Bball Plays Pirates GM: Part One
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by user Timothy Moreland(Bball3345)
Last season, a writer at BaseballProspectus(I think you need a subscription to view) did an exercise with the Cubs similar to what I am about to do with the Pirates. I will look at the Pirates roster and top prospects, deciding how they should be valued by the organization. This part of the series will focus on the hitters. The colors assigned to the players will be assuming the Pirates are a playoff contender. So, while Player X may have value on a team as bad as the Pirates, the assigned color will be based on whether that player would have any value on a playoff team.
Neil Walker, drafted out of a local high school, Pine Richland, was supposed to be the catcher of the future. He has shown little power in the minors and has been shifted to third. He is still listed at catcher, because he will never have any value in the majors unless he makes it as a backstop.
A year ago at this time, Ryan Doumit was the catcher of the future, wielding a bat that would easily make him an All-Star at the position. Injuries have cut into his young playing days. He looks to be more like a Craig Wilson type in this offense. He's got the bat, but the Pirates need to find him a position.
So, this leaves Ronny Paulino as the Pirates catcher for the foreseeable future. He has both the glove and the bat to be one of the top handful of catchers in the league. He isn't in Brian McCann or Joe Mauer's class, but he is in the tier right below them as far as long-term value.
The Pirates need to get rid of Humberto Cota, whether it be trading him to someone needing a defensive backup or outright releasing him, he is a wasted spot on the roster if Doumit is indeed a catcher.
This offseason, the only big move for the Pirates was acquiring Adam LaRoche for closer Mike Gonzalez and SS prospect Brent Lillibridge. LaRoche gives the Pirates a solid bat at first base. Last year was LaRoche's best power year by far; therefore, it remains to be seen in 2006 was a fluke.
Brad Eldred lost last season to injury and is old for a prospect. Still, Pirates fans would like to see him starting in right field. This spring he gave right field and try and has played there on a few occasions in 2007. Eldred has an Adam Dunn-like swing: lots of power and lots of strikeouts. He would be a strong bench player on a contending team.
Freddy Sanchez broke out last season, winning a batting title. The Pirates organization made a rare good move, shifting him to second base from third. Sanchez originally came up as a second baseman, so he can handle the shift defensively. It also opens up a spot for Jose Bautista's bat.
The man hurt by the Sanchez shift is Jose Castillo, the former starting second baseman. Castillo is terrible on defense and his bat doesn't keep pitchers up at night. Castillo would have no worth on a playoff team. It shows just how shallow the Pirates infield is that Castillo had himself a starting spot.
As mentioned, Jose Bautista has a spot starting at third base. His bat is average, nothing spectacular, but worthy of a starting spot. He can also make some tough plays defensively at the hot corner.
Jack Wilson has shown zero ability to hit in his career. His defense is Gold-Glove worthy and in itself makes him a decent starter.
Prospect Brian Bixler is next in line at SS. He is a good prospect, although not as good as Lillibridge was. He should end up being an average player in the majors.
The minors in Pittsburgh are bare of any above-average hitting prospects in the infield after Lillibridge was traded.
The Pirates outfield discussion has to start with Jason Bay. He is the best player this organization has seen since Barry Bonds roamed the outfield grass. He is one of the top 5-10 players in the National League, if not the majors. GM Dave Littlefield's entire positive reputation revolves around Bay. His only great trade was sending Brian Giles to San Diego for Bay and Oliver Perez. His only great contract is the four year/$18.25 million dollar bargain Bay is signed to. Without Bay, Littlefield would, hopefully, have been out of a job a long time ago.
After threatening to retire before playing for the Pirates again, Chris Duffy is the starting CF and leadoff hitter for the Pirates. Unfortunately for him, he has the Pirates #1 prospect Andrew McCutchen flying through the minors behind him. Duffy's days in center are numbered.
Xavier Nady is the starting rightfielder, but he is nothing more than an average player, at best. On a contending team, Nady is nothing more than a platoon player.
Nate McLouth has been an effective pinch-hitter in 2007. Value-wise, McLouth is every bit as good as Duffy.
I will take a look at the Pirates' pitchers in Part Two of this series.
