Since coming over from the Blue Jays in a deadline deal, Travis Snider has, on the surface, looked pretty good. He's hit .267 with three runs and two RBI in 19 plate appearances. He also has one stolen base, two walks and three strikeouts. Those last two numbers are important as plate discipline in the majors was the primary concern in his major league career to this point.
I think there's another problem lurking just under the surface of those numbers, though. All four of his hits were singles and three of four were pulled to the right side. In fact, a look at his spray chart is fairly alarming. According to Fangraphs, Snider has pulled the ball 54% of the time this year for a .211 average. He's gone to center 34% of the time for a .411 average and he's gone the opposite way only 4 times for a 1.000 average. It shows you that he's quite effective as a hitter when he stays up the middle or drives the ball to the opposite field, but he's become a mostly pull hitter and it has hurt his effectiveness.
In his short Pirates career, Snider has gone the opposite way only once and it resulted in a hit. Most of the time he rolls over and pulls the ball on the ground to the right side. So far, teams have played him pretty straight up, but you can expect that to change if Snider's tendencies don't. If he can no longer poke the ball through a hole on the right side, he's going to be in serious trouble. I'm sure Pittsburgh's hitting coach Gregg Ritchie has been working with Snider to stay through the ball and drive it the other way, but the results have not been there to date. He did noticeably sit out the last couple of games, so hopefully he and Ritchie and Hurdle are working on things.
The bottom line is, if the Pirates are going to contend down the stretch, they need Snider to turn it around. They need him to flash that incredible power potential; they need him to continue to be patient at the plate; and most of all, they need him to start driving the ball up the middle or going with pitches and driving them the other way.
Showing posts with label trade deadline. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trade deadline. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Has the competitive balance changed?
The trade was so insignificant it probably passed most baseball fans without notice, just a blip on their trade-deadline radar. The deal went down just as the trade deadline hit. Casey McGehee was traded to the Yankees for Chad Qualls. If anything, it irked some Pirates fans who saw Qualls as some kind of bullpen pariah, a bad-luck charm for the team. On the surface, it was just a trade involving two guys who were soon to be designated for assignment, instead going to clubs who demonstrated a need at their primary position. The Yanks need help at third base with A-Rod on the shelf and the Bucs needed to fill a spot in the bullpen with Brad Lincoln being shipped to Toronto in the Travis Snider deal. But looks can be deceiving. There was something rather significant about the deal that many folks were not aware of: along with infielder Casey McGehee, the Pirates also sent cash to the Yankees.
It was not the amount of cash that would be of great significance to a team, nor was it an amount that needed to be approved by the Commissioner's office; yet, a reported $225,000 did exchange hands. What's remarkable about it is that the money went from the small-market, low-revenue Pirates to the big-budget juggernaut known as the New York Yankees. Think about that for a minute, the Pirates were sending salary relief to the Yankees.
Now, on its own, it is of no great significance, but it is a symbol of change in baseball, albeit tiny. The Yankees and other teams are anxious to get under the luxury tax, so they're becoming more cost-conscious. Owner Hal Steinbrenner is reportedly determined to get the team under the luxury threshold by 2014. Part of the reason for this is that the luxury tax rates are going up under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This year, the tax is 42% of anything spent over $178 million. In 2013, that number jumps to 50%. There's another motivation for getting under the threshold, though. Starting in 2014, the luxury tax threshold becomes $189 million. With some clever cutting, the Yankees might well be able to sneak under the limit. And that could be very profitable for them. You see, the new CBA also has a tiered system for paying luxury tax. First-time offenders pay only 17.5% in tax. Second-time offenders pay 30%. The third time is 40% and the fourth time or higher is that dreaded 50%. But again, there's a catch. The rate you pay is based on how many consecutive years you've exceeded the threshold; drop under the line even once and your rate re-sets. That could amount to millions of dollars in savings for teams like the Yankees. So, for the time being at least, there's a real incentive for the Yankees to work to get under that limit.
And it's not just the Yankees, either. The Phillies had the second-highest Opening Day Payroll and with the team now out of playoff contention, they are actively trying to shed salary. Nobody was surprised that Shane Victorino was traded at the deadline since his contract expires at the end of the season. Many folks raised their eyebrows, though, when the Phillies also shipped out Hunter Pence who had another year of team control. Pence, however, is expected to make around $14 million in his last year of arbitration next year, so with the luxury tax in mind, the Phillies decided they didn't have that money to spend. The recent extension signed by Cole Hamels is also causing some ripples in Philly. Again, it was no shocker when Joe Blanton was moved in a waiver-trade with the Dodgers, but what is surprising is that the Phillies even contemplated trading Cliff Lee. Lee is a huge part of that Philly rotation, but he has over $90 million left on his contract and the Phillies are butting right up against the luxury tax threshold.
So what exactly does this all mean for a team like the Pirates? Well, not much at present, but it could mean that teams start to readjust how they approach free agency. You may see a lot fewer mega deals or spending sprees like you saw with Miami this year. Did you notice what the Marlins did at the deadline? They were in full fire-sale mode, trading away the likes of Anibal Sanchez, Omar Infante, Edward Mujica and, most notably, Hanley Ramirez. They even traded struggling first basemen Gaby Sanchez to your Buccos, if you recall. They were banking on a contending team and expanded revenues from their new stadium to cover their above-market-value contracts; but as the team struggled and the seats weren't filled, they needed to free up cash.
The Pirates, meanwhile, took on some salary at the deadline, especially in the Wandy Rodriguez deal. They also traded away their Competitive Balance Lottery Pick, meaning they shrunk their pool of money that they will have to sign picks in next year's draft. Part of what allowed them to feel comfortable doing so was the extra first-round pick they have due to their inability to sign Mark Appel, but they also are looking at increased revenue at the ballpark. Attendance is up around 7,000 per game this year at PNC Park and they've set a series of weekday/daytime attendance records this summer. General Manager Neal Huntington said that he had approval from owner Bob Nutting to add payroll at the deadline, if necessary. Pirates fans are coming out of the woodwork to support a winner and that contributes to a slightly deeper pocketbook.
For a team like the Pirates, though, who have been mired in a record-setting streak of losing seasons, these things take time. Similarly, teams like the Yankees and Phillies will continue to use their revenues to attract big-money free agents, even if they feel a little constrained by the luxury tax. You also can't overlook a team like the Dodgers who, with new ownership, are pumping money into the club like crazy. So, no, the competitive balance really hasn't changed, but it's still nice to see the Pirates' willingness to spend a little more and it still raises a jolly laugh out of me to see the Pirates providing salary relief to the Yankees.
It was not the amount of cash that would be of great significance to a team, nor was it an amount that needed to be approved by the Commissioner's office; yet, a reported $225,000 did exchange hands. What's remarkable about it is that the money went from the small-market, low-revenue Pirates to the big-budget juggernaut known as the New York Yankees. Think about that for a minute, the Pirates were sending salary relief to the Yankees.
Now, on its own, it is of no great significance, but it is a symbol of change in baseball, albeit tiny. The Yankees and other teams are anxious to get under the luxury tax, so they're becoming more cost-conscious. Owner Hal Steinbrenner is reportedly determined to get the team under the luxury threshold by 2014. Part of the reason for this is that the luxury tax rates are going up under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This year, the tax is 42% of anything spent over $178 million. In 2013, that number jumps to 50%. There's another motivation for getting under the threshold, though. Starting in 2014, the luxury tax threshold becomes $189 million. With some clever cutting, the Yankees might well be able to sneak under the limit. And that could be very profitable for them. You see, the new CBA also has a tiered system for paying luxury tax. First-time offenders pay only 17.5% in tax. Second-time offenders pay 30%. The third time is 40% and the fourth time or higher is that dreaded 50%. But again, there's a catch. The rate you pay is based on how many consecutive years you've exceeded the threshold; drop under the line even once and your rate re-sets. That could amount to millions of dollars in savings for teams like the Yankees. So, for the time being at least, there's a real incentive for the Yankees to work to get under that limit.
And it's not just the Yankees, either. The Phillies had the second-highest Opening Day Payroll and with the team now out of playoff contention, they are actively trying to shed salary. Nobody was surprised that Shane Victorino was traded at the deadline since his contract expires at the end of the season. Many folks raised their eyebrows, though, when the Phillies also shipped out Hunter Pence who had another year of team control. Pence, however, is expected to make around $14 million in his last year of arbitration next year, so with the luxury tax in mind, the Phillies decided they didn't have that money to spend. The recent extension signed by Cole Hamels is also causing some ripples in Philly. Again, it was no shocker when Joe Blanton was moved in a waiver-trade with the Dodgers, but what is surprising is that the Phillies even contemplated trading Cliff Lee. Lee is a huge part of that Philly rotation, but he has over $90 million left on his contract and the Phillies are butting right up against the luxury tax threshold.
So what exactly does this all mean for a team like the Pirates? Well, not much at present, but it could mean that teams start to readjust how they approach free agency. You may see a lot fewer mega deals or spending sprees like you saw with Miami this year. Did you notice what the Marlins did at the deadline? They were in full fire-sale mode, trading away the likes of Anibal Sanchez, Omar Infante, Edward Mujica and, most notably, Hanley Ramirez. They even traded struggling first basemen Gaby Sanchez to your Buccos, if you recall. They were banking on a contending team and expanded revenues from their new stadium to cover their above-market-value contracts; but as the team struggled and the seats weren't filled, they needed to free up cash.
The Pirates, meanwhile, took on some salary at the deadline, especially in the Wandy Rodriguez deal. They also traded away their Competitive Balance Lottery Pick, meaning they shrunk their pool of money that they will have to sign picks in next year's draft. Part of what allowed them to feel comfortable doing so was the extra first-round pick they have due to their inability to sign Mark Appel, but they also are looking at increased revenue at the ballpark. Attendance is up around 7,000 per game this year at PNC Park and they've set a series of weekday/daytime attendance records this summer. General Manager Neal Huntington said that he had approval from owner Bob Nutting to add payroll at the deadline, if necessary. Pirates fans are coming out of the woodwork to support a winner and that contributes to a slightly deeper pocketbook.
For a team like the Pirates, though, who have been mired in a record-setting streak of losing seasons, these things take time. Similarly, teams like the Yankees and Phillies will continue to use their revenues to attract big-money free agents, even if they feel a little constrained by the luxury tax. You also can't overlook a team like the Dodgers who, with new ownership, are pumping money into the club like crazy. So, no, the competitive balance really hasn't changed, but it's still nice to see the Pirates' willingness to spend a little more and it still raises a jolly laugh out of me to see the Pirates providing salary relief to the Yankees.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
What does a true fan look like?
Monday night, I made the trek down to Wrigley Field to see my beloved Pirates take on the Chicago Cubs. It was the night before the trade deadline, so I spent the first few innings obsessively checking my Twitter feed to see if the Bucs had made any moves. After Reed Johnson was pulled from the game, I spent nearly a half hour trying to figure out if he was headed across the diamond to the visitor's dugout. As is traditionally the case, I was also busying myself with keeping score. My wife was with me, too, but her attention was understandably occupied by the adorable baby in Cubs gear sitting directly in front of us in the nosebleed section.
While all of this was going on, I began to notice that there were some Pirates fans sitting a couple of seats down, but I was so preoccupied with everything else, I didn't really pay them much mind. Then, the unexpected happened. The Cubs scored nine runs in one inning. Already down 4-2 in the fifth inning, Erik Bedard and Chris Resop combined to give up nine runs on eight hits to the lowly Cubs. A wave of disbelief washed over me. I stopped checking Twitter. I stopped making faces at the baby. I just tried to process what had happened on the field.
Then, I noticed him. The patriarch of the family donning Pirates gear just a couple of seats over. He was smiling. He turned to me and said, "I see you wearing the gold 'P' on your chest. Have you been a Pirates fan for long?" His accent startled me. He spoke in a deep Texas drawl. His conversation was folksy, but intelligent. We began chatting. I told him that I had been born and raised in Pittsburgh and that the Pirates had always been my team. He told me that he grew up on a farm near the small city of DeKalb, Texas. He became a Pirates fan as a youngster just after WWII. There was not a local team at the time, but he loved baseball. In the evenings, on a good day, his family could just make out the Pirates broadcasts beamed halfway across the country by the powerful KDKA signal.
In Little League, he and his friends dreamed of becoming Pittsburgh Pirates. He was a catcher and one of his battery mates was a young man named Luke Walker. For Luke, that dream came true. Those into baseball trivia might remember that Walker threw the first pitch in a night game in World Series history. That was game four of the 1971 Worlds Series. My friend at the game chats about Walker in an easy and proud manner. There is no hint of jealously or sarcasm in his voice. He was happy Luke made it to the show and was proud to have caught him.
Through the years, my friend closely followed his beloved Buccos. He talked lovingly of Clemente and Stargell and especially Mazeroski. "You see Walker out there?" He was now talking about current Pirates second baseman Neil Walker. "The Pittsburgh kid. Great Athlete. I hear he was a terrific football player in high school. He's a pretty good defender now. That's because of Maz. You can't find a better person to teach you how to play second. There was nobody like him." My friend shared with me that he had made the trek to Pittsburgh just a few times. He lamented that he never got a chance to see Forbes Field in person, but he went to Three Rivers Stadium a couple of times and make his first trip to PNC Park just last year. "Beautiful stadium." I asked him about the Mazeroski statue. "Have you seen it? You've got to get back home to see it. Amazing."
The word "home" struck me. Here was a man from Texas sitting next to me at Wrigley Field rooting on the Pirates. I asked him if he was in town for some special reason. "Of course. I came to see the Pirates. I've never been to Wrigley Field. Seemed like a good time to come." This man traveled over 800 miles to a city he'd never been just to see the Pirates play. He wasn't alone either. "I brought my grandson." He was beaming at this point. "Three generations of men in my family here to root on the Pirates. Happy to be here." And he was. It didn't matter that his team was on its way to losing 14-4. It was spending time with his Pirates that he cherished.
Casey McGehee was pinch-hitting in the sixth. "I can't figure this guy out," he muses. "He looked real good for a couple of weeks, but he's just not doing it for this team. A shame." McGehee promptly killed a potential rally by grounding into an inning-ending double play. The next day, McGehee was gone in a trade to the Yankees. My friend went on to say that he hoped the Pirates picked up a right fielder at the trade deadline. "This team's got a history of great right fielders. It's important. Dave Parker was one of the best. Pittsburgh never really took to the guy. Maybe it's because he was cocky and wore an earring. All I know is he had a cannon of an arm. A lot like the guy he replaced." He paused. "That's the problem, though, nobody was going to be able to replace Clemente in that town. Too bad." It was fascinating to hear him talk about generations of Pirates players. He was a fan, a true and loyal fan, but he grew up somewhere else. He had a perspective that very few people have. "Remember Dale Berra? I bet you were just old enough to have remembered Dale Berra." I assured him that I did remember Berra, though I was pretty young. I mentioned that Berra was one of the first players I had a baseball card of. "I always liked Dale Berra. He played hard, with an edge, sorta. Nice infielder. Seemed a little high-strung maybe. Then years later, you find out he's on drugs...cocaine. I guess we should've seen it coming. Made sense, though. Really did."
The openness with which my friend expressed his feelings about his team, its history and its players was refreshing. The love he showed for his team was profound. The patient hunger he displayed for his team to be back on top was moving. You know what? He could have been my dad. He's probably about my dad's age. Talking to him, I found myself sharing stories about my dad. I told him how my dad would pick my mom up after school and they'd walk down to Forbes Field and catch a game. I told him how my dad and I would go to Pirates games together all the time, especially when PNC Park opened. I told him stories my dad told me about Clemente and Stargell and Mazeroski. The only difference is, he grew up over a thousand miles from Pittsburgh, in a small Texas town. But they both listened to Bob Prince call the games on KDKA as youngsters and they both developed a passion for the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are both true fans.
While all of this was going on, I began to notice that there were some Pirates fans sitting a couple of seats down, but I was so preoccupied with everything else, I didn't really pay them much mind. Then, the unexpected happened. The Cubs scored nine runs in one inning. Already down 4-2 in the fifth inning, Erik Bedard and Chris Resop combined to give up nine runs on eight hits to the lowly Cubs. A wave of disbelief washed over me. I stopped checking Twitter. I stopped making faces at the baby. I just tried to process what had happened on the field.
Then, I noticed him. The patriarch of the family donning Pirates gear just a couple of seats over. He was smiling. He turned to me and said, "I see you wearing the gold 'P' on your chest. Have you been a Pirates fan for long?" His accent startled me. He spoke in a deep Texas drawl. His conversation was folksy, but intelligent. We began chatting. I told him that I had been born and raised in Pittsburgh and that the Pirates had always been my team. He told me that he grew up on a farm near the small city of DeKalb, Texas. He became a Pirates fan as a youngster just after WWII. There was not a local team at the time, but he loved baseball. In the evenings, on a good day, his family could just make out the Pirates broadcasts beamed halfway across the country by the powerful KDKA signal.
In Little League, he and his friends dreamed of becoming Pittsburgh Pirates. He was a catcher and one of his battery mates was a young man named Luke Walker. For Luke, that dream came true. Those into baseball trivia might remember that Walker threw the first pitch in a night game in World Series history. That was game four of the 1971 Worlds Series. My friend at the game chats about Walker in an easy and proud manner. There is no hint of jealously or sarcasm in his voice. He was happy Luke made it to the show and was proud to have caught him.
Through the years, my friend closely followed his beloved Buccos. He talked lovingly of Clemente and Stargell and especially Mazeroski. "You see Walker out there?" He was now talking about current Pirates second baseman Neil Walker. "The Pittsburgh kid. Great Athlete. I hear he was a terrific football player in high school. He's a pretty good defender now. That's because of Maz. You can't find a better person to teach you how to play second. There was nobody like him." My friend shared with me that he had made the trek to Pittsburgh just a few times. He lamented that he never got a chance to see Forbes Field in person, but he went to Three Rivers Stadium a couple of times and make his first trip to PNC Park just last year. "Beautiful stadium." I asked him about the Mazeroski statue. "Have you seen it? You've got to get back home to see it. Amazing."
The word "home" struck me. Here was a man from Texas sitting next to me at Wrigley Field rooting on the Pirates. I asked him if he was in town for some special reason. "Of course. I came to see the Pirates. I've never been to Wrigley Field. Seemed like a good time to come." This man traveled over 800 miles to a city he'd never been just to see the Pirates play. He wasn't alone either. "I brought my grandson." He was beaming at this point. "Three generations of men in my family here to root on the Pirates. Happy to be here." And he was. It didn't matter that his team was on its way to losing 14-4. It was spending time with his Pirates that he cherished.
Casey McGehee was pinch-hitting in the sixth. "I can't figure this guy out," he muses. "He looked real good for a couple of weeks, but he's just not doing it for this team. A shame." McGehee promptly killed a potential rally by grounding into an inning-ending double play. The next day, McGehee was gone in a trade to the Yankees. My friend went on to say that he hoped the Pirates picked up a right fielder at the trade deadline. "This team's got a history of great right fielders. It's important. Dave Parker was one of the best. Pittsburgh never really took to the guy. Maybe it's because he was cocky and wore an earring. All I know is he had a cannon of an arm. A lot like the guy he replaced." He paused. "That's the problem, though, nobody was going to be able to replace Clemente in that town. Too bad." It was fascinating to hear him talk about generations of Pirates players. He was a fan, a true and loyal fan, but he grew up somewhere else. He had a perspective that very few people have. "Remember Dale Berra? I bet you were just old enough to have remembered Dale Berra." I assured him that I did remember Berra, though I was pretty young. I mentioned that Berra was one of the first players I had a baseball card of. "I always liked Dale Berra. He played hard, with an edge, sorta. Nice infielder. Seemed a little high-strung maybe. Then years later, you find out he's on drugs...cocaine. I guess we should've seen it coming. Made sense, though. Really did."
The openness with which my friend expressed his feelings about his team, its history and its players was refreshing. The love he showed for his team was profound. The patient hunger he displayed for his team to be back on top was moving. You know what? He could have been my dad. He's probably about my dad's age. Talking to him, I found myself sharing stories about my dad. I told him how my dad would pick my mom up after school and they'd walk down to Forbes Field and catch a game. I told him how my dad and I would go to Pirates games together all the time, especially when PNC Park opened. I told him stories my dad told me about Clemente and Stargell and Mazeroski. The only difference is, he grew up over a thousand miles from Pittsburgh, in a small Texas town. But they both listened to Bob Prince call the games on KDKA as youngsters and they both developed a passion for the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are both true fans.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Did the Pirates deadline deals make them better?
As has become customary since Neal Huntington took over as the Pirates GM, today's trade deadline was an active one in Pittsburgh. After being buyers for the first time in nearly two decades last season, the Pirates were once again in a position to seek upgrades to the major league team. As of this writing, the Pirates were three games back of the Reds in the NL Central and tied for the NL Wild Card lead with the Atlanta Braves. What was tricky about this deadline for the Pirates was striking a balance between upgrading the team right now for the stretch run, while avoiding giving up top prospects that are expected to help the team contend for many years to come. Huntington made it clear he was unwilling to give up top prospects Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon and most observers got the impression that Starling Marte, Josh Bell, Luis Heredia and Alen Hanson were also off the table.
So what were the Pirates able to do? The Pirates acquired LHP Wandy Rodriguez, OF Travis Snider, 1B Gaby Sanchez and RHP Chad Qualls for the major league squad. The Pirates also acquired minor league reliever Kyle Kaminska in the Sanchez deal and received cash in the Wandy Rodriguez trade. On the flip side, the Pirates gave up RHP Brad Lincoln, OF Gorkys Hernandez, INF Casey McGehee and minor leaguers Robbie Grossman, Rudy Owens and Colton Cain. Additionally, the Pirates gave up their recently-won competitive balance draft pick in the Sanchez deal and included cash in the deal for Qualls. Finally, the Pirates designated Drew Sutton for assignment.
That's a lot to digest, but a clear pattern is discernible. Huntington tried to upgrade the major league roster, while keeping his farm system mostly intact. He also focused on acquiring pieces with several years of control, rather than short-term rentals. Huntington called the prices for rentals "prohibitive" and was unwilling to give up much of value to acquire one of those pieces. He felt the prices for rentals had gone up this year, despite the fact that the new CBA eliminated draft pick compensation for players who are traded mid-season. One reason for that is the implementation of the new Wild Card spot. Since more spots are available, more teams feel they are still in it and, therefore, there's a limited trade market that develops. That demand drives up the prices.
It is clear that the Pirates upgraded to some extent. Snider has good pop and won't hurt you on defense. He's likely to struggle some with strikeouts, but showed good patience in the minors. He's been up and down from the majors for a few years in Toronto, but is still only 24. His profile is somewhat similar to Pedro Alvarez, who is a year older than Snider and is just coming into his own at the major league level. Hopefully hitting coach Greg Ritchie can work his magic with Snider in the same way he's turned Pedro's season (and possibly career) around. Snider's acquisition pushes Alex Presley to the bench, a clear upgrade over Gorkys Hernandez.
The move also pushes Garrett Jones to first base in a platoon with newly acquired Gaby Sanchez. Sanchez has really struggled this year after being an All-Star for the Marlins just a year ago. Sanchez was presumably pressing after nearly losing his job to Albert Pujols this offseason. Hopefully, a change of scenery will do him good. Regardless, he's had pretty good platoon splits and should at least be a bench upgrade over McGehee who had a couple decent weeks with the bat and surprisingly good defense at first, but overall struggled to gain any traction.
Rather than DFA McGehee, Huntington swung a last-minute deal to flip him to the Yankees for reliever Chad Qualls. This was a bit puzzling since Qualls has had a poor season and Huntington included $225,000 in cash in the deal; however, Qualls has had decent numbers against righties and might serve as a decent late-inning righty specialist. He will take the spot of Brad Lincoln who was shipped out in the Snider deal.
The most visible upgrade was Huntington's first strike this year. Houston Ace Wandy Rodriguez was acquired for a trio of mid-level prospects. Houston is covering a portion of his contract as part of the deal. Rodriguez slides into the three spot in the rotation and pushes Correia into long-relief and spot-starting duties. Correia requested a trade, but Huntington did not find a suitable deal at the deadline. Correia still has the chance to be a solid swing man if he can adjust to the routine of bullpen duty and stays stretched out enough to spot-start during a brutal upcoming stretch of 20 games without an off-day.
Overall, the Pirates moves will seem unimpressive to some, but they should certainly upgrade the team. Their rivals in the NL Central (the Reds and Cardinals) did not do much to upgrade at the deadline outside of Cincinnati acquiring relief pitcher Jonathan Broxton. Remember, the Pirates can still make trades in August as well, as long as the player passes through waivers. There are a number of waiver-trade candidates this season, including SS Stephen Drew, OF Alfonso Soriano and P Joe Blanton. Activity in August may be higher this year as teams start to drop out of contention.
Huntington managed to upgrade the team, while not sacrificing the future. None of the team's top 6 prospects were traded and the guys he acquired retain several years of control. The only questionable deal involved bringing in Chad Qualls, but it was an exchange of players ready to be designated for assignment. Pittsburgh had an opening in the bullpen with Lincoln being traded and the Yankees needed corner infield depth with Alex Rodriguez on the DL. It may not have been the kind of all-in approach that some folks were looking for, but there's no reason this team can't compete for the playoffs as constructed right now. Before the moves, the team was on pace for 92 wins and the team is clearly better on paper than it was a day ago.
So what were the Pirates able to do? The Pirates acquired LHP Wandy Rodriguez, OF Travis Snider, 1B Gaby Sanchez and RHP Chad Qualls for the major league squad. The Pirates also acquired minor league reliever Kyle Kaminska in the Sanchez deal and received cash in the Wandy Rodriguez trade. On the flip side, the Pirates gave up RHP Brad Lincoln, OF Gorkys Hernandez, INF Casey McGehee and minor leaguers Robbie Grossman, Rudy Owens and Colton Cain. Additionally, the Pirates gave up their recently-won competitive balance draft pick in the Sanchez deal and included cash in the deal for Qualls. Finally, the Pirates designated Drew Sutton for assignment.
That's a lot to digest, but a clear pattern is discernible. Huntington tried to upgrade the major league roster, while keeping his farm system mostly intact. He also focused on acquiring pieces with several years of control, rather than short-term rentals. Huntington called the prices for rentals "prohibitive" and was unwilling to give up much of value to acquire one of those pieces. He felt the prices for rentals had gone up this year, despite the fact that the new CBA eliminated draft pick compensation for players who are traded mid-season. One reason for that is the implementation of the new Wild Card spot. Since more spots are available, more teams feel they are still in it and, therefore, there's a limited trade market that develops. That demand drives up the prices.
It is clear that the Pirates upgraded to some extent. Snider has good pop and won't hurt you on defense. He's likely to struggle some with strikeouts, but showed good patience in the minors. He's been up and down from the majors for a few years in Toronto, but is still only 24. His profile is somewhat similar to Pedro Alvarez, who is a year older than Snider and is just coming into his own at the major league level. Hopefully hitting coach Greg Ritchie can work his magic with Snider in the same way he's turned Pedro's season (and possibly career) around. Snider's acquisition pushes Alex Presley to the bench, a clear upgrade over Gorkys Hernandez.
The move also pushes Garrett Jones to first base in a platoon with newly acquired Gaby Sanchez. Sanchez has really struggled this year after being an All-Star for the Marlins just a year ago. Sanchez was presumably pressing after nearly losing his job to Albert Pujols this offseason. Hopefully, a change of scenery will do him good. Regardless, he's had pretty good platoon splits and should at least be a bench upgrade over McGehee who had a couple decent weeks with the bat and surprisingly good defense at first, but overall struggled to gain any traction.
Rather than DFA McGehee, Huntington swung a last-minute deal to flip him to the Yankees for reliever Chad Qualls. This was a bit puzzling since Qualls has had a poor season and Huntington included $225,000 in cash in the deal; however, Qualls has had decent numbers against righties and might serve as a decent late-inning righty specialist. He will take the spot of Brad Lincoln who was shipped out in the Snider deal.
The most visible upgrade was Huntington's first strike this year. Houston Ace Wandy Rodriguez was acquired for a trio of mid-level prospects. Houston is covering a portion of his contract as part of the deal. Rodriguez slides into the three spot in the rotation and pushes Correia into long-relief and spot-starting duties. Correia requested a trade, but Huntington did not find a suitable deal at the deadline. Correia still has the chance to be a solid swing man if he can adjust to the routine of bullpen duty and stays stretched out enough to spot-start during a brutal upcoming stretch of 20 games without an off-day.
Overall, the Pirates moves will seem unimpressive to some, but they should certainly upgrade the team. Their rivals in the NL Central (the Reds and Cardinals) did not do much to upgrade at the deadline outside of Cincinnati acquiring relief pitcher Jonathan Broxton. Remember, the Pirates can still make trades in August as well, as long as the player passes through waivers. There are a number of waiver-trade candidates this season, including SS Stephen Drew, OF Alfonso Soriano and P Joe Blanton. Activity in August may be higher this year as teams start to drop out of contention.
Huntington managed to upgrade the team, while not sacrificing the future. None of the team's top 6 prospects were traded and the guys he acquired retain several years of control. The only questionable deal involved bringing in Chad Qualls, but it was an exchange of players ready to be designated for assignment. Pittsburgh had an opening in the bullpen with Lincoln being traded and the Yankees needed corner infield depth with Alex Rodriguez on the DL. It may not have been the kind of all-in approach that some folks were looking for, but there's no reason this team can't compete for the playoffs as constructed right now. Before the moves, the team was on pace for 92 wins and the team is clearly better on paper than it was a day ago.
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