Let's go Bucs!!! (Pittsburgh, Latrobe, Franklin: sale, area code, area)

[sskink]

If the Cards had acquired Price or Lester I would've been annoyed if the Bucs didn't do what they could to get whichever one the Cards didn't.

Turns out Price said no to going to Pirates. Said he wanted to go to a "proven winner", so that stigma is still out there. Guess Bucs will have to get to playoffs a few more times to satisfy Price.

Anyway, net net, Bucs probably picked up a win or two without doing anything. They don't have to face Lester when the Sox come to town and they've had more problems with Joe Kelly than with Lackey, so from a Bucs standpoint, Cards are still in worse shape than last year, without Wacha or Kelly.

If Pedro hadn't thrown 21 balls into the stands, I don't think he would be here today. He would've been part of a package. Same with Marte being injured so often. This year's currency was young players, not prospects. And those two were the Bucs best chips in this environment.

They still have August to bolster the pen. Only issue there is Reds/Brewers can block waivers.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by sskink

If the Cards had acquired Price or Lester I would've been annoyed if the Bucs didn't do what they could to get whichever one the Cards didn't.

Turns out Price said no to going to Pirates. Said he wanted to go to a "proven winner", so that stigma is still out there. Guess Bucs will have to get to playoffs a few more times to satisfy Price.

Anyway, net net, Bucs probably picked up a win or two without doing anything. They don't have to face Lester when the Sox come to town and they've had more problems with Joe Kelly than with Lackey, so from a Bucs standpoint, Cards are still in worse shape than last year, without Wacha or Kelly.

If Pedro hadn't thrown 21 balls into the stands, I don't think he would be here today. He would've been part of a package. Same with Marte being injured so often. This year's currency was young players, not prospects. And those two were the Bucs best chips in this environment.

They still have August to bolster the pen. Only issue there is Reds/Brewers can block waivers.

Bottom line is once again the Bucs did nothing to improve the team while others did.

[JimboPGH]

Originally Posted by sskink

They still have August to bolster the pen. Only issue there is Reds/Brewers can block waivers.

Still can't believe the Reds let us claim Marlon Byrd last year...

I'm sure there are plenty of sports talk radio zombies throwing a hissy fit right now. Those are the same jagoffs who wanted to trade Polanco and Cole and Marte during previous trade deadlines.

Personally, I'll talk the potential 14 combined years of production from Josh Bell and Tyler Glasnow over 2 months of Jon Lester.

[erieguy]

Bucs were never in the race. They do this every year. Prospects, prospects, prospects. It will never be for winning or winning it all now.

Gonna be an interesting stretch run.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by JimboPGH

Still can't believe the Reds let us claim Marlon Byrd last year...

I'm sure there are plenty of sports talk radio zombies throwing a hissy fit right now. Those are the same jagoffs who wanted to trade Polanco and Cole and Marte during previous trade deadlines.

Personally, I'll talk the potential 14 combined years of production from Josh Bell and Tyler Glasnow over 2 months of Jon Lester.

I did find it amusing that the morning started with Cepedes for Lester, everyone talking how Beane is a genius because Lester was exactly what they needed to finally get through Detroit to the WS. And the day ended with Dombrowski going, "Not so fast there, Billy" and scooping up Price.

It would be a crime not to have those two face off in game 7 of the ALCS.

[JimboPGH]

Originally Posted by sskink

I did find it amusing that the morning started with Cepedes for Lester, everyone talking how Beane is a genius because Lester was exactly what they needed to finally get through Detroit to the WS. And the day ended with Dombrowski going, "Not so fast there, Billy" and scooping up Price.

It would be a crime not to have those two face off in game 7 of the ALCS.

It's a shame they wouldn't be able to bat against each other like in a real baseball game.

Looking at the division, I'm OK with what the Cardinals have done. Masterson and Lackey don't worry me as much as Wacha and Kelly did last year, and I'm totally cool with not having to deal with Allen Craig in that line-up (so many damn line-drive singles at the worst possible times). With Yadi on the DL, we really ought to gain a few games on them over the next month. Milwaukee still has the same pitching depth concerns they've had all year that could wreck them, although their line-up is dangerous enough to keep them in contention.

I think the division is ours IF Liriano and Cole finish strong and the bullpen manages to hold it's **** together.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by JimboPGH

It's a shame they wouldn't be able to bat against each other like in a real baseball game.

Looking at the division, I'm OK with what the Cardinals have done. Masterson and Lackey don't worry me as much as Wacha and Kelly did last year, and I'm totally cool with not having to deal with Allen Craig in that line-up (so many damn line-drive singles at the worst possible times). With Yadi on the DL, we really ought to gain a few games on them over the next month. Milwaukee still has the same pitching depth concerns they've had all year that could wreck them, although their line-up is dangerous enough to keep them in contention.

I think the division is ours IF Liriano and Cole finish strong and the bullpen manages to hold it's **** together.

Can't rep that, but I love the sentiment.

Unfortunately we have those 4 games vs. Detroit and have to face that gauntlet. Sheesh. Verlander is 4th best pitcher for Detroit right now. At least it looks like Bucs miss Henderson Alvarez vs Miami.

[erieguy]

Team needs help with good waiver picks. They're going to be lucky to get a wild card if they don't do something in a hurry.

[Evergrey]

It's unanimous... Pirates proclaimed "Trade Deadline" LOSERS by every media outlet. Talent-rich farm system not used to cash in on proven major leaguers to bolster Pirates' chances of winning NL Central and advance further in the playoffs.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

It's unanimous... Pirates proclaimed "Trade Deadline" LOSERS by every media outlet. Talent-rich farm system not used to cash in on proven major leaguers to bolster Pirates' chances of winning NL Central and advance further in the playoffs.

Unanimous, eh? Odd word given I've seen a few writers (Jeff Passan, Grantland, NBC HardballTalk, etc.) give the Bucs a pass.

Do they or you know what was asked for in each deal the Bucs didn't end up making?

The answer is a definitive no. Hard to make a judgement if there are no facts to support it. If you know the specific details of trades the Bucs passed on, let's hear them.

The closest thing to a fact I've heard is that Marte was asked for repeatedly (per Dejan Kovacevic) in various deals. Possibly as part of a Price deal. I'm not a big Marte fan and have no issue letting him go. What I don't know is what else was asked for. For all I know it could've been Marte and Cole. Without that info, it's kinda hard to trash NH.

I do think the O's overpaid for Miller, so if Glasnow or Kingham would've been the price for Miller, I'm happy NH passed on that.

These are the same media outlets who called the Pirates losers at the deadline last year as well.

As noted on some of these same outlets, the Cardinals may have actually gotten worse (although better for 2015 if Tavares proves himself and Masterson gets healthy). All the Brewers did was add Parra, who's having a lousy season for him. The Reds did nothing. The Braves and Giants did nothing, although both improved themselves by jettisoning Uggla. The Nats added some bench parts. The Dodgers did nothing - and they can't even beat us. There just wasn't much to talk about in the NL. FWIW, both the O's and Jays (and Yankees if you consider them a contender) all needed starting pitching. None of them got any.

It's a funny thing that pretty much all the outlets that have called the Bucs "losers" also noted that prospects were not in play this year. Controllable major leaguers were.

Let's see how it plays out. Maybe you're right. Maybe you're not. But I'll take facts over hyperbole if we're going to discuss the point.

Latrobe is open. Maybe you can go down there and brighten your day.