Forget Pitching, If Pirates Buy It Should Be Sluggers

It ?s July, meaning we are on the cusp on 24/7 trade rumors. Get your popcorn ready. I have a feeling it’s going to be a good year.

Don ?t be surprised if the Pirates are exhausting these next couple of weeks. When it looks like they ?re going to make a run, they get swept by the Giants. When it looks like the season ?s over, the rattle off a couple series wins. Odds are they are heading into the deadline for the second year in a row not knowing if they are buyers or sellers.

This team may still be kind of in the race, but it ?s not the type of group worth going all in for. Then again, the division looks winnable. Perhaps the most winnable it has been since 2014. The Bucs were in a little better position at this point that season then they are right now, but that was also a fluctuating team that was sub-.500 in August.

They didn ?t do anything at the deadline and lost the division to the Cardinals on the last day of the season. Had they made a trade, they probably would have clinched the Central and avoided Madison Bumgarner in the Wild Card game. For all of the good things Neal Huntington has done as GM, this should be remembered as his ?what if ? year. What if he gave that little extra to land David Price or Jon Lester? Would two months of their service made up two games in the standings, or at least put them on even footing against Bumgarner?

The last thing the Pirates want to see is an 83-79 Cubs or Cardinals team win the division. 80 something wins is still plausible, but probably not likely if they fail to get outside help. Well, they have won two in a row, so it ?s as good a time as any to envision the fun version of what the trade deadline could be. So if they do buy, what should they buy?

The obvious answer is pitching. The bullpen has been a disaster outside of Felipe Rivero and Juan Nicasio. The rotation has a pair of consistent arms in Ivan Nova and Jameson Taillon, but Gerrit Cole has been Jekyll and Hyde. Backend starters Trevor Williams and Chad Kuhl have also had their ups and downs.

The problem is just about everyone in the mix is going to be looking for pitching. The Nationals are desperate for relievers. To a lesser extent, so are the Rays, Brewers, Cubs and Astros. The Cubs could use a starter as well, as could the Angels, Yankees, Red Sox and, well, everyone, really.

The supply will simply not meet the demand, which is music to ears of anyone selling. Heck, the Pirates could still probably get something useful for two months of Tony Watson. They could get something great for Nicasio.

There is not nearly as much demand for position players. Sure, the Yankees could use a first baseman and the Red Sox need someone at the hot corner, but most of the top teams have a strong starting eight in place. It ?s why I do not anticipate Andrew McCutchen being traded this deadline: there is no market for him. The Dodgers may want to grab an outfielder, but there are going to be cheaper options out there.

So there ?s a great big market out there that ?s just waiting to get exploited. If the Pirates are still in the race come the deadline, they should get rental position players who are priced at pennies on the dollar. Build a super offense that can overcome mediocre pitching, or in simpler terms, win mid-90s Colorado Rockies style.

Since Huntington took charge, the Pirates have not been the type of franchise that just goes with the crowd. They ?re only as good as they are inventive. When the league heads in one direction, they can either polish off a 40-ouncer, toss it into the bushes and do something so crazy it just might work, or they can go with the crowd and lose because they do not have the same resources.

There ?s money to be spent from the original budget with the Marte and Kang suspensions and Hughes ? release. Spend it. Keeping the top prospects is more important.

The Pirates need better production at third base. David Freese is overworked and has barely shown any pop since coming back from the disabled list. He was signed on to be an over-qualified backup. He has been an under-qualified starter.

In 2015, the Pirates needed an infielder when Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer hit the DL. They ended up getting Aramis Ramirez and some salary relief from the Brewers for relief pitcher Yhonathan Barrios. Barrios has a good fastball, but he was viewed as a lottery ticket at best. He was outrighted off the 40-man last year after suffering shoulder problems. He hasn ?t pitched since 2015.

This year ?s Ramirez equivalent is probably Todd Frazier. When the Bucs got Ramirez, he had 1.0 fWAR with a wRC+ of 91. Frazier has 1.0 fWAR this season and a 104 wRC+. Frazier is a tad superior, but it ?s the same ball park. Ramirez was also the top third baseman on the market. With Jed Lowrie available, Frazier arguably isn ?t.

So what would he cost? The White Sox are going to be inclined to just give him to the highest bidder now that qualifying offers no longer bring back a first round draft pick. A guy like Tyler Eppler or Braeden Ogle may get the job done. If it doesn ?t, there are plenty of other infielders available, like Asdrubal Cabrera, Freddy Galvis, or if you ?re a big spender, Josh Donaldson. Someone will sell for the sake of selling.

The Bucs could also use another corner outfielder. Gregory Polanco has been disappointing all year, and it ?s hard to envision this team making a rush if the right fielder has a Reagan era wRC+. They also have no idea what they ?re getting in Starling Marte, who seems to have dropped a lot of weight. Even if they both work out, getting a fourth true outfielder on the roster would be a much needed luxury. Or they can continue to send a former catcher-turned-former-first-baseman to play in the cavernous left field of PNC Park.

J.D. Martinez is probably dreaming a bit too high, but Jay Bruce seems tailored made for PNC Park. Melky Cabrera would be dirt cheap. So would Curtis Granderson. Want to settle for depth guys like Daniel Nava or Seth Smith? They ?re yours for a song.

If the rotation continues to be a problem, the Pirates could always go dumpster diving to try to find the next Nova or Happ. Even then, there is no way the bullpen can be saved through trades. They could theoretically add one arm, not four. The only way this middle relief is going to improve is if guys like Daniel Hudson and Tony Watson rebound.

One good position player can add more value than one good relief pitcher, and the everyday guy is going to cost less. Go against the market. If it doesn ?t work out, they ?re still in a good position for 2018. And a 7-6 win counts just as much as a 2-1 win.

To rework a Mark McGwire ?Simpsons ? quote, do you want to get a second tier pitcher, or…