Trading Day 09: Sanchez to SF; Wilson, Snell to SEA
GM Neal Huntington went to town two days before the July 31st Trading Deadline, sending SS Jack Wilson and RHP Ian Snell packing to Seattle while shipping 2B Freddy Sanchez to San Francisco. Wilson ($7.4 mil), Snell ($3.2 mil) and Sanchez ($6.25 mil) were the highest-paid players in the Pirates organization.
From the Mariners, the Bucs picked up 1B/C Jeff Clement, SS Ronny Cedeno, and right-handed pitchers Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin, and Nathan Adcock. Clement has a tremendous power bat was regarded as one of Seattle's elite prospects. Cedeno's above-average on defense, but could use some work offensively. Pribanic, Lorin, and Adcock are all young pitchers with (as Neal would say) "high-ceilings for success."
In return for Sanchez, the Giants dealt 2007 first-round pick Tim Alderson. Alderson, 20, was rated San Francisco's No. 4 best prospect prior to the trade. At Double-A Connecticut, the right-hander is 6-1 with a 3.47 ERA. He will begin his Pirates career with the Altoona Curve.
All in all, Neal balled it up on the Major League trading court today. Wilson and Sanchez will be greatly missed by the Burgh community, but can one say that either were part of a winning Buccaneer ball-club? Unfortunately, a lot of these moves were influenced by the idea of Moneyball, but at least the Pirates can now boast they have the cheapest team in baseball!
The 2009 campaign seems to be coming to a close for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and a 17th straight losing season is inevitable. However, don't you cry my children. Put your faith in players like Garrett Jones and Charlie Morton.
To 2012 we go.
During the 2008 season, the wife and I watched Snell walking hitters, then giveing up hits and wondering why a guy that throws as high as 95mph cannot figure it out.
The Pirate's pitching coach walked to the mound and as he began to talk, Snell turned his back on the guy and walked off the back of the mound.
I said to the wife, if a player is allowed to show that kind of disrespect to a coach, there is a serious managerial problem with a team.
It is pretty obvious when one looks at the Pirates stumbling through their 17th consecutive losing season.
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