OnlyBucs

Lets think outside the box about McCutchen. What would you suggest the Buccos do with him this off-season. If you propose a trade tell us what you would look for. Prospects that are a few years away? An MLB ready prospect? A MLB player? A combo of two or three of the fore mentioned type players. You can make any player suggestions you can think of. My idea is that the Buccos should find a trading partner that is pretty much set for the next few years and need an OF to complete the teams run for the WS.

If someone overwhelms you with a trade, you take it, but I think the best plan is to hope that the kids take a step forward, hope the vets restore their value, and hope for a mid-season kicker from Keller and Meadows. It's not a chance you want to take, but it looks like 3-4 years down the road we'll be hard-pressed to get this much talent together.

I would trade him for good prospects at the mid-levels - high A, AA, even AAA. The Pirates have been drafting low for a few years now. They need to replace prospects.

I pick up his option. Pray that Nutting decides to sell, and new ownership extends Cutch, signs Mike Moustakas, Madison Bumgarner and Yu Darvish.

I think his option gets picked up under any set of facts. I'm fairly sure that has to be done within some few number of days after the World Series ends. Not to do so would allow him to walk away without any compensation. The question comes after that - do they keep him with the team and hope for a great year next year, or trade him for whatever they can get. If he stayed with the team for the entire year they would likely be able to get a comp round pick. The key is whether they get a prospect offer this offseason that is sufficiently better than that to make it worth the trade.

There is only one option here - its deal him for obvious reasons. This team is going no where with him because our GM/Ownership won't commit to bringing in good players. Trade him for prospect close to being ready if not ready. There really isn't another option here.

They will have to pick up his option in order to trade him, right? I'm in favor of extending him for three to four years. His planned replacement isn't ready yet. Have young pitching. Build on this small window of opportunity.

I think the better question is: If you are Andrew McCutchen, what do you do?



1. You know the drill. This ownership group is going to plead poverty and not do anything significant to upgrade the roster via free agent additions. You also know you are the most valuable trade chip.



2. You genuinely like Pittsburgh, but when you put it in context of staying here and getting paid under your market value, or moving on to a team that is less committed to the bottom line, for a competitor, there is no debate.



3. You'd much rather have things settled going into the year than putzing around until the trade deadline.



If I'm Cutch, I sit down with Bob, Frank, Neal and Clint. I tell them to deal me by Thanksgiving, or I will announce I want out. The deadline is my leverage at this point. Once I make my announcement, the option of keeping me for another year can't be used to make a better deal.



If he's really nice, he might entertain a discussion of the Pirates making an offer to keep him, but we all know that's not going to happen, other than lip service. Besides, if he's smart, he's going to want some guarantee of a roster upgrade...or that the Pirates will treat the trade deadline as an opportunity to boost their chances at the postseason rather than improve the bottom line.



I don't know how you would enforce that guarantee if they do give it lip service. Maybe you have a roll over opt out of some sort to protect your interest. But that's a pipe dream. They've proven since your arrival the priorities of the operation.

3A31393530312A6F691E273F363131703D315E0 wrote: They will have to pick up his option in order to trade him, right? I'm in favor of extending him for three to four years. His planned replacement isn't ready yet. Have young pitching. Build on this small window of opportunity.




LOL ... why in the hell would he resign here with the way this franchise is going? I assume he wants to be on a team that has the ability to win. We have no window of opportunity unless our owner opens up the checkbook. Stop with this lunacy. You may want to extend him, but rational thought suggests he bolts and I don't blame him. Why would he want to be extended here?

240D021710261A060F02100B630 wrote: I think the better question is: If you are Andrew McCutchen, what do you do?



1.  You know the drill.  This ownership group is going to plead poverty and not do anything significant to upgrade the roster via free agent additions.  You also know you are the most valuable trade chip.



2.  You genuinely like Pittsburgh, but when you put it in context of staying here and getting paid under your market value, or moving on to a team that is less committed to the bottom line, for a competitor, there is no debate.



3.  You'd much rather have things settled going into the year than putzing around until the trade deadline.



If I'm Cutch, I sit down with Bob, Frank, Neal and Clint.  I tell them to deal me by Thanksgiving, or I will announce I want out.  The deadline is my leverage at this point.  Once I make my announcement, the option of keeping me for another year can't be used to make a better deal.



If he's really nice, he might entertain a discussion of the Pirates making an offer to keep him, but we all know that's not going to happen, other than lip service.  Besides, if he's smart, he's going to want some guarantee of a roster upgrade...or that the Pirates will treat the trade deadline as an opportunity to boost their chances at the postseason rather than improve the bottom line.



I don't know how you would enforce that guarantee if they do give it lip service.  Maybe you have a roll over opt out of some sort to protect your interest.  But that's a pipe dream.  They've proven since your arrival the priorities of the operation.
I haven't voted in the poll yet. Mainly because it is posited from a strictly management perspective. By factoring in Cutch's say in the matter, you have accurately peeled back more layers of this onion.



Like you, if I were Cutch, I would grab this steering wheel away from a reckless management and get this thing headed in the direction I want. That is what Kyrie Irving did this summer--and he avoided being left at the mercy of LeBron and Management. I hope we keep Cutch one way or another. His departure spells another rebuild of at least some magnitude.

Good post Gnat.