OPINION —
MOST OF THIS baseball season, the media and fans alike have been pushing for the team to trade for a hitter or two. Of course, most want to get Albert Pujols, Joey Votto, or Josh Hamilton and give up Clint Barmes, Jordy Mercer, Chris Resop and Yamaico Navarro.
As unrealistic as it sounds, fans especially want to keep the good and get rid of the not-so-good. But you always have to look at a trade from the other team’s perspective: When designing a trade intended to strengthen your team, you have to put yourself at the desk of the other team’s general manager and ask whom the Pirates have that I would be willing to give up Player A for.
For years, the Pirates traded established players for prospects. These moves were not done to strengthen the Pirates, but out of a necessity to attempt to strengthen the organization, which made Mother Hubbard’s cupboard look like an overstocked smorgasbord.
After several years of operating in that manner, the Bucs began making trades designed to help the big league club at the trade deadline last July, adding Derrek Lee and Ryan Ludwig in an ill-fated attempt to stay in the pennant race.
After years of actual salary dumps and what appeared to be salary dumps, the Pirates began to fulfill its promises made to fans when principal owner Bob Nutting assumed leadership. "We said from the very beginning that we have a plan to build talent and then to retain and build on talent that are key pieces of the organization," Nutting said when the Bucs inked Andrew McCutchen this spring to a six-year contract worth $51.5 million with a club option for 2018 worth $14.75 million. "[General Manager] Neal [Huntington] has a clear understanding of what those key pieces are."
But when Joel Hanrahan’s name came up in April and May as a possible trade chip to get some offense, red flags went off in this corner.
With dominant closers like Hanrahan at a high premium, why would anyone want to give up a player with a 1.83 ERA who converted 40 saves in 44 chances last year and has earned 19 saves in 21 opportunities so far in 2012? Thankfully, Hanrahan’s name has not been mentioned lately, hopefully indicating that there’s as much chance of moving him as swapping McCutchen.
But it was shocking to read blogs, letters, and columnists who were ready a month ago to ship the 30-year-old stopper for a bat.
Last week, red flags went up again when 33-year-old Boston Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis was reported by several sources to be “on the Pirates radar.” With four homers and 14 RBIs in 41 games, Youkilis also was only batting .233, 53 points below his lifetime average. While the Sox would have picked up all but $2 million remaining on his contract, this is the kind of potential acquisition that smacks of Jeromy Bernitz, Matt Diaz, and others whose downside was falling off the table upon arrival in Pittsburgh, not any kind of upgrade.
And while the talent cost to acquire Youkilis was little, so is the output that a team could realistically expect.
To trade just to trade can backfire, so be careful what you wish for. It might happen.
PIRATE PIECES: Minnesota catcher Ryan Doumit reminded us why we “miss” him so much (tee-hee) : When the Twins visited PNC Park last week, here’s what happened with the ex-Pirate: Tuesday—went one-for-four, with a strikeout, and five runners left on base. The Pirates stole three bases and won 7-2; Wednesday—did not play; Thursday—went one-for-four with an RBI in a 9-1 Pirates win and left two runners on base. The Bucs swiped another base. The Bucs won two of the three by a combined 16-2, losing the Wednesday game 2-1….In Pittsburgh’s 26 games from July 2-August 1, they play just three games against a team with a winning record (the Giants at home).
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Jim Sankey writes this weekly baseball column Extra Innings for Allied News Contributed
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EXTRA INNINGS: Be careful what you wish for when looking to trade
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