James McDonald vs. Paul Maholm: A Reunion of Two Pirate Pitchers

James McDonald was the pitcher the Pittsburgh Pirates kept. Paul Maholm is the pitcher the Pirates let go. He's now playing for the Chicago Cubs, one of the worst teams in the National League.

Maholm was a "pretty good" Buc pitcher. But the team has equivalent and cheaper options in Erik Bedard and Kevin Correia. And McDonald makes the least of all because he is in his "pre-arbitration" years.

McDonald is regarded by many as Pittsburgh's future ace, if he isn't already. Maholm was the Pirates' "ace," when that standard was not a particularly high one.

The Pirates offense is still in the bottom quarter of major league baseball. But Chicago is dead last. They don't have an all-around star like Andrew McCutchen or a power hitter like Pedro Alvarez.

Still, if this game were in Wrigley Field, it might be "too close to call." Maholm pitches well at home. He doesn't pitch particularly well "away." And PNC Park is no longer "home" to him in this regard.

Maholm might not give up more than three or four runs. But McDonald will likely surrender fewer than that.

The Cubs don't have a particularly good bullpen. Kerry Woods is no longer on the team (he retired this year). The Pirates have two relievers, Juan Cruz and Jason Grilli, who can get the ball to Joel Hanrahan if McDonald can't last seven or eight innings. On most nights, he can.

Some years ago, the Pirates traded pitcher Tom Gorzelanny to the Cubs for rookie starter Kevin Hart and minor leaguer Josh Harrison (netting out the two relievers). Gorzelanny and Hart are no longer pitching for the respective teams, but Harrison is now in the Bucs' lineup.

All in all, it will be interesting to see tonight if the Pirates did the right thing in letting go of Maholm. Probably they did. Give the credit (or blame) to Neil Huntingdon.