The Pittsburgh Pirates organization hits the 2016 Winter Meetings today. Here now is a complete preview of what the team may look to accomplish during the sessions.
The Pittsburgh Pirates enter the 2016 Winter Meetings with one clear need, but many intriguing possibilities.
The club will look to beef up their woeful starting pitching. Right now, the only certainties for the 2017 Pirates rotation are Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon. Chad Kuhl figures to have a near-lock at a rotation spot, but the club will still look to bolser their youth with established staring pitching.
More on that in a few moments, but we must start this preview with the elephant in the room.
Will He Or Won’t He Be Traded?
We are now on day four (at least) of keeping watch on Andrew McCutchen‘s evolving trade market. A deal with the Washington Nationals appeared close to be imminent as recently as this past Friday, with highly touted prospect Victor Robles and starting pitching prospect Reynaldo Lopez being centerpieces of the potential return.
Saturday, numerous national reporters chimed in on the status of talks, providing conflicting views.
pirates person reiterates: team doesnt feel compelled to move mccutchen if the price isnt right. not saying he wont go tho.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 3, 2016
Sources: #Nationals remain in talks with #WhiteSox on Sale and #Pirates on McCutchen. #RedSox open on Sale, but only at lesser asking price.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 3, 2016
Here we have two semi-conflicting reports from two very plugged in gentlemen. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, and Rosenthal’s “remain in talks” phrasing allows some wiggle room.
This uncertainty is painful for Pirates fans, and it is likely at least doubly as painful for Neal Huntington. McCutchen’s status for 2017 will wholly inform the rest of Huntington’s off-season agenda. Should no significant major league salary come to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a potential swap, Huntington suddenly has $14 million or so to play with. That figure opens up a wife range of possibilities for bolstering the club’s starting pitching.
There have been other rumblings that other teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers are in the mix for McCutchen, but no talks have intensified as much as the ones between Washington and Pittsburgh.
Based solely on the fact that McCutchen’s status must be dealt with before many other moves can be made, I fully expect McCutchen to be traded before the Winter Meetings are over. The Pittsburgh Pirates have simply gone too far down this road to turn back now, and whether or not that was the right choice will depend on two things: the return, and time.
Just because a McCutchen move would take center stage does not mean there aren’t more moves to be had.
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