Trade Profiles David Price and Jon Lester

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I didn't want to do this.  I really did not want to have to write an article on these two guys but now I have too after Ken Rosenthal reported that the Pirates had two high level scouts watching both pitchers duke it out last night.  They're the two biggest names on the market and the Pirates need starting pitching so I'll write about them.

#SFGiants, #Pirates each have two high-level scouts watching Price-Lester tonight in St. Petersburg.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2014

I'm not going to bore you by going to look up Price and Lester's stats.  We all know both pitchers are amazing and their stats are just going to indicate that.  I would also say something about them being left handed pitchers and that would help them even more at PNC Park.  But instead, I'm going to focus on the cost of these two players.

When aces like this go on the market they are going to command a king's ransom.  Price and Lester are probably going to command a top 100 hitter and a top 100 pitcher plus more.  Possible prospects the Pirates would have to give up would be some combination of Josh Bell, Austin Meadows, Reese McGuire, Alen Hanson, Jameson Taillon, Tyler Glasnow, Nick Kingham.  And that's just a start.

And look at these guy's situations.  Price is making $14 million this season and will make $18-20 million next year through arbitration.  The Pirates can't afford to pay one player that much money.  Lester is only a rental and he has indicated that even if traded he would want to come back to Boston.  Do the Pirates want to be the dummies that trade prospects for Lester and then the Red Sox get him back regardless?

And finally, I'm not sure either of these pitchers are going to get traded.  The Rays have been surging recently and have a chance to sneak into the playoffs.  The Red Sox want to lock up Lester long term.  Would they really take the risk of trading him and letting him hit the open market?

This is why I didn't want to write this article.  All of these trades are just unrealistic and give fans false hope that the Pirates are going to acquire one of them.  I'll leave you with this, when the Brewers made that big splash in 2011 and added Zack Grenkie, they gave up Alcides Escobar and Salvador Perez among others.  Those are the two key players that are pushing the Royals into the playoff race this season.  Do you want to look back on the Pirates making a similar trade and wonder "what if those prospects weren't traded for that?"  I certainly don't and I know Neal Huntington won"t either.  Stop dreaming guys, Price and Lester won't be wearing black and gold this decade.