Well, the trade deadline came and passed today and the Pirates did......nothing. All of the hours of speculation by me and others completely wasted (just like every year). This has me much more upset than almost every Pirates fan I know. Maybe I'm naïve or whatever but I think the Pirates missed a golden opportunity a few minutes ago. They needed to add some offense and they failed. I've heard so many excuses of why this was a good decision by the Pirates to do nothing including the price is too high, no one else did anything, they're the best team in baseball, there were no impact players, and the famous "you can't mortgage the future for one year". I'll explain why all of these excuses are dumb right now.
The price was too high. Yes it was an extreme seller's market this year but there were still names to be had. Just because it is a seller's market it doesn't mean that the Cubs were asking Jameson Taillon for David Dejesus. No they were probably asking for someone like Alex Dickerson and the Pirates thought that was too much. Those possible deals are the ones that frustrate me because you're bargaining over prospects who are in all likelihood not going to make a big impact in the majors or any impact for that matter. Just pull the trigger and bite the bullet to help a really good team this year. So price is a little blown out of proportion for me.
No one else did anything. As far as I'm concerned, that means even more that the Pirates should have done something. When no one else improves their team and you do, guess who just got better and increased their chances of winning? That's right, you did! The people saying this is why the Pirates were smart to stand pat have it twisted so I'm not going to give this reason any more time.
They're the best team in baseball. Do you know why the Pirates are the best team in baseball? Pitching. You can only out pitch teams for so long before you need to score runs. If you can't score, you can't win. It's great that you can hold someone to one run for seven innings. It's not great if you can't score one yourself. So how long will you be the best team in baseball if you can't score? How much longer can you win games if you can't score? Even worse, what happens when your starters regress and they start giving up four or five a game like Locke and Morton should? Just because you're the best team in baseball now, it doesn't mean you will be in a month from now.
There were no impact players available. No there weren't. Good thing the Pirates didn't need an impact player. They only needed an upgrade. A platoon guy maybe. Anyone would be an upgrade. The Pirates are LAST in the league in average from RF. LAST in the league in OBP from RF. LAST in the league in SLG from RF. LAST in the league in OPS from RF. So you're telling me that there is no one out there who could've came in and helped that? Please. Justin Maxwell was traded to the Royals for a non prospect RHP. Even he from the lowly Astros could've helped the team and made an impact. And you're telling me we couldn't give up a RHP, the strength of the system, for a platoon guy. I don't know what asking prices were but that is hard to imagine.
You can't mortgage the future for one year. I hate this saying so much. The Pirates have a top three farm system in the league. Trading away a top ten prospect is not going to cripple you. Hell, I would've traded a top ten guy for Schierholtz and/or Dejesus. Now I know that people I think have no idea what they're talking about have said this for the past two years, but I think it is true now. The Pirates may never be in this position again. I understand that we have gobs of talent coming up. Gregory Polanco will be here next year and so will Jameson Taillon. But people expect them to come up and be the next Clemente and Drabek right when they arrive. That won't happen. Look how Starling Marte and Gerrit Cole are still trying to figure it out in the majors. It takes about two years in my opinion for you to begin to reach your potential in the majors. So, in two years, start of 2016, when these guys are going to dominate and lead the Pirates to the promise lands guess who isn't under contract and likely not coming back. AJ Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, Russell Martin, Francisco Liriano, Garrett Jones, Gaby Sanchez, Jason Grilli, and Neil Walker. Pedro Alvarez will also be in the final year of team control. So basically when those young studs are ready to really help the major league club, the parts that were there for them to reinforce will be gone and you'll be stuck in the same situation as this year with holes. This has always been a sticking point with me for Neal Huntington and I think it is something that he needs to change. Give up a prospect to improve the team and possibly get a championship ring.
Look, I know I don't know what went on in the last month and I know Neal Huntington is better at his job than I am. It doesn't mean that there wasn't a move he could have made without parting with our top five prospects and balked at the chance. The team needed an upgrade to become a true championship contender and he just did not make the move. Huntington himself and all of you who are going to disagree with me cannot convince me that there wasn't a trade available where Huntington could have parted with Nick Kingham or someone like that for an upgrade in right field. It was time to do something. It was the year. And we didn't do anything. Some players will be happy with that and it sends them a message that management believes in them as they sit. The message he sent to me, the fans, and some of the players I'm sure, is that we are going to coast, end the losing streak, make the playoffs, get eliminated early, and be satisfied. That is what disgusts me. Fans will be happy with that. Why? This is a good team that can no doubt win the World Series. I know the Pirates have been losing so long that any winning will make us happy. But when you have a team as good as this, why should expectations be any lower than a World Series. Will I be happy if the Pirates make the playoffs? Yes. Will I be happy if they break .500? Yes. Will I still be disappointed? Yes. When you have a winning team, you expect nothing less than championships. What are your expectations with the Steelers and Penguins? Championships. Why should it be any different with the Pirates? It shouldn't. Those should be Huntington's expectations too. And by not overpaying a little bit for an upgrade, it tells me that those are not his expectations. He can stick to his plan all he wants but if it provides winning teams like this with no titles, well he'll be looking for a new job. Now would any one of those trades help the Pirates' World Series odds? Of course not but it can't hurt. Now there is always the waiver trade deadline to do something and I expect the Pirates to be active there but I'm not holding my breath. What happened today just really disappoints me and makes me question what the Pirates want to accomplish on the field this year. Once again, I don't know what prices were, who was available, and who any prospect might become, but I'm sure the Pirates could have done something, anything, minor to appease us. I just don't like the message that Huntington and the Pirates sent.
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