tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post2820226087512021284..comments2023-10-10T12:46:47.186-04:00Comments on The Green Weenie: The Trade Part II: Holt for Melancon & DeJesusUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-74772054661621353362012-12-30T08:59:36.704-05:002012-12-30T08:59:36.704-05:00Agreed that another move is likely, Will. Also som...Agreed that another move is likely, Will. Also some housekeeping, bringing in a couple more bullpen guys to compete and maybe a vet bench infielder.<br /><br />It is a little disheartening to see the upper minors so devoid of position help, though. Those prospects in A ball will certainly get every chance to fast0track their careers.Ron Ieracihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08784507810080514099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-50660843802152201642012-12-30T05:12:50.869-05:002012-12-30T05:12:50.869-05:00It's pretty clear that either Tabata or Presle...It's pretty clear that either Tabata or Presley will be traded this offseason. If I had to guess which one would go, it would be Presley, since as the team is currently constructed, you have Snider and Jones as outfielders who hit lefthanded. I much prefer "The King" to Tabata, but Tabata is (supposedly) a little younger and also has a team friendly long term deal in place. Of course that same contract could make Tabata very attractive to other clubs. <br /><br /><br />Looking at all of this it's hard to escape the conclusion that one more trade is very likely in the works. You could get quite a return from a Jones - Tabata - plus a prospect package. That would mean a right field platoon of Sands and Snider, with Presley as the fourth outfielder. Hmmm....that would leave the Pirates a bit thin in terms of outfield depth. I'll make this prediction: maybe not two, but definitely one from among Jones-Tabata-Presley will be traded before spring training. WilliamJPellashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12774466220683142262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-27289684976068938782012-12-29T15:45:25.465-05:002012-12-29T15:45:25.465-05:00I do like Melancon; I think he'll stabilize th...I do like Melancon; I think he'll stabilize the back end of the pen and gives the Bucs an insurance policy if Grilli stumbles as closer.<br /><br />Sands, I'm guessing, is an outfield platoon guy, which puts both JT and Presley in no-man's land (he's supposed to be statuesque as a 1Bman but capable, ala Jones, in the pasture). <br /><br />DeJesus looks like organizational depth, and Pimentel is toolsy, but only has one year to get it together before being out of options. Still, it is about as much as you can expect given Hanny's contract situation and late season blahs.Ron Ieracihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08784507810080514099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-56222702219461541542012-12-27T09:19:59.157-05:002012-12-27T09:19:59.157-05:00Yeah, they probably did about as well as could rea...Yeah, they probably did about as well as could reasonably be expected given Hanrahan's "Hanrattacks" last season. In addition, Joel is carrying more than a few extra pounds around his waistline. Add in the fact that he is in his walk year, and unfortunately there wasn't as much leverage for the Pirates to work with as would have been the case had they traded him last year. If they had done that, though, the natives would have stormed the Bastille. So, you win some, you lose some. <br /><br /><br />I am cautiously optimistic about Melancon and believe he is a good bounceback bet. It would be great is Sands became a righthanded version of Garrett Jones---and let's all hope that he will---but Sands hits righthanded and isn't likely to be able to handle righthanded pitchers very well. Jones, on the other hand, by virtue of hitting lefthanded, is more useful because he can play against "opposite handed" pitchers much more often. So you have two very similar players in Sands and Jones, but unfortunately the younger, cheaper guy is less likely to be on the field than the older, more expensive guy. Unless Sands is better than I think he is. We'll see. <br /><br /><br />I'm not expecting anything from Pimentel and DeJesus, but Brock Holt couldn't play any position other than second base, and he didn't even do that particularly well. DeJesus at least can catch the ball and he can definitely play shortstop. The real issue with the Pirates' utility infielders, though, is that Clint Hurdle "Ciriaco'ed" not only Ciriaco himself, but also Jordy Mercer. Ciriaco, as you and I discussed, Ron, would have been a GREAT help to this team as a utility infielder. But the Pirates blew it with him the same way they've blown it, repeatedly and at great loss to the team, with their ahem, "evalutions" of many other young players over the years. That happens, of course, but such mistakes are greatly magnified in small markets where it's unlikely that the team can just buy a major league ready replacement off the shelf. WilliamJPellashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12774466220683142262noreply@blogger.com