Should the Pirates be Buyers at the Trading Deadline?
From SABR member Rob Neyer at Baseball Prospectus on July 22:
I’m writing this at the conclusion of Major League Baseball’s July 21 schedule. Improbably enough, the Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place.
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Still, we don’t really believe in the Pittsburgh Pirates, do we?
Granted, the Pirates do play in a pitcher’s park that’s been particular tough on hitters this season. But they’re currently 13th in the National League in scoring, and it’s obviously difficult to win that way.
Not that it absolutely can’t be done. In 1985, the Kansas City Royals won the World Series after finishing 13th in the American League in scoring.
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Today I think a Grade-B prospect and a few million dollars might actually be a small price to pay for the goodwill the Pirates will gain if they actually try to win a division title this season, no matter the odds against them.
Read the full article here: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=14598
Originally published: July 22, 2011. Last Updated: July 22, 2011.