Trading Nyjer Morgan a Risk Pittsburgh Pirates Had to Take

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

You'll have to excuse Pittsburgh Pirates fans for not knowing quite how to react to a front office with a plan.

Tuesday's trade that sent the speedy and affable outfielder Nyjer Morgan and left-handed reliever Sean Burnett to the Washington Nationals for sidetracked prospect Lastings Milledge and righty Joel Hanrahan was met with predictable discontent from many followers of the maligned Buccos.

While the consensus around Major League Baseball insiders is that the Pirates got the better of the two-for-two swap, you'll find no shortage of PNC Park regulars who are having a hard time getting over the departure of "Tony Plush." (It's his "gentleman's name." Don't ask.)

In fact, the grumbling over second-year general manager Neal Huntington's second unpopular trade in a month (he sent Nate McLouth to Atlanta for starter Charlie Morton and prospects June 3) is hardly limited to the paying customers.

Shortstop Jack Wilson, the longest tenured Pirate at nine years, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette yesterday that he was "beyond tired" of roster moves that defer the team's present in favor of its future.

That's fine. It's Wilson's prerogative to be upset about losing a couple of friends who were immensely popular in the clubhouse, especially Morgan, who was enjoying his first season as a big league starter at the age of 29.

However, his disgust is misguided. Morgan, while a slightly above-average player once his defensive prowess is factored in, became redundant in the Pirates' newly stocked minor-league system after Gorkys Hernandez was added as part of the McLouth trade. Hernandez profiles to be a more offensively-gifted version of Morgan in a short period of time.

But the primary reason this trade had to be made was the tremendous upside of Milledge. The former No. 1 prospect in the New York Mets organization who fell out of favor in both Queens and D.C. due to his immaturity will get a third chance with the Pirates, starting with their Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis this week.

Expect a call-up to Pittsburgh the minute the 24-year-old Milledge gets on a roll in Indy, placing him alongside his old buddy and fellow central-Floridian Andrew McCutchen in the Bucs' outfield.

Of course, there is a legitimate risk that Milledge won't be able to harness the natural ability that made him the 12th overall selection in the 2003 MLB Draft. Even if so, this trade will still have been a sound decision by the Pirates front office, considering the limited place Morgan claimed in the team's future.

With Pittsburgh only 5.5 games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee heading into Wednesday's action, it could be argued the last-place Pirates are still in the hunt for their first postseason since 1992.

Credit the front office, led by Huntington and team president Frank Coonelly, for realizing that a 36-41 record essentially at the season's midpoint means the Buccos are further away from their championship goal than the standings may indicate.

It's the perfect time to take a chance.

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