SportsNation Blog Archives
Lastings Milledge
We've spent considerably more time over the last couple of months talking about the Pirates than their basement-dwelling peers like the Royals and Orioles, but they just make it so easy. After all, an inability to field a competitive team is one thing -- Elgin Baylor made a nice living out of it -- but trading away a potential contender over the course of two seasons? That takes a certain something special. Surely, Pirates GM Neal Huntington deserves to be ranked ahead of Royals GM Dayton Moore for chutzpah alone.
The latest to leave the fold were shortstop Jack Wilson, second baseman Freddy Sanchez and pitcher Ian Snell. And look, this whole rebuilding thing might work, even if SportsNation isn't buying it. The haul for Sanchez was Tim Alderson, the Giants' No. 4 prospect according to Baseball America, and the guys at USS Mariner, who are right more often than they're wrong about these things, weren't thrilled about how much Seattle gave away for a good defensive shortstop in Wilson and an enigmatic pitcher in Snell.
But even if Alderson, Jeff Clement, Lastings Milledge and Andrew McCutchen are the second coming of the "We Are Family" Pirates, the franchise has a serious credibility problem. Just ask SportsNation blogger Fairsoldier50, who says it's time for Huntington to buy a cabin in the woods.
- Sanchez makes it close, but voters say Nate McLouth still best player dealt this season.
- Is there hope for baseball fans in Pittsburgh? Vote on state of the Pirates.
- Is Neal Huntington the worst GM in baseball or a secret genius? Rank them all.
- Groups: I'm not a fruntrunner; I'm a Pirates Fan! | Pittsburgh Pride | The NL Central
“Any Pirates fan that doesn't like either of these trades is not really a Pirates fan.
” -- redguy12588
“I GIVE UP!!!!!! How can I watch and cheer for a team that wants to suck. I just gave all my stuff to a bum because thats how i feel about the Pirates. Pirates ownership sucks soooo bad, pay me half the money those guys make and I can do just as good as them and maybe better. oh, I just threw up in my mouth. I am so glad that football is starting soon so i can watch a team that wants to win in Pittsburgh, THE STEELERS!!!!
” -- BrianLarry
“The Pirates ownership continues to bilk the fans buy putting out a terrible product in a nice package (PNC Park). They wouldn't even spend to a salary cap, if there was one because they don't care enough. How long can you continue to rebuild a team for? The last time they were any good, Barry Bonds was a skinny young man. They have gone beyond rebuilding. It's a constant cycle. Pathetic..
” -- bus3668
When do you give up on a franchise? It's a simple question, but that doesn't necessarily mean it has an easy answer for baseball fans in Pittsburgh these days.
The city has championship teams in the NFL and NHL, and while there's some rebuilding to do without DeJuan Blair, the University of Pittsburgh basketball program gives hoops fans something to look forward to in the winter. What the Steel City doesn't have is a competitive baseball franchise. And while the folks running the show say they're trying to change that, should Pirates fans -- or the remaining players -- believe it after Tuesday's pair of trades makes it four starting outfielders dealt since the beginning of last season?
- SportsNation blogger SteelCityKing1982 says Pirates ownership is living up to the "irate" part of the team's nickname and can't understand trading away Eric Hinske and Nyjer Morgan to the Yankees and Nationals, respectively.
- Also a fan of all things Pittsburgh, blogger TheKidSero was on board with trading away Nate McLouth earlier this season but is dumbfounded at breaking up the Andrew McCutchen-Morgan combo in the outfield.
- Blogger Godlike_82, a Yankees fan, chimes in that while he's comfortable in his team's position, he's worried about the game in general when teams like the Pirates, Royals and Nationals continue to struggle on the cheap.
- Groups: I'm not a frontrunner; I'm a Pirates fan! | Pittsburgh: City of Champions
- Chat: Ask Baseball America's Jim Callis about the Pirates' farm system at 2 p.m. ET
“I understand the reasononing behind the trades. Their farm system is unproductive and they are on pace for another losing season. However with only six games behind the nl leading brew crew I dont think its time for a fire sale. Getting rid of the talent is only going delay them another season of making the playoffs. All I gotta say is they better be active in free agency next year because we have the pitching now we need the power.
” -- steelsityswammi
“Pittsburgh fans should boycott this organization and do not buy any tickets for the remainder of the year.
” -- iceman4342
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