With the trade deadline less than three days away, Pirates GM Neal Huntington said that his front office “in the process of looking at adding to future clubs” rather than buying for a late run at a postseason berth in 2019. The Pirates have posted a nightmarish 2-14 record since the All-Star break, sending the team spiraling down the NL Central standings and leaving Huntington accepting his share of the blame.
“We haven’t overcome the challenges presented to us, and somebody has to be accountable for that — and it falls on me,” Huntington said during his KDKA-FM radio show this morning (hat tip to Nubyjas Wilborn of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). “I am accountable for everything that goes on in baseball operations. When it doesn’t work, we have to address why it doesn’t work. At the end of the day, this is a club I felt good about when we put it together.”
Pending free agents stand out as the most logical trade candidates, though “just because a player is on an expiring contract that doesn’t mean there isn’t an opportunity to retain that player,” Huntington said. “That doesn’t mean it’s the right thing just to grab a nickel if that’s all you can get. The player may have more value to us if he continues to perform. There is still a value you need to get on a deal; otherwise, it may be best to hold on to that player.”
In terms of potential free agents, Jordan Lyles, Corey Dickerson, Melky Cabrera, and Francisco Liriano are players who have been mentioned in trade rumors and have value to 2019 contenders. Chris Archer is under control via a $9MM club option for 2020, though it seems unlikely that Pittsburgh would sell low on the struggling right-hander just a year after paying a huge price to acquire Archer from the Rays. Starling Marte is also in the last guaranteed year of his contract, as he is controlled on club options for 2020 and 2021, though there hasn’t been any indication that the Pirates would make a huge move like dealing a cost-controlled outfielder with Marte’s high ceiling.
It should be noted that Huntington didn’t confirm whether the Bucs could be both sellers and buyers, as building for the future could also entail adding pieces to help the Pirates contend as early as 2020. The Archer trade, for instance, plus last summer’s addition of Keone Kela from the Rangers, were meant to help a struggling Pirates team turn things around this year. It’s probably somewhat less likely that Huntington and company will make such a big splash of an addition again at this deadline, but by the same token, Pittsburgh also seems likely to hang onto players like Marte or oft-mentioned trade target Felipe Vazquez since they want to compete soon.
“If we were not intending to be a competitive club, then the right move would be to explore trades for Felipe. But, we like our young core,” Huntington said. “We like what we have coming up in the minor leagues. We feel that can add to this club appropriately in the offseason, and Felipe will play a key role in that.”
TJECK109
It’s easy for him to say that accountability has to fall on him when there isn’t anyone holding him accountable for anything but keeping the payroll low.
Black_Pearl
Right on!
Jaysthoughts
He literally gets paid to say that. What can he say “the owner is cheap and because of the budget restrains placed on me and this team, if a few players get hurt or slump we lose” thats the truth. Nutting is the worst owner in pro sports. Also the truth
neo
In the future, many clubs will be grateful for how Huntington made them better by adding the right parts at the right time.
Goku the Knowledgable One
Anyone want Archer?
larry48
No way pirates are above 500 next year, they will suck worse than the do this year.
Mrlaudy
**This just in** Minnesota twins interested in every pitcher on the Pittsburgh staff
Goku the Knowledgable One
Can have all of them
Seriously no attachment to anyone on this team besides Bell.
So sad they dumped Meadows now have to rebuild without him.
tiredolddude
If they did half of this, I’d be happy. And Bell is a DH in waiting. Outfield? Maybe for your slow pitch team
larry48
He;s a 1b man, he no Bellinger defensiey but he is above average. Most Pirates player are below MLB average.
raisethejollyroger
You say the same garbage every year. Shut up and do something about it! Mandate the freakin owner to give you something to work with in regards to an actual budget instead of this dollar store mentality. Enough is enough
Robertowannabe
@raisethejollyroger. Mandate the owner? Does not work that way. Not in any business. How would it go if you went to the owner of the business that you work for and mandated anything. If you own the company, how would you handle an employee a few levels down from you and mandated anything to you. Huntington would be looking for a new job if he took that approach. Smh….
bapthemailman
Exactly. I don’t know why I keep supporting this team.
Goku the Knowledgable One
For one I haven’t been to a game in 2 years.
But also Neal should build the farm and not make dumb trades for Chris Archer, and we’d be better off.
Imagine if we actually got prospects for Cole & still had Meadows/Baz. Rebuild would be a lot less painful.
Erie4312
Go get Vasquez for ATL, maybe Wright, Wilson, Wentz, the three Ws
Too low or high?
fabulous61
Too much.
Robertowannabe
At least on the right track. Considering what Chapman brought from the Cubs and he was only a rental, it would have to take a franchise altering get for the Pirates to move Vasquez.
TJECK109
Yeah he may not be Chapman dominate but the cost of his contract makes him a ridiculous value
Robertowannabe
Bingo.
Robertowannabe
PS- if your reply is to let him go and just get a new GM. The last GM that was any good was Joe L Brown and Harding Peterson. Sad Thrift was not bad but he was only on the job a couple of years.irst Everyone since Thrift until Huntington was horrible
Mendoza Line 215
I think that you are talking about Cam Bonifay and Dave Littlefield.
I think that both were worse than horrible,and I usually give people the benefit of any doubt,There were reasons that the Pirates had twenty straight losing seasons.It was the trifecta in horridness- ownership, upper level management,and management,except for Jim Leyland.
Goku the Knowledgable One
“franchise altering package”
Aka your top prospects from 3 years ago that are now busts.
That’s what Huntington targets
larry48
won’t help [pirates will find a way to suck anyway.
cmtaylor98
If you make s deal make it a big deal.
Pirates get: Wright, Waters, Wilson, Minter, and Contreras
Braves get: Vazquez, Marte, Dickerson, Archer, and Kela.
Pirates get 4 pieces for 2020, and a catcher of the future.
Braves get a starter, 2 BP arms, and a starting OF.
Edward Reilly
That is a horrible trade you must be a braves fan
Dice 66
Yea he must be. Atlanta always thinks they are better than what they are.
Robertowannabe
Not enough. Vasquez himself should bring much of that by himself
jtkuch
Vazquez alone brings back at least half of that, try again
steelerbravenation
Not now with that sorry return Stroman brought back
Vázquez will still bring back a pretty haul but i believe everybody’s returns took a hit with Toronto’s return today.
Black_Pearl
How was it a sorry return? Toronto received the Mets top 2 pitching prospects, #s 4 and 6 in their organization. Stroman only has one year of control and shaky past.
jimmyz
One trade doesn’t immediately devalue every single player in the league.
Goku the Knowledgable One
Agreed. I’d even say it was an overpay for the likes of Stroman.
NuckBobFutting
I wouldn’t want Wright if I was the Pirates. A package of Ruiz and May would be a lot more appealing. Wright’s control and command is below average. A young pitcher with below average control sounds way too familiar.
steelerbravenation
One is #38 the other is #35 on the mlbpipeline Top 100 prospect list
That is really to close to call
NuckBobFutting
May is 3 years younger I believe and he pounds the zone. He has a good fastball and a curve that gets groundouts. If he develops his change up he will be a good number 3.
Getting Ruiz would be obviously the biggest thing for the Pirates.
steelerbravenation
If he develops his change ???
Wright has 4 plus pitches
You can have May and I am perfectly fine with Wright for my team
Wright will be our number 2 behind Soroka within a couple years and Brave fans will be perfectly happy with that
Dice 66
Should we just call the season now since the Braves are so great.
balboa10
Would need lux too for that deal
Backup Catcher to the Backup Catcher
May and Ruiz for Vasquez would be great for the Bucs. LA has lost the last two WS and don’t want a three-peat. this year should they get there. Besides, LA will have Urias in the rotation next year and Smith looks like the catcher of the present and the future. Translation? No room in the inn for May and Ruiz in 2020.
balboa10
More than that
larry48
Dodgers have other catchers, I read where they have 4 very good catchers at various levels . Barnes may be available buy low sell high
DTD
Maybe 2 of the 3 unless Pittsburgh throws in 2 mid level prospects
rxbrgr
Add to future clubs is another way to say “SELL!”
NuckBobFutting
Well not exactly. Players do have contracts that are past this year and the next
Goku the Knowledgable One
Harsh that it wasn’t worded build for next year, but build for future clubs.
Ugh
markburgh
The pirates the minor league of the majors
steelerbravenation
I know one thing after the Stroman to Mets trade Riley,
Waters, Pache, Anderson & Wright are safe.
I can’t believe Brodie robbed them like that
He would think the Braves, Twins, Yankees, Dodgers, Astros, Cards, Brewers , Padres or Reds woulda all offered more than what they got from the Mets.
ShayP
Huntington’s comments struck a nerve again. I am so weary of the same old spiel. Pirates fan of 40+ years here, and I get that ultimately this is just a business. However Huntington and company have kept the standard of mediocrity and will only strive for that. Yeah, it’s great that we had a few years of ‘playoffs’ after 20 years of losing. (thank you wild card system) I’m beyond sick of the company line and the same talk time and time again. I truly believe Nutting uses the organization solely to leverage his other businesses and the Pirates are secondary. He refuses to consider selling the team…and yes, there were people interested in buying. I don’t know what goes on in his head but my gut tells me he is not passionate about baseball. Clint Hurdle is nothing more than a counselor spouting off daily affirmations. This team has repeated the same fundamental mistakes for several years with no improvements. Well, maybe some, but overall…not enough. Searage is no guru, no matter what his reputation is with the few reclamation projects he had success with. The Pirates knew before this season what they needed to address and they didn’t. And they won’t. Sadly, Huntington and Hurdle won’t be fired due to their contract extensions. They deserve to be fired. Nobody will change my mind on that.
Oh…I apologize for the long post. I get passionate sometimes. Cheers everyone!
Black_Pearl
Right on ShayP, couldn’t have said it any better.
army123456
Nutting is cheap and pocketing the profits. The only reason Huntington and the manager is still around because they keep their mouth shut. The pirates are horrible because they don’t spend any money.
Backup Catcher to the Backup Catcher
Passion is good. It’s present in the stands at PNC Park. Sadly, it’s absent in the owner’s box.
Mendoza Line 215
Nutting is a fine businessman,and in that respect he is much better than the well meaning knuckleheads who owned this team after John Galbreath.
At least the Pirate are not being shopped to other cities.
Unfortunately,winning is only secondary to profits for Nutting.
Mendoza Line 215
I generally agree with you ShayP.
No need to apologize.
Many of us feel your pain.
joew
replace ray, or at least get some one in that can teach the young guys. hes okay with the vets but for what ever reason most younger guys dont respond well.
extend melky or corey. i like them both pick one. melky is more fun to watch… and healthy.
give liriano another year as well. hes done pretty well out of the pen.
trade kela
trade archer if you got a buyer and if you dont get a new pitching coach buy out the options
if you got a buyer for kang take it.
if someone wants polanco listen.
if someone wants fraizer or moran maybe if you get needed pieces. (pitching and catching)
NuckBobFutting
They’re not gonna trade Archer and get nothing back for him. They just have to hope they can figure him out by next season
geejohnny
Archer’s problem is mental. He has very little ability to make the big pitch when he needs to.
rocky7
Archer is and has always been tremendously over rated.
It’s always….wait until next year as he has figured it all out.
larry48
Hope you are right, Rios would be at ML but blocked at 3B by turner and first by take your choice Bellinger, Muncy. etc., Ruiz will need 2 more year. Stripling would be great if he starts for season .
ronnsnow
You wanna trade Archer, Kang, and Polanco? All 3 of them combined have as much trade value as a pallet of rotten onions. Why not shop Cervelli as well?
reneaguerra
Vasquez is going to the Dodgers for Kiebert Ruiz, Ross stripling, Edwin Rios & one possibly more top 20 Dodger prospect.
STLSPIN
Ruiz and May or a couple others if May is not included.
balboa10
May Ruiz. Lux and Beaty we will throw in Dickerson.
Black_Pearl
That’s a joke of a return. #1 prospect is great, but a #15 and a 29 year old reliever/spot starter and a throw in. Ridiculous.
larry48
Hope you are right, Rios would be at ML but blocked at 3B by turner and first by take your choice Bellinger, Muncy. etc., Ruiz will need 2 more year. Stripling would be great if he starts for season .
reneaguerra
*Possibly one more
STLSPIN
Such a sad situation in Pittsburgh! Either they are picking wrong? Developing wrong? Terrible at trades? All of the above?
Black_Pearl
Yep. And yet our upper management and coaching staff haven’t and won’t change.
keysox
Live in Florida, their last draft was horrible. Their rookie league team (GCL) is just bad.
jimmyz
Any conversation about the Pirates’ roster construction has to start with the fact that whatever holes are in the roster at the end of September will be there at the beginning of April. The Pirates treat free agency the way the Orioles treated the international market the past handful of years.
Beyond that the answer to your questions is sometimes, undoubtedly, and usually not but a big one blew up in their face.
reneaguerra
I’ve heard the Pirates would trade him for May (who teams really value) & one lower level prospect like a Rios. Obviously the Dodgers want to hold onto May who’d probably be in their rotation next year.
balboa10
Ur nuts. Lux May and two other top 15 at least
reneaguerra
YoHoHo! Stripling was an All Star last year in the only season he was given the call every 5th day…+ he’ll help their suck portfolios with his Wall Street Prowes
Black_Pearl
Not saying he’s not a good player or an upgrade to the Bucs’ staff. He’s already 29 and only controllable through arbitration after this year. He shouldn’t be the 2nd best part of the return. They need another top 10 prospect in the deal.
*Also Stripling only made 21 starts last year out of 33 appearances.
reneaguerra
*Stock.
CKinSTL
I hear TB is looking for pitching. How about a deal that sends Archer to TB for Meadows, Baz, and Glasnow?
reneaguerra
I agree with you, he shouldn’t be the 2nd best player. I know the Pirates are asking for an MLB starting pitcher, he is better than AVG MLB starter & would be a solid addition to most rotations. He’s being asked to relieve in LA & he’s not that type of pitcher.
Black_Pearl
Ok I’m following you.
Kola3940
Operation Abandon Ship needs to happen now!!!
Trade Vazquez, Lyles, and Kramer to the Dodgers for Gavin Lux, Dustin May, and Will Smith
Trade Marte and Liriano to the Indians for Bobby Bradley, Carlos Vargas and Oscar Gonzalez
Trade Dickerson to the Cubs for Justin Steele
Trade Musgrove and Kela to the Astros for Abraham Torro and Joshua Rojas
Trade Archer and Polanco to the A’s for Robert Puason, Jordan Diaz and Hogan Harris
Trade Cabrera to the Angels for Alexander Ramierez
DFA Kang
Move Bell to outfield. Call up Craig, Keller, Martin, Tucker, Hayes
66TheNumberOfTheBest
You know Bell has gained like 80 pounds since the last time he played the OF, right?
Kola3940
Bell weighs 245. The same as Staton. Bell can still play OF and then they can get him and Craig in the lineup. Otherwise need to trade Craig.
ronnsnow
Literally none of this will happen. Trades you make on MLB The Show are not realistic.
Kola3940
Literally have never played that game. I know none of it will happen, just putting out what the Pirates should do by trading for with prospects who are in triple a blocked by a major leaguer or in the case of some, are 16 and 17 years old and are a crap shoot.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
For some reason, people in Pittsburgh get really mad when Huntingdon opts for a more diplomatic answer instead of stating the obvious. If it’s obvious, why do they need it to be stated?
1) Keep everyone but the rentals. Reload with some reclamation projects for Searage to fill in the pitching.
2) Trade Vazquez for a uniquely perfect package of near ready MLB prospects that fill specific holes and add it to the current core.
3) Trade Vazquez, Marte, Bell, Archer, Kela and the rentals and look towards 2022 or 2023. But don’t trade just enough of the veterans to not be able to contend, but not enough of them to really reload. If both Marte and Vazquez go, Bell and Archer have to go, too.
Those are their options.
Backup Catcher to the Backup Catcher
Bell’s pre-all star game numbers and the emergence of Bryan Reynolds are the only two bright spots for the Bucs this year.
BTW, and JMHO, seems like everyone who participates in the Home Run Derby fall off a cliff afterwards. Bell has been awful this month.
dmere66
Newman isn’t a bright spot?
Mendoza Line 215
How about Stallings?
The Pirate were entertaining before the AS break.
They do not give up,and that is a credit to Hurdle.
Unfortunately,this owner is really only concerned about the bottom line.When GM’s can make the pronouncement that he just made then you know that he is not concerned about losing his job.
dmere66
As long as Clint Hurdle is manager and Ray Searage is there this team will not be competitive again. Forget 2013-15.
Buccrazy
Guy should be a politician. Adding to future clubs lmao.
The organization is all snake oil salesmen, and it starts from the top.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
I anticipated more urgency towards winning this season for one simple reason…the Pirates TV deal is up for renewal soon and it would make sense to want to win to have higher ratings to have more leverage when negotiating the next deal, which is the single most important non-centralized income stream for the team.
Funny thing happened along the way.
A large portion of the “fans” have spent years bragging about and trying to convince others (the “fans” yell at the fans for going to games) to not go to PNC Park. Like a rain dance, they thought that depriving a cheap man of money would cause him to somehow spend more. Instead, as anyone who could see clearly predicted, Nutting would just cut payroll instead. Which is what he did.
BUT…they didn’t stop watching at home. And now, the Pirates have the 6th highest local TV ratings in all of MLB. Nutting would MUCH rather they be watching at home. So now, he’ll have plenty of leverage with AT&T Sports Pittsburgh without having to improve the team.
Now, many of the same “fans” in their anger are calling for the tear down of a mostly young team to replace it with a different young team, eventually. And if the Pirates take their advice? Nutting gets to roll out teams with $40 million payrolls for the next few years. He would love nothing more.
For people who hate him so much, they keep doing him a lot of favors.
Mendoza Line 215
Radio and TV ratings are so good because of the elderly population in the western PA and Pittsburgh area.
The posters that you complain correctly about are saying not to attend because they do not have much recourse other than that in not supporting the team.
You have to give Nutting credit in one respect- he is a very good businessman.He knows how to make money.He does not want to spend extra money unless the Pirates are close to actually being a good team.Consequently NH is prone not to have room to take chances.
The Pirates need to spend on some decent free agent pitchers for next year.Their salary total needs to be around $80M to have a chance at competing.While Kuhl and Santana would have been very helpful this year,adding 10 wins to this club,they may or may not be able to come back from TJ surgery.
BrutallyHonestGamer
It’s funny how fans forget. It’s going to be 21 more years of “let’s build for next year” In all those 21 years of losing, how many #1 draft picks and high draft picks overall did the Pirates have for being terrible and yet they still sucked. I see the same thing happening now all over again. Tear it down and rebuild the farm. That didn’t work for 21 years, they got lucky for 3 years, and now it’s all going to hell again. There’s no reason to believe that anything will change until the Manager, GM and the owner are all fired, and sadly you can’t do anything about the owner.
retire21
I feel compelled to point out that it was 20 years. In Pittsburgh, the number 21 still elicits good memories.
greatgame 2
Lyles at 36-59 and a 5.39 ERA has no trade value. Hes lucky to have made $11.9M in his career. Ridiculous.
Mendoza Line 215
Actually I think that they got a decent minor league pitcher today for him.
Connorsoxfan
The last time they said this they traded Glasnow Baz and Meadows so have fun lmao
Mendoza Line 215
Connors-You were really big on the Pirates before the AS game when they were beating the Cubs.
Are you a fair weather fan?
FakeExpert
Pirates trade,
P Felipe Vasquez
Dodgers trade,
P Julio Urias
C/3B Will Smith
P Mitchell White/ P Caleb Ferguson
OF Zach Reks
Pirates trade,
P Keone Kela
P Jordan Lyles
Twins trade,
P Stephen Gonsalves
P Fernando Romero/ P Griffin Jax
Pirates trade,
P Francisco Liriano
OF Corey Dickerson
Indians trade,
P Jean Carlos Mejia
OF Mitch Longo
Those are the deals id make.
inhoc1983
Please trade Marte it’s clear hes not going to change. He makes bonehead errors constantly, never goes full tilt, baserunning intelligence is that of a 3 year old. Get the prospects from the Dodgers for Vazquez and you can get a good haul from another contender for Marte.
You can replenish your minor league system in those 2 moves