Melky Cabrera to the Pirates for Mike Gonzalez? Per rotowire

[aracko]

Pirates also will get a prospect. I wish the Crew would have gotten involved for him. Bay and Cabrera still puts Pittsburg a player short in their OF. They could really use Jenks!

[brettac1]

Gonzalez must really have some arm injury that scares the Pirates if they're going to trade him for Cabrera.

[GAME05]

that would be a good trade. the last thing a struggling team needs is a closer, so why not add some offense? and the Pirates have a bunch of good bullpen guys, so maybe one of them could step up. a good infielder is sure worth a lot more than 25 saves a year.

[TooLiveBrew]

GAME, that's Melky, not Miguel Cabrera. Yankees OF, not Marlins IF.

[GAME05]

yeah, doesn't Melky play 2nd? I wasn't thinking about Miguel Cabrera, but then again I have been dipping into the egg nog.

[GAME05]

so Melky's an OF? sorry bout that.

[reillymcshane]

I find it hard to be that high on Melky.

 

If he played CF, perhaps. But he's a corner OF with little power or speed (at least based upon SB). His minor league numbers were never particularly good - again, for a corner OF. Maybe he has CF skills, in which case he's more valuable.

 

The nice thing Melky has going for him is his age - just 22. And his sudden willingness to take walks, something he didn't do much of in the minors. If that translates long term, he's a solid OBP type guy who can hit 10-12 HR. Not bad for a CF, but not ideal for a corner OF.

 

The world, however, probably sees him as better than he is because he's had the luxury of having guys like Irod, Jeter, Giambi, etc. hitting around him. Not to mention the NY press has probably written a hundred stories of how amazing he is.

[RobertR]

We're a long way from those LaRoche for Gonzalez rumors.

 

I don't think this trade does much of anything for the Pirates this year. Cabrera doesn't look like much of an impact player, and the Pirates need impact players on offense. Still, he's young and servicable and should improve. Maybe in 2 or 3 years the Pirates he'll be a solid player amid the young prospects of the Pirates who have matured.

 

Robert

[pogokat]

is melky cabrera really any good?

 

I don't think he's better than corey hart...

 

so why the heck is he getting so much press?

 

NY---that's why. And, its the only reason...if he played in KC nobody would have a clue who he was..

[TooLiveBrew]

Although I have and will defend Melky Cabrera - to a point - your comments are totally fair, pogo. I wouldn't even hesitate to say that Hart is clearly the superior player. Melky's fine, and his defense trumps Hart's (most MLB OFs, probably), but he just doesn't hit for the power that Hart does.

 

Melky's career minor league OPS = .769 (4 seasons, 1,432 ABs)

Melky's career MLB OPS = .739 ("2" seasons, 479 ABs)

 

He's only turning 23 next year, but, unlike Hart, does not give reason to hope for dramatic gains in his OPS & power numbers

[brosto1]

I guess the Pirates missed Matt Lawton, so they got a younger version without the speed.

[endaround]

Cabrera played 116 games in RF and BP has him at 6 PRAA. Hart played 26 games in RF and was 2 PRAA. So I would hardly claim Cabrera is some defensive wiz.

[bretsky07]

Quote:

---

yeah, doesn't Melky play 2nd? I wasn't thinking about Miguel Cabrera, but then again I have been dipping into the egg nog.

---

 

you're thinking of Robinson Cano, and if the trade was Mike Gonzalez for Cano, wow, big win for the Pirates

[reillymcshane]

Deal is reportedly almost done:

 

From www.mlbtraderumors.com/

 

Bucco Blog is reporting tonight that the oft rumored three-team trade between the Yankees, Braves, and Pirates is all but complete.

 

Mike Gonzalez is taking a requested physical for the Yankees today and, if he passes, it looks like he will be a Yankee for Christmas. The Pirates will be getting Adam LaRoche and the Braves will get Melky Cabrera and at least one unidentified Pirate who is thought to be either Nate McLouth or Jose Castillo. There are a couple versions of this trade running according to Bucco Blog so more as we hear it.

[deeswan]

Wouldn't the 3 team deal be a big win for the Pirates. If I had to choose from Gonzalez, Cabrera and La Roche; I'd have to take La Roche. Or am I crazy?

[aracko]

Deeswan - I agree 100% with you. LaRoche is an amazing hitter. .354 OBP, 32HR, 90RBI, .915 OPS.

 

The only downfall is his high strikeout rate, but I think the Pirates can live with that in order to get his bat in the middle of that batting order and give Jason Bay some protection.

 

If this proposed deal goes down and the Pirates dont have to throw anything else in, I think they made just a huge stride here.

[Mass Haas]

July 31, 2003: the Pittsburgh Pirates trade Jeff Suppan with Brandon Lyon and Anastacio Martinez to the Boston Red Sox for Mike Gonzalez, Freddy Sanchez, and cash.

 

Funny how Suppan and Gonzalez are both in the news so prominently this week. What a hideous deadline deal for the Sox, although Sanchez in particular would not have been given the opportunity to thrive in Boston.

[JohnBriggs12]

La Roche is a real nice pickup for Bucs.

 

I saw a report on ESPN or somewhere that LaRoche suffers from ADD. He got approval from MLB to use medication for it at some point this past season and took off. His post All Star numbers: .323/.387/.685.