This is GM Neal Huntington’s 10th trade deadline with the Pirates. From the good, the bad and the ugly, let’s recap the previous nine as this year’s deadline looms closer.
Today, we’ll take a look at the deals the Pittsburgh Pirates’ GM made in 2013.
Deadline Approach
This was it: the year the Pittsburgh Pirates would finally get back over .500 and played in “#Buctober.”
While the 2012 team was offensively driven, this group was relying on shifts, quality pitching, a masterful bullpen and steady defense to overcome a weak offense. Andrew McCutchen was about to become an MVP and Pedro Alvarez a silver slugger winner, but Garrett Jones was struggling. Between his sub-par average offense and defense, he was below replacement level.
Jones needed to go to the bench, and the Pirates needed either another first baseman or outfielder. A new backup catcher to replace the injured Michael McKenry was also on the wish list.
Surprisingly, the non-waiver deadline went by with the Pirates holding steady. They instead made their move in late August, putting in claims for players. These claims should have been blocked by either the Reds or Nationals, but they fell on their laps. Those claims cemented themselves as a contender.
August 27: Traded RHP Vic Black and INF Dilson Herrera to the New York Mets for OF Marlon Byrd and C John Buck
After holding onto his best prospects the previous two years, Huntington finally made a move to ship off two quality minor leaguers.
Herrera looked like he could be the second baseman of the future. He was what just about every team wants from a middle infielder: a slick glove, good baserunning instincts, speed and a decent bat. His value only went higher after the trade, being ranked the number 46 prospect in all of baseball in 2014, according to Baseball America. He spent parts of two seasons with the Mets before being sent to the Reds in the Jay Bruce deal. He’s currently stuck in neutral in AAA.
Black was rated by Baseball America as one of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ top 20 prospects four years in a row before the deal. They even went one step beyond and said he had the best fastball and slider within the organization in 2009. He was lighting up radar guns and even got a cup of coffee with the big club this year. Unfortunately, arm problems seem to have cut his career short. He’s trying to stage a comeback with the Giants, but the deck is stacked against him.
Byrd was in the middle of a career revival and was a feared hitter once again. He posted a 138 wRC+ down the stretch and was worth 0.5 fWAR. The Pirates had mainly played Jones and Travis Snider in right this season, so he took care of southpaws. He still handled his own against righties and provided another quality bat. Buck mostly just held down the fort and played at replacement levels, but between him and Tony Sanchez, Russell Martin finally got a chance to breathe in September.
The Pirates had a clear need, and instead of picking up a guy who could one day help, they got the rentals to win now. It was a complete reversal of the Snider trade the year before.
August 31: Traded OF Alex Presley and RHP Duke Welker to the Minnesota Twins for 1B Justin Morneau
With just hours remaining before traded players were ineligible for the postseason, the Pirates brought in the former MVP Morneau for a month. While he didn’t homer as a Pirate and was worth -0.1 fWAR, it did allow Jones to go to the bench. Not to mention a lineup with a future MVP being followed by a former recipient was much more daunting than before.
Presley was a starter in 2012 but lost his job once Starling Marte was promoted. He didn’t have a future with the club, and he didn’t last too long with the Twins either. He’s bounced around the league ever since, destined to be a fifth outfielder in a time where teams carry four.
Welker was a top 10 prospect in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization before Huntington came around, but he fell out of favor. He pitched 1.1 career innings, all with the Pirates in 2013. He spent two months with the Twins before being dealt for Kris Johnson: a tall lefty who only made seven major league appearances.
Hindsight
The Pirates may have only added 0.4 fWAR of value between their three pickups, but Huntington did well this season. Their contributions went beyond just stats. Byrd put the Bucs on the board first in the infamous Wild Card game. My friend Zachary Weiss wrote a few years back that Buck helped in Gerrit Cole’s development. Morneau may not have hit, but he was still feared enough to provide protection for McCutchen.
It may have cost a solid prospect or two to get it done, but the Pittsburgh Pirates were no longer losers. They probably would not have reached the NLDS if they didn’t make these moves.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
