Bay is back.

He is THE first really tough decision for Huntington.

It's not really that tough a decision. Unless the Pirates seriously expect to compete in 2009 (and they shouldn't), then they should trade him either at the deadline or in the offseason. They should be able to command an excellent return for him given his $7.5M contract for next year.

Bay is back
He is THE first really tough decision for Huntington

I am hearing rumors of Kouzmanoff for Bay, and I think that is foolish.

They should be able to command an excellent return for him given his $7.5M contract for next year.

It's a very tough public relations move though, especially with the team hovering near .500. McCutchen should probably be getting his feet wet after the ASB, so there's no reason to keep Bay around (he'll certainly bring more in a trade than Nady) and an OF of McLouth-Cutch-Nady will be fine (although likely to still drop the team back to a 70 win pace).

Just because trading Bay is the mostly an obvious decision (although at a certain point, you have to keep your good players and Bay is not the kind of guy that I would expect to resist a long-term deal if one were offered), that doesn't make it any easier. Bay has been the one constant bright light for the Pirates since they acquired him. Unless Huntington can turn Brian Giles v2.0 in to Brian Giles v3.0 (and it's not like it was a sure thing that DL was getting Giles v2.0 in the first place), then he'll take some PR heat from this. Especially because, despite the asinine overdrafting of pitchers for the 10-12 years pre-Walker, the pitching is in really, really bad shape, so likely the Pirates will be looking to get arms back in a trade.

I would love to see Heyward come back for Bay+whatever else the Braves want, but I'm assuming that's unlikely.

The Pirates aren't going to win 81 games with or without Bay. Their pitching is way to putrid for them to wind up with a winning record over the remainder of the season even if their offense can be sustained (and I don't think that it can).

The Pirates don't absolutely have to trade Bay midseason (they shouldn't settle for a mediocre return just for the helluva it), if necessary they can wait until the offseason. Really, they have all the leverage and should be able to accumulate some very good young talent if they play their cards right.

and it's not like it was a sure thing that DL was getting Giles v2.0 in the first place

It wasn't like it was at all a sure thing when they got Giles v1.0 in the first place. With respect to that chain of players, the Pirates have been on an ungodly hot streak.

Boston would do well trade some of their young pitching for Manny's replacement.

With respect to that chain of players, the Pirates have been on an ungodly hot streak.

And yet still they continue to suck...

Boston would do well trade some of their young pitching for Manny's replacement.

i agree with you, but i don't think that jason bay fits the bill.

And yet still they continue to suck...

In their defense, one hot streak can't balance out 24 cold streaks.

The Pirates really are an embarrassment. Cherry of a stadium, though.

I would love to see Heyward come back for Bay+whatever else the Braves want, but I'm assuming that's unlikely.

I don't trust the Braves, especially in the "whatever else" category. Brent Lillibridge was the throw-in from Pittsburgh in the Gonzalez-LaRoche deal, who tipped that in the Braves favor. Sure, LaRoche has been mediocre, but Gonzalez hasn't played at all. Lillibridge, however, is starting at SS for Atlanta today, and gave the organization the depth to send Elvis Andrus to Texas for Teixeira.

Boston would do well trade some of their young pitching for Manny's replacement.

i agree with you, but i don't think that jason bay fits the bill.

I would LOVE to see some of Boston's prospects come to Pittsburgh, even some of the lesser ones. Sanchez came from Boston; but he's probably just payback from Arroyo and Wakefield. Pittsburgh's still in the red with the Red Sox.

Crispy,

What's not to like about Bay? Pretty good defense and great offense, only 30 years old next year. Who would you prefer?

SuperBaes, don't worry about Arroyo--Boston managed to give him away for Wily Mo.

The Red Sox did get Chris Carter for Wily Mo to salvage that though, Darren.

But I agree with you about Bay. I think he is the best replacement for Manny that will be available, and a Bay - Ellsbury - Drew OF would be pretty solid defensively too. I don't really know what kind of a package Bay would command though.

Lillibridge, however, is starting at SS for Atlanta today

He was hitting .207 at Richmond, so I'm guessing that's more a statement on the Braves' situation than of Lillibridge's value.

The defensive difference between McCutchen and Bay may be as large as the offensive difference in the other direction.

I just don't see the Braves trading Heyward. He'd have to be a PTBNL until August, as he wasn't signed until right before the deadline, but I suppose that's doable. Still - how do you trade an 18 year old hitting .330 in a full season league? Plus he has a bunch of walks, a 12:1 SB/CS ratio (while I don't see him stealing bases in the majors, this is still impressive IMHO), and a bunch of XBH.

Braves fans used to be excited about Elvis Andrus because he didn't embarrass himself despite being very young for his league. Well, Heyward is very young for his league and is one of its best players - talk about holding his own!

I know I over-rate him because he's a Brave prospect, but it's hard for me not to. I actually like Jason Bay, but I don't think this team has the juice to make the playoffs this year even with him in our lineup. Why sacrifice someone who could contribute to the next great Braves team for an outside shot at a first round playoff exit?

The defensive difference between McCutchen and Bay may be as large as the offensive difference in the other direction.

Agreed. McLouth is stretched in CF but would be quite good in LF. If Cutch is as good as advertised in CF, the Pirates OF would be quite solid fielding wise.

The Sox really couldn't have known they'd be getting Carter. And Carter isn't much of a return for a guy who's been a cheap, very good SP for the past few years.

I didn't mean to make it sound like Bay was the only choice I'd like for the Sox. Dunn would be good too (although he's a lefty) and so would Burrell (to a lesser degree). I'm sure some other hitters will become available too. I was hoping the Astros would want to ditch Berkman after last season, but a) that was a pipe dream and b) even if they were, they're not anymore.

God, I can't believe every damn know-it-all was trying to shove it down my throat before the season that Lilli would be knocking Yunel into a Yutility role come July.

So, who is the best match for Bay? The Tigers if Sheffield or Magglio is not healthy? The Angels if they realize Garret Anderson is no longer a passable regular? The Mets if Alou is not healthy?

The Rays seem like a good fit, buy they're actually getting pretty decent production from the Hinske/Floyd/Gomes/Gross quartet at RF/DH.

I think there's a decent chance Bay gets dealt in the off-season when their might be more suitors. The White Sox, Red Sox, Yankees, Phillies, etc. would all be added to the mix after the season.

Amen, MM1f. BPro was particularly egregious, saying things like "Escobar might open the season at short, but Lillibridge will be starting by the ASB." I guess they were right (BL was starting this weekend :), but not exactly how they imagined.

The Rays are a perfect fit for Bay - and they shouldn't let the fact that those guys have produced thus far stop them from making the move. Good teams acknowledge when they've been a recipient of luck and don't blithely expect it to continue. If McGee doesn't need Tommy J surgery (or even if he does), that might be a good building block of a Jason Bay/Tampa Bay trade. Why not McGee and Davis or McGee and Hellickson? The Rays need an OF, and the Pirates need bullets in the gun.

The Rays need an OF, and the Pirates need bullets in the gun.

As a Pirates fan, there's nothing more infuriating than the Pirates needing pitchers after drafting so many of them in the first round for the last 16 years.

Absolutely nothing. In fact, my blood pressure is sky high just typing this.

Settle down Russ. It's not worth it!