Official 2012-13 Pirates Off-Season Thread

[canaan]

Why would the Pirates now trade for a catcher?

its a weird trade proposal all around. it says the pirates dont care for gaby sanchez (who may go the other way as the "additional roster player", but i doubt it) and would get a mediocre, switch hitting 1b back in Smoak. You get a decent catcher in return, numbers wise, but wouldnt get much PT with the recent FA signing. It frees up some salary, but doesnt make the pirates better. maybe i overvalue GJ's bat, but i dont like this idea at all.

[Troy Loney]

It doesn't really make any sense. I'm also not sure why the Pirates are so eager to trade their cleanup hitter.

[Malkamaniac]

It doesn't really make any sense. I'm also not sure why the Pirates are so eager to trade their cleanup hitter.

Making room for Hamilton.

[Rocco]

It doesn't really make any sense. I'm also not sure why the Pirates are so eager to trade their cleanup hitter.

Reasons to keep Jones:

1) Hits righties very well
2) Can play 1B/OF
3) Decent dude who plays hard
4) Not terribly expensive next year

Reasons to move Jones:

1) Last year may have been his high water mark
2) Mostly neutralized late in games by lefty relievers
3) Bad at 1B, horrible in the OF
4) Worst base runner in the universe

It makes sense to at least listen and see what you can get for him.

[Troy Loney]

I'm most concerned about the residual effect..Alvarez becoming the default #4 hitter. He wilts in that spot.

[KennyTheKangaroo]

Reasons to keep Jones:

1) Hits righties very well
2) Can play 1B/OF
3) Decent dude who plays hard
4) Not terribly expensive next year

Reasons to move Jones:

1) Last year may have been his high water mark
2) Mostly neutralized late in games by lefty relievers
3) Bad at 1B, horrible in the OF
4) Worst base runner in the universe

It makes sense to at least listen and see what you can get for him.

If Rocco is fine with the sanchize at 1st and tabata/snider/barf in right, then by all means, trade jones.

[Rocco]

I'm most concerned about the residual effect..Alvarez becoming the default #4 hitter. He wilts in that spot.

He has a total of 139 PA in his career as a cleanup hitter.

[Rocco]

Reasons to keep Jones:

1) Hits righties very well
2) Can play 1B/OF
3) Decent dude who plays hard
4) Not terribly expensive next year

Reasons to move Jones:

1) Last year may have been his high water mark
2) Mostly neutralized late in games by lefty relievers
3) Bad at 1B, horrible in the OF
4) Worst base runner in the universe

It makes sense to at least listen and see what you can get for him.

If Rocco is fine with the sanchize at 1st and tabata/snider/barf in right, then by all means, trade jones.

Implicit in trading Jones is finding someone to play 1B, with Snider getting first chance to fail miserably in RF.

[Idoit40fans]

I wouldn't be opposed to Smoak, he's still only in his mid 20s. Not sure how easily i'd give up Hanrahan though, do they have anyone that can be reasonably expected to close for a season?

[LeopardLetang]

I'm most concerned about the residual effect..Alvarez becoming the default #4 hitter. He wilts in that spot.

He has a total of 139 PA in his career as a cleanup hitter.

agreed. he's was so streaky last year that i can't chalk up his poor performance in the cleanup role to wilting. though like loney i also wouldn't be comfortable going into the season with him as the four hitter.

[canaan]

I wouldn't be opposed to Smoak, he's still only in his mid 20s. Not sure how easily i'd give up Hanrahan though, do they have anyone that can be reasonably expected to close for a season?

theyd put their hopes in grilli, id assume.

[Rocco]

It's not that hard to find a closer. The Pirates signed Dotel and he was fine as a closer before turning it over to a reclamation project that couldn't throw strikes with his last team. The toughest part about finding a closer is getting a lead after 8 innings.

[ville5]

I'm guessing this was plan B or most likely plan C if they failed to get Martin or another FA backstop.
Although with NH you never know.

[KennyTheKangaroo]

for those of you who follow prospects closely, what has been smoak's issue? kenny the kangaroo remembers him being a stud in college and very hyped in TEX, but why is he struggling?

[thehockeyguru]

It doesn't really make any sense. I'm also not sure why the Pirates are so eager to trade their cleanup hitter.

Making room for Hamilton.

Hahahah. We dont have any other options at 1B.

[FreeCandy44]

Third Eye Blind skyblast 8/31. I'm pumped.

Was Vertical Horizon unavailable?

[Mr. Colby]

Jones is more valuable to the Pirates than he is in a trade

It might be better to hang on to Hanrahan for a bit and trade him during the season, his value will go up by then and is too low now

[Loaf31]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1428 ... lo-stanton

I know that this is from Bleacher Report, and I know that it is an opinion piece, but I would do this deal in a heartbeat.

[thehockeyguru]

The Bucs should offer Miami the following players for Stanton: Jameson Taillon, Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, and a few lesser Triple-A pitchers (Jeff Locke, Justin Wilson, etc). The Marlins would receive a ton of talent, yet the Pirates would retain a few high-end prospects while locking up one of the game's best players for the foreseeable future.

That seems like a lot, but I dont doubt that is what it would cost to get Stanton.

I agree that Garrett Jones is worth more to this team than he is likely to fetch in a trade. Same for Hanrahan

[Troy Loney]

Of course you would make that trade, that's three question marks for one elite middle of the order bat under contract for like 4 years.

[thehockeyguru]

Of course you would make that trade, that's three question marks for one elite middle of the order bat under contract for like 4 years.

I cant see the Marlins trading the center piece of their rebuilding effort.

[thehockeyguru]

My real concern at this point is who do they sign to fill Karstens spot in the rotation?

[ulf]

My real concern at this point is who do they sign to fill Karstens spot in the rotation?

Jeff Karstens

[Rocco]

My real concern at this point is who do they sign to fill Karstens spot in the rotation?

One does not simply replace PGK.

[ulf]

My real concern at this point is who do they sign to fill Karstens spot in the rotation?

One does not simply replace PGK.

What day is easter? I'm thinking if PGK is real, he will rise again with a P on his hat at about that time.