Trade winds swirling...Excitement Brewing!

The Pirates made a customary move today by dealing Adam LaRoche to the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox could have just given us a dozen baseball and few extra bats and I would have been happy. Just freeing up the money we were paying LaRoche is a win in itself!?

So who did we get for LaRoche? An AA shortstop, Argenis Diaz, who struggles at the plate, but is an elite defender in the field (can someone say cheaper version of Jack Wilson) and a low class A starter, Hunter Strickland, who has a Pirate type build (good frame, good delivery, good athleticism). Again, this trade was more about freeing up money then getting quality in return for LaRoche. The Red Sox needed a first baseman and made the jump. I am grateful they did as I was worried LaRoche was the one player we were going to struggle finding a buyer for by the trade deadline.

The Pirates have called up Steven Pearce to replace Adam LaRoche on the roster. Fans are outraged by this decision as many expected Lastings Milledge to be put in this spot. Hold on Pirate fans...Milledge is coming, but not until August! If the Pirates wait until August to bring Milledge up, they gain an extra year of control over his contract. In my opinion, I would rather wait the whopping 10 days and gain that extra year of control, rather than bring him up to satisfy a few clueless fans in already lost season.

The Pirates are not done this trading period as I foresee and hope to see Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson, and Matt Capps moved by the deadline. Am I crazy?? No I am optimistic. These players are not going to be around when this team starts winning again. Do the right thing and build the farm system even more. At the salaries these players are getting, they are not worth keeping.

Why not use the extra money to sign someone??? That is the common question today on the Pirates board. The Steelers do the exact same thing the Pirates are doing and do not get chastised for it. Why? Oh ya because they win. So to will the Pirates and they are going about building this team the right way. So what are the Pirates planning to do with this extra money? I for one am hoping that the money they are saving with the LaRoche trade helps make the final push for Miguel Sano. This future lineup has so much potential currently and adding Sano to the mix excites me even more!

Projected Lineup

Andrew McCutchen - CF
Gorkys Hernandez - LF
Lastings Milledge - RF
Pedro Alvarez - 3B
Miguel Sano - SS
Eric Young, Jr. - 2B (pending trade with Rockies for Snell - fingers crossed)
Garrett Jones/Steven Pearce - 1B
Ryan Doumit/Tony Sanchez - C

Paul Maholm - P
Zach Duke - P
Charlie Morton - P
Ross Ohlendorf - P
Brad Lincoln - P

Closer - Joel Hanrahan

Many I am excited just typing in those names! This does not even include Andy LaRoche, Delwyn Young, Brandon Moss, and anyone else we will pick up for Wilson, Sanchez, and Capps. This is the type of product that can generate excitement. The youth movement worked for the Penguins....watch out Steel City, here come the new, improved Buccos!

Oh ya...on a side note, the Pirates got another victory versus the Brew crew today with a walk off homer by Brandon Moss. I am equally excited as the Pirates come to my new hometown here in Arizona for a four game series! I look forward to reporting on that and the action that is to come with the many trades that are going to take place. Look for me out at the pool tomorrow as I will be in the pool suite. I will be the guy in the Pirates hat...shouldn't be hard to find!