Official 2012-13 Pirates Off-Season Thread

[schreibdog]

C: Martin, McKenry
IF: Sanchez, Jones, Walker, Barmes, Alvarez, Harrison/DeJesus
OF: McCutchen, Snider, Marte, Tabata, Presley/Sands
SP: Burnett, McDonald, Rodriguez, Liriano, Locke/McPherson
RP: Grilli, Melancon, Hughes, Morris, Watson, ??, ?? (Leroux, Mazzaro, Oliver, Stewart, Wilson?)

I doubt they go after another SP. I think NH will sign a few more RP's to compete for the last two spots and that'll be it...unless he deals a corner OF or 1B. I don't think this team can afford to lose GFJ. Gaby, Marte, and Presley each have options left, for what it's worth.

[Idoit40fans]

I did not realize hanrahan was 31. Also this deal is fine.

[pittsports87]

Not impressed with this trade at all. Hanrahan was one of the best closers in baseball and Holt was crushing it in AAA and shown the ability to get on base in the majors in his short 24 game stint.

Sands doesn't impress me at all. He might have some power but he strikes out a lot. Just what the team that was near the top of the league in striking out needs, another guy that strikes out a lot.

StoleMy Pimentel Loaf is in AA at 22 years old but it seems many think his ceiling is a 4th/5th starter at the ML level.

Melancon was really good in 2011 with the Astros but struggled with the Sox last year. He was dominate in AAA in 20 innings last year so hopefully he worked some things out and can be solid at the back of our rotation.

Hopefully De Jesus can finally get back on track since his broken leg, he was set to be a stud at 2nd base until his injury in 09.

[schreibdog]

Also, Pirates 40 man roster sits at 41 after this deal, so an additional move will need to be made. My guess is Van Den Hurk is DFA'd

[Alejandro Rojas]

Melancon is not a starter, Dejesus is < Brock Holt (who someone on Twitter compared to Craig Biggio), and Hanrahan was trending downwards. Now I am a Blue Jays fan, but Pirate fans overvalue their own players like few I have ever seen.

[pfim]

Melancon is not a starter, Dejesus is < Brock Holt (who someone on Twitter compared to Craig Biggio), and Hanrahan was trending downwards. Now I am a Blue Jays fan, but Pirate fans overvalue their own players like few I have ever seen.

Brock Holt is Craig Biggio? That person needs to have their head examined.

Meh to the deal.

[MRandall25]

I saw a report that said we got David DeJesus. David DeJesus plays for the Cubs.

[ville5]

Ivan Jr.

[PhantomJB93]

Eh, I just don't get this deal. I'm not a fan of getting rid of Holt, and while the return we got isn't the worst trade we've made recently, I still think I would have rather just kept Hanrahan this year.

IDK, I'm not as trusting of Grilli as a lot of other people seem to be, he never really amounted to much until the first half of last year. Hanrahan may not have been as lights out as his stats say, but the vast majority of the time we never had to worry about the ninth inning at all if we had a lead, and for a team with as many holes as this one, that was a big deal.

[PghSkins]

meh-riffic

[Mr. Colby]

Holt is a 25 year old "prospect" with minimal experience, bad speed, doesnt walk, and can't play a position

[Idoit40fans]

I don't think closers are dime-a-dozen by any means, but I think that if nothing else in the past decade, the Pirates have shown the ability to always have a good bullpen. Thats why I like the trade.

[JS©]

One downside to trading Hanrahan is we lose his significant other:



That would be the lady in the middle, not the elderly woman off to the side before anyone asks.

Like any reliever, she's replaceable.

[MWB]

Very few relievers in the league are hard to replace, and if a team like the Pirates can get a halfway decent return for one of theirs, they should.

[Rocco]

Not a fan, now that I know the details. I like Melancon and Sands, but not for Brock Holt too :/

He's a scrappy white guy. Of course Boston would demand him in the trade.

[Rocco]

Holt is a 25 year old "prospect" with minimal experience, bad speed, doesnt walk, and can't play a position

He's probably a 2nd baseman, which is one position the Pirates don't need. He doesn't really have the range to play SS.

[columbia]

I'm not sure that trading Hanrahan will negatively affect their place in the 2013 standings, so they might as well get something in return. ie The bullpen will probably be spent by August anyway, so I don't think it matters.

[Loaf31]

I actually like the trade. I am really intrigued by Sands, if he gets PA, he could be a beast.

[ulf]

The more I think about it, Dejesus is the same as Holt. I don't love the trade, but i don't hate it.

[Mr. Colby]

The more I think about it, Dejesus is the same as Holt. I don't love the trade, but i don't hate it.

Seems pretty accurate.

Traded Hanrahan for a similar, traded Holt for a similar, got 2 other guys.

Obviously Melancon isn't Hanrahan, but he will fill a similar role and will probably really only be marginally worse.

[KennyTheKangaroo]

so does this trade make the team better in 2013?

[pfim]

so does this trade make the team better in 2013?

No. Not sure it makes the team any worse though.

[Mr. Colby]

I'd say yes because it allowed them to sign Liriano.

I also wouldn't be surprised at all of Melancon outperforms Hanrahan this season. Relievers are so volatile and the AL East and the NL Central are two different worlds.

[MWB]

I'd say yes because it allowed them to sign Liriano.

I also wouldn't be surprised at all of Melancon outperforms Hanrahan this season. Relievers are so volatile and the AL East and the NL Central are two different worlds.

I agree. I think the odds are better than 50/50 that one or both of these things happens:

1. Hanrahan has an ERA over 4 and doesn't hold on to the closer's job.

2. Melancon has an ERA under 3.5 and saves at least 20 games.

[Idoit40fans]

Id bet on 2 happening. I wouldnt bet on 1, but i wouldnt bet against it either.