Neal Huntington’s next moves

Shortly before yesterday’s game, the Pirates issued a release saying that Neal Huntington’s contract had been extended through 2014 (with an option for 2015). That was more or less of a foregone conclusion, but now that we’re certain that he’s going to be back, let’s take a quick look at the decisions Huntington’s going to have to make before next March. I’ve said a few times that he’s going to have a busy off-season, and here’s why:

The Options
Without context, the Pirates wouldn’t have any reason to pick up Paul Maholm’s $9 million option for 2012, Ryan Doumit’s two options worth $15.5 million over the next two seasons, or Chris Snyder’s $6.75 million option for next year. None of those guys are worth that sort of money on their own, but the Pirates simply don’t have better options at their positions in the immediate future. Without Maholm, the rotation only has two locks (McDonald and Morton), one probably (Lincoln), one guy we know isn’t very good (Correia), and a bunch of unproven young guys. Without Snyder and Doumit, the catching situation is McKenry, who’s not very good, and two guys who probably aren’t ready for the Majors (Fryer and Sanchez). So do you overpay these guys for one year or service, dig into free agency and hope to find something better than what you found last year, or replace from within and hope for the best? 

Shortstop
I didn’t include Ronny Cedeno’s $3 million option for 2012 with the other three above because it’s more reasonable and, in my opinion, a foregone conclusion that the Bucs are going to pick it up. But Cedeno’s not a long-term answer at short, nor is Chase d’Arnaud or Brock Holt or Jordy Mercer or anyone else currently in the system. So do you pick up Cedeno’s option and not worry about it and focus on other positions with more dire needs or try to deal from strength to improve the position?  

The corners
Let’s go through the list of problems here: Pedro Alvarez has had an awful year and is teetering into bust territory (this is a deeper, more complex subject than that, I’m just saying that’s where he is right now). The Pirates’ first baseman is the ancient Derrek Lee, who they shouldn’t bring back. The Pirates’ best prospects in the upper minors at first base are Matt Hague and Matt Curry, who are probably borderline prospects at best. They don’t really have anyone to man third base behind Alvarez unless you count Josh Harrison, who has his own serious problems right now. If the Pirates can’t put people that can hit at first or third base, they’re probably going to stink next year. End of story. Obviously Alvarez going to winter ball and finding his stroke would be a huge boon here, but there should be contingency plans in place by this point. 

What is a strength, anyway?
The Pirates main goal since Huntington took over has been to accumulate as much talent as possible, then figure out what you have and what you need and fill in the gaps. So, are the Bucs confident enough in Starling Marte to trade away Jose Tabata or Alex Presley (or vice versa)? Is Huntington confident enough in his scrap heap bullpen building to ship out Joel Hanrahan? Which of the Pirates’ young pitchers (meaning not Cole or Taillon, but any of the four guys in the top of the system and even some of the glut at West Virginia) are going to help the team, and which have maximized their trade values and could be dealt right now? These are hard decisions, but they’re decisions the Pirates are going to have to make because I don’t think standing pat and hoping for the minor leaguers to work out is going to bring things together in the next two or three years. 

Whatever the case, because these are the questions I think Huntington should be asking himself, they’re also the questions I’m going to be focusing on as the season winds down.