Pirates Need to Learn From the Penguins Trade Deadline Decisions

What Will the Pirates Do At the Trade Deadline??

The Pirates are struggling.  Struggling to manufacture runs.  Struggling to get hits.  Struggling to hold leads.  Struggling just to put men on base at times.  Even through these struggles, Pirates management and Bucco fans need to NOT have a knee jerk reaction to the current slide the Bucs find themselves in, but rather learn from a team that resides right across town...the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Twitter has already been set ablaze with a "Sell, Sell, Sell" mentality.  People want to sell the farm to make a run this year.  I never thought I'd say this, but it turns out that I am in the minority when it comes to this discussion.  I do NOT think the Pirates should sell the farm to make a run this year, and for one simple reason...they have a record of 53-36 with THESE players.  That's right, without a solid hitting Right Fielder, without that short stop that can be an impact player both at bat and in the field, and without that reliable hitter at first base.  All of these weaknesses have still won 53 games and find themselves right in the thick of the division race as we approach the All Star Break. 

This Pirates team is eerily similar to the Pittsburgh Penguins team that found themselves in the exact same situation as the trade deadline approached.  The Pens were winning their division and a contender as the best team in the Eastern Conference.  There were some weaknesses with the team, and NO ONE thought they would just sit on their hands and watch the trade deadline come and go without making ANY moves, but I don't think many Penguins fans saw the acquiring the likes of Brenden Morrow, Jussi Jokinen, Douglas Murray, and Jarome Iginla...especially Iginla.  When the Penguins acquired these players, I was very happy with their moves.  They were acquiring guys that could add experience, grit, and character to a team that needed it.  However, when Iggy was signed, I thought that it was too much.  I kept telling myself that this team had been dominant WITHOUT these players, and the questions of "chemistry" then came into question.  On top of the "chemistry" issue, there was what the Penguins were giving up for these players.  They didn't have to ship away anyone from their current roster (which at the time seemed like a steal), but during the NHL draft just a few weeks ago it became clear the Penguins gave up a lot of their future to make the run that ended in bitter disappointment.  I realize that if the Pens would have won the Cup everyone would have said the moves were worth it, but when you give up a TON to compete and you don't win you have jeopardized the future.

Now back to the Pirates.  There are rumors that the Pirates are thinking of shopping some of their top young talent for some possible "bats" for the lineup.  Names like Granderson, Stanton, and Ibanez have all been tossed around as possible trade fodder.  Stanton especially would require the Pirates to ship out a lot of its farm talent to acquire him.  A couple things concern me.  If the Pirates ARE going to sell the farm to acquire someone like Stanton, in my opinion it can't be as a rental.  Too many times you see a team get rid of top quality young talent (like the Pirates have in their farm system currently) for only 60+ games and then they are off to their next destination where they sign a long term contract with another team.  If the Pirates decide to go after one of these high priced players, it has to be for years and not just the remainder of the season.  Just like in the Penguins case, I question team chemistry with bringing in players to an already close knit clubhouse.  It has been well documented that the Pirates are a team that has succeeded and don't necessarily think a lot of extra help is necessary to contend.

The one thing I keep reminding myself is that these Pirates have succeeded with their current roster.  I am not about to say that the Pirates can win a World Series with this roster, but at the same time I realize that the future is bright for this baseball club, for once.  The future is bright and what would that future look like if all that young talent is shipped away for one potential season of success.  Would you be willing to have another 10 years of losing for just 1 season?  Or would you rather see what this team can do this year knowing that the nucleus of this team and the upcoming future is brighter than ever?  Count me as someone who believes the ladder.  I am not suggesting the Pirates shouldn't do anything at the trade deadline, but just don't give up the valuable commodities that you've developed in your system.  Don't sell the future for today.