders that the Bucs were talking about acquiring. But the more I started to think about it, the more I started to reflect on some of the choices the team has made in the past. When I first started with this, I had assumed that the Pirates attraction to short-term solutions was a recent phenemonen. Digging in, I was surprised at how far back the policy really went. If anything, I hope my two previous installments (part one and part two) made that abundantly clear.

I think most fans would agree that you can't build a winner by continually going for short-term solutions. Short-term solutions have their value, but more often than not, they are only useful for supplementing your talent -- not building it. I truly believe that in order to build a winner, you need to start with a good core. You simply can't do it piece meal. The core is the foundation -- any rebuilding efforts will fall apart without a good foundation. As of now, the Pirates have no core to build around.

That's not say that the picture is all bad. I think the Pirates have the start of a good core. Jason Bay is a good part. So is Oliver Perez. Kip Wells is a good part (provided he's healthy). The Bucs also have some promising arms on the way. All of these things are positives, but they are not quite the core of a good team. We have some of the ingrediants, but we can't fool ourselves into thinking that we have the complete package.

I like to categorize players into two types: core players and complimentary playrs. Right now, aside from the names mentioned above, the Pirates are a collection of complimentary players. I like Craig Wilson and Jack Wilson, but I think they are clearly complimentary players. One of the biggest mistake bad teams make is that they mistake their complimentary players for core players. We can't afford to make this mistake, if we want to move forward.

Previously, the Pirates core consisted of guys like Brian Giles, Jason Schmidt, Jason Kendall, Aramis Ramirez and Kris Benson. It wasn't a bad core, but those guys never quite gelled while they were here in Pittsburgh. In addition, management never really added the right group of complimentary players to make them better. The window on that core passed, and management began dismantling. The problem is, with the exception of the Giles deal, they have not added new blood that could create a new core. That is inexcusable. Especially when you consider that the farm system has failed to produce any reliable offensive talent. Where is the new core coming from? I understand why the "old guard" were sent packing, but I expected to get something in return that will help the team move forward. That did not happening.

That brings us back to right field -- the issue that kicked-started this rambling diatribe in the first place. In recent interviews, Littlefield has pinpointed the right field position as an opportunity to add some power. I totally agree. But I guess I am just weary of year after year of short-sighted decisions made concerning that position. Don't get me wrong, I think Jeromy Burnitz and Matt Lawton could help, but how much? Are either potential core players? Not really. They are merely meant to get us through a year or two.

What's the upside? If they perform well enough, perhaps we could trade them to a contender. We have tried this route and the Pirates have not netted anything of value in return. That's not to say that its impossible, it just to say that the Pirates have been incapable of capitalizing on the opportunities when they present themselves. And when they are gone, either by trade or at the end of their contract, where will the Pirates be? Right back where they started. That was the most striking thing about looking back. We keep getting ourselves in this position. It's like we're caught in some kind of weird "Groundhog's Day" loop. Management can cry "rebuilding" all they want, but you actually have to put your money where your mouth is every once in awhile. You can't rebuild with retreads.

Instead of engaging in these "one-year stands", why not invest in more long-term solutions? The Orioles Jay Gibbons' name has been mentioned as one of the ones that the Pirates are interested in. Gibbons is Baltimore's property for the time-being, but they have indicated that they will probably not tender him a contract later this month -- effectively putting him on the open market.

Let's make something clear. Gibbons is far from a safe bet. His stats last year are not pretty. Gibbons was battling injuries last year, so his health would have to be carefully considered before anything could be done. Guys like Burnitz and Lawton are safer bets than Gibbons -- you essentially know what you are getting with those guys. But what I like about Gibbons is that he has the potential to get better. You can't say the same about Bunitz and Lawton.

And that's what I think the Bucs should be looking for -- guys who could get better. Let's build that core -- then we can look to these short-term type of guys to help fill out the roster. Until we have that core, to do anything otherwise is an effort in futility. If we haven't learned anything from the last 10 years, we should have at least learned that.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 6:20 AM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (1)

In my first installment of this saga of the Pirates right field problems, I chronicled the sad story of the Jose Guillen era. It was a tragic time that began with so much promise, but ended with little more than Humberto Cota to show for it.

After the trade in July of 1999, the Pirates finished the season with a mix of Adrian Brown, Brant Brown and Brian Giles manning right, however, right field was not the only problem spot. The next fours years would mark a period of time that could be referred to as the Brian Giles shuffle. Aside from the always dependable Giles, the Pirates would have no long-term answers in any of their outfield spots. And Giles, best suited for left field, often bounced around to one of three outfield spots to fill whatever hole Pirate management had created.

In addition to Guillen, 2000 saw the last of Al Martin in a Pirate uniform. Martin had his ups and downs for the Bucs, but brought stability to left field for the previous seven years. Martin was due for free agency after the 2001 and the Pirates had no intention of re-signing him. Acting proactively, the Bucs traded Martin after the 2000 campaign, in an effort to get some return for him. The right idea. The wrong personnel. Martin was traded to the San Diego Padres for John Vander Wal, Geraldo Padua, and James Sak. Padua and Sak never amounted to anything and never even earned a cup of coffee in the big show. Vander Wal was a consummate professional and offered the Bucs some production, but was a player whose role was best suited coming off the bench. He was a superior pinch hitter and excellent fourth outfielder. That was his intended role with the Bucs, but he would continually be pressed into a starting role for extended stretches at a time. Thirty-four years old at the time he first took the field for the Pirates, Vander Wal had never had more than 250 at bats in a season. In 2000, he logged 384 ABs for the Bucs, including 60 starts in right. The following year he got 313 ABs and 51 starts in RF before he was traded to the Giants along with Jason Schmidt at the trade deadline.

In 2000, Brian Giles was the Pirates' opening day right fielder. The plan was for Giles to man right, while rookie Chad Hermanson would take over center and free agent pickup Wil Cordero would take care of left. Hermanson put an end to this plan rather early. The former first round pick flamed out, batting a meager .187 in 33 games. Additionally, his 37 strikeouts did little to refute his reputation as a player who would swing at anything.

Cordero produced decent numbers for the Bucs. When the team's chances for a winning season started to wilt in the summer sun, contenders began to show interest in Cordero's bat. Sensing an opportunity (and considering that Cordero was not in their long-term plans), the Pirates shipped Cordero off to Cleveland for Alex Ramirez and Enrique Wilson. Ramirez was a borderline prospect and taking a flyer on him was not a bad gamble. However, the Bucs were not impressed with what they saw in him (his .209 batting average with the team didn't help). He was sold to a Japanese club after the season after only 115 ABs with the Black and Gold. Enrique Wilson didn't pan out for the Bucs either, as he was shipped off to the Yankees the following summer where he became a useful utility cog for a couple of world championship teams.

The Bucs looked to the 2001 season, much like they looked to the 2000. Brian Giles playing somewhere and John Vander Wal filling in where and when necessary. That left guys like Emil Brown and Adrian Brown to fill in the blanks. That was not exactly an appetizing prospect, so the Bucs decided to test the free agent waters. This time, they set their sights on 33-year-old Derek Bell, signing him for two years and $9.4 million dollars. Initially, the signing was met with skepticism. Later, it would become a national joke.

Bell was a solid outfielder on the downside of his career. He was coming off a decent, but unspectacular season with the Mets, where he hit .266 with 18 homers and 66 RBI. He was also coming off three straight seasons of 120+ strikeouts. Despite his questionable offensive resume, you could at least say Bell was durable. He logged at leas 125 games in each of his previous 5 seasons, including seasons where he appeared 144, 156 and 158 times. This trend would not continue with the Bucs. He battled injuries all year long, appearing in only 46 games while failing to hit his weight. The following year was more embarrassing. Upset that he was asked to compete for his position he instituted "Operation: Shutdown". He was later released and never played major league ball again.

General manager Cam Bonifay's tenure didn't survive to see the end of the Bell era -- he was let go in July of 2001. The Bell signing was no doubt the final nail in his coffin. New GM Dave Littlefield came onto the job and was charged to trade impending free agent Jason Schmidt. Schmidt and Vander Wal were shipped out to the Giants for right fielder Armando Rios and pitcher Ryan Vogelsong. Rios was a former prospect who never fully established himself for the Giants. He did show glimpses of promise in San Francisco, hitting 10 homers in 2000 and 14 homers in 2001 (both in limited duty), but many questioned his upside. The Pirates never really had a chance to find out. Rios blew out his knee three days after the trade. He returned the following season, but was never really healthy. He played in only 76 games and the Bucs let him walk after the season.

In addition to Rios, the Pirates tried both Craig Wilson and Rob Mackowiak in right. Both showed some pop, but neither are natural right fielders. So, the Pirates once again dipped into the free agent waters to find a right fielder. Fortunately for the fiscally strapped Pirates, the market shifted in the two years since the Bell signing. Productive veterans could be had cheaply. The Bucs picked up Reggie Sanders, Kenny Lofton and Matt Stairs to add depth, stability and professionalism to the outfield. The moves worked. Sanders hit 31 homers and Stairs chipped in 20. Lofton got off to a hot start. They were short-term solutions however, and when the Bucs started a fire sale, Lofton was given away and for some reason Sanders and Stairs were not a part of it. It was not due to a lack of interest -- several teams had expressed interest in both, especially in Sanders. The Pirates held on to both, and they both left at the end of the season leaving the Bucs back at square one.

Encouraged by their free agent success the previous season, the Bucs decided to try it again for 2004. Unfortunately, the market did not prove as bountiful this time around. The Pirates were able to sign Raul Mondesi, but Mondesi was no Reggie Sanders. Mondesi missed games, complaining of a murky family and financial situation at home in the Dominican Republic. At Mondesi's request, the Pirates granted him his release so that he could tend to the situation. Two weeks later he was signed by the Anaheim Angels for a pay increase and the chance to play for a contender. The Pirates got bupkis. Craig Wilson and Rob Mackowiak once again filled in to plug the hole.

So that is where the Bucs have been, but what about where we are going? Players like Jeromy Burnitz, Matt Lawton and Jay Gibbons have been mentioned as potential Pirate targets. Are they the answer? Or are they just another chapter in the continual game of musical chairs the team has played in right field? Tune in to the final installment of this article soon.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 6:30 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink">

The rumors are swirling and it looks highly probable that the Pirates may make some kind of move soon, possibly as soon as this weekend at Baseball's Winter Meetings. Much of the discussion revolves around the acquisition of more power, preferably in the form of a new right fielder.

I find the Bucs' right field situation very interesting. For one, it's interesting because its always fun for fans to speculate about who they might (or should) get. More importantly, however, the right field situation is important because its recent history perfectly encapsulates the problems the organization has had in general, and the rut they find themselves in. Looking back at the various right fielders that have worn the black and gold, it becomes readily apparent that the Pirates have been making the same mistakes over and over again. Let's re-examine those mistakes, and see if there is anything that may be learned from them going forward.

This recent quest for a right fielder is nothing new. The Bucs have been unable to find a long-term solution for this position for several years, essentially since the "glory days" of the early 90s, when Bobby Bonilla and then Orlando Merced anchored the position. Merced was far from an impact player, but he was a dependable player who brought some stability to the position. He was a good complimentary player who did the things that help teams win. Unfortunately for the Bucs, there wasn't a whole lot of winning going on after the division-winning run in the early part of the decade. The Bucs were rebuilding and players like Merced are not the kind of players you build around. So with free agency quickly approaching, the Pirates traded Merced to the Blue Jays in a blockbuster nine-player deal after the 1996 season. Ironically, one of the players the Pirates got back in the deal was a young minor league catcher named Craig Wilson, who would later play his own role in on the Bucs' right field odyssey.

The Bucs entered the 1997 season with no reliable options for the position. Names like Midre Cummings, Turner Ward and Mark Smith were bandied about, but to the everyone's surprise 20 year old Jose Guillen made the jump up from High A ball and won the job in spring training. Guillen got off to a promising start, but the Pirates grew weary of his immaturity and questioned his upside. He was shipped off to Tampa Bay during the middle of the 1999 season.

The Guillen situation is an interesting one. At the time, I was very critical of the Bucs for giving up on such a young player so early in his career. That criticism seemed justified when Guillen finally realized his potential the last two years -- producing the kinds of numbers the Bucs sorely could use. However, I think it is probably be a bit unfair to point to Guillen's recent production as a failure on the Pirates part. Sure, I still believe they gave up on him too soon, but they were not the only ones.

Tampa Bay ended up outright releasing Guillen following the 2001 campaign. Guillen promptly signed with the Diamondbacks and lasted one season before he was once again released midway through 2002. The Rockies then immediately picked him up only to cut him a month later. The Reds swooped in and Guillen finished the 2002 season with them. The following year, injuries gave Guillen an opportunity, and he seized it with a breakout season. If the Bucs gave up on Guillen too early, the same could be said for the Devil Rays, Diamondbacks and Rockies. At least the Bucs walked away with Humberto Cota to show for it.

Of course, while Guillen has finally established himself as a player, he seems unable to shake the attitude problems that caused the Pirates to sour on him in the first place. His very public meltdown with the Angels last year has many teams questioning his overall worth. In all likelihood, the rebuilding Pirates probably could not afford a clubhouse distraction, no matter how talented. Still, there are teams that feel he may be worth the hassle. The Washington Nationals decided to "buy low" and take a gamble on him. Time will tell if it will pay off.

The true legacy of the "Guillen era" is one of what-ifs and could've-beens. In 1997, it looked like the Pirates had solidified the position for the next decade -- with Guillen a shining testament to the organization’s player development system. It was thought he was a sign of things to come. Boy, was he ever -- just not in the way that anyone would've expected. Instead of locking up the position, Guillen (or more accurately his subsequent departure) created the revolving door situation in right field that exists to this day. A void was created, not only on the major-league level, but on the player development level as well. The Pirates have not developed another legitimate right field prospect since Guillen -- and character issues aside, there is no arguing that Guillen was (and is) a legitimate right fielder. And the Bucs have no legitimate right field prospects anywhere on the horizon. The position has been a problem spot for over five years -- the lack of options available to address it is a glaring organizational failure.

In the next installment of this article, I will take a look at how the Pirates have chosen to address the right field position in the post "Guillen era". Stay tuned.

ADDENDUM:
After finishing the first part of my right field diatribe, I was struck by some weird parallels between the post Jose Guillen right field situation and the post Aramis Ramirez third base situation. Just as Guillen's arrival promised to bring stability to right field for years to come, Ramirez's arrival had the same sort of promise for third base. Inconsistent production and a front office directive to cut costs led to the Pirates trading Ramirez to the Cubs (along with Kenny Lofton) for infielder Jose Hernandez, Bobby Hill and Matt Bruback.

Like the Guillen trade, the Ramirez trade was made without any real alternative waiting in the wings. Since the trade, the Bucs have trotted out Hernandez, Chris Stynes, Rob Mackowiak and Ty Wigginton to man third base. Worse, there is no bright spot in the minor league system that coupld step in during the next year or two and solidify the position.

The depressing thing for Bucs fans is that during the late 90s, Guillen and Ramirez were viewed as cornerstones for the next wave of Pirate success. That success never came and both are gone. That happens, especially to small market teams. Retaining talent is difficult. Small market teams have limited resources, and what limited resources they have at their disposal are very precious. To discard those resources without getting anything remotely comparable in value in return is not only devastating, it's nearly insurmountable. You really don't have to look much farther for an explanation of the Pirates current woes.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 7:55 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (1)

Well, it looks like I am not alone in my refutation of the idea to erase the stats of juiced players. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (via today's Post Gazette) writes an article on the subject that touches upon many of the same problems that I mentioned earlier.

Still, as the evidence grows, and as Bonds marches relentlessly towards the records of Ruth and Aaron, I expect the clamor for the idea of erasing stats to grow. Not so much from hardcore baseball fans or media, but more from the reactionary pundits who always pop up in times of controversy. There's blood in the water and the frenzy has just gotten started.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 7:37 AM | <__trans phrase="Permalink">

The recent developments in the long festering steroids in baseball story have once again brought out every hack pundit and blowhard sports talk show host. As with previous steroids revelations, the outrage has taken many forms. The most annoying of which is a suggestion that I hear more and more frequently -- wipe out the records and statistics compiled by those players found guilty of using steroids. Not only do I think that that idea is absolutely idiotic, but I feel that anyone who proposes it really has no understanding of what baseball statistics are, and what they mean to the sport.

Statistics are an unbiased record of what happened on the field of play. As any stat geek well tell you, statistics can be influenced by a number of factors (park effects, game conditions, field conditions, etc.), but outside of a judgment call made by an umpire, they can not be influenced by personal or public opinion. A homerun is a homerun. A strikeout is a strikeout. The statistics tell you what happened in a given game, a given season, or a given career. The role of statistics is provide a record of what happened -- fair or foul. They don't interpret the events, they merely chronicle them.

Wiping out some statistics because the player who compiled them had cheated is inherently contrary to the role statistics and records are supposed to play in the game. Those homeruns happened. It is unfortunate if cheating was involved, but wiping their existence from the books is not going to clean up the problem. If anything, it will make things much more messy.

Let's assume for a second that we decide to punish cheaters by wiping out their juiced up statistics. It’s a seemingly simple task, but it can quickly be taken to ridiculous extremes. What happens if a cheater hit a walk-off homer to win a game for his team? If the homerun no longer exists, does the win? Is that win stricken from the books as easily as the homerun that earned it? What about the pitchers who gave up those homeruns? Are their stats updated to subtract the homeruns (and other offensive output) they gave up to cheating players? You could on and on.

Wiping out the statistics of offending players is simply not the answer. Neither is adding an asterisk to the totals of cheating players. Do we have asterisks next to players who corked their bats or who doctored the ball? Do we put asterisks next to statistics of players who compiled stats against players who threw games (ala the Black Sox)? Do we put asterisks next to players set records before the color line was broke because they did not compile their statistics against the racial discrimination limited the quality of competition? The problem with asterisks is that once you start, where do you stop?

Proponents of these ideas will point to sports like track & field which have a policy of wiping out records set by cheaters. This is fine in a sport of individual achievement, but it becomes more complicated when implemented in a team sport like baseball. The ultimate goal of baseball is to win games. Individual achievements are supposedly secondary. Sure, things like homerun totals and individual awards garner their fair share of attention, but they are not the ultimate point of the sport. The point is to win the World Series. In the track and field sports, the whole point is to be the fastest, jump the farthest and so on.

I am not saying that steroid abuse is not a serious offense. I am just saying that messing with the statistical record is not a solution. Statistics measure what happened. The good, the bad, and the ugly. History will take care of the rest. Deleting statistics and asterisks are not necessary because history will remember. And history has a tendency of supplying its own (albeit unwritten) asterisks.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 1:07 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (1)

A new Q&A with Dave Littlefield is up on MLB.com. Nothing too surprising or revealing, though I got a chuckle from this piece of spin:

It's hard to see a player who has played as well as Kendall has for the Pirates be traded. But Mark Redman was part of a 2003 World Championship team in Florida, he's won double-digit games the last two years and he had the same number of wins as Barry Zito this year.

Well, I guess we should just count our lucky stars that we didn't get Zito in that deal, huh?

Later in the interview, Littlefield does offer some hints into the Bucs' player procurement strategy this off-season:

One thing about the free agents: I don't know where it will go, but we'll certainly be working behind the scenes. My sense is we'll probably be a player a little later than earlier in regards to the free agent players.

Which I read to mean that once again, the Pirates will wait until free agents get desparate and then troll for bargains. This worked well two years ago, not so well last year.

I know that waiting for the bargains seems like sound conventional wisdom, but it is important to remember that fortune favors the bold. If the buzz is correct, there should be some interesting names getting non-tendered. They might not be cheap, but a sharp executive may be able to lock up a guy about to explode for a decent price.

I'm not talking about superstars here, but there may be a guy or two that may be worth taking a chance on. If so, I hope Littlefield doesn't sit on his hands just so that he can wait and sign a desperate veteran right before spring training. I am tired of stopgap measures. We don't just need talent. We need hope. And hope doesn't come from a one-year contract.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 7:43 PM | <__trans phrase="Permalink">

Today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a followup story today about Jason Kendall officially joining the Athletics. It's your standard player departure story with very little surprises, but I was struck by the accompanying photo. I was surprised how odd it looked to see Kendall holding up anything other than black and gold uniform. Even a week after the trade, it just seems weird to think he won’t be suiting up for the home team.

Say what you will about the guy, he was the face of the Pirates. He played hard and by all accounts he provided some solid leadership on the field. Sure he had some outbursts, but considering the continually dismal state of the team, I think that could be expected. Kendall got a lot of grief for not being as productive as his contract (especially in a small market) would indicate. However, it’s not his fault that Cam Bonifay locked him up with a ridiculous (for the Pirates) contract. And its not his fault that he was never surrounded by an offense that complimented his abilities, rather than leave his deficiencies exposed.

Now that he's getting a fresh start, I think Kendall can prove what I always believed -- that with the right supporting cast he can be a valuable member of a winning club. Oakland may not be his ideal situation, but I don’t doubt it will prove a far more suitable environment than Pittsburgh ever was.

I plan to write a more in-depth look at the Kendall trade and what I think it means for the Pirates in the next week or so.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 11:37 AM | <__trans phrase="Permalink">

Welcome to The Bucco Beyond, a little home for my rants and musings about my beloved Pittsburgh Pirates (and pretty much the baseball world in general).

I got the urge to start this site this summer while the Pirates were shopping around Kris Benson. As the trade rumors swirled, I found myself looking for an outlet for my own opinions and speculations. Living in the heart of Red Sox Nation, there really isn't any opportunity to talk about that kind of stuff with co-workers and acquaintances. To the Fenway Faithful, the Pirates might as well be a minor league club.

That left the internet. Scott Rex, editor of On Deck Baseball Prospects, has long been my sounding board for all things Pittsburgh Pirates. However, it seemed unfair that he should continue to bear the burden of my ravings alone. It became clear that, like other obsessive baseball geeks before me, I should enter the wild and wooly world of internet publishing.

Actually, I hope this site serves more than just as a home for my ramblings and poor grammar. I am hoping that it will help me touch base with other Pirates fans scattered across the globe. I follow the team as best as I can. I follow the boxscores. I read the local sports coverage. I follow the national coverage (few and far between though it may be). However, I rarely get to see my team in action. I don't have Direct TV or any of that, so I only get to see the Pirates the few times a year they are on ESPN or TBS. I want to hear from people that get to watch the games, and who get to see the team in person. I want to hear what other Pirates fans are thinking.

So that's the plan. The beginning of December may seem like a weird time to start a baseball blog, but I think with the Hot Stove League in full speed, we will have plenty to talk about. Plus, it lets me ease into things until everything goes into full gear when Spring Training starts. So thanks again for stopping by and welcome to the site.

<__trans phrase="Posted by"> <__trans phrase="at"> 10:41 AM | <__trans phrase="Permalink"> | <__trans phrase="Comments"> (3)