Pirate Hooks

A few thoughts on the Pirates and the worst swing of modern baseball (1890 doesn't count) ever seen in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates are 3-21 over their last 24 games and considering that one of their best (?) pitchers in Ross Ohlendorf has been shut down for the season,I do not see things getting any better over the last 13 games.
Barring a 7-6 final run and what could give you the thought that is going to happen,the Pirates will hit the 100 loss mark.
And in even more bad news,unless Washington really finishes up strong,the 100 loss season will not be able to land the first pick.
Believe it or not,even this legendarily bad stretch of baseball is not going to be enough to catch the Nationals in the Bryce Harper derby.

The Post-Gazette offered an article on possible free agent signings for the Pirates over the winter and some of the names were interesting.
Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson returns?
Well,second base is a huge hole and the worrisome "vesting option" that so concerned the Pirates will not be activated since Sanchez has struggled with injuries in San Francisco,so Sanchez would be more in line for the salary area that was laughed at when the Pirates attempted a cheap extension.
Sanchez would likely only come if Jack Wilson returned and that could happen.
Seattle said that they would pick up his option upon bringing him to the Emerald City,but injury issues and less than stellar performance could cause the Mariners to skip on the option.
Returning the pair to Pittsburgh and getting the young arms for basically losing the combo for a little of two months is a great bargain.
Former Pirate bullpenner John Grabow was the name that the Pirates seemed to have the most interest in.
I have not been impressed with either Kevin Hart and Jose Ascanio,but Josh Harrison was a nice addition to the system and bringing Grabow back would be getting them for free.
Grabow could be ruled a Type A free agent and if that is the case,I have no interest.
Signing Grabow means that the Cubs would get the Pirates second round pick in the 2010 draft and that is too high of a price for a average reliever on a bad team.
Rick Ankiel is a name that came up and assuming the price is right (and it may not be),I would love to see Ankiel in left field at PNC Park.
Ankiel has the athletic ability to play the most difficult outfield position and coming off a bad year,Ankiel might be in the Pirate price range...
I would hope the Pirates would add someone at reasonable cost,but not if costs valuable money in the draft.
The Pirates need to continue down the road that they traveled the last two seasons and if that means 100 losses next year,fine.
Just don't overspend to bring popular players back to satisfy the casual fan and then take away that money from the system to pay for the retreads......

I am still not sure on the long term success for Garrett Jones,but Jones has hit very well this season and it is nice to see someone give these long time AAA veterans a chance.
Sometimes you find a usable part and from the players side of things,they never have wonder-what might have been if they had just been given a chance...

One player that has played very well in the recent stretch has been Lastings Milledge.
Milledge has played well in the field,which was the main rap on him and hit well too in moving his average above .300.
I would not feel uncomfortable at all with Garrett Jones at first and an outfield of Milledge,Andrew McCutchen and possibly Rick Ankiel next season.
That would not be among the elite teams at those positions,but far from the worst either.

Rumors are swirling about Ryan Doumit being the next to go.
Doumit does not appear to be a John Russell favorite and was quite outspoken in his views on the Pirates mid-season deals.
Neal Huntington may very well decide that the team can get by with the platoon of Jason Jaramillo and Robinzon Diaz that held down the fort when Doumit was injured last season and get something for the lefty swinging catcher..

Neil Walker has been getting some PT with Andy LaRoche being put down by the flu,but hasn't done much with it.
The best long term role for Walker might be as a super utility player.
Walker could catch,third and with some work could even play 1st,2nd or the outfield in a pinch.
I remember when Davey Johnson did a similar move with Clint Hurdle with the Mets and it added four years to his career and that means long term dollars with the MLB pension plan...

Photo Credits
Ankiel:Chris Lee-St.Louis Post-Dispatch
Walker:Bill Gentry