Buc's, Bucks & Baseball

considered to be a player the franchise could be built around. In fact, as Chart I. shows, only two of them ranked in the top ten in OPS at their position. Wouldn't it make sense, then, for the Pirates to try and trade some of these subpar players for some younger talent? What is the problem in that?

One trade that I found particularly intelligent was that trade of Morgan, a career minor leaguer, for Lastings Milledge, a talented, but often troubled outfielder. At the time of the trade, Morgan was enjoying his best stretch as a major league player. In returned, the Pirates received a player with much more upside. This type of move has much more logic in it than trying to sign a fringe player like Morgan to a long-term deal after one successful season. That would be a Gary Mathews, Jr.-like signing.

It is also important to remember that when General Manager Neal Huntington inherited this club in 2007, this core of players was already in tact. The minor league system was bare after the previous regime had botched high draft pick after high draft pick. So Huntington was in a position of having an unspectacular group of veterans at the major league level and no prospects in the minor leagues to improve the club. With that said, the organization felt that none of these veterans were worth the money, and rightfully so, to sign to long-term deals. So he made trades to try and improve the farm system and hopefully build talent for the future.

Like most businesses in America, the economy has had an affect on baseball as well. The steel industry in Pittsburgh has been hard hit, which has obviously had an impact on the city. The Pirates' attendance was down this season even with those veteran players, so bringing in those younger players shouldn't be that much of a detriment in that area. But if the salaries those players trades away are examined more carefully, we would see how money matters even more. Jack Wilson, he of the .691 OPS, makes 7.25 million in 2009 and has a club option of 8.4 million in 2010. Again, doesn't it make sense for a franchise to try and trade away an over paid, unproductive player to save money in these uncertain economic times?

It is still up for debate how much talent the Pirates received in these trades. Outfielder Lastings Milledge, catcher Jeff Clement, and pitcher Tim Alderson have all been considered top prospects at one time or another. A lot can happen between now and when some of these players come up in two years. However, it is a time in baseball when many organizations are following the model set up by teams like the Tampa Rays and Minnesota Twins, which were built around young prospects. So, now more that ever, major league teams are very reluctant to trade away young talent. Consider the Cliff Lee trade. The Philadelphia Phillies did not have to give up any of their top echelon of minor league talent to get the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.

As fans, we want to see that our teams have a plan of how the organization is going to be built. Huntington faces a tough proposition of trying to turn around a continual losing franchise. The plan that was in place prior to 2007, obviously was not working, so a change was in order. Here's hoping, for the Pirates' fans sake, that this plan has a positive ending.