Saturday, July 23, 2011

#213: Don't Give Up the Farm

---SSL Broadcast #51---


I think I lost count somewhere.

This apparently marks the 1-year anniversary of "Steeltown Sports Live" (tomorrow, actually), but it also says broadcast #51. I thought there were 52 weeks in a year. Oh, well. If someone can find the missing show or otherwise quantify that this indeed is only broadcast 51, I'll send you a package of cookies.

The Major League Baseball trade deadline is just over a week away, and the sports talk lines are buzzing, suggesting things like trading prospects like Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie and others to get a big bat in the lineup this year.

As much as fans want to win it all right now, it's just not prudent to give up the farm team that has taken a long time to rebuild. You don't give it up for one year.

As a Pirate fan, I am more than willing to watch the team suffer through losing season number 19 if it means that the farm system stays stable. Once I get the impression that the farm system is loaded would I entertain the notion of getting rid of high-slot prospects for a mid-season rental that could push the team over the hump.

Read last week's entry for my thoughts on the possibility of trading Kevin Correia as part of a deal. I'm not saying to get rid of him, period, but he is the most expendable of the current starting rotation that could fetch a decent return if packaged with a couple of middling players. Listen to this week's program to understand why I think this.


- Who, if anyone, do you trade (away and for) if you're the Pirates' brass?

- Pirates success this year lands them on national TV for the first time in a long time.

- The Pittsburgh Power's inaugural season comes to an end.

- Quick thought on United States Women's soccer team goalie Hope Solo and her taking the so-called "high road" by not exaggerating injury.







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1 Comments:

Blogger Uncle Mike said...

I agree: Don't give up the farm. Don't throw away guys who could help the Pirates contend for the next 7 years for ONE guy who COULD help you win THIS season. You never know if you'll get another chance, but you have a much better chance at another chance if you keep good young players.

Pirate fans have waited a long time for even respectability. The team is probably a year or two away from a great season. Don't roll the dice on throwing it away too soon. Look at the Phillies: They probably put it together too soon in 1993, and already began to break it up before the strike hit in '94, and didn't even contend again for a decade. Learn from this, and there could be October baseball in Western Pennsylvania -- not just once, but a few times.

7/26/2011 11:17 AM  

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