Pirates Acquire Derrek Lee and Ryan Ludwick

By the conclusion of the trade deadline at 4 pm yesterday, the Pirates had acquired two players to help bolster an otherwise putrid lineup.  No, not Hunter Pence and Carlos Beltran, but two veterans whose careers are coming to an end in the upcoming years.  Nevertheless, the Pirates did do exactly what they said they were going to do: acquire players to help the team make a playoff push without giving away their future. 

Unfortunately, running a franchise that hasn't won in eighteen years will create a large contingent of fans who will distrust their decisions, regardless of the fact that they've only been in office for three years, or the fact that they've been assistants to teams that have won the same way they are trying to win here.  Many Pirates fans are still disappointed GM Neal Huntington did not acquire Hunter Pence (even if the Phillies gave up their top pithcing prospects among three other players) or Carlos Beltran (who refused to come here).  Still, all will be forgotten if Derrek Lee and Ryan Ludwick come out swinging in black and gold. 

The day before the trade deadline, the Pirates acquired first baseman Derrek Lee from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Aaron Baker.  As long as he doesn't break down, the Derrek Lee trade is already an excellent one for one simple reason.  It most assuredly kicks Lyle Overbay to the curb after over half a season of Jeromy Burnitz-type production.  Although everyone is looking at Lee's offense as a source of contribution, Lee's defense alone could help the Pirates down the stretch.  In his career, Lee was given the Gold Glove award three times and his 6'5 frame will give the infielders a little more room to make inaccurate throws to first. 

As for the offense, Lee is known as a second half player and unlike Overbay who carried the same trend but failed to perform, Lee is starting to heat up hitting, .298 3 home runs and .906 OPS since the All Star Break.  He may not finish the year with 46 home runs as he did in 2005, but he will certainly provide the lineup with offense at a position that has lacked help all year.  Turning 36 in September and a free agent after this season, Lee will most likely go back to the free agency pool if he decides not to retire.

As for the piece to get Lee, Aaron Baker was a first baseman playing for the West Virginia Power.  With 15 home runs, giving up Baker for a rental seems questionable.  With the emergence of Matt Hague, Matt Curry and Alex Dickerson however, Baker was situated so far behind those aforementioned players, that he would never have a chance to get to Pittsburgh.

Ryan Ludwick heard his name going to about five different teams over the course of the week but within the final hour of the deadline, he was a Pittsburgh Pirate.  Ludwick was not the first choice by the Pirates but since the Minnesota Twins are stuck in their hard-headed beliefs that they will win the AL Central this year and decided not to trade Michael Cuddyer or Jason Kubel, the Bucs were forced to look elsewhere.  The Pirates dealt a PTBNL and took Ludwick to help a beat up outfield that has lost Jose Tabata and Alex Presley for at least a few more weeks.  Ludwick, an ex-Cardinal, is struggling for his second straight season hitting .238 with only 11 home runs.  The hope is that he will return to form when he stops hitting at Petco Park and if he does, the Pirates could have a serious shot to make a run.  My guess is that he will hit a little better at PNC but not enough to make a huge impact.  When Tabata and Presley come back I would assume Ludwick will platoon in right field with Presley as a right handed hitter. 

Whether or not you agree with the moves, you have to agree GM Neal Huntington made an effort to bolster the lineup.  Many may think the front office was too lazy to make a deal earlier in the week but the facts point to a strong sellers market.  Don't believe me?  Look at all of the deals for better players and ask if the return helped the buyer or seller more.  The Indians gave up two future front line starters for Ubaldo Jimenez, a pitcher who may be hurt and has struggled since the 2010 All Star Break.  The Giants gave up their top pitching prospect, Zack Wheeler, for Carlos Beltran which seems like an even trade until you look at the Giants' rotation and notice three potential Cy Young winners already playing for San Fransisco.  As I said in a previous post, the biggest expense for the Pirates is their top prospects.  With a noticeable distance in talent between the Pirates and the Phillies, as displayed this weekend, the front office knew they had to be smart because their time to win a World Series is not now.

A National League Central Division title?  We'll see. 

Root, Root, Root for the A's?

After splitting a four game road series against the Atlanta Braves, arguably the third best team in the NL, the Pirates find themselves 1.5 games back from the Milwaukee Brewers for the NL Central lead.  As good as the pitching was to hold down the Braves' offense, the bats for the Pirates were equally as putrid.  At one point, the Pirates had scored only two runs in a span of 27 innings off the Braves; hardly the offense of a contender.  Still, after a win last night, they head into Philadelphia with a chance to come out of this road trip with their heads above playoff water.

During the games this weekend, there will be plenty of scoreboard watching and plenty of trade rumors floating around.  As the Pirates continue to shop for bats and scoreboard watch, there should be a rooting interest for the Oakland Athletics.  No, not because the motion picture Moneyball is being released this fall, chronicling the 2001 Athletics who made a playoff run using sabermetrics.  But because the A's play the Minnesota Twins and the Twins still believe they are in the hunt to win the AL Central.

Why does that matter?

The Twins currently have two tradable players who are excellent hitters: Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer.  While it has been rumored that Cuddyer will not be traded at the deadline, the Pirates have been reported as a team showing strong interest for Jason Kubel.  At age 29, Kubel is having another solid season, hitting .314/.365/.471 with an OPS of .836.  With the uncertainty of Tabata's return and Presley's broken hand, Kubel would help a banged up outfield and upgrade the offense.  The only problem is, the Twins are unwilling to part with their players due to their belief that they could win the division.  Series wins from Detroit, Cleveland and Oakland could push the Twins back to roughly eight games out of the AL Central which may force their hand in dealing away players or, at the very least, lower the asking price.

Although the struggles continue to be at first base with Lyle Overbay, the Pirates lineup would get a boost from a guy like Kubel who has had 90+ RBI's the last two seasons.  Carlos Pena looked to be the perfect rental but his current slump (1-19 11 k's), coupled with the Chicago Cubs refusing to deal him in hopes he will re-sign in the offseason, seems to have turned the Pirates off from the possibility of seeing the slugging first baseman in black and gold.  Since Pena would be a rental, I'm not sure why the Cubs couldn't just take the Pirates' money and use it to sign Pena once the season is over.  Then again, I never understand anything the Cubs do when it comes to running a franchise.  I digress.  With the astronomical asking prices to acquire Pence, Quentin or Upton, and lack of impact by Willingham,  Kubel or Cuddyer appear to be the best fits.

So say it with me, "Let's go A's."  Sure, you can root for the Astros to beat the Brewers (please Houston.  One game?), or the Cubs and their useless $125 million payroll to beat the Cardinals.  But those series aren't as important as you may think.  The Pirates still have ten games remaining against both the Cardinals and Brewers and with the offense continuing to struggle, the Bucs are going to need all the help they can get to score runs.  Jason Kubel can help.  But first, we need the Twins to fall faster than Lyle Overbay's chances of playing after July 31st.  If not, the Pirates will have to go back to the drawing board to find a suitable deal for a bat.

Let's go A's   

Probables

Friday: A's Gonzalez (9-7 2.67 ERA) vs. Twins Liriano (6-8 4.82 ERA)
Saturday: A's Moscoso (3-5 3.47 ERA) vs. Blackburn (7-7 4.21ERA)
Sunday: A's McCarthy (3-5 3.52 ERA) vs. Pavano (6-7 4.60 ERA

Alex Dickerson Shining Early in First Professional Season

Through his first ten games with the State College Spikes, Alex Dickerson has shown he is every bit the hitter he was drafted as when the Pirates selected him in the third round of this year's draft.  On July 15th, Dickerson signed with the Pirates for $380,700 and was placed in the Spikes' lineup the next day.  Since then, Dickerson has hit .368/.400/.632 with an OPS of 1.032 while playing first base, a position he projects to play in Pittsburgh.  While he has yet to draw a walk, Dickerson has only struck out 4 times in 38 at bats.  He currently has a five game multi-hit streak and has gone hitless in only two games so far.
 
Alex Dickerson has carried over his sweet swing from three years at Indiana, playing for the Hoosiers.  In 2010, he hit for the Big Ten Triple Crown batting .419 with 24 home runs and 75 RBI's.  In his three seasons at IU, Dickerson saw his strikeout totals decline dramatically 47 his freshman year, to 21 his junior year.

 There are some negatives.

Like most, his power numbers declined significantly this past season due to the new college bats.  Although Dickerson projects to have power to all fields, it will be interesting to see how that develops as he settles into professional baseball.  He also has below average speed on the bases, a bad arm and a chronic back problem (had herniated disks removed in high school) that started to resurface in his final collegiate season.  Despite concerns, Dickerson's ability to hit is undeniable and since the Pirates lack true hitters throughout the organization, he has an excellent chance to move quickly and start in PNC Park by 2014.  But let's not get ahead of ourselves.  Dickerson has a long road to Pittsburgh and ten games in Low-A ball does not set a career in stone.

   

Overbay Needs to Go

If you saw last night's game, you witnessed a microcosm of the Pittsburgh Pirates' season and why they're still tied for first place in the NL Central late in July.  Despite being outhit 9-5, the Pirates outscored the Braves 3-1 thanks to excellent pitching by James McDonald and the bullpen. 

If you watched last night you would notice another aspect that has represented the Pirates' season as well.  That aspect is Lyle Overbay doing NOTHING to help the team.  As Dejan Kovacevic pointed out on twitter, Overbay did not have to make a play on any ball put in play.  Although that is not his fault, it is funny in an ironic way.  He picked up a single in last night's game but also hit into a double play, struck out, and was thrown out at third on a terrible base running decision.   

When the Pirates signed Overbay to a one year five million dollar contract, they were hoping to get a player who would hit over .260 with 20 home runs while playing above average defense.  Instead, he is hitting a putrid .234 with only 7 home runs and below average defense with 8 errors and a handful of missed scoops.  

As you may have read from previous posts, I have been hesitant to place pressure on the ownership to make a huge trade due to the high risk of disrupting the immediate future of the franchise.  I also did not put a ton of pressure on the organization to call up Pedro Alvarez because I still think he'll struggle hitting on the outer half of the plate. 

But Overbay is different.  He NEEDS to be designated for assignment.  This experiment has gone long enough and the team is competitive despite his efforts at first.  There is no excuse for him to be in the starting lineup nearly every night, especially when Matt Hague is batting .318/.377/.467 in AAA for Indianapolis.  Even if the Pirates are planning to trade for a first baseman in Carlos Pena/Jason Giambi, do not waste a second more with Lyle Overbay.  His production at the plate has been minimal and he offers nothing to benefit the team.  He does not hustle, he has a poor approach to the plate in nearly every at bat, and above all, he doesn't get the job done.

With a tough stretch of games this week, there's no room to tinker with Overbay as the first baseman anymore.  Stop waiting for him to heat up.  At the very least, Matt Hague will produce the same as Overbay but will benefit in his development as a prospect.  I'm not questioning the competitive nature of the front office, but if they truly want to win this year, they'll need to move some pieces.  The first step should be addition by subtraction; dump Overbay now and try someone else. 

Backwards Thinking: Pirates Fans Irritated at Lack of Moves

After heavily criticizing every trade the Pirates have made since 1992, the Pittsburgh faithful are now screaming for the front office to make a trade in lieu of their fight for first in the NL Central.  With some big names available for trade this year, the Pirates have an opportunity to upgrade their major league club before heading into the final stretch of the season.  As of today (July 24th), the Pirates have yet to make a move and acquire a big bat or big arm.  The "lack of action" from the front office has made fans express their distrust in the organization.   However, based on calls from fans on the radio, and the media's usage of twitter as an outlet for frustration, I have seen a few common arguments that seem to lack substance.  We can break these down into two categories:

1. Why the Pirates need to trade.
2. Why the front office hasn't done anything.

Why the Pirates need to trade
"The Pirates need to go out and trade for Beltran/Pence because he's a big bat and the Pirates need one of those."
I somewhat agree with this statement.  The problem isn't the statement itself, but the tone in which it is stated.  Fans are going insane right now because Beltran hasn't already played a few games as a Pittsburgh Pirate; as if the deal is so easy to execute.  As Tim Williams from Pirates Prospects pointed out earlier today, most deals aren't done until right around the day of the trade deadline (July 31st). The reason?  Asking prices go down once the deadline approaches.

"Well whatever, we have the prospects to pull off a trade.  Our farm system is stacked with talent!!!"
No it's not, actually.  Yes, Neal Huntington and the scouting department have done an excellent job instilling talent into the system over the last three years.  However, in comparison to the rest of the league, the farm system is average at best.  Baseball America had the Pirates farm system ranked 19th going into this season.  Consider how disappointing Zack Von Rosenberg, Stetson Allie, Rudy Owens, Andrew Lambo and Justin Wilson have been, and the farm system looks to be knocked down a peg.

The Pirates are loaded with right-handed pitching prospects but most of them have yet to show anything notable.  They are still young, but their uncertainty and rawness blocks them from being used to acquire a player like Carlos Beltran.  Plus, part of being a deep organization is having a ton of prospects at each position.  I've heard fans calling for a trade that includes Starling Marte because of Gorkys Hernandez's offensive numbers in AAA this season.  Unfortunately, one good season in AAA does not make a career out of baseball players. Marte has better all around tools, as explained in my last post, and will be the starting center fielder for years to come in Pittsburgh.  Giving him away for a rental seems rather dangerous when you consider the uncertainty of the outfielders behind him in the minors.

As for the asking price for Beltran?

According to Buster Olney of ESPN on twitter, the Mets are in trade talks with the Atlanta Braves and are asking for a combination of  Julio Teheran, Randall Delgado and Mike Minor.  To give you some perspective, Teheran is one of the top five prospects in the league and the Braves have the second best farm system in the league.  The Mets are asking for one of the top prospects as PART of a package deal for Beltran.  The equivalent for the Pirates would be along the lines of Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie, Luis Heredia and Starling Marte.

"Who cares?! We've been losing for 18 years now!"
And?  What is the point in selling out for one winning season and jeopardizing the next five years of the franchise?  The true talent of this team is still in A ball.  We all marvel over the pitching now, but the prospects in the minors have the talent to be even better without using smoke and mirrors.  The plan of the organization was not to build a team to win for one season, it was to build a team that was meant to sustain winning, much like the Rays. Trading away your big prospects for this year could lead to more 2010 type seasons in the near future.

"The Penguins added Hossa and it got them to the Stanley Cup!  Why wouldn't it work for the Pirates?"
Because the Pirates are not the Penguins.  Hockey is not the same as baseball.  There are much more parts to a winning baseball team than a winning hockey team.  The Penguins have two world class players who contribute both offensively and defensively.  If you want a comparison, Andrew McCutchen is equivalent to Marc Andre Fleury because he is one of the best at his position.  There are no equivalents to Crosby and Malkin and the Pirates are not one of the top teams in the National League.  As much as I love my Buccos, they are still more than one piece away from winning it all.   

Why the front office hasn't done anything
"Bob Nutting is so cheap, he has shown when it comes to winning he is not willing to spend money on the team to win."
Bob Nutting has spent more money than anybody (team) in the draft.  He's not going to leave a team he's invested in, hang out to dry when they need him most.  The players for cash deals are done at the trade deadline.  Even if he doesn't spend money at the deadline to acquire a player, the logic that he was too cheap is flawed.  It would most assuredly be because the trade would not improve the team.  Don't believe me? Look at Gerrit Cole's contract on August 16th.  It's time we quit pinning the current owner with the same mistakes/mentality of owners in the past.

"They're waiting for this team to fall out of contention after this coming week against the Braves and Phillies.  That way, they can make an excuse for not making a move."
If you truly believe the team will fall out of contention after playing the Braves and Phillies, then maybe this team is more than just one bat away from a World Series team.  The Pirates are ranked 23rd in the league in offense and have a pitching staff that is slowly starting to come back down to earth.  Even though the pitching staff is ranked 7th in the league, the Braves and Phillies have better pitching.  Adding Carlos Beltran would not be enough to push this team to the World Series.  Make no mistake, THAT is the goal.


In all of the excitement and more importantly, success of this team, a move should be done.  The Pirates could use a bat and maybe another arm in the bullpen.  But Neal Huntington's job is tougher than any GM in the league.  He has to think about this year while also protecting the assets of the franchise.  In addition, since the Pirates have been stuck in 18 years of losing, other teams may be trying to take advantage of their situation to end the drought.  By asking for big prospects now, teams are looking to benefit from a desperate Neal Huntington.  As I said in an earlier post, I would add Carlos Pena for salary due to their glaring hole at first base.  They have a few big bats in their organization who are trying to return.  Let them lead the charge since they will have the best chance to be in the lineup when the team is at its best in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

If nothing else, ask yourself this question: Do the Pirates have enough talent to win a World Series this year?  If the answer is no then we must continue to be patient and trust that the organization will do what's best for the club.

Don't Sell the Farm Neal

With all of the excitement and attention the Pirates have created while contending for first place in the NL Central, fans have been screaming for the team to make a move and bring in a big bat.  While I agree, to an extent, some of the players being thrown around in trade rumors are, quite frankly, too expensive.

No, not in a monetary way as Bob Nutting has admitted he will add salary at the deadline, but in terms of talent.  Since the Houston Astros are the worst team in baseball, with one of the worst farm systems in the league (26th by Baseball America), they are aggressively shopping Hunter Pence in an attempt to rebuild from the ground up.  The asking price for Pence, a 28 year old All-Star outfielder, is obviously quite high.  Pence has a line of .315/.356/.478 and a .834 OPS with the Astros this season.  He has decent power with a good arm for right field and make no mistake if he was a Pirate, he would definitely improve the lineup.  However, acquiring his services would probably mean giving Houston a combination of Starling Marte, Brad Lincoln, Stetson Allie and Tony Sanchez.

Maybe more.

There is a rumor the Astros asked for Jameson Taillon in a straight up trade for Pence.  Yeah right.  Many may argue that the time to win is NOW and that the Pirates should sell the future for a chance to win a pennant.  While that may sound convenient let's remember the Pirates got to this point by acquiring prospects and developing from within.  The plan is to win for more than just one or two years; to create sustainability by flooding the system with talented prospects, much like the Tampa Bay Rays.  The Rays made zero trade moves at the deadline in 2008 and they were playing in a much better division than the NL Central.  Meanwhile, the Brewers traded away eight total prospects like Matt Laporta, Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorzzio for the likes of CC Sabathia and Zach Greinke.  Now, the Brewers have the worst farm system in baseball (30th) and will lose All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder after this year to free agency.  If they do not win the NL Central, their investments over the last five years will go up in flames.  

With that in mind, I hear people on the radio call in and say things like, "I'm not saying give up some of our big prospects but I wouldn't mind seeing them trade Marte and Sanchez for Carlos Beltran."  Hate to break it to you, but Starling Marte is a big prospect.  I know some may disagree and say he's nothing more than an above average outfielder who strikes out too much in AA.  But keep in mind, Marte is faster than Andrew McCutchen (yes, there is such a player; shocking isn't it?) with similar tools to McCutchen at the plate and in the field.  When Marte settles in Pittsburgh, he'll push McCutchen to left field which will allow 'Cutch to focus more on hitting while also keeping him from wearing down.  Baseball America used this quote to describe Marte, "One club official unflinchingly calls Marte the best player in the system."

As for the strikeouts?

Marte is 22 years old, playing for the Altoona Curve.  In 85 games, he's struck out 71 times.  The beloved Hunter Pence struck out 109 times in 136 games.  The numbers are comparable and while Marte lacks the power of Hunter Pence, he makes up for it in speed and defensive ability.  Add into the mix a strong defensive catcher in Sanchez, as well as a teenage pitcher who throws in the triple digits, at the trade seems a bit absurd.  Also, keep in mind this is all speculation, the real asking price could be even higher.  The Pirates are trying to break 18 years of futility and since they are buyers, teams will do everything they can to take advantage. 

Carlos Beltran is another player on the radar for Pirates fans.  However, since the Mets have agreed to pay for his contract in an effort to retain big prospects, the Pirates are faced with the same dilemma as Pence in Houston.  Keep in mind, if the Pirates dealt blue chip prospects for Beltran and he didn't lead them to the promise land, they would have given up success in the future for NOTHING.  Also, at the age of 34, Beltran is definitely a risk for injury.  He has not played over 100 games since 2008 and if injured, his acquisition could make this season go up in smoke as he is a free agent after this year. 

Carlos Pena would be the best acquisition for Pittsburgh.  The Chicago Cub crushes right-handed pitching with a .893 OPS and would fill a major hole at first base.  He won a gold glove in 2008 with the Tampa Bay Rays, a silver slugger in 2007 and he's allegedly a great teammate in the clubhouse.  His struggles against lefties could be remedied with Steve Pearce who has a .300 average against left handers this year.  Pena's contract is worth five million dollars, although the Pirates would be a little less to acquire him.  Shipping off a decent prospect such as Jeff Locke or Gorkys Hernandez would probably be enough. 

Remember Pirates fans, this team is competitive due to overachieving pitching, timely hitting and a little luck.  This team's best years are still ahead of them if they stay on the right path.  With Pedro Alvarez, Ronny Cedeno, Ryan Doumit, Steve Pearce and Jose Tabata all returning, the Pirates have a chance to add a few bats without giving up a single dime or prospect.  That may be their best choice of all if the aforementioned players, particularly Alvarez, come back slugging.  After all, the Pirates got in this whole first-place mess using the players within their system. 

Pirates Earn National Attention; Will Play on ESPN Monday Night

Breathe it in Pirates fans.  Our Buccos will be on national television for the first time since anyone can remember when they take on the Braves next Monday.  The move was announced yesterday before the Pirates vs Reds game and it was later reported by Rob Biertempfel that the Pirates may be on FOX in the near future as well.

It is just one of many perks that come with being a first place team after the All-Star Break.  The amount of media attention is doubled by the fact that the Pirates have been abysmal for nearly two decades.  This year, however, winning has once again proven that it cures all.  As much as we all hate seeing the Red Sox, Yankees, Braves and Cardinals on TV every week, ESPN is only going to televise winners (I mean really, who would ever watch the 2010 Pirates outside of Pittsburgh?) Sitting atop the NL Central, six games over .500, the Pirates have earned this spot.

As stated in the previous post, I believe next week's series against the Braves and Phillies could potentially make or break this season.  I also believe ESPN saw that potential and decided to "sell high" on the Pirates and put them on national television while they're hanging around first place.  If the Pirates beat the Braves and go on to win the series, the network will look like geniuses for promoting an upstart playoff-caliber team as early as late July.  If the Pirates collapse next week, ESPN will still have ratings from the excitement of watching a team who, at the time, was looking well on their way to a division title. 

Nevertheless, it's hard to complain if you're a Pirates fan.  The team has a charismatic manager, a couple all-star caliber players including one of the most exciting players in the game, and a core of young talent surrounding their all-stars.  The excitement around this team overshadows the fact that their most talented prospects are still two to three years away from joining the big league club.  Now, the rest of the baseball world will have an opportunity to see why the Pittsburgh Pirates have been so successful this year and if the analysts have done their homework, baseball fans will recognize the Pirates will only improve from this year. 

Since the game is in Atlanta, the commentators will have to put away their long list of adjectives to describe the beauty of PNC Park.  However, be prepared to watch clips of the 1992 NLCS; Jose Lind's error, Sid Bream's slide into home while Barry Bonds' throw comes in three days late will be replayed on your TV.

Please do your best not to throw the remote.

In the meantime, continue to check the sports sites for Pirates' headlines on the front page.  Again, they are there because they are winning and they are there because they deserve it.  As the winning continues, so will the attention and hopefully, the Pirates will reach a point where they can be on national TV more than once every few decades.
 

The Road Ahead: Pirates' Second Half Biggest Challenge Yet

The Pirates did their job in the first half of the season, winning series against the bad teams and competing against the good teams.  Now that they are four games over .500 at the break, fans, pundits and experts have deemed them contenders for the NL Central division.

And they are.

Now the Pirates will have an opportunity to show the baseball world whether they are contenders or pretenders in the upcoming months.  After visiting the Astros on the road, the Pirates play the Reds and Cardinals at home and the Braves and Phillies on the road.  The Reds and Cardinals are a combined 46-48 on the road, although injuries, particularly to the Cardinals, have been prominent throughout the season.  With Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman healthy, this will be a much better team from what the Pirates saw in early April.

The series against the Braves and Phillies will make or break the season entirely.  The Pirates have a four game set in Atlanta before traveling to Philadelphia for a weekend series.  Both teams combine for a home record of 62-23 this season.  As a Pirates fan, myself, I would be happy with a split in Atlanta and at least one win against the Phillies.  With all of the trade speculation circumventing the team as of late, you would have to think the Pirates are going to do a wait-and-see approach to the last week of July before making a big move.  If the Pirates manage to go 4-3 or better in that seven game stretch on the road, you would be hard pressed to not see GM Neal Huntington pull the trigger on a trade.

Then again, the schedule doesn't get any easier in August:

After seven games against terrible teams in the Cubs and Padres, the Pirates play the defending World Series Champions on the road, followed by the Brewers on the road where they are 3-36 since 2007.  Then it is off to face the Cardinals and Reds before facing the Brewers and the Cardinals four times each.  When I saw the schedule back in March, I certainly thought August would be their undoing, if nothing else.  My opinion has not changed over the last few months, however, this is the same team that beat the Red Sox and Phillies in earlier series.  If they can get through this part of the schedule with their head above water, they'll have a crack at the NL Central.

Down on the Farm
Ross Ohlendorf, in a rehab stint with the Bradenton Marauders, tossed four scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits and striking out three.  Ohlendorf is rehabbing from a shoulder injury which has kept him out since mid-April

Pedro Alvarez continues to struggle since his demotion to AAA Indianapolis.  The former first round pick went 0-4 last night with three strikeouts. He is now batting .222 with no home runs and two doubles.

Matt Hague, on the other hand, is crushing the ball for Indianapolis.  This season, Hague is batting .324 with eight home runs and an OPS of .862.  The time has been ticking on Lyle Overbay and if he struggles to start the second half of the season, it may be Hague who replaces him.

Starling Marte is on a bit of a cold streak in AA Altoona.  In his last ten games, Marte is hitting .122 with one home run and an OPS of .420.  No matter how well he hits, however, he will not be promoted to AAA until he gets a better grasp of the strike zone.  Marte's K/BB is 4.85 which is terrible.

Pirates Sign Third Round Pick Alex Dickerson
It was announced, yesterday, the Pirates signed former Indiana outfielder, Alex Dickerson.  The 2010 Big Ten Triple Crown winner played outfield for Indiana but projects to be a first baseman.  He has pretty good power with the ability to hit for average as well.  The only knock on Dickerson is his health.  He had back surgery to remove bulging disks when he was still in high school.  In 2011, he appeared to suffer similar problems.  If he remains healthy, he could be the Pirates' answer to first base.  For now, it is too early to project.

The Pirates have now signed seventeen of their 2011 draft picks.  Follow the signing tracker on Pirates Prospects.

First Half Recap

Here we are!  The midpoint of the season is here, the All-Star festivities have commenced and, as usual, the Pirates are 15 games out of first place and 12 games under...wait, what? The Pirates are only 1 game out of first and 4 games over .500? 

As surprising as the season has been, it has been equally exciting, entertaining and for the first time in nearly two decades, Pittsburgh fans has a reason to go to Pirates games for more than just fireworks and a concert.  The 47-43 record marks the first time the Pirates have had a winning record at the All-Star Break since 1992, their last winning season.  The Pirates are also sending 3 All-Stars for the first time since 1990. 

Manager Clint Hurdle has been the biggest reason for their turnaround, creating a winning atmosphere by preaching aggressive baseball and blocking players from looking into the putrid past of last year's team.  He has benched players such as Ronny Cedeno and Andrew McCutchen for taking plays off.  By benching McCutchen, the Pirates franchise player and superstar, Hurdle has shown he will not play favorites and that nobody's job is safe. 

The greatest improvement has been in the pitching staff.  After having the worst team ERA last year, the Pirates are currently ranked 8th in all of baseball in ERA.  Kevin Correia, an All-Star, is the first Pirates pitcher to reach double digit wins since 2009 (Ross Ohlendorf and Zach Duke).  Paul Maholm is the only starter with a losing record, however he also is among the bottom of the league in run support.  With a 2.69 ERA, Maholm deserves more than a 6-9 record.

Over the first half of the season, the Pirates have been nothing short of theatrical.  Lets take a look back on some of the turning points in the season:

April 1st-Opening Day

On a cold, rain soaked day in Wrigley, Neil Walker hit a grand slam and Andrew McCutchen added on with a 2-run homer as the Pirates defeated the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on opening day.  The Pirates would go on to win their first road series of the season. 

May 18th-21st Stopping the streak

After losing 6 straight games, the Pirates rebounded to win 4 in a row against the Reds and Tigers.  The winning streak gave fans their first sign of hope as previous Pirates teams would have tanked after losing 6 straight games.  The Pirates finished 13-13 in the month of May. 

June 3rd Interstate Showdown

Despite owning the 2nd highest payroll in MLB, the Phillies had their hands full with the Pirates.  Jeff Karstens, in what became a breakout game, matched Cole Hamels as both starters went at least 7 innings, surrendering one run a piece. With 2 outs in the 12th inning, Jose Tabata singled off the glove of Chase Utley and Xavier Paul came around to score.  The Pirates won 6-3 the following night, taking 2 out of 3 from the Phillies.

June 7th-8th Fight for .500

Down 5-3 in the 8th inning, the Pirates rallied to score 5 runs and defeat Arizona 8-5.  Lyle Overbay led the charge with a bases clearing double to give the Pirates the lead. The following night, the Pirates made the push back to .500.  After going down 2-1 in the 10th, Neil Walker singled home Andrew McCutchen to keep the team alive.  In the bottom of the 12th, Andrew McCutchen led off with a walk off home run to move the Pirates to 30-30. 

June 24th-25th Taking Down the Empire

Make no mistake, there is an Evil Empire just as prevalent in Boston as in New York.  The Pirates did not care.  Maholm pitched 5.1 solid innings and the bullpen did the rest to lock down a 3-1 victory on Friday.  On Saturday, Lyle Overbay took a Tim Wakefield knuckleball into the right field seats, putting the Pirates ahead for good.  The Pirates failed to sweep the Sox when they committed 4 errors on Sunday's series finale. 

July 8th The Fort Comes Through

Down 3-2 in the 8th inning, Josh Harrison singled home Neil Walker to tie the game.  Michael McKenry, the mighty mini catcher, smashed an 0-2 breaking ball over the left field wall and ensured the Pirates' first winning record at the All-Star break since 1992. 

While the pitching has continued to be successful, the offense has started to come around.  Entering Sunday's game against the Cubs, the Pirates had the highest team batting average over the last 10 games.  With a tough road trip ahead, the Pirates will need to click on all sides to stay in the race for the NL Central crown.  The last week of July includes 4 games against the Braves and 3 against the Phillies.  With both series on the road, Hurdle will become a guiding light for this young team.  If the Pirates come out of July in contention, they'll have plenty of chances to overtake the NL Central lead. Either way, Pirates fans are FINALLY able to see competitive baseball in the second half of the season.

Pirates Show Winning Spirit

Over the last 18 years, the Pirates have been the black eye of Major League Baseball, owning a losing record in each and every season since 1992.  After last year's disastrous season in which they went 57-105, the Pirates have shocked the world and are now 1.5 games back as of July 5th, 2011.  Winners in 9 of their last 13 games, Pittsburgh is looking past the .500 record that has alluded them this late in the season for the past 12 years, and is now looking at the division.

How?

The Pirates signed Clint Hurdle to change the mindset of the franchise by ignoring the past and looking to approach each game individually.  So far this season, his leadership has been the biggest factor in turning the team around.  In mid-May, the Bucs lost 6 straight games and were looking like a team ready to start their late-Spring slide.  They responded by winning 4 straight to remain afloat.  Now at 44-41, the Pirates are looking to start a winning streak that could propel them into first place by the All-Star break. 

Andrew McCutchen has been the biggest offensive factor hitting .294/.392/.498 with an .890 OPS.  But the biggest factor in this turnaround is the pitching staff.  After owning the worst ERA last year, the Pirates are 8th in all of baseball with a team ERA of 3.42. Kevin Correia is tied with the NL lead in wins with 11 and Jeff Karstens is 5th in the NL in ERA with 2.65.  Joel Hanrahan has been a perfect 25-25 in save opportunities which has essentially shortened the game to 8 innings.  With the rotation showing similar success, the Pirates have been tough to hit against and therefore, tough to beat.


One thing the Pirates haven't done to become successful, is spend millions of dollars on free agents.  The squad is made up of young prospects and a few veteran players.  The team appears to be a tight-knit group who hustles not only because they are required to, but because they realize it is a key to their success.  Matt Diaz, in a recent post game interview, outright stated the team was not talented enough to take plays off.  The players have bought into Hurdle's philosophy of playing hard on every play and focusing on each and every game.

"We're coming to the park expecting to win everyday," says Jeff Karstens. 

That is the pinnacle of what baseball use to be; players playing for a small salary but having fun and working hard at every opportunity.  This team is easy to root for because, as far as athletes go, they are comprised of kids who are focused on winning games and not contract numbers.  Sure, negotiations will happen down the road and Andrew McCutchen may get a bajillion dollars in the near future.  But right now, this team is focused on winning and that spirit has sorely been missed in a league where $10 million contracts are passed out like candy.

Penguins Continue to Get Defensive

If there's one thing the Penguins have, it is depth; particularly at center and defense.  The Pens added to that defense today by signing 6'7 245 lbs Boris Valabik.  A former Thrasher, Valabik came over to the Bruins in the Rich Peverly trade and played 59 games in the AHL with the Chicago Seawolves and Providence Bruins last year.

The Penguins added depth to their defense in the draft, selecting  Joseph Morrow and Scott Harrington who are still a few years away from reaching the NHL club.  Players who will be on the team to start the season will be Brooks Orpik, Paul Martin, Kris Letang and Zbynek Michalek.  That leaves Deryk Engelland, Ben Lovejoy, Matt Niskanen, Boris Valabik and possibly, former first round pick, Simon Despres.  Lovejoy had a strong showing in his rookie campaign and is a virtual lock to solidify a start on the third pairing.  Valabik is the tall, physical presence the Penguins have missed over the last couple years but it is uncertain if he'll be able to crack the NHL club by October.

Then there's Simon Despres, a skilled defenseman who won defenseman of the year in the QMJHL en route to a Memorial Cup championship.  However, he will still need to hone his skills in professional hockey which he will do in the AHL.  Despres almost made the team out of camp, last year, but the Penguins elected not to rush him.

With the depth of offensive defensemen in the system, it begs the question: Is Kris Letang on the trading block?  As deep as the organization is in centers and defensemen, they are equally as shallow in skilled wingers.  Letang, 24, was on pace to have a huge season before Crosby and Malkin went down with injuries.  However, after the megastars were out, Letang's game fell off tremendously and by the playoffs, he became a liability.  With a 3.5 million cap hit do not be surprised if Letang is mentioned as one of the possible defensemen on the trading block by February.  Ray Shero would not hesitate to make a move if it greatly benefited his team and Letang may be the key in getting Crosby a top 6 forward.  Then again, if Despres struggles in the AHL, the Penguins may keep Letang; not exactly a bad problem to have.

With Brad Richards playing alongside Marian Gaborik in New York, Jaromir Jagr signing in Philadelphia, Ilya Kovalchuk playing with Zach Parise in New Jersey and an improved New York Islanders team, the Penguins will have a lot of offensive weapons to shut down in the Atlantic Division.  Ray Shero not only beefed up the blue line, he is giving the Penguins options at a position that sees frequent injuries.

When Shero added Zbyenk Michalek and Paul Martin last year, the Penguins went through growing pains early in the season.  By the end of the regular season, the Penguins had the best penalty kill and 7th best defense.  Now that the defensive core is familiar with the offensive talent, look for an even better team in 2011.

The Judas of Pittsburgh

By: Chris Dazen

 
There are so many ways that I could have started this post, but I will open with a quote from Jaromir Jagr himself from just a little over two years ago.
“I was thinking about it and if Mario would call me and say, ‘I’d like you to play for our team,’ I would think about it a lot. I would play for the minimum salary. I would play for $350,000 just for him because I owe him my hockey life. I want to pay him back because he has made me what I am…besides my parents.”
Well, Mario made that call, and with that quote, Jaromir Jagr has become dead to the Pittsburgh Penguins fanbase, permanently.  If you in any way, shape or form insult or reflect negativity upon Mario Lemieux you are going to be hated, and being Jagr who just did that, consider him public enemy number one, again.  On top that he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers. I’m not sure that is real, did I really just type that. Yes I did. Dead to me.
The absurdity that was ‘Jagr Watch’, officially came to end here in Pittsburgh just a little after 11:40 a.m., and man did end abruptly.  What started as a nice idea of a nostalgia reunion for 68 and the Pens, came to a crashing halt when it was announced Shero had pulled his contract offer from Jagr and his agent, Petr Svoboda. Jagr officially became dead to the Pittsburgh fan base 1:30 p.m. when he officially signed with the Flyers. He crossed the line signing with Philly, literally and figuratively.  
Props to Shero and Detroit GM Ken Holland for pulling out of this at the right time. They both had needs they needed to address and couldn’t wait around any longer for Jagr to make his choice. The Pens were patient and they said nothing when he was supposed to let them know by Wednesday. Mario, of all people made a personal call to Jagr, and Mario never gets involved in these free agent situations. That is how serious of an offer this was for Jagr to come back to Pittsburgh. But Svoda said more teams were joining  the Jagr sweepstakes and wanted to sit and wait. Well Shero had enough:
"We made what we thought was a very fair contract offer to Jaromir on Tuesday, based on his stated interest of returning to the Penguins," said Ray Shero, the team's executive vice president and general manager. "We made our best offer from the start, given our salary cap structure, in an attempt to facilitate a deal. But now, after several days, with an extended time frame for making a decision, and additional teams getting involved, we have decided to move in a different direction. It was never our intention to get involved in a free agent bidding war, and we have to focus on our team.
Soon after Jagr had sealed his hate here to the tune of 1 year, $3.3 million. I have never once booed Jagr in his entire career, that has just changed. The way he treated Mario in this situation is what makes this 68x worse than what it is. The Pens had stated they were not happy with Jagr’s camp and how they were handling the situation. Imagine how mad they are now.  Betrayed is really the only word I can think of right now. It is how the entire fanbase feels right now.  Jagr has done some great things for this franchise, and I will never forget those and neither should you, but his legacy here, it is officially ruined at this moment. Jagr’s number will now never hang from the rafters with Lemieux and Michel Briere. His name currently resides in Penguins ring of honor, but he now remains forever on the outside looking in.

Bridge Burned: Pens Withdraw Offer to Jagr

It was all set up to be a glorious return.  Jaromir Jagr, after leaving the team that drafted him, was set to return and clear up all of his past issues with the franchise.  Making statements such as, "I owe my hockey life to Mario (Lemieux)", and that the return to the NHL had nothing to do with money, gave belief to Pittsburgh Penguins' fans that this was a mature player who had changed his attitude and was ready to revitalize his role as a Pittsburgh sports icon.

That never happened.

The Penguins made a generous 1 year $2 million contract and instead of jumping at the chance, as Jagr said he would, he decided to look at all offers from around the league including the Red Wings, Canadiens and Flyers.  Pens GM Ray Shero gave Jagr a deadline of Wednesday to make a decision and even extended the offer to Friday morning.  In the end, the Penguins withdrew their offer because they were fed up with the way Jagr's agent Mark Svoboda was conducting business.  Svoboda stated that Jagr's heart was in Pittsburgh but continued to pursue other offers while making the Penguins wait.  Shero was not willing to wait and retracted the offer while giving this statement:

"We made what we thought was a very fair contract offer to Jaromir on Tuesday, based on his stated interest of returning to the Penguins.  We made our best offer from the start, given our salary cap structure, in an attempt to facilitate a deal.  But now, after several days, with an extended time frame for making a decision, and additional teams getting involved, we have decided to move in a different direction.  It was never our intention to get involved in a free agent bidding war, and we have to focus on our team."

And that's it.  Jaromir Jagr, a player who allegedly wanted to come back to Pittsburgh for less money, proved he is still a selfish player who could care less about the team that drafted him and won two Stanley Cups in the process.  Mario Lemieux openly reached out to Jagr to talk to him about coming back and once again, Jagr let him down.  It's hard to believe their friendship hasn't been tarnished from this entire situation.  Then again, Jagr has never let his friends and teammates get in the way of his greed.  As for the Penguins, they will still be a Stanley Cup contending team this year.  Before the Winter Classic, the Penguins were among the league leaders in points and although they lost superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to injuries, their defense still finished 7th in goals allowed. Jagr's greed will not stop their goal to be a contending team. 

And this is Jagr's fault, not the agent.

Sure, Svoboda went out and took multiple offers from several teams, as mentioned before.  But Jagr could have made this easier by agreeing to the Penguins' deal on Wednesday and signing on the dotted line July 1st.  Instead, he chose to listen to offers in an attempt to jack the price up, thus forever burning his connection to Pittsburgh.  This latest decision has further angered Penguins fans on the level of Bob Nutting trading Andrew McCutchen at the deadline for a bag of peanuts.  Just as trust was starting to build in the 39 year old winger from the fan base that worshiped him during his time in Pittsburgh, Jagr pulled the rug out from underneath everybody.  His legacy, his time, his words all thrown into a negative light for the rest of his life; we're talking Barry Bonds type hatred.


As I was writing this it has been reported Jagr has signed with the Philadelphia Flyers.  He has officially destroyed all ties to the fan base and city of Pittsburgh.  What was once seen as a fairy tale to create nostalgia while slightly upgrading a much-needed position has turned into a nightmare situation for Penguins fans everywhere.  His reception here will be of the utmost hatred and anger unmatched by anyone else in the history of Pittsburgh sports. He came here claiming to be a hero only to show he is still very much a villain.