Posted by Bonn1997:
Posted by VDesai:
I read a rumor about an Ohlendorf for Damaso Marte swap? That would help a lot- cheaper option than Fuentes and a pretty good reliever in his own right.
Ugh! The last thing Cashman needs to focus on is more bullpen help.
we need a lefty setup man & Marte is a good one... COL wants Ian Kennedy for Fuentes... if Cashman can get Marte for Ohlendorff it's a no brainer... Ohly's young & got a live arm but he's struggled this season bigtime... we have young righty relievers that can take his place in the pen down the road, but we don't have many lefty prospects.
[Edited by - TMS on 07-15-2008 07:44 AM]
We need a lefty reliever? Based on what? Our bullpen ERA is 3.47. Maybe if we're trying to construct the perfect roster, we need that, but there are too many glaring weaknesses to worry about perfecting an already very good bullpen. How many more games do you think we would have won if we had a lefty reliever this year? They need to focus on a 5th starter and a better hitting CFer if they want to make the playoffs--maybe a 4th starter too, depending on what happens with Ponson. We really need much more production from 2nd base but I wouldn't give up on Cano right now. Even if he's terrible all season, I'll still stick with him for next season.
[Edited by - bonn1997 on 07-15-2008 10:56 AM]
Posted by Bonn1997:
We need a lefty reliever? Based on what? Our bullpen ERA is 3.47. Maybe if we're trying to construct the perfect roster, we need that, but there are too many glaring weaknesses to worry about perfecting an already very good bullpen. How many more games do you think we would have won if we had a lefty reliever this year? They need to focus on a 5th starter and a better hitting CFer if they want to make the playoffs--maybe a 4th starter too, depending on what happens with Ponson. We really need much more production from 2nd base but I wouldn't give up on Cano right now. Even if he's terrible all season, I'll still stick with him for next season.
[Edited by - bonn1997 on 07-15-2008 10:56 AM]
I'll just add that lefties are hitting .190 against Edwar Ramirez. If he gets them out, I don't care if he throws it with his right hand or right foot for that matter.
based... on... the fact that we don't have a lefty reliever???
ur not making any sense right now... if Cashman can add a quality lefty arm to the pen, something we don't currently have, for a prospect that's expendable, he should do it.
this isn't a move that will prevent him from making others... what's the problem?
Posted by TMS:
based... on... the fact that we don't have a lefty reliever???
ur not making any sense right now... if Cashman can add a quality lefty arm to the pen, something we don't currently have, for a prospect that's expendable, he should do it.
this isn't a move that will prevent him from making others... what's the problem?
Lefties are hitting 55 points higher against Marte than against Ramirez and 49 than against Veras. If you replace Veras or Ramirez with Marte when facing lefties, all you've done is put in a more hittable pitcher. Who cares which hand he throws with?
Meanwhile, Melky is the fourth worst hitting CFer in all of baseball based on OPS. Why not use Olendorf as part of a deal to upgrade CF. THAT, not pitching against lefties, is where we have a major need.
because Ohlendorff is not likely going to appeal to teams willing to trade away any upgrades at CF... who exactly do u think we can get for him anyway? there aren't exactly a plethora of good CFers available to us in any trades & if there were it would take more than Ohlendorff to get them... the only guy i can possibly think of is someone like Aaron Rowand & for him i don't think a package of Melky & Ohly is gonna get it done.
i don't even think the PIT trade has much of a chance of going down to be honest, we've been in discussions for Marte before & they asked for some of our top prospects in the past.
ESPN guys just sealed it for us! Kruk, Eric Young & Steve Phillips all say we're not making the playoffs this year.
put it in the books my friends... playoffs, here we come!
I like what I saw tonight in the first game back from the break. First off Moose deserves credit - I was never a real big fan but he gets a lot of credit from me for reinventing himself as a pitcher. He really reminds me of Greg Maddux now - really spotting the 2-seamer now, running it just off the plate trying to catch corners just like Maddux used to do. Very interesting because he never pitched like that. And along with his assortment of still-effective breaking pitches, suddenly it looks like has enough to continue competing at a high level, whereas last year at this time I though he was finished...
And I love the addition of Richie Sexson. Hasn't really been himself the last season and a half for whatever reason, but we're talking a major power hitter here that we just added for nothing! 45 HRs in 2001 and 2003, 39 in 2005, 34 in 2006. Big righthanded presence we've been missing, always bashes lefthanders. Perfect addition to the lineup. Zero risk, very high reward. Great move by Cashman...
Moose has definitely reinvented himself as a pitcher this year... he's varying speeds really well & locating on both sides of the plate... i thought he was washed up 2 years ago but he's definitely proven me wrong so far... let's hope he can help this team make it into the postseason & keep pitching effectively... he's got a legit shot at 300 wins if he keeps this up.
http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2008/07/17/sports/pirates/doc488010257fdda415779793.txt
Huntington drives hard bargain
By John Perrotto
Times Sports Staff
Published: Thursday, July 17, 2008 11:52 PM EDT
Part of the identity Neal Huntington forged during his first offseason as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ general manager last winter is that he will not make a deal if he is not certain it will help his club.
That has not changed during his first full season on the job. The Pirates have plenty of players that contending teams are interested in, but Huntington is driving a hard bargain.
According to various industry sources this week, the Pirates want two high-level young players and a second-tier prospect in any trade for left fielder Jason Bay and at least one top youngster and one solid prospect in return for right fielder Xavier Nady, shortstop Jack Wilson and left-handed relievers John Grabow and Damaso Marte.
ridiculous.
Moose is having a great year. He deserved to be on the all star team.
girardi has to stop babying joba. guy wasn't even at 100 pitches and he comes out after 6, what is up with that?
hopefully the yankees can prevail here, they should've won this game 2-1 god damn.
also posada just can't play catcher. esp. with damon and matsui now out, posada should be the everyday DH. its like little league, everytime somebody gets on first base they steal second. absolutely embarassing. and with molina throwing guys out better than anybody else, they should go with the defense. riviera gives up a run in the 9th b/c posada's arm strength is embarassing.
girardi takes joba out too early, he puts in molina too late. NOW HES PINCH HITTING, replacing the giambino with richie sexson is this a joke?????
i'm an idiot, following online, didn't realize christian pinch ran for the giambino.
still, why take out joba? god i hope we win this game
well, they showed a lotta heart & won that game even after a huge baserunning blunder by the rook Christian... 6 games behind the Rays in the loss column.
The pitching has been outstanding.
Andy P has been pretty vicious of late.
That said, they need more offense.
Posted by TMS:
looks like the Yankees might be increasing their interest in acquiring Xavier Nady possibly in a package w/either Marte or Grabow.
http://www.nj.com/yankees/ledger/index.s...
That would be helpful, although it is noteworthy that Nady's never hit like this before in his career. Either Nady or Abreu would play CF? If they give up any prospects in the deal, it would mean this wasn't merely a transition year all along. I'd still be very happy about the deal though.
[Edited by - bonn1997 on 07-21-2008 08:49 AM]
