“The impatience of the industry” is a reason Neal Huntington feels teams have been focusing on big league-ready talent rather than prospects in trade talks, the Pirates GM tells Travis Sawchik and Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Owners and general managers have “the expectation that you can turn an organization around in a year. Rather than (targeting) the best prospect in the system that may be in A-ball, teams are starting to look for the guy in Triple-A that might have an impact in a year or two,” Huntington said. Here’s some more from Pittsburgh and elsewhere around the NL Central…
- Huntington also noted that while he hopes to upgrade the Pirates at the deadline, his roster is overall “in a good spot. There is not a glaring hole where we may vastly have to overpay.”
- In another piece from Sawchik, he looks at the many ways that the Pirates have looked to keep their players healthy this season. These innovative and old-school training methods have clearly paid off, as the Bucs have lost fewer player days to the disabled list than all but one team (the Brewers) in the National League.
- Jay Bruce’s name has only recently surfaced in trade rumors, though ESPN’s Buster Olney reports (Twitter link) that the Reds have had the outfielder “available for awhile.”
- Also from Olney’s tweet, the Reds “haven’t officially” begun shopping Johnny Cueto. The free agent-to-be is expected to be one of the most sought-after pieces in this deadline period.
- Cardinals GM John Mozeliak indicated to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he’d look to add a short-term upgrade at the deadline rather than a player or players that would impact next season’s roster. Mozeliak stressed that his club would exercise “discipline” at the deadline, pointing to a failed 2010 trade for Pedro Feliz as an example of a deal that today’s Cards wouldn’t make.
- MLBTR’s Zach Links collected more items from around the NL Central earlier today.
While Huntington’s comments are fair, there is so much great young talent in the game today, “rebuilding” teams have enough top talent that they can become respectable in they trade their veterans for that AAA top prospect, and add those guys to the pool of young players they already have.
A team like the Brewers have Khris Davis, Jean Segura, Jungmann, Peralta, Gennet and Braun, all who could be a part of a contending team over the next year or so if they have the right pieces around them.
The Phillies have Nola, Franco, Crawford, Eflin, Hernandez, Giles, Altherr and Asche, all who could be part of the next Phillies core, if you let those guys develope, and wait for the rest of them to reach the majors, you’re only a Kyle Schwarber, Julio Urias, Aaron Judge or Mookie Betts away from atleast being a respectable team. Thats why they go for the high-end prospects. Plus those guys are the names that get the fan base excited.
Hes talking more about guys with lower ceilings that are closer to the bigs, not elite prospects like you are talking about. Like in the as trade of shark. They took back big league ready back end starter and big league ready middle infielder. Neither of which have particulary high ceilings but who are ready and will give you 2 war and are cost controlled as opposed for going for a premium prospect in single a whos years away.
I really think you’re underestimating Addison Russell. He was a census top 5 prospect in baseball prior to this season, who had an OPS just under .900 in the minors, with speed and good defense.
He is talking about Semien not Russell.. The guy the A’s got from the white sox for shark.. Not the guy they traded for him..
Thats not te way to build your organization. A team like the Phillies should be honest with themselves. The have no where near enough in their system to get back to respectability. They should be stock piling talent and doing a 3-4 year rebuild so when get back to the top they can sustain it. Even 3 years from now the Phillies can’t contend with what they got even if they get that one big name uless they start being buyers again which will re-deplete their system. Hamels should have been dealt long ago
Interesting comment from Hunington. I think I have to disagree, however. The closer to the bigs they are, the less risk they are.
I think his comment was more of to the effect of, “We have a lot of high ceiling players in AA or lower and no one wants them instead they’re going for AAA MLB Ready or MLB players” I think it was more of a frustration statement. Granted alot of those players that he has are fairly to high risk too.
There are a lot of places defensively the pirates could upgrade. but they don’t NEED to make any moves.. maybe a depth starter with the injuries and loss of Richard and extra pitcher would be great.
the two Position player targets i’ve seen mentioned that seem to make the most sense for the pirates are Ben Revere and Todd Frazier. I doubt either will happen but Revere is an instant upgrade for leadoff, good fielder with good speed and contact. Todd Frazier at first is a huge upgrade. both have at least another year of time left. There are others like Morneau that would also be nice but recent injuries make that a bit shaky.
Those two players might be upgrades for the Pirates, but you are talking about significantly different returns. While Revere could probably be had for an organizational prospect in the #12-20 range, a deal for Frazier probably starts with Glasnow and Bell before adding other good prospects.
For Frazier that’s probably about right and probably worth it short term. More if you are reasonably sure you can resign/extend him.
Revere, duno a flat out Polanco Revere trade with philly sending a little cash back would probably be do, and be worth it short term. Long term i think Polanco will work out so in the end probably a bad deal.
For Frazier, if I was Jocketty, I would start by asking for 4 of their top 5 prospects. Frazier is one of the best players in baseball under team friendly control this year. It would take a kings ransom to get him.
you could ask for that but all you would get is a 3rd basemen that your probably going to pay $20 million or more for the next couple years cause they got little shot of making much of a run in the play offs in the Central.
That is unless they open their wallets big in the offseason and over pay for everyone and hope it works out.
Bennie the Jet , is worth more than an organizations 12 thur 20th Minor Leaguer !
I’d like to see the Pirates go out and get Zobrist, Kazmir, and Napoli. Zobrist essentially replaces Harrison as the starting utility plaer, pushing SRod back to the bench…which upgrades the bench. Kazmir would push Locke to the bullpen and give the Bucs some starting depth. Napoli adds a RH bat off the bench, and a platoon partner for Pedro at first.
RF-Polanco
2B-Walker
CF-McCutchen
LF-Marte
3B-Kang
1B-Alvarez
C-Cervelli
SS-Mercer
Bench – Zobrist, Napoli, SRod, Stewart, Ishikawa
no. they only way you take a Napoli is if you are paid to take him. He gets paid way to much to be a platoon player and isn’t that good of one to begin with. Might as well just keep hart/Sean as the other first baseman and save your money.
Kazmir would be nice for depth but is also ripe for regression. regardless.. would be be a good mid/bottom rotation starter next season.
Zobrist would just further complicate the infield log jam we have.. unless you’re sending one of them in the package.
You are responding like adding too many players would be a bad thing. 3 rentals to bolster the team down the stretch. All of them are upgrades. There is a chance the Red Sox could release Napoli, having to eat his contract anyway…why not get a lower level prospect, or Jose Tabata for him. If Napoli is released, he could sign on for league minimum, as he’ll still be getting paid by Boston. Napoli is a MUCH better option than Cory Hart..who might actually be done. Those knees are shot.
As for Kazmir, even if he does see some regression, he’s still a better option than Jeff Locke.
Zobrist complicate the infield logjam? There’s a chance we might not see Harrison until rosters expand in September. Zobrist is a much better offensive player than Sean Rodriguez, and can play the same positions. With Kang being the everyday third baseman, the Pirates lack a backup shortstop…Zobrist could fill that role
Adding these players replaces guys like Gorkys Hernandez and Steve Lombardozzi who do not belong in a pennant race.
It is a bad thing if you get players who are useless to the team.
Okay i would trade a Jose Tabata’s contract for anyone of those players IF Boston ate some of Napoli’s contract. Just to get rid of Jose’s contract.
Or if they just give’m away.. yeah take them send Lombardozi down.
Zobrist is a marginal upgrade at best when we got other players who should be able to do just as good later in the summer.
Kazmier isn’t bad by any stretch and is having a career season so far on a losing team but what he is doing isn’t typical for him. I expect him to regress through the season and would not put too much into getting him. For all we know his better play might be due to a better catcher. Everyone knows we can use some depth at starting pitching to finish the year i’m just not sure I buy in to the who we need a proven starter when we already have 6 on the 25 man.
I get what you say about Napoli… but why not just wait until Boston releases him.
I like Gorkys. His defensive potential is through the roof.. hope he starts making more contact.
Look at Kazmir’s BRef page or his FanGraphs page he will not regress much. His peripherals are solid he is an upgrade over Locke, Worley, or Morton.
I like the idea of Napoli especially since most likely the Sox are going to release him.
Zobrist is a much better upgrade than you are suggesting. He is about 1000x better than Lombardozzi.
As for Gorkys, his defensive upside is amazing…..but he can’t hit and all 3 of their starting OFs are good enough on defense that they will never require a defensive substitution so why even waste a roster spot on a guy that can’t hit. I would rather have Tabata up here since they are going to have to pay him either way. At least Tabata can get on base at a decent clip.
Kazmir won’t finish the season at 2.5 ERA maybe a 3 if he is really lucky probably closer to a 3.5. which means he will probably have a hand full of pretty bad games his next 20 ish games. Sure he maybe an upgrade but do you want to pay 4 million (or there bouts) and a lowbie prospect or maybe two depending on the market for 20ish starts that is only marginally better than what you have now? As of right now with no more injuries to the pirates depth I say I wouldn’t’.. now if any one gets hurt i probably would change my tune. That is just me. If it was april and i got the whole season or there was another year on his contract that would be a different story.
But the problem is Lombardozi argument may not be here at the deadline anyway. Sporting News is suggesting Hanson maybe called up this month and just a few weeks later (hopefully) J-Hay will be back. Why bother spending all that extra money, time and maybe prospects. The plus to Zobrist is that you know what your getting…with Hanson you don’t quite know how he’ll be in the MLB. but you’ll pay less for Hanson for 3 years than you will for Zobrist 3 months.
again. If Boston will give you Napoli and all you have do do is pay him less than we’re paying hart. I’ll take a run at it. But as we’re talking about else where but probably wouldn’t be on my Postseason roster unless he breaks out and does something amazing. But he won’t case he probably won’t get any at bats.
When J-hay gets back. Move Walker to first on lefties and J-Hay to second for a couple games if you don’t want to play pedro against lefties.
Clearly just my opinion. Now that the over all defense has mostly come around there isn’t a lot to complain about except depth and pedro can’t hit lefties and to me that is a really good thing 🙂
They will not move Walker to first. They will also not call up Hanson to sit him on the bench. That makes zero sense.
Hanson won’t sit on the bench (as) much if walker is playing first.
Walker moving to first is not really a new subject. Been talking about it for a couple years now, not going to continue to re-hash it.
Hanson was pulled from the game last night anyone got an update on that?
But they didn’t Sign Harrison to 4 mil a year to sit him. They didn’t pay 5 million + Salary to sit Kang..Doesn’t make any sense….
Before J-Hays injury you would find one of them on the bench pretty often.
Unless he is injured Hanson will be up in September probably more like end beginning of August if he doesn’t get traded
This is where Walker on first against lefties would be nice. Hanson on second, Kang on 3rd and J-Hay/Sean or Tabata in right if they want to continue shielding Polanco from lefties.
I agree we aren’t going to re-hash Walker at first because it isn’t a thing. No one in the Pirates organization ever said they have even considered it. Bloggers and fans have suggested it, never the Pirates. It took Pedro Alvarez being historically bad at 3rd for them to even consider moving him. Walker is no where near that level. As Pedro has proved changing positions on the fly is incredibly difficult on the midst of a season.
No one said try Pedro at first until Fans suggested it either. ( i count sports writers and bloggers as fans )
It took ‘sooo long’ because Pedro there was no one else to play third in his place … (well unless you count Walker who came into the MLB as the future 3rd basemen that switched from catcher) … until J-Hay and even then J-Hay isn’t the greatest option at third just better than Pedro throwing it into the stands. Really Pedro was left there because he has power and there is no one else to play it.
For the record Pedro has always been ‘historically’ bad at 3rd. Perhaps we only really started noticing because each out was so important to catch the cards.
There is not one good reason to not try Walker at first. Maybe not during the season in the middle of a run… but if there is a throw away game try it and in the off season, Unless they magically find another option out there.
Kazmir is going to the Cardinals ,their Management team wants to really Win, Pirates want to appear that they want to win, and expect Heaven to intervene to save them !
Then give up what it takes to get Quality players back !
Bruce could be a real nice get for a team like the Rays. He adds an above average LH power bat to a very RH heavy line up that lacks power, is a capable defender in RF, has several years of control remaining on a decent contract and will be in his peak years throughout the contract. I’m not sure what kind of players the Reds are looking for in return, but a move like this could help the Rays this year, as well as, the next couple of season.
In response to huntingtin’s comment, not as many teams are in full out rebuilds. That impacts what teams will look for in trades. Since there is a lot more parity in the league the past few years, many teams that slip out of contention or just underperform (here’s looking at you chi sox) this year are very likely to be competitors next year. It makes sense for those teams to look for young mlb ready or near mlb ready players that can help them next year rather than a player that may be further away but has a higher ceiling. This way they maximize their on field talent during their teams particular window.
That is kind of the problem. Its easier and more logical to tear it all down if you are at the higher end of your payroll and only a few long term pieces in place. Tis a 25 man roster for a reason. Might as well build the system and promote borderline guys quicker to find out where they are at while not contending as well as acquiring high ceiling guys who have underperformed. You can find a couple diamonds in the rough as well as find an above average regular while building a high end system. Will increase likelihood of long term sustainability. Imagine that!