The Pittsburgh Pirates are once again in the thick of the NL Central pennant race.
Some how.
It's still weird to even write something like that, especially after their stomach wrenching April, but here they are, the door to the Central wide open.
Time to take advantage.
It's up to the Pirates to win and win now. To take advantage of all the hardships that have befallen their Central foes and grab the Central title while they have the chance. In order to do that the Pirates must improve, and despite what Neal Huntington says, that improvement cannot come from within.
It can't because it's just not there.
The Pirates have one of the best minor league systems in baseball. Years of finishing in last place have allowed the Pirates to stock their system with a bevvy of young, talented players who will most certainly help this club, or another, in the long run.
They can't help now.
Well, they can, but not on the field.
The Pirates need to take a long look at what they need now and weigh it with what they think these kids will bring in the future. I'm always a fan of trading prospects for proven talent, in any sport, but especially baseball. Prospects in baseball are such a crap shoot that you're lucky enough if 3 of your top 10 prospects see the MLB one day in some fashion. That's not a knock on these players, it just a very realistic look at how hard it is to make it in this game and how many things can, and usually do, go wrong on the pathway to the big leagues. No one really knows how these prospects are going to do, that's why they're called prospects. Getting a proven player for an unproven one is always an upgrade, whether it hurts you in the future or not. When you need to win now, you do what you have to get the pieces you need, and that means trading some of your farm. (Pay attention Penguins, as this is directed at you as well)
Now I'm not suggesting the Pirates have a full blown fire sale and sell the farm, but the fact of the matter is that the Pirates have too many prospects and not enough spots for them on the big league ball club. Trading some of the excess skill to improve your ball club now wouldn't be the end of the world, in fact, it would be the right thing to do. Not just for your team but for these kids as well. If you don't have spots for them, another organization probably does. It's a win win.
Here's a quick look at the most recently updated list of the Pirates Top 10 Prospects:
1. Tyler Glasnow RHP - MLB Top 100 Prospects Rank: 20
2. Jameson Taillon RHP - 32
3. Josh Bell OF - 33
4. Austin Meadows OF - 50
5. Nick Kingham RHP - 55
6. Alen Hanson SS - 80
7. Reese McGuire C - 81
8. Harold Ramierez OF
9. Cole Tucker SS
10. Mitch Keller RHP
Now let's look at the Pirates needs this season:
1. Relief Pitching
2. First Base
3. Starting Pitching
The nice thing is that the Pirates top need this season if usually something that does not require that much in return for. Relief pitching is something that is commonly undervalued in baseball and, with the exception of an elite closer, is not going to cost you an arm and a leg. This is an area that needs to be addressed and needs to be addressed now. It's clearly not 2013 anymore. The shark tank has more holes in it than a block of Swiss cheese and it needs to be plugged quickly if the Pirates are going to make a serious run at this division title. The main issue right now is the 7th inning. You need someone who can pitch before Watson and Melancon that is reliable...or at least more reliable than what we have now.
Also you need to call up Vin Mazzaro right now. Why the man isn't up here in the first place is a travesty.
After you solve your bullpen problems, you need to take a long hard look at first base. I know this problem was supposed to have been addressed in the beginning of the season with the acquisition of Ike Davis but it's clear that that acquisition is not working. The platoon of Ike and Gabby is by far the weakest spot we have in our lineup on a daily basis (well, depending on if Pedro is playing) and it needs to be improved upon before the trade deadline. I know Huntington won't of course as it would be admitting that acquiring Davis was a complete failure but, none the less, it SHOULD be addressed.
Then you come to the big question mark of the whole Pirates team, the starting pitching. The starting rotation has powered much of the Pirates rush up the standings, once again proving that good pitching always beats good hitting (just ask Colorado). The reemergence of Jeff Locke has been a welcome sight as well as the dominance of Vance Worley, who I pegged as the Pirates best off season pickup at the beginning of the season. As it sits now, I'm completely comfortable with the Pirates starting rotation. It's not a weakness but it's also not a strength either. Now if Liriano can find just a sliver of his 2013 form and the Cole Train pulls back into the (healthy) station, then you have something to brag about. If one of those two things doesn't occur, another solid starter would always be a nice trade target. As the saying goes, you can never have too much pitching.
