Would you make this trade and how would it help the Pirates? (I honestly
don't know so I appreciate some feedback.)

John Grabow and Jose Castillo to the Cleveland Indians for Paul Byrd and one
of Jason Michaels/Casey Blake/Shin-Soo Choo.

John

"John" <j_dahlgren@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:UPudnTRJrptDa7fYnZ2dnUVZ_qWdnZ2d@adelphia.com ...

Shin-Soo Choo would be great. All players would be involved with a move from
one losing franchise to another.

John wrote:

Casey Blake will be 34 next August... he's a decent outfielder, but not
great by any stretch, who's biggest liability is one he shares with
Xavier Nady, they're right handed hitters who's styles are poor fits for
PNC Park. Jason Michaels, 31 next season, same issues, right handed
hitter without the power to prevent PNC Park from impacting his
production. Paul Byrd, 35, right handed pitcher also destine to
struggle at PNC and he's way over paid relative to actual value.
Shin-soo Choo is much more like the player the Pirates should be trying
to acquire... young, lefty hitter, good plate discipline... if he can
play a decent center (his position when he was with Seattle) that would
address a major problem for the team.

Honestly though, I can't see the Indians moving him for anything close
to what you suggest. In fact I don't see the Indians or many other AL
teams being very anxious to acquire anything other than first tier
talent from NL clubs as most of the lesser players that have gone over
to the AL in recent years have just absolutely bombed. There's been an
opinion amongst AL GMs for awhile now, and it's becoming more prevelant,
that the talent coming out of the NL organizations is sub-par.

I would think the Indians are not going to make the Brian Giles mistake
again anytime soon and if they were to deal Choo it would not be for the
spare parts the Pirates have to offer.

If by some chance the Pirate were to be offered just Choo for Grabow and
Castillo they shouldn't waste a whole lot of time thinkng about it just
do it.

On Oct 10, 8:38 am, Another Day Another OS <Uspammerz...@stayaway.com>
wrote:

I thought the Blake and Michaels were younger than that. But I don't
really follow the Indians.


Jason Michaels, 31 next season, same issues, right handed

Granted he's way over-paid but he could be the right-handed innings
eater the Pirates are rumored to be looking for and the Indians do want
to unload him.



The Indians need a 2nd baseman and Castillo has the potential to be
very good. They also need bullpen help. This would be a trade of
Grabow and Castillo for Choo with Byrd thrown in to get him off the
Indians roster. I bet the Bucs have someone nearly as good as Byrd in
the Minors but Byrd has that intangible quality the Bucs are always
looking for--"veteran presence."

Can you see any other trades the Bucs could make to acquire what they
need without giving up the farm?

John


In fact I don't see the Indians or many other AL

"John" <dahlgren.john@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1160485137.941129.192630@h48g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...

What's wrong with the Pirates giving up the farm. They've done it before. As
long as the salary stays at or below the profit-sharing numbers McClatchy,
Nutting and Littlebrain have nothing to lose. They will make a profit.
Anyone who thinks that Nutting and McClatchy will ante up any of their cash
to pay anything beyond the profit-sharing numbers needs to check in at UPMC
for a CT scan of the head and an MRI of the brain. The slumlords of MLB will
remain just that, slumlords. Why change anything when you're making money?
The only thing that will change their viewpoint is an empty PNC Park. That's
not going to happen so we'll just have to live with 4 assholes (the one in
everyone's body and McClatchy, Nutting and Littlebrain.)

On the subject of possible trades...

I know everyone will flip when I say this, but just try to keep an open
mind; the Pirates past trade strategy, that of trying to move players at
their lowest possible value has been a big part of why they can't move
forward.

The one player the Pirates should be trying to move, after Jack Wilson
to alleviate themselves of his contract, is Freddy Sanchez.

Freddy had a great year, but it really isn't the kind of year the puts a
team over the nor is likely he'll ever have such a year. I know it
would be terribly unpopular move with the fans, but the bottom line is
that the next time the Pirates have an opportunity to contend Freddy
isn't going to be a member of the team or a least not a productive one
anymore.

At 29 and just coming off winning the batting title his value will never
be any higher than it will be this off season. I'm not saying they
should dump him, but if someone comes calling with a decent offer, they
be wise to listen seriously to it.

"Another Day Another OS" <UspammerzSux@stayaway.com> wrote in message
news:eggope$j97$1@usenet01.srv.cis.pitt.edu...

Maybe we can trade him for 2 washed up relievers and a drunken right
fielder. After all, we know that Littlebrain has no clue as to what he is
doing. We could get Jose Mesa back!