Heyman's Latest: Gillick, Pedro, Dempster, McLouth

Big offseason again for the Pirates, it will be interesting to see how they handle it. I think they at least partly bothced last offseason.

There was never a confirmed rumor of what Seattle offered for Snell last year, just that a firm offer was made by Seattle. But given what Seattle gave up for Bedard, I think its pretty obvious that the Pirates would have been better off pulling the trigger on whatever was offered for Snell.

Also, it sounded like there was some interest in Morris if the Pirates were willing to eat some contract. It isn't revisionist for me to say the Pirates should have eaten 1/2 his contract if they could have dumped him on someone else (I suggested this in the offseason, which is why it isn't revisionist).

This year, they might have similar opportunities with McLouth, Doumit, and Capps. McLouth and Doumit are both arbitration eligible and coming off their best seasons. Both are in their primes, but can't reasonably be expected to improve much on their numbers from this year.

The CF market is extremely weak and McLouth is still affordable enough for any team in baseball. His CF defense is weak, but he does have some potential to slide to a corner if his bat holds up. He also has the athleticism to improve his defense, as I think its his breaks and routes that are holding him back, which are easier to improve with diligent work than raw speed. It would be really intersting to see what the Yankees would offer for him. Hughes' last outing probably means they aren't ready to give up on him. Maybe they are willing to give up on Kennedy, but his upside isn't enough to give up McLouth.

Same story with Doumit, only he has enough injury history that this really might be the best time to sell high on him.

Capps has been consistently very good since arriving in the majors and I could see a lot of teams being interested if the Pirates wanted to shop him. He isn't overpowering, so if I was the Pirates, I would be worried he might go "Chad Cordero" on me and I would at least field offers on him.

If I were the Pirates, I would quietly but aggressively shop Doumit as a catcher (even if his defense is shaky). I don't trust his defense or health to hold up as a catcher and his bat isn't nearly as special at a corner spot.

I would talk extension with McLouth in case I could get something very team friendly, but I'd also listen to offers from other teams. Can't aggressively shop him because then he probably wouldn't talk extension. Whether I traded him would depend on the offers.

I'd also aggressively shop Capps. He has no place to go but down and I think closers are a little overrated. Depends on what kind of offers the Pirates get, but they could trade him and try to sign someone like Affeldt to close.

Adam LaRoche and Jack Wilson could also be traded, but they might have more value at the trade deadline. Plus the Pirates don't have an obvious replacement for Wilson.

You want to shop the only 2 young guns we have? Get serious. Doumit and McClouth are the only building blocks we have my friend.

Well, let me rephrase that. They may have "interest" in him and tons of other players. But they won't actually go after him.

Just clarifying my comment before someone comes along and gets nit-picky about it.

Ok so I read the plus/minus system for fielders and have no idea how McClouth could have had a -21 rating. To me, that is ridiculous. I will estimate that I have watched probably 130 pirate games this season (as painful as that has been), and nothing I have seen would suggest a number such as that. I always heard that McClouth was an above average outfielder with good speed and an average/solid arm (threw out winning run in all star game I believe). Maybe I only think he is good because that is what I read. The guy has 1 error all season and that was two games ago. I have seen many diving/sliding catches as well as him tracking balls down in the gaps all season. As far as trading him goes, I would like to believe that it is not going to happen and that it shouldn't happen. I do believe that he will move to Left Field once McCutcheon is ready. We have a huge left field at PNC and small right field. If we wanted to hide him, we would put him in right. We will put him in left because he is a GOOD fielder. And the Yankees can suck it if they think they can get him for one of their 'young stud' pitchers that probably won't pan out. The media builds them up because they are in the Yankees system. Give me McClouth of Kennedy or Hughes any day of the week. I would have been happy to get one of those two in the Nady/Marte deal, but not for Nate. Not going to happen.

Where do you get this information about the people in the Yankee organization only seeing Gardner as a 4th OFer? I've never seen that anywhere and I'm on this and 20 other sites multiple times a day.

Now I completely agree that the other options cannot play CF any longer. Matsui and Nady are corner guys, presuming Matsui can even play the OF anymore after another knee surgery. Damon hasn't been a solid CF in about four years so he needs to be stuck in a corner for good.

Rate McLouth however you want defensively, that was a BULLET he slung to Russell Martin in the ASG :)

Honestly, who would sign Alou at this point?

GKR - Anyone for the right price with the right incentives...he can hit, plain and simple, someone will take a flyer on him

"Where do you get this information about the people in the Yankee organization only seeing Gardner as a 4th OFer? I've never seen that anywhere and I'm on this and 20 other sites multiple times a day."

Read a scouting report? Sure his speed and walks are nice, the latter being virtually non existent in the big leagues, but scouts question whether his bat plays as a starter.

Oh and thanks for letting us all know how many websites you peruse on a daily basis. Now I know not to question you when you make definitive statements regarding the affairs of ball clubs you actually have very little knowledge of.

"He just lacks the arm."

I don't view McLouth's arm as poor. It is very accurate and he has a quick release. His arm is effective in the way Barry Bonds' arm was before Bonds' knees went to hell.

Meoveryouok ..... Thank you for completely misinterpreting my comment regarding the sites I read. I merely meant that to say that I haven't seen much written regarding people thinking that Gardner cannot handle being an everyday player.

I was never attempting to say that I know more than someone else or anything along those lines. And just because you disagree with my opinions it does not mean that I know little about the Yankees or any other team.

"Plus, the Pirates have Wieters ready to start anyway, so a trade makes sense anyway. Oh wait..."

... the hurt will never go away, but hey, at least we got danny moskos. he was probably the 23rd best pitcher in all of college baseball at the time, so he was a great "value" that far down in the draft. lol, i love dave littlefield.

Nate for Cano of course both teams would probably have to add but then the Pirates can trade Sanchez and the starting OF next year is Morgan/Moss LF, McCutchen CF, Moss/Pearce RF. Maybe even a Tabata sighting by years end. Then trade Jack Wilson to the Dodgers for Hu and some others or wishful thinking Brignac. Then trade Sanchez for whatever you can get.

GAardner I think is going to be a solid centerfeirlder. To me hes like Jocby Ellsbury for the Red sox. The kid runs mad fast. He has to start learning how to hit more and then he could become an every day player. maybe Johnny Damon could mentor the kid to be more of a slahy hitter like Damon and use his speed to get more hits.

They dont need McClouth. Id rather see the Yankees pursue
Adam Laroche.

I am a Yanks fan and I really can't understand why anyone would consider trading Hughes, Cano or Kennedy considering our top needs are young players and pitching. CF is not a major need for us to succeed. Between Gardner and Cabrera we have major league quality options. I am a big fan of Melkys game but I like the speed Gardner has shown. If he can ever become a solid .280 hitter I can see him with 50 sb a year. So McClouth to me is not a desirable player. If there were a young (27-30) CF out there like Beltran was when he was a FA then maybe I would bite but I'm content to go w/ what we have.

I have a question though. As a Pirates than do you guys ever get tired of trading your best young players for more and more prospects? When is your team ever going to make a run at being competetive?

"for a 26yr old 2b a "crappy" year?"

You do realize that, at 39, Jeff Kent had a significantly better year last year than Cano did this year.

Hell, Kent had a better year this year at 40, on a bad knee.

Cano had a terrible year this year empirically

After last year horrible deal,if I was the Pirates,I would stay away from the Yankees.The Pirates should take a bite a Pedro Martinez.