No deals per Olney

[Hank Scorpio]

This now would make Jack Wilson expendable...

Uh, what if Pittsburgh doesn't think Brignac is ready for ML competition? He certainly hasn't torn it up this year at any level, with his .704 OPS at AAA in 300+ at bats...

[NCRaven]

It's all good. We have Markakis, Jones, Wieters and um... yeah!

And Brian Roberts and Luke Scott and Nolan Reimold. 3B, SS, and 1B remain the major hurdles to overcome. Unless you were expecting the team of the future to be 100% assembled by spring training 2009, I don't see that as a major issue. I would expect some additions, and subtractions, between now and April.

Not thrilled with no trade activity at all, but better no trade than a bad one. None of Huff, Roberts or Sherrill are bad players to have around.

[ChaosLex]

Did you really just reply "OK, that one post was negative, but the other two weren't. I just don't think we'll do what we should do?" OK, whatever, you got me. I can't imagine why I interpret your tone to be negative.

I don't think me saying "MacPhail drags his feet" makes me the next incarnation of Hitler. But that's just me.

I've been respectful to you vatech. Why do you always have to take this condescending tone with me?

[davearm]

Disagree...Very solid trade for each side.

I'd feel more positive about this deal from Pittsburgh's side if I didn't know that they could've had a package headlined by Jeremy Hermida instead.

[Shopay]

You're worried about our 2010 starting nine because we've only got long term solutions at 5 of the 9 positions? This is your reasoning behind all the panicky, anti-MacPhail posts you've been making lately? I'd take a look around the majors and assess how many teams have more than 6 of their starting 9 determined for 2010. You might be VERY surprised.

You do realize that there are TWO offseasons to sign free agents and make trades between now and 2010, right? You do realize that MacPhail made two huge trades last offseason, right? At the rate he has gone so far, he won't even need to sign a FA or have someone else develop from the minors. He has picked up two starting position players in one offseason.

It just amazes me how little patience and trust some of you are willing to exhibit regarding a man who has done more right for this organization in a year on the job than his predecessors did in a decade.

• He hired the right manager and then retained him
• He let the previously untouchable pitching coach, who clearly wasn't a good match for this team, go
• He signed Wieters for a price FAR BELOW what most of the experts on here were ready to pay
• He made a damn good trade for Tejada that got us a starting left fielder that is producing very well and is under our control for four years
• He made a phenomenal trade for Bedard that got us our starting center fielder, our closer, one great prospect, and two good prospects

The man deserves more respect than most of you are showing him IMHO.

Very nice post VaTech.

[TyCobb]

Really? I don't think Pittsburgh got nearly enough for Bay. Tampa needs Bay A LOT more than they need either of the two players they traded. I'm not even sure Niemann is more even a 5th starter/innings eater. A 4th starter is his absolute ceiling IMO.

Pittsburgh's trades during this deadline process are two good examples of a team making poor moves to show their fans that they're doing something IMO.

I see Niemann more than a 4 starter. He was in the top 100. 98 or 99?. He is a big tall guy. Those guys take longer to learn their mechanics. He has been pretty decent in the minors so far.

Brignac was in the top 50 half of the propsects. SS who is going to be above average.

I think that is a great deal.

[Sports Guy]

I don't think me saying "MacPhail drags his feet" makes me the next incarnation of Hitler. But that's just me.

I've been respectful to you vatech. Why do you always have to take this condescending tone with me?

Because you said something negative about the O's..We will have none of that!

[Sports Guy]

I'd feel more positive about this deal from Pittsburgh's side if I didn't know that they could've had a package headlined by Jeremy Hermida instead.

No question...And really, if you are Marlins, why wouldn't you want Bay over Manny anyway?

[Hank Scorpio]

I see Niemann more than a 4 starter. He was in the top 100. 98 or 99?. He is a big tall guy. Those guys take longer to learn their mechanics. He has been pretty decent in the minors so far.

Brignac was in the top 50 half of the propsects. SS who is going to be above average.

I think that is a great deal.

I think Tampa got the better end of this deal personally. They're IN it. Jason Bay will help them a lot, and they didn't hurt their ML roster at all for '08.

[TGO]

No question...And really, if you are Marlins, why wouldn't you want Bay over Manny anyway?

That's easy: Bay $7.5M guaranteed next year, Manny takes a walk and they take two picks. They probably even had Boston willing to pay for the buyout of his option.

[TyCobb]

No question...And really, if you are Marlins, why wouldn't you want Bay over Manny anyway?

Draft picks is my guess. Plus Manny is a better hitter.

[Old#5fan]

And Brian Roberts and Luke Scott and Nolan Reimold. 3B, SS, and 1B remain the major hurdles to overcome. Unless you were expecting the team of the future to be 100% assembled by spring training 2009, I don't see that as a major issue. I would expect some additions, and subtractions, between now and April.

Not thrilled with no trade activity at all, but better no trade than a bad one. None of Huff, Roberts or Sherrill are bad players to have around.

I maintain filling none of those needed position spots will mean squat unless or until McPhail either picks up or somehow materializes two more and ideallly three more starting pitchers that are much better than Steve Traschel like quality.

[Sports Guy]

That's easy: Bay $7.5M guaranteed next year, Manny takes a walk and they take two picks. They probably even had Boston willing to pay for the buyout of his option.

The money is probably the key but they probably could have had Pitt pay some of it...Bay may be the better all around player right now and they would get the picks for him after next year.

[Mark Carver]

That's easy: Bay $7.5M guaranteed next year, Manny takes a walk and they take two picks. They probably even had Boston willing to pay for the buyout of his option.

According to the media, Manny says he will only waive his NTC, if the trading team that he's going to declines his options and will NOT offer him arbitration. Thus, no draft picks.

[Hank Scorpio]

Because you said something negative about the O's..We will have none of that!

It's not about saying something negative about the O's... it's about having a definitive BASIS for saying something negative about the O's.

I'm sure you guys think there lesser moves that should have been made. That's fine, and this is a great place to debate that. But to say with any kind of certainty that MacPhail has passed up deals that would benefit us is just irresponsible because you don't know.

You don't know our scouts opinions, you don't know the opposition's scouts opinions, there are just WAAAAY too many variables to say that MacPhail missed the boat on anything.

Speculation is fine, but when it gets accusatory, that's a little over the top IMHO.