Pirates news and professional analysis
Are the Pirates looking to trade their two biggest name players on the team?
The answer to that is no one aside from Neal Huntington and certain members of the front office really know if Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole can be had in a trade. Fans and media can speculate but that’s all it really is.
UPDATE (2:34 PM)-
Jordan Luplow has three homers with Triple-A Indianapolis in just 7 games/27 at-bats. He's not the fastest to do so. A non-exhaustive list👇 pic.twitter.com/5KsV1W62BL
— Brian Peloza (@BrianPeloza) July 7, 2017
UPDATE (2:32 PM)-
ROSTER MOVE: Pirates today recalled RHP A.J. Schugel from Triple-A Indy and option catcher Elias Diaz to Triple-A.
With the MLB Trade Deadline less than a month away and the major league season halfway over, I figured now would be a good time to look at the Pirates depth in the minor league system. Which positions are they dealing from strength and which positions have little depth?
A lot of times, these factors play a role into whether or not a team makes a deal. Do they have proper depth to make up for a player that they might want to trade?
26 days and counting until the 2017 MLB Trade Deadline and GM Neal Huntington appears to have plenty of assets to shop around to contending teams.
As we talked about last night, despite being one of the hottest players in the majors, Andrew McCutchen is a player that I believe the team should build around and not look to deal. Despite how things have gone this season, the Pirates have enough talent to contend for a playoff spot next season and trading the teams best player would just hurt that effort.
Since the end of last season, the number one topic surrounding the Pirates organization has been will Andrew McCutchen be traded.
The much talked about trade discussions between the Pirates and Washington didn’t result in McCutchen being dealt. However, most people still feel it’s only a matter of time until that happens.
The Pirates only got only player named to the 2017 All-Star Game which want a surprise. However, the Pirates lone representative was somewhat surprising.
For the second time in his career, Josh Harrison was named to the NL All-Star team. Back in 2014, Harrison was picked as a utility player.
This season in 79 games, Harrison is hitting .288 with 16 doubles, 9 home runs, 27 RBI and has been hit a major-league leading 18 times.
Here are some news and notes plus some random thoughts on things currently going on with the Pirates.
**This morning while speaking to the media, Clint Hurdle announced that when he returns from his suspension, Starling Marte would be playing left field and Andrew McCutchen would remain in center field. I disagree with this decision and here’s why. At the start of the season, Pirates management determined that it would best for the team if Marte was the center fielder and McCutchen in right field. What’s changed? Seems to me that this decision is a reaction and a punishment to Marte for the 80-game suspension. By doing this, the organization is punishing the entire team not just Marte. Bad move.
Although it won’t be with the Pirates, Starling Marte will make his return to the baseball field tomorrow.
This evening, the team announced that Marte will begin a rehab assignment with Class A Bradenton.
Marte received an 80-game suspension from Major League Baseball in April after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Marte will have a 15 game rehab assignment before being eligible to return to the Pirates on July 18th.
UPDATE (3:31 PM)-
**Congragulations to the McCutchen family on Baby Cutch!! Pretty powerful video here
My World pic.twitter.com/eJC3AHux6E
— andrew mccutchen (@TheCUTCH22) June 30, 2017
UPDATE (1:18 PM)-
Looks like Jordan Luplow is being promoted to Triple-A @indyindians. He has 16 HRs for the Curve. #Pirates https://t.co/L15j4mZZZw
Despite having a ton of things go against them, we’re a day away from the start of July and the Pirates are still in contention for the NL Central Division.
Yes, Clint Hurdle’s team is still five games under .500 (37-42) but because of how mediocre the NL Central is this year, the Pirates are just four games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. Despite their current position in the standings, the Cubs are the team to beat in the division and the Pirates are only 3 games behind them.