To descend into cliché: "Great trade. Who'd we get?"

I keep wanting to call him Ronny "hit and run" Paulino, no matter how stupid these types of nicknames are.

That Bermanism would be perfect if Paulino and Ramon Castro switched names.

That Bermanism would be perfect if Paulino and Ramon Castro switched names.

Are you sure? I don't think that Paulino would want to trade for the nickname of "Sex Offender".

Look up "Johnny Hit and Run Paulene."

Definitely an upgrade for Philly. But then again Choo Choo Coleman would have been an upgrade.

Paulino, 27, is a major-league-caliber catcher

Vlad, should we fill them in or just let them find out on their own?

Tell me why I shouldn't like Ronny Paulino, Pirates fans.

He was pretty decent for us his rookie year but gained a lot of weight in the offseason and was just a sloth the next year. He wouldn't run out ground balls, he wouldn't block the plate for pitchers, he wouldn't throw to second base on steal attempts, and he had a habit of dropping throws in from the outfield to avoid potential collisions. Also fellow Pirate nemesis Jim Tracy stuck with him despite his mediocre offense and terrible defense because he had a better CERA. I don't know if the numbers show why we consider him so lazy (somehow he had fewer wild pitches in 2007 than 2006?!) but Pirates fans loathe the guy.

Tell me why I shouldn't like Ronny Paulino, Pirates fans.

Well, he's pretty good except that he doesn't really try to block pitches off the plate. That and the fact that he can't catch throws from the outfield. And he's not willing to block the plate. And he can't hit any pitch on the outer half of the plate because he steps severely in the bucket on every swing. And he pretty much became a basket case over the last two years.

So there really aren't any reasons not to like him, except for his hitting and his fielding.

So does this mean no return of Chris Coste? The 35-year-old castoff?

A swap of fourth-string catchers, at this point in the career of each. At least Jaramillo might get some playing time in Pgh. I have no idea what the Phils want with Paulino...they have Ruiz, Coste, and Lou Marson was on the MLB roster for quite a while last year even though he didn't play.

Goodbye Coste? I must say, Paulino has been made to sound uniquely unlikeable, lo these many years I've been reading the Pgh newspapers. But probably a better pinch hitter than Coste?

Very odd trade. It made sense to trade Jaramillo...for anyone except a catcher. I wonder if this means Ruiz might not be dealt, rather than Coste, or if Paulino goes elsewhere.

Very strange.

At one point, I had a personal attendance streak of ten straight games going, where Paulino let a ball go through his five-hole in every one, because he couldn't be bothered to drop to his knees out of a crouch. And it was a Doumit start that broke it, not a good game from Paulino.

The constant lack of effort on his part is absolutely palpable. Maybe getting traded will be a wake-up call, though I wouldn't bet on it.

Ronny was well known for being fond of the ladies during his stay in Altoona... and these are Altoona ladies we're talking about here.

Ew. That's the last thing I needed: a mental image if his chins wobblin' all over the place.

Though to be honest, I'm kind of having trouble seeing him muster up the energy to thrust... maybe he's a big fan of the reverse cowgirl?

Well that's two of the Phillies old regime "prospects" to be traded this off-season.

Some amusing editorializing in the photo accompanying the P-G's article about the trade. In case you wonder what the newspaper's layout guys thought about the deal.

Maybe its just me but it seems like not long ago the Pirates had a really good pool of young catchers in their system and have squandered that depth without getting much of anything in return.

"Maybe its just me but it seems like not long ago the Pirates had a really good pool of young catchers in their system and have squandered that depth without getting much of anything in return."

The C depth was great in the early part of the decade. Then:

Jason Kendall hurt his thumb and was never the same hitter afterward.
Craig Wilson got moved to 1B/OF.
J.R. House received malpractice-type treatment on his injured shoulder, which hurt his development, and eventually led to his release.
Chris Shelton was lost in the Rule 5.
Humberto Cota never developed.
Ronny Paulino lollygagged his way into, well, being Ronny Paulino.

Thus, out of the whole group, we're down to Doumit.

Don't forget about moving Walker to third base.

"Don't forget about moving Walker to third base."

Oh yeah, right, thanks.

Just screw-ups from one end of the chain to the other.

I'm assuming this means the Phils are sending a catcher to San Diego in the Peavy deal. Phils fans, pray it's not Marson or D'Arnaud.

Phils fans, pray it's not Marson or D'Arnaud.

Actually, if I were a Phils fan, I'd pray it's whoever it has to be to get Peavy. You don't hold up a deal like that for a second tier catching prospect.

I think the plan is for the Phils to trade prospects so the Cubs can get Peavy and the Phils can get Mark DeRosa.

Thus, out of the whole group, we're down to Doumit.

Not a bad consolation prize :)

Phillies won't give up Marson or D'Arnaud for DeRosa, and I agree with ColonelTom that this increases the likelyhood one of those two is flipped for Peavy directly, rather than involving the Cubs. I think the more the Pads looked at the Phillies prospects, the more they realized they could get a better package dealing with Philly directly.

It's moot of course unless Peavy approves a trade to Philly, but it's hard to see why he wouldn't want to go to the defending champs. In any case, however, I am certainly praying it does happen. Maybe Carrasco
+ Marson + one of Brown/Taylor/Donald + two fringe-level types. I'm biased towards Philly prospects, but I think this is a much better offer than what the Cubs or Braves were offering.

Obviously you'd give up Marson if you were getting Peavy back, but none of the rumors have had Peavy coming back to the Phils, and Peavy hasn't approved a trade to the Phils. I'm referring to dealing Marson or D'Arnaud to bring Mark DeRosa back. One rumor mentioned Scott Hairston, but I'd be shocked if the Phils give up either of those catchers without getting DeRosa.

Paulino for Hairston, however, might make sense for both clubs, and wouldn't require the Cubs to get their act together for it to happen. Paulino would also let the Phils give up Carlos Ruiz to San Diego as part of a Peavy deal bringing DeRosa to the Phils.

It gives the Phils another major-league-ready option here, which is never a bad thing.

You're not getting Peavy.

Peavy will either be a Padre or a Cub once spring starts.