Pirates Trade Nate McLouth to Braves

The 2009 trading season began in earnest Tuesday evening.

The Pittsburgh Pirates sent Nate McLouth to Atlanta in exchange for three prospects, according to a statement released by the Braves. Outfield prospect Gorkys Hernandez and pitching prospects Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke are headed to Pittsburgh in return for McLouth.

It's not surprising to see the Braves acquire some outfield help; none of their outfielders has an OPS above .700 and they're still well within striking distance in the NL East. McLouth was an All-Star in 2008 and despite an oblique injury, he was off to a good start in 2009, hitting .256/.349/.470 with nine home runs for the Pirates. In addition to his offense, he won a Gold Glove last year playing center field in spacious PNC Park.

More Coverage: Fantasy Impact of Nate McLouth Deal

For the Pirates, this is a bit more complicated. Everyone knows their new front office is rebuilding the club, but McLouth was signed affordably through 2011 and the Pirates aren't picking up either of the Braves' best prospects, Tommy Hanson, who was called up to Atlanta Tuesday, and Jason Heyward in the deal.

It's also almost certain that the Pirates will call up one of their own top prospects, Andrew McCutchen, to fill the newly-created hole in center field in Pittsburgh, but Pirate fans will likely be wondering if the team could've gotten more in return for one of the team's best players.

The answer to that question lies in McLouth's true value. Is he really a 26-homer, .500-slugging guy? Or will those power numbers settle a little bit? And even with that Gold Glove, there are questions about his defense, as most advanced metrics rate him pretty poorly.

What is a 20-homer center fielder with a decent glove and good speed worth? Is it more than Hernandez, Locke, and Morton? Did Huntington sell high here, or is he shipping away a perennial All-Star? These are the real questions Pirate fans need to be asking tonight.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-03-2009 @ 8:22PM

slfpgh said...

what aasholes! Thats why i have not been to see them in three years. What for? fireworks night? or better yet, bobble head night for bums. Get out of Pgh. you are just wasting everyones time. Bad, bad move.

6-03-2009 @ 8:55PM

Xzavier said...

Another failure. The Pirates are officially flipping off the few remaining Pirates fans, I'm just about to quit and join the Yankees bandwagon. At least their ownership has shown a real commitment to winning. Pirates winning this year? No way, Pirates fans, we'll take your money but not gonna put a major league team on the field. I thought the Littlefield years were terrilbe, this is a million times worse. At least Littlefield went out and got some real major league talent like Reggie Sanders, Kenny Lofton, Pokey Reese, Jeromy Burnitz and Sean Casey. Could you imagine how good the Pirates would have been this year with Bay, McLouth and McCutchen in the outfield this year along with picking up same decent pitchers and hitters on the free agent market?

Getting rid of McLouth is a way to cut salary so that the team could pony up the cash for that 10 year old down in the DR for $4 million. And still have some extra money left over for some overrated draft picks who'll hit .209 next year at Lynchburg and West Virginia. I'm sick of this team spending too much on draftees and DR kids and not spending money on major league players. Why not sign Ben Sheets, for example. When he's healthy, he'd be a huge help to our pitching staff. I just don't understand what Hutingdon is doing with this team...

6-03-2009 @ 11:25PM

Goldie said...

Yes... thank you so much for Bay (and Sean "The Mayor" Casey a couple of years ago). Those guys are a couple of really class acts. And it does not hurt that Bay has been ripping the leather off the ball, either!!! I hope the Pirates F.O. straightens out for Pittsburgh's sake.

6-03-2009 @ 10:53PM

PAIN IN THE ASS said...

Same old Pirates. Next trade will be 3 players for a coke vendor. Pirates fans are the real idiots for supporting a team that has no intention on fielding a winning team. Stop going to Pirate games. That is the only way ownership will ever listen.

6-04-2009 @ 1:25AM

David said...

They have been trying to rebuild through the minors now for nearly 20 years. How in the hell can you rebuild through the minors if when a player comes up and is good he gets traded for more minor league prospects?

6-04-2009 @ 3:41AM

Adam said...

This move really doesn't make any sense to me. Mclouth had his best year last year - 26hr almost 100 rbi, gg, as - usually when a player comes off a good year, has high value at low cost - you take the other team to the cleaners. The Braves gave them nothing. They just gave away their biggest bargaining chip.

6-04-2009 @ 8:19AM

rchulick said...

It is a shame what the organization has done to this once great team. Clemente would have been traded for prospects. These people have been rebuilding for 15 - 20 years. They don't want to win. It is only a business to them. This is a disgrace to baseball and to the great tradition that was once "The Impossible Pirates". Bob Prince must be turning over in his grave!

6-04-2009 @ 9:51AM

Mike said...

I've been a Pirate fan since 1970 and every year I'm always hoping this will be the year they get back to 500, forget about play-offs. So another decent player is gone, WTF? When will they spend a few bucks instead of getting more guys that make $10 bucks an hour? I'm sure those tickets at PNC aren't cheap, at least I'll never go to find out. Here's to "always next year", crap again. Thanks Pirate owners, for nothing.

6-04-2009 @ 10:21AM

nhwordman said...

Ah, how I long for the days of "There's a groundball to short. Scooped up by Alley, flips to Maz and on the Clendennon. Double play!"

6-04-2009 @ 10:33AM

cvfdff18 said...

Ah once again another beautiful move by the Suck...I mean Buccos. I think I'm going to start searching for another team. It's friggin ridiculous to drop one of your best players for 3 "prospects". Prospects that will most likely spend 3 yrs in the farm teams and won't prove to be worth crap. Oh well we will continue to wait. 15 losing seasons and you drop one of your best players. STUPID!!

6-04-2009 @ 10:41AM

skip said...

Once again the Pirate Front Office Staff are destroying the team that looked like it had a shot at 500. I have been a fan since the early 70's. I have seen really great teams and some really below crappy teams, but I have still been a fan, but NO MORE!! If I wanted to watch single A ball or Double A ball I would go to the Spikes and the Cruve games. I have been a season ticket holder for the Curve, I have seen players move up only to be traded away. It must be nice for the Pirates to be everyone elses farm system. I am done and eveyone else should be too. STOP GOING TO THE GAMES AND BUYING THE MERCHANDISE!! When are you going to wake up and keep a team that can be something instead of trading away our hopes and dreams.