Pirates announce LaRoche trade; Pearce coming up

Diaz on 40 man Boston roster. Sounds like an okay trade considering Adam's big contract and dismal July numbers. This team really needs a great defensive SS as we've seen when Wilson was injured. Let's find out now if Pearce can play at this level once and for all. The 2.95 million added to the Sano offer?

Is it possible that this trade was made so that the PG would see how woefully underwhelming the servers are, and upgrade them before the imminent trades of players people REALLY like (Jack, Freddy) go down?

Think about it.

That would rule if the money gained by dropping Adam's contract went toward Sano.

Apparently missed in all the hoopla:

Hunter Strickland's pitching coach at Class A Greenville is none other than Bob 'Roundtripper' Kipper!

Gorzo had his juke today.

6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, no decision.

Neil Walker's solo shot has the game tied, 1-1.

OK, not quite sure why they feel the need to give Pearce an extended look. He received a pretty extended one last season.

Besides that, how does this give him an extended look? Unless they're keeping Jones in the OF, which really doesn't make a lot of sense to me (not that many things do)

How about adding the $2.95 million to Freddy's previous offer?  If he takes it, that means Jack stays,too, and Diaz gets time to develop.

I like that (so far) Milledge isn't coming up.  He's coming back to earth after a hot start in this system, bringing him up too fast doesn't send the signal that he has to really earn his way back to the bigs.

I don't understand how Milledge isn't getting called up.  Pearce? are you kidding me?  The last thing he deserves is an extended look.  The best he will ever be in a AAAA player.

Ugh, ANOTHER Pearce experiment. And this time he is going to get more than the 100+ AB that he got during his last extended look? This is gonna get ugly, but at least they will hopefully see enough to finally get past him.

If Diaz was on the 40 man roster for Boston, they obviously saw potential in him.

We gave no cash!!!

The only thing I don't like is the possibility of Pearce starting rather than one of Moss/Young/Jones.   It seems pretty clear that Milledge and Jones have much more potential.

@BAB:  I can just see it now.  Dejan gets a call from NH: "Kovy, are your tech guys ready? I'm gonna pull the trigger here, let me know what goes on."

@VT: The trade definitely does something for the club in terms of MI depth, something they truly do lack (but not the only place lacking in terms of organizational depth).

I like Lastings not coming up to the bigs just yet, and it's really for his own good.  He's a very good player, and it would've been exciting to see him come up, but really I like the slow-n-steady approach to prospects.  He's been doing very well, but let's face it.  The Pirates are (unfortunately or not, depending on how you look it it) in the perfect position to develop prospects, the right way.  No one wins except teams like Boston and NY (the teams we trade to) when our up-and-comers are rushed along too quickly because of impatience.

I don't mind the Pearce-only call-up.  They're right to keep Millidge at AAA just to even further show that he's gotta stay consistent to get to the bigs.

And, yes, I realize that Pearce hasn't been the model of consistency, but he's probably already 'ruined' by being rushed through the minors.  Jones is going to get most of the starts at 1st anyway.

Apparently Huntington sees differently with regard to 1st base...

MOSS WALK OFF!!!!!!!!!!

AND LET THE HATERADE DRINKERS MOURN CUZ B MOSS JUST WALKED IT OFF!!!

MOSSSSS!

If Diaz was a good fielder, not just one who makes spectacular plays but boots routine ones, he would be the most classic good field no hit in our lineup..

I wish Dejan had asked him: "Is their a value to a shortstop who plays good defense but can't hit very well to the Pittsburgh Pirates?"

It seems he thinks there is with Diaz

BRANDON MOSS! BRANDON MOSS!

CAN I GET AN AMEN?!

Brandon Moss WALK-OFF!!  Who cares about LaRoche right now!?

BRANDON!!!

Great ballgame!  Can't wait to see the highlights!

brrrrrrrandon MOSS! haha. whatta game

Yey MOSS!!!!!

matty

Exactly.

Juke

Peace is coming instead of Milledge because they need another 1b with Adam gone.  So Jones and Pearce will be the 1b duo.

Holy crap! Did the Pirates just hit FIVE home runs in one game???

WooHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Moss hits a dinger! Bucs Win!

RTJR!

PIRATES DOMINATE BREWERS!

That's two starts in a row with a HR for Moss.  

A winner from the oft maligned Moss--good show.

BAB--AMEN!

xatta

Yes they did and Dejan will probably have the last time that happened in his post game story

Nice homestand and start after the break.  2 series wins, and a 4-2 record with good pitching (minus Maholm).

Now, can we continue this on the West Coast?

Thanks, pattonbb, Yotum and Doc, for the answers/opinions!

 I better not see Pearce taking AB's away from Moss right now. His power is starting to come on and DY is just killin it and Jones has to play. Give Pearce a glove and send him to third base to take some grounders, we could use some production there.  

Wow - Moss hits another HR to center field and this one is LEFT CENTER! I said that the last HRs he's hit were changing my mind about his potential, and this REALLY does.

Hopefully he can keep it going!

New Lineup:

Cutch CF

Freddy ( for now) 2nd base

Young RF

Jones 1B

Doumit C

Moss LF

Andy 3B

Jack SS

Pitcher

Pearce either at First, or OF often. Salazar occassional Defensive replacement PH

See how Moss works out as a regular. Watch Pearce..if he hits trade him, if not let him back at AAA. Have Young work with Perry Hill on a daily basisi to see if he can play 2nd at all.

Dejan... Grab Neil and ask him if the PBC covet low average but high fielding percentage middle sized shortstops. Wonder where we can find one of them on the free agent market...Hmmmm.

How about that Garrett Jones fella...  9HR now and was on base 4 times today.  

As for Pearce I think we've seen him every day up till the minute they told LaRoche he was traded.  Pearce is known for his patience averaging 3 pitches per at bat.  3 swings and he's out.  

Man, just as I was riding the high of this trade (and win), and I hear that Steve Fu--ing Pearce is coming back...for an 'extended look' no less.  Am I the only one who HATES this guy?  I can't stand to even look at him chewing that gum, let alone watching him play.

I am not happy that Pearce is coming. I would rather see Milledge. Salazar needs to go back to AAA since Pearce is coming. I hope Pearce is not going to get more playing time than Jones, Moss, or Young.

Something tells me this is Pearce's last chance with the Bucs.  I don't want to see all the 1B eggs in Jones' basket, but unless Pearce can produce convincingly he's probably gone.  And they'll have Alvarez to consider at 1B in a couple years.  

And Maholm's inconsistency is becoming scary.  

alright, so moss has 2 hits in his last 2 games and they are both HR's, i'll take that ratio

I am very happy about the day's events. Good guy Adam gets to go to a contender, the Bucs get a couple nice prospects, no cash gets sent east, and Moss hit's a walkoff. It's all good.

In about a week the lineup looks like this:

C-Doumit

1B-Pearce

2B-Young

SS-Cruz

3B-LaRoche

LF-Jones

CF-McCutchen

RF-Moss

Since Salazar pinch hit... I'm gonna guess that Milledge is not coming up right now. I'll bet that initially Milledge was going to be recalled, but once they talked it over, Pearce was the choice... maybe because they think they can get him a little PT this go round so that he doesn't go stale on the bench. Besides, it wasn't that long ago, a few days maybe, that the word on Milledge was that he still needed to work on a few things even though he'd been hitting the cover off the ball.

Let's be honest, Pearce looked pathetic during his last stint, although he mostly PH.  The depiction of him as a AAAA player sounds accurate to me.  Until Lastings arrives, it should be Moss, McCutcheon and Young in the OF, with Jones at 1st.  Moss needs to play everyday if we're ever going to truly know what we have in him.  Pearce can wait in line, as far as I'm concerned.

I still think deals get done with Jack and Freddy.  As much as I love Diaz (and have for a while), he's a ways off from the bigs and not an immediate answer at short, by any stretch.  Jack should stay and I think a deal gets done with Freddy, as well.

If they both go, then I think more deals will also happen....Capps, Grabow....maybe Maholm.  At that point, they'll have to trade someone to net middle infield help.

Yikes... Cruz and Young in the Middle is tough TK..

For my part, I'd (reluctantly) trade Freddie, try Young at second, resign Jack ( now that I have already dumped Freddy) and see how they go.I would keep Jones at first. One of the many middle infield prospects will come through eventually, and maybe in a year or so we can trade Jack. I do not see Diaz as the one though.

Give Pearce a chance! A legit chance with at least 300 abs.  He has hit at all levels at the minors but has never had a chance to get consistent at bats.  If he fizzles then you can release him in the off season and start Miledge, McCutch and Moss-Young next year

I'd also like to see an extended look--at Brandon Moss in RF everyday!

I'm going to guess & say that we don't see Lastings until September. Unless, of course, we clear room on the 25-man roster with another trade.

I will say this, in Pearce's defense. The team probably messed him up when they moved him up so quickly through the system.

I hope I'm wrong, and I hope he does well. I just don't think it'll happen.

Here is my starting lineup for the rest of the year...

Cutch CF

Freddie SS (Hey, no one is going to take the 8Mil for next year)

Young 2B

Jones LF

Doumit C

Moss RF

Pearce 1B

Pitcher (Heck, some of them can actually hit and it may be nice to have someone on in fromt of Cutch.

Whatever is left @ Short

i like the way things are going with this team, we're not going to make a run for it this year, but good things are going to come

Use some of the Adam LaRoche money to keep Wlson-Sanchez!!

August 1, 2009 lineup

1. Andrew McCutchen  CF

2. Lastings Milledge  LF

3. Garrett Jones  1B

4. Ryan Doumit  C

5. Delwyn Young  2B

6. Brandon Moss  RF

7. Andy LaRoche  3B

8. Argenis Diaz  SS

August 1, 2010

1. Andrew McCutchen  CF

2. Lastings Milledge  LF

3. Garrett Jones  1B

4. Ryan Doumit  C

5. Pedro Alverez  3B

6. Jose Tabata  RF

7. Delwyn Young  2B

8. Argenis Diaz  SS

Young won't be at 2B.  You may as well put Doumit at 2B or Duke on his days off at 2B before Young.   He isn't a 2B, its not going to happen.

Moss just made a terrible mistake that will cost him a start Friday nite.  Ya ready Salazar?

Oh, just remembered.  Smith, Ozzie Smith.  Strange name.

For crying out loud. Haven't we seen enough of Perice to know he'll never hit MLB pitching? Bring up Milledge.

Amen.

What is the obsession with Steve F-ing Pearce?  Am i missing something here?  This guy is NOT a major leaguer, on either side of the ball.