What better way to commemorate the 300th Posting of The Grandstander than to comment on more movement within the Pirates organ-eye-zation.
The big name among the news this morning is the non-tendering, tantamount to "release," of outfielder Lastings Milledge. The former "five tool" #1 draft pick of the New York Mets with the reputation of a clubhouse troublemaker, Milledge was, apparently, never anything but a good citizen when with the Pirates. Unfortunately, he was never close to being a five tool player, either. Still, he was a colorful guy with the flashy shoes and the dreadlocks. I'm sorry that it didn't work out.
And you have to love GM Neal, don't you? He announced the move on Milledge in language that could only be described as Classic Nealspeil:
"We spent a lot of time analyzing Lastings Milledge as compared with the potential alternatives for the expected role and determined it was worth further exploration of the alternatives."
Also released were former Rule 5 pitcher Donnie Veal (guess he just couldn't throw a strawberry through a locomotive like Bob Veale could), and Argenis Diaz, the short stop who came to the Bucs in one of the Bucs' salary dump deals of a few years back (I think it was the John Grabow to the Cubs deal, but I could be wrong about that). I guess he wasn't the guy to replace Jack Wilson after all. Oh, well.
There are now four spots open on the 40 man roster. That leaves space for the expected free agent signings of Cliff Lee and Jayson Werth next week at the winter meetings.
Yo Gman ... Congrats on #300! If moves for Lee and Werth don't materialize, there's always Derek Jeter in the wings.
ReplyDeleteThere is a much gruffer term for what you term "Neil spiel". Congratulations for taking the higher road.
ReplyDeleteNeil is why my ticket application is gathering dust in a drawer right now.
Wait, didn't Dejan once talk about GM's making attemps at job-saving moves in the final year of their contract? Here come the free agents as Neil furthers his exploration of the alternatives.
Pood Andrew McCutcheon. First Nijer is his best buddy, then Lastings - what now?
The dogs bark, and the Milledge People caravan moves on.
Congrats on No. 300 Bob. You know I'm not surprised by this at all. Milledge was terrible. Of course so is rony Cenedo, but they resigned him. Just goes to show how bare the cupboard is at SS. All the more reason to believe the jettisoning of Jack Wilson was stupid and obviously a cost savings move. I said it once and I'll say it again, I don't care how many draft choices they sign and how many prospects they bring up to the ML. Until they spend some serious money at the ML level on genuine talent, not someone else's journeyman castoffs, we should remain super skeptical. Again in 2011, I will not be buying any tickets because to do so would only serve to endorse the actions of this management team.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the reason for the Pirates 17 years of failure lies not directly with NH and/or Frank Connolly, but with ownership. It all starts at the top. The idiot from West Virginia is to blame. Until he changes, which I'm sure he won't, or sells the franchise, there will not be a winning season at PNC Park.
ReplyDeleteNeil has to learn that we can only have a 40 man roster. When you trade and get multi players someone has to go. Good case was Jose Baustia had to be taken off the 40 man roster in one of the trades.
ReplyDelete