Today the Pirates traded two 31-year-old guys and a pitcher that the team and the fans didn't want for five prospects. This is the day there was no more kidding yourself. The Pirates are rebuilding. No more half-assed rebuilding effort. Neal Huntington is tearing this house to the ground. No more small trades for the Yankees and Red Sox middle of the road prospects. No more signing washed-up free agents to one-year deals. This thing is getting built from the ground up, and it's beautiful.
Yet, when I logged on to Facebook today I read this,
"The Red Sox do not sell out 500 consecutive home games with joe schmos in their lineup. The Bucs will be amused by there attendance now with Joe Schmo #1-9 in the lineup. For those who say it was a good move, not buying it. Show me what the Bucs farm systems have produced over the last 17 years. If they have produced someone tell me what team they are on now, it is surely not the pirates."
Should I mention that the person who wrote that played Division II ball?
Would you like to hear what some Giants fans have to say about the Sanchez trade on the chat boards on the San Francisco Chronicle?
Okay here we go...
"Management is losing credibility. First they tell us that they are going to rebuild the team by the draft and then they go back to their old ways of trading off the better prospects."
Sound familiar?
Here are some names Neal Huntington has added to the Pirates and it's farm system in the last year.
Garrett Jones- Maybe you've heard of him
Alderson- 20-year-old A- pitching prospect, projected to be top of rotation guy.
Jeff Clement- 25-year-old 1b. Top 5 pick in 2005.
Tabata - hitting .301
Alvarez - has hit 20 home runs so far in the minors this year.
Tony Sanchez - hitting in the .340 range in low single A
Hunter Strickland- combined for a no-hitter in his debut in the Bucs farm system
Already on the big club or have spent time there:
Ross Ohlendorf
Jeff Karstens
Charlie Morton
Andy LaRoche
Brandon Moss
Robinson Diaz
Delwyn Young
...And who can forget those Indian guys they found on a game show.
That's a lot better than what they had last year, which I believe you could sum up as Brad Lincoln, Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker, who isn't really that good. But, hey he's a local guy.
Well done, Mr. Hungtonton, well done. And to all of you Yinzer complainers... Suck it.
Nothing is more ridiculous than the "blah blah for 17 years" argument.
ReplyDeleteWhy hold the current regime up for failings of prior(s)?
That's ridiculous.
I love it. The wrecking ball cometh and it has a name, Huntington.
I hate all the fans that keep bringing up the 17 year thing. Honestly, it was 15 years. The last two have been legit rebuilding years. I like our outlook and am looking forward to seeing these young guys grow into potential superstars.
ReplyDeleteFor all those ship-jumpers...once you jump, you can never get back on.
Let's Go Bucs!