Pirates Trade Nate McLouth

First things first, I'm back. I'm not dead. And John is still somehow my friend although I've left him hung out to dry on the blogging end (read my first post...I told you anything could happen). But this is what it took to bring me back: The Pirates today traded Nate McLouth to the Braves for three Minor Leaguers: OF Gorkys Hernandez, LHP Jeff Locke, and RHP Charlie Morton.

If you want to read the stats and get the scoop on those three, go to a real website. I'm not going to copy them. The real purpose of this trade was to bring up Andrew McCutcheon, whom management has deemed ready to be an every day outfielder (and apparently, the every day centerfielder).

The question isn't whether or not McCutcheon is ready. He may not be an All-Star right away, but if he's not ready now, he'll never be. The question is whether or not it was smart to get rid of McLouth at this time, and I'll give you the simple answer: NO.

Neal Huntingdon has always been about acquiring talent any way he can, and certainly this move was done with that in mind. But even he said it was the hardest decision he's had to make in his time as general manager. There might be a good reason for that, because it doesn't make sense to me.

McLouth was a cornerstone of the new group of Pirates. He was a young All-Star, Gold Glove-winning centerfielder who was signed to an extension this past offseason, at a bargain price for the Pirates. He was the anchor of the outfield, the one guy in the outfield that at the beginning of the season wasn't a question mark. I know no one is untouchable, but this leaves the outfield in shambles, with no solid solution in sight.

So McCutcheon is here now. Ok great, who else has proven themselves to be an every day player in the outfield? No one. Nyjer has been great, sure, but he's also almost 30 and he's making his living right now on a great half-season. If it wasn't for his great start to the season he'd already be gone. Brandon Moss is more inconsistent than the weather right now, and he has no power whatsoever. Craig Monroe is too old and has that Derek Bell/Kevin Young lazy streak about him that scares me to death. Eric Hinske is good in a platoon at best. And Delwyn Young? Eh, never mind.

My point is this: You don't trade away a solid long-term part of your future unless you can get the jackpot in return, and I am not for one moment convinced that is what we got. Out of all the big trades Neal Huntingdon has made, this is the one I do not understand. I understand the Bay/Nady trades. They were older, moving out of their prime (in Nady's case, certainly not in Bay's), and about to earn a lot of money (in Bay's case, especially now). The Pirates needed more talent, and they moved the right people to get it. I know McLouth had the most trade value of any current Pirate, but he was not in the same point in his career as Bay/Nady. Now, because this move was made, Huntingdon better be the most confident in this deal over any other, because with this deal he has the most to lose. These prospects better produce the most out of any others, or this deal won't look good.

Instead of Morgan-McLouth-McCutcheon, its Morgan-McCutcheon-your mom. Good luck.

PS: I wrote this from the baseball perspective. You don't want the fans' perspective. As a fan, this sucks. That's all I'll say.