2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

[mjb2124]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

I don't buy it. I don't see the point of it at all. We already know he's above AAA, he's got dominating stuff. I don't see any point in wasting everyone's time with an AAA stint, for him to come back up and still be the same pitcher. I don't feel he's suited for the rotation anymore.

It's pretty much just like you said, the guy is terrified of the zone. He doesn't want to put anything over the plate, he just wants guys to swing and miss, and that's why he's throwing 50 pitches in an inning. And he can shut his mouth, he tried that bull**** last year when they wanted him to mix his pitches up more. He was like "I'm going into this game and using my fastball from now on" and yeah, he was hitting it up to 95 MPH. But hitters were also destroying him, so a lot of good that did.

If he's just going to be a fastball pitcher, he belongs in the bullpen. Period.

I think AAA will be good for him for a few reasons. It pushes down his very large ego a notch, it allows him to get away from everything and pitch in a more comfortable setting, it allows him to work on his off speed stuff (the slider is the only pitch aside from his fastball that he likes) etc... It worked for Denny Neagle, Jay Bell, possibly Gorzo and a handful of other players. Why not see if it works for Snell? Not to mention, I honestly am not sold that he is in fact "above AAA". He did great today, but that's only 1 start. I suspect we'll see more of Snell pitching poorly compared to what we saw today. Time will tell though...truthfully if there was any interest in him from other teams, I'd love to see the Pirates trade him. He's not good enough to keep around and seems like too much of a head case IMO.

Did you see what he said after the game today? He threw another dagger at the Pirates coaching staff. He said that he did well because he worked off of his fastball instead of his off speed stuff. That's the exact opposite of what the Pirates staff wanted him to do and he said as much after his last terrible start in Pittsburgh. He sure is an interesting guy...as you said, he talked about using his fastball more at one point last year and that didn't do him any good.

Frankly speaking, if he's just a fastball pitcher, he belongs no where near a pitching mound IMO. Even a reliever with only a fastball is going to get hit hard. Especially one like Snell who doesn't have the best control and has the mental makeup of a 5 year old. Look at Yates. He's terrible outside of a plus fastball and gets rocked most times out. Yates being on the DL has been a good thing for the Pirates bullpen (although I hate seeing Karstens enter a game late).

[ChaseB]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

NH just fleeced the Nationals.

[mjb2124]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Don't know much about Hanrahan, but was never a huge fan of Burnett anyway. Milledge definitely has more upside over Morgan. Whether he matures and reaches that or not is the question.

[Sandman42]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Huntington sure loves the Yankees prospects. In the past year he has traded for or signed around 10 guys who were in the Yankees system.

[steelcurtain311]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Good trade. Burnett is nothing at all, a mediocre reliever at this point. Nyjer really shouldn't even be a starting player in the MLB, he's overachieved massively this year (and he still hasn't been that good) and I'm glad they sold him while he was high, because Lastings Milledge has far more upside than him. Yeah, Lastings has a lot of issues and so forth, mainly with the maturity, but the talent is there. It's a productive trade.

Everyone will say "They're going to miss Morgan's speed"...well not really. He's just fast, he isn't a great SB guy. He has 18 steals and he's been caught 10 times. Hardly impressive.

Either way, the Pirates made an improvement with the trade, so I applaud that. I kind of think Nyjer could of been used in a bigger trade though, as a piece. Like Nyjer, Adam LaRoche, prospect, for ____.

[ChaseB]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Huntington sure loves the Yankees prospects. In the past year he has traded for or signed around 10 guys who were in the Yankees system.

Yankees just like giving prospects to the Pirates for scraps for whatever reason.

[ChaseB]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Good trade. Burnett is nothing at all, a mediocre reliever at this point. Nyjer really shouldn't even be a starting player in the MLB, he's overachieved massively this year (and he still hasn't been that good) and I'm glad they sold him while he was high, because Lastings Milledge has far more upside than him. Yeah, Lastings has a lot of issues and so forth, mainly with the maturity, but the talent is there. It's a productive trade.

Everyone will say "They're going to miss Morgan's speed"...well not really. He's just fast, he isn't a great SB guy. He has 18 steals and he's been caught 10 times. Hardly impressive.

Either way, the Pirates made an improvement with the trade, so I applaud that. I kind of think Nyjer could of been used in a bigger trade though, as a piece. Like Nyjer, Adam LaRoche, prospect, for ____.

Yeah, I dunno. I think you need to take what you can get for Nyjer now since his value will never be higher. Maybe you wait it out and get something more near the deadline, but it seems like you get more value most of the time when you're not hugging the deadline.

I'd really like to get Freddy and his contract off the books before the deadline, but not sure Pirates will get anyone to bite.

[Speedy]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Yeah, I dunno. I think you need to take what you can get for Nyjer now since his value will never be higher. Maybe you wait it out and get something more near the deadline, but it seems like you get more value most of the time when you're not hugging the deadline.

I wouldn't trade anybody for Lastings Milledge.

[ChaseB]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

I wouldn't trade anybody for Lastings Milledge.

I'd give up the 29-year-old 4th OFer for him.

Not to mention Hanrahan is better than Burnett.

[tyler289]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Thanks for the trade, Pirates. I'm just glad we got a decent player in Morgan, we needed a guy who could play good defense and have good speed. I'm not expecting much from him or Burnett, but considering Hanrahan is terrible and Milledge's potential has plummted, I'm just glad we got someone.

Joel Hanrahan is utter TRASH. Chase, I don't know what makes you think Hanrahan is better than ANYONE. He's TERRIBLE. He lets every runner score, can't hit the plate, and can only pitch decent in mop-up roles. He SUCKS. I have watched this guy since he came to the Nats. He's the WORST, single WORST reliever I have EVER seen in my life, and the Nats have had some crappy guys. Every Nats fan has wanted him cut since day one. I'm shocked we got anyone for him. I'd like to hear why you think he's better than Burnett (just looking at the numbers, it isn't even close)

And Milledge, the guy doesn't care about anyone but himself, he's a terrible attitude. The talent is semi-there. He doesn't take pitches. He doesn't trust coaches anymore. That's how he got hurt; he didn't listen to his coaches on how to bunt and broke his hand bunting wrong.

[tyler289]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Don't know much about Hanrahan, but was never a huge fan of Burnett anyway. Milledge definitely has more upside over Morgan. Whether he matures and reaches that or not is the question.

Read my previous post. I've watched Hanrahan every night, he SUCKS. He's a really nice guy and I hope he does well, but he cannot:

1) locate
2) keep his composure
3) get clutch outs with RISP
4) get outs consistently
5) throw strikes
6) do anything serviceable

[Speedy]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

I'd give up the 29-year-old 4th OFer for him.

After watching his subpar defense and pitiful batting performance even for a horrible team I think of it as a step down...He needs to be developed and Pittsburgh's farm system isn't the best place for that. I like the swap out of pitchers but not the exchange of outfielders.

[tyler289]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

After watching his subpar defense and pitiful batting performance even for a horrible team I think of it as a step down...He needs to be developed and Pittsburgh's farm system isn't the best place for that. I like the swap out of pitchers but not the exchange of outfielders.

I had high hopes for Milledge after last year but Manny Acta ruined his career by naming him CF and leadoff man on the first day of ST this year.

If Lastings ever meets Acta in twenty years, he should kick him in the groin. He put Milledge in an obvious position to fail. Maybe the Pirates can fix that.

[mjb2124]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Read my previous post. I've watched Hanrahan every night, he SUCKS. He's a really nice guy and I hope he does well, but he cannot:

1) locate
2) keep his composure
3) get clutch outs with RISP
4) get outs consistently
5) throw strikes
6) do anything serviceable

I mentioned it in the transaction thread, but I think Hanrahan is a throw in. I realize he hasn't pitched well and I'm fine with that. If Milledge reaches his potential, it's a very good trade for the Pirates. If not, I don't see it as a bad trade for the Pirates...more of a "meh" trade where they didn't lose much, but didn't gain much.

I've never been a big fan of Nyjer Morgan or Sean Burnett and I think most Pirate fans feel that way. Morgan is vastly overrated outside of his speed - and that hasn't translated into success stealing bases and might never. He doesn't hit for power, carries an OK average, has a poor arm and takes terrible routes to baseballs in the outfield (which he often makes up for with his speed).

Burnett is an interesting pitcher to me. I like guys who have "stuff". Above average fastballs, off speed pitches with bite etc... Burnett has none of that nor does he have good control. However, he's been getting guys out this season and that's all that matters. I think he's getting guys out with "smoke and mirrors" if you know what I mean...in other words, it won't last.

From a Pirates perspective, I believe they traded 2 guys who had no future with this team for a throw in and a younger guy who needs to mature and hopefully can reach his potential. Time will tell...

[tyler289]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Hanrahan has the "stuff," but his mental side of the game is 100% messed up. He needs some serious work, and the only reason I think Milledge is done is because he said earlier this year he's just gonna do things his way, and not listen to coaching anymore.

I don't expect anything from Morgan or Burnett, but I'm amazed we were able to get ML players for a guy with a 7+ ERA and a guy who doesn't care about working hard.