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By Dejan Kovacevic | 12:30 a.m. Wednesday
We have Qs ...
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Q: Dejan, to the excellent questions you have been raising about the recent trades, I would add one more point: Consider the two trades separately.
The Xavier Nady/Damaso Marte deal brought three potential major league starting pitchers almost ready for prime time, at a cost of one hitter. It is hard to argue that the infusion of pitching talent was not needed. By contrast, the Jason Bay deal completed the gutting of a productive major league lineup, ruined what has in some ways been an exciting season, and will likely ruin at least one more season. Perhaps the team with Bay plus Jeff Karstens, Ross Ohlendorf and Daniel McCutchen would have been the best mix of present and future.
The question I would like to ask PBC management is this: If you guys are not trying to put a team on the field that can win games in 2009 and 2010, and wish to use your resources for other purposes, on what basis would you advocate that fans come to watch it play? Would you recommend that fans do the same thing that you are doing, put our resources to other uses until the team is ready to compete in 2011 or 2012?
Mark Risk of New York
KOVACEVIC: Valid points all, Mark. Surprised more people have not raised them.
Here is a counter ...
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Q: Hey, Dejan, just finished reading yesterday's chat transcript, and there seems to be a good number of fans who want to say that the front office should've kept the team together, because there was an excellent offense, and besides, how could the starting pitching not improve next year?
Well, my question is, how can anyone assume that the pitching will get better, that this year was an anomaly, and yet also conclude that the hitting is not an anomaly? We all know Bay is a terrific player, an All-Star on any team. But should we really expect Nady to repeat this season? He'll be 30 on opening day 2009, and we're talking about a guy who, prior to this year, never played in more than 130 games in a season. Never had more than 72 RBI. Never hit higher than .280. If we can expect Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny to have a return to form, should we not expect the same for Nady?
Likewise, which Nate McLouth should we believe in? The one who took the league by storm in April and May? Or the one who's driven in 10 runs since the All-Star break? There's no track record for him or Ryan Doumit.
Besides, I never heard anyone mention how to fill the Nos. 4 and 5 slots in the rotation. Zach Duke's not getting it done, and Phil Dumatrait, while he had three or four very good starts, is far from a sure thing. And heaven forbid any injuries.
Management did what it had to do. Maybe it'll take patience but, after 16 losing seasons, will one or two more really be the end of the world? If it means eventually having a young team that can sustain its success for more than one or two 84-win seasons, count me in.
Jeff Diamond of Richmond, Va.
KOVACEVIC: All valid points, as well. In fact, each of you did so well I will just butt out.
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Q: Dejan, since you have been on a NHL beat and now the Pirates beat what is your view on the U.S. Olympic baseball team next time around having our best from the MLB on it?
Bradley Shoff of Mt. Lebanon
KOVACEVIC: Actually, for a question like that, Bradley, I would rely on the only other beat I have covered in the past decade, that being the Olympics themselves in Athens.
What I heard from officials over there -- and not much I have read in the interim has changed these stances -- is that the IOC will accept baseball when the best players are involved, plain and simple. It sees what the NBA and NHL have done, and it sees no reason why MLB could not make a similar adjustment. (As an aside, speaking as one who stayed up past 4 a.m. to watch the NBA guys beat Spain in an outstanding event, there also is nothing quite like seeing athletes that rich and famous playing and celebrating with such passion. One of my favorite moments of an already excellent Olympics.)
For those unfamiliar with the background here ...
Baseball is out for London 2012, partly because of not having the best players, partly because the IOC was left leery of building two baseball stadiums in Greece (one for softball) that they knew never could be used for anything practical ever again. The usage in England probably would not be much greater.
It could be back on the docket for 2016, if MLB can find a way to get involved. One idea kicked around is that MLB would turn its All-Star break into an Olympic break, maybe stretch it to five or six days. From there, preliminary tournaments could be held -- say, in spring training -- to determine four or six finalists. If the games are in Chicago, as many expect, no need to build stadiums, obviously. Just show up and play. Round-robins at Wrigley and U.S. Cellular, with the gold-medal game at U.S. Cellular to handle the media and larger crowd.
Sounds incredible.
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Until tomorrow ...
Posted
Aug 27 2008, 12:30 AM
by
Dejan Kovacevic