Pirates trade starting CF for minor leaguers

[Upton]

Wednesday, the Pirates traded Nate McLouth, their All-Star center fielder, for three minor leaguers.

McLouth, 27, last season set career highs in practically every offensive category hitting .276 with 26 home runs, 94 RBI, 113 runs, 23 stolen bases, a league-leading 46 doubles and won a Gold Glove Award. This year he was hitting.256 with 9 HRs 34 RBIs. On Feb. 17, McLouth signed a three-year, $15.75 million contract.

In return the Pirates acquired center fielder Gorkys Hernandez and a pair of starting pitchers, right hander Charlie Morton and lefty Jeff Locke. It's interesting to note that the Pirates aren't picking up either of the Braves' best prospects... Tommy Hanson or Jason Heyward in the deal.

This continues what must be a disturbing trend for Pirates fans....as soon as a player comes of age and other teams begin to take notice, the Pirates get rid of him for prospects and/or cash. Presently the Pirates are acting like nothing more than a AAA franchise, a farm team for the larger clubs.

[hughee99]

1. They were afraid it was going to be too easy to pick their 1 all-star this year.

The field is wide open now.

[Onceuponalife]

2. They've been a farm team for decades

Barry Bonds
Bobby Bonilla
Andy Van Slyke
Doug Drabek
John Smiley
Aramis Ramirez
Brian Giles
etc etc

[SteelPenguin]

3. And people here actually question why their attendance is so low

The Pirates care only about making a profit, which thanks to the current system means they can make millions of dollars by just existing. Putting a competitive team on the field costs too much, and burns into their profit.

Repeat for over a decade and that's why people don't go to the games anymore (other than for something fun to do on a summer day). When it's obvious the team cares nothing about being competitive long enough, people actually stop caring about the team.

[Capt. America]

11. You are absolutely correct, baseball needs salary max and salary minimum,

too bad the commissioner is a coward former owner who apparently is "chairman for life" ala Stalin.

[SteelPenguin]

12. Absolutely

The funny thing is I've talked to some fans of upper tier teams before and their response basically is "Well if they wanted to they could spend the money and have competitive team. It's not our fault they just want to pocket the luxury tax and not be competitive."

Sadly at this point I don't know if baseball will ever truly recover in Pittsburgh. You'd need a billionare new owner to come in and be willing to lose 50 million a year for a few years in order to rocket the Pirates up in quality and for people to actually believe it. it'll always be a weak fanbase at this point though. The kids growing up in this town are growing up Steelers and Penguins fans, and barely give baseball a second thought. And why would they? The kids graduating high school now were infants the last time the Pirates had a winning record.

Sad really.

[PRETZEL]

4. I know the Bucs were really high on Andrew McCutcheon

as their future CF, but this is just plain idiotic.

[Forkboy]

5. I'm more interested in the other discussion we were having.

But you lost interest all of a sudden.

:cry:

[madinmaryland]

6. Bizarre, but expected. Just not this early and McClouth was not the one I expected.

This is why I have been advocated a salary cap in Baseball like the one in Football. Football requires a maximum AND MINIMUM salary cap. That way, you don't have teams that their management decides to sell off all the players for a pure profit. As long as the rules are set up this way, this will continue.

Thanks, Bud Selig, for ruining the game.

[SteelPenguin]

8. +1

Minimum and Maximum Salary Cap.

The Pirates are an extremely profitable team thanks to the idiotic Luxury Tax, and have zero reason to even try and be competitive and keep players who want more than league minimum.

[inthebrain]

9. Are the Pirate's owners using them as a tax shelter or something?

This is eerily reminiscent of when the isles were owned by Milstein and the Picketts.

I think the Pirates would have a pretty decent team right now if they never traded a soul.

[cboy4]

7. I just hope it wasn't one of the many Pirates of which I've voted for the

All Star Game in St. Louis. :cry:

[PRETZEL]

10. Not bad first day for 'Cutch

the Bucco's new CF.

2-4, RBI, 3R's, BB, SO

Bucco's take 3 from Mets.

Attendance little over 20K.

Still not crazy about the trade though.