Does this actually matter? Pittsburgh has been in rebuild mode where they shed vets since Bonds left. Have they even been .500 since then?
nope 19 straight under .500 seasons. They've had about 5 different shit brained "rebuilds" since then. But I think even the scouts/experts finally see some light at the end of the tunnel with the collection of guys they've amassed in the minors in drafts, trades, 16 year old latino signings.
they are 1-2 years from the wave of those top 100 prospects hitting the big leagues, to join their small nucleus of guys around McCutch currently at the MLB level.
does it matter? as a fan that wants an actual winner, it matters to me that they don't
a) trade prospects this year for vet rentals to fight for 85 wins (like last year)
b) hold onto guys like Hanrahan or Burnett that might get them a solid AA or AAA prospect in a seller's market
as to shedding vets......They've definitely come out ahead in the past 5 years or so in terms of selling guys high, that pretty much sucked when they left Pittsburgh. Its a common mis-perception that they dump salary for salary sake. Hasn't happened since A-Ram many many years ago. And MLB forced them into dumping salary to pay down debt.
I like the trades they've made under the current regime. and I wish for them to be sellers this year.
also I'd be nice to sign Vlad Guerrero to a 1 million dollar contract