(Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images)
Should a perennial All Star like Pujols actually leave for a team like the lowly Nationals what do you think it would do to the two teams fortunes? The Nationals, with new gate revanue from the deal would have more money to sign future free agents.
Their lineup would obviously instantly get better and more credible, and the trio of Dunn, Pujols, and Zimmerman would be fun to watch for years.
What's more, it would make the Nationals an instant threat in the loaded, but non-spectacular National League East. As for the Cardinals, they'd likely fade into Pirate-like mediocrity at best, even in the much weaker, less attractive National League Central.
In 1993 the following season after Bonds left town the Pirates crashed from 96 victories to 75 followed by 53 during the strike shortened '94 season, 58 and 73 the next two seasons. Basically they never recovered and this once proud franchise was never the same.
Nate McLouth trade
Last week, the Pirates were shafted once again by a shrewed-on-the-surface, unnecessary deal when a 27 year old former All-Star was traded in the wake of a three year contract he just signed in spring training. While McLouth is certainly no Bonds and never will be, his impact and popularity cannot be denied on a team lacking mainstream names.
However, before you continue to criticize the deal as just another salary-move by the excuse making Pirates, consider the last two major trades the club made.
At the trade deadline last year Pittsburgh trades similarly young outfielder Jason Bay who was under team control through the end of this year for a very affordable four-year/$18 million contract. They weren't winning anything with him, so why not ship him as part of the more publicized Manny to L.A. deal?
I talked to a Pirates major league scout shortly after the trade and asked him "if he had anything to do with the Jason Bay trade" and he said "I'd like to think I did"and I told him I thought it was a nice little deal and hoped it worked out well for them since they need help and he agreed.
Andrew McCutchen
The McLouth trade allowed the Pirates to promote their super phenom in Andrew McCutchen who so far looks to be the real deal and much needed. However, if they are smart they'd lock up the do-it-all center field to an Evan Longoria-like deal before he gets too expensive or shipped out of town similar to McLouth.
Like GM Huntington said, the players the team received from the Braves were mentioned in the rumored Jake Peavy dealwhich would have landed him in Atlanta. At worst this deal provides more organizational depth that is always barren and with Karstens and Ohlendorf doing okay there is no rush for any of the players involved unlike years past.
Turning the Corner
August 1, 2008 Jason Bay trade
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