Andrew McCutchen to be Traded??

[airleg1]

By Mike Axisa [January 24, 2012 at 11:42pm CST]
mlbtraderumors.com


"Never say never," said Pirates GM Neal Huntington to Jeff Nelson and Jim Memolo of MLB Network Radio when asked about a potential Andrew McCutchen trade. "If someone wants to back up the truck and give us one of those organization-altering deals, it's something that we'd have to listen to...It would have to be a dramatic overpay on the part of the other club."



Letting McCutchen go would be the last straw for me as a fan until either the Team were taken away from the city or it changed ownership. That’s a BOLD statement for me but I mean it. It wouldn’t matter to me how great the deal was.

We as fans have been alienated for years, most of that alienation has nothing to do with NH since he inherited a mess but it will take a lot on the part of the front office to regain my trust. Im one of the few that believe in what NH has been doing to revitalize the Team but even I am starting to waver.

I realize that we have a crop of young players in the Minors that are expected to start coming up as early as late this season so there is definite hope in the future. The burst of last season also gives hope even for this season so Im going to stop and look back at last season thru this off season.

Last Season the Pirates were number one in midsummer. Even when they reached number one which was great, it was unrealistic to believe that it could be held with the arms that got them there and no offensive support. The casual fan started to support the Team again which directly affected the pockets of the ownership and it should have been more than just a sign that they are close to being the Team that they want to be; it should have been a train coming at their head that couldn’t be ignored.

So far this offseason there have been a lot of changes, but nothing worth mentioning as true game changers. Yes I like picking up Barmes and Bedard as long as he is pre injury good, but other than that what have they done? Nothing really just one player replaced with his twin brother that has a different last name and same price tag.

So let me get this straight, attendance and merchandise sales went thru the roof compared to previous years but the fans/Team won’t get much of anything in return?? I realize that there is still time to bring in a shiny new toy or two but it is doubtful that it will happen. Now NH claims that though doubtful, technically Cutch (the one little known superstar we have) is on the table... That doesn’t sound like it’s going in the right direction when last year proved that they are close right now and should arguably bring in the final piece or two as we speak instead of waiting for the kids to move up.

I believe that the time is now to bring in the last pieces to light the torch knowing that the kids will be here soon to continue carrying the torch instead of lighting it....

I beg of you to not force me to change allegiances like the legions of others to the Yankees or Philly...I haven’t for all of these years but its growing thin and besides I would vomit in my mouth and cry a little inside every time someone asked me who my team was.

[Crash]

If they trade Cutch now I hope someone torches PNC Park.

[vandelay industries]

I wouldn't want him traded either, the value simply isn't there, but if the price is right, then why not? If a team offered the world (loosely defined of course as a trade that you're a clear, clear over the top winner), then why not?

As a generality, why's anyone on this team right now "untouchable"?

Besides, this article is well done, I don't really think we'd get full value of his worth anyway.

http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011...mpossible.html

Get off the bridge folks.

[airleg1]

I wouldn't want him traded either, the value simply isn't there, but if the price is right, then why not? If a team offered the world (loosely defined of course as a trade that you're a clear, clear over the top winner), then why not?

As a generality, why's anyone on this team right now "untouchable"?

Besides, this article is well done, I don't really think we'd get full value of his worth anyway.

http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011...mpossible.html

Get off the bridge folks.

The reason I find that he is untouchable is that he would go for a lot of money and would get replaced with a scrub or some more prospects..

How long does the "were small market so we cant afford anyone" go on when they are on the verge of making a true run?


The saying "If you build it they will come" is so true in baseball, escpecially the case of Pittsburgh....Guess what peeps, the structure has been built all thats left is decorating the walls.

[Kipper]

Cutch is anything but untouchable. He's a player that can be part of a core that lacks a superstar. Cutch isn't a superstar. Perhaps someday but right now he's just one of the better Offensive producers on the Pirates roster. When you bat .259 in your 2.5 season, you're not untouchable. BA/ OBP/SLG/OPS were all lower than his rookie season and hallf of those worse than last season.

Cutch isn't someone you build a team around, not until his number become star=type numbers and they're not there. He's not Sidney Crosby, Mario Lemieux, Evgeni Malkin, Jaromir Jagr, Ben Roethlisberger, what Barry Bonds should've been ... which is a center piece to build around.

If Cutch can fetch players in a trade, multiple players that make this team better and fill holes, then you have to do it. Nobody will ever and should ever be untouchable for the Pirates, not in an unequal, ****ty run sport without a salary cap like MLB

Problem is that cutch didnt have a great year last season so his trade value isn't *** great as it can be. He'd have to net a return based on his potential. Its one reason Cutch has been reluctant to sign an extension, he knows his value could be higher

[Hittman]

No need to trade him for 2 more years at least. In those 2 years we will know what have in Marte and Grossman. Cole and Tallion will be up here.

[Kipper]

The reason I find that he is untouchable is that he would go for a lot of money and would get replaced with a scrub or some more prospects..

How long does the "were small market so we cant afford anyone" go on when they are on the verge of making a true run?


The saying "If you build it they will come" is so true in baseball, escpecially the case of Pittsburgh....Guess what peeps, the structure has been built all thats left is decorating the walls.

The fact that we have Starling Marte and Gorkz Hernandez in the minors who are CF's that could replace Cutch and even Tabata who projects more as a CF, Cutch plays the one position besides Pitcher that we have a lot of legit options for. He's expendable... for the right deal of course. Imagine, snagging a teams top 2 hitting prospects and another potential 11-15 ranked player. Say you get a power bat for the corner, a much needed SS that can hit for average and another prospect probably pitching and you go with Marte as your CF next year whose done nothing but hit .300+ at every level and the power is developing as he ages. He's ranked #4 in the organization. The pirates become a dar better team in the very near future than if they didnt trade cutch

[Buzzman77]

The fact that we have Starling Marte and Gorkz Hernandez in the minors who are CF's that could replace Cutch and even Tabata who projects more as a CF, Cutch plays the one position besides Pitcher that we have a lot of legit options for. He's expendable... for the right deal of course. Imagine, snagging a teams top 2 hitting prospects and another potential 11-15 ranked player. Say you get a power bat for the corner, a much needed SS that can hit for average and another prospect probably pitching and you go with Marte as your CF next year whose done nothing but hit .300+ at every level and the power is developing as he ages. He's ranked #4 in the organization. The pirates become a dar better team in the very near future than if they didnt trade cutch

I basically said the same thing in a thread a couple of months ago and I thought I was going to be burned at the stake. If the right deal would come aloing ..they would be crazy not to deal him. They lost alot of games with him the last two and a half seasons . I agree Kipper ... he's not a superstar ... not yet. All the tools are there, have to wait and see. With Marte waiting in the wings, now may be the time to see what they can get for him.

[cocktailsfor2]

CUTCH = NOT GOING ANYWHERE UNLESS NH GETS TOTALLY BOWLED OVER.

Deep breaths, all.

[Steelreign]

The fact that we have Starling Marte and Gorkz Hernandez in the minors who are CF's that could replace Cutch and even Tabata who projects more as a CF, Cutch plays the one position besides Pitcher that we have a lot of legit options for. He's expendable... for the right deal of course. Imagine, snagging a teams top 2 hitting prospects and another potential 11-15 ranked player. Say you get a power bat for the corner, a much needed SS that can hit for average and another prospect probably pitching and you go with Marte as your CF next year whose done nothing but hit .300+ at every level and the power is developing as he ages. He's ranked #4 in the organization. The pirates become a dar better team in the very near future than if they didnt trade cutch

I wouldn't ever shop him, to openly offer him weakens what would be gotten in return, but I **** sure would listen to offers. With as much control as they have left of Cutch, to take a deal means NH got one helluva booty in return

[cocktailsfor2]

I wouldn't ever shop him, to openly offer him weakens what would be gotten in return, but I **** sure would listen to offers. With as much control as they have left of Cutch, to take a deal means NH got one helluva booty in return

THIS.

[DCBILL]

I'm with Kipper, if the return is multiple players.

Don't forget Josh Bell, who NH got in Round 2, when nobody thought he could.

JB made the list of "Best 100" young players. One of these kids (ideally two or three) needs to come through and perform well in the "bigs."

[emjayinTN]

The Pirates are situated very nicely with OF, but considering trading Andrew McCutchen is absolutely ridiculous. A CF-quality OF who just completed his 2nd year of MLB Service by increasing the number of HR's from 16 in 2010 to 23 in 2011 and RBI's from 56 in 2010 to 89 in 2011 even though he batted leadoff in about 50 games. Lock him in long term and pay him what the market value is - 6 years, $51.5 mil with a 7th year in 2018 as a Club Option or a Vesting Option.

Josh Bell made the Top 100, but can anyone explain how Bubba Starling was rated about 50 slots ahead of Bell? Better yet, why was Robbie Grossman excluded? The numbers he posted as a 21 year old at Hi A were off the charts, and then he verified with a very solid AFL season finishing in the top 5 or 10 in just about every offensive category.

[moneytalks]

I am amazed sometimes how a comment can turn into some discussions.

Reading NH's quote - I never got the impression he was shopping him or planning on trading him. he pretty much said it would have to be one hell of an offer - but he would listen to offers.

What's wrong with that? Doesn't sound like he wants to just dump him....

I had Stanley Cup playoff tickets, and I said I didn;t want to sell them because I have endured a lot to see a Cup game. But you know what - if someone offered me $1000 each... you bet I would be listening! TO me - that is what it sounded like

[emjayinTN]

You are probably right, but why even go into the conversation? The question was asked and the proper response IMO would have been "we are in discussions with Andrew at this time for a possible long term contract, and it would be inappropriate for me to speculate on a what-if type of a scenario at this time." Of course, that would be the way to handle it if you had your business in order, but I am one of the folks who does not believe NH can close the deal. We draft well and sign well, but I would like to see a track record of being able to sign prospects long term - sort of like Friedman is able to do in TB.

There are plenty of examples out there of young stars being signed long term, and the amount of money and years is pretty well laid out - I see this as a major indicator of how the Pirates will progress in the near future. I see an outfield of McCutchen and Marte being 2 of the 3 and having an outfield that will contribute 50-60 HR's a year, but it all starts with Andrew McCutchen.

Trying to negotiate through the press is stupid and amateurish.