You have to give to get. And in baseball, sometimes what a team gives up is worth more than what they got in return.
But that has not been the case for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season.
Prior to the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, the Pirates acquired Aramis Ramirez, Joakim Soria, J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton and Michael Morse. Given up were prospects Yhonathan Barrios, Adrian Sampson and JaCoby Jones, veteran Jose Tabata and cash.
It is easy to declare which team wins a certain trade based on the immediacy of the impact a player involved in it has, but often times forgotten is the long-term ramifications.
The contributions from the players the Pirates acquired have been well-documented: In short, all five have made a positive impact. But what about what the Pirates gave up?
The Blanton deal was an easy win for the Pirates. They gave up cash for a player that has completely re-invented himself since coming over from the Kansas City Royals. Serving as the Pirates’ long relief man, he has given up two runs in 21.1 innings for Pittsburgh, and has guided the club to a win in extra innings multiple tines.
But the Pirates have also done well in trades where they gave up players.
Pitcher Yhonathan Barrios was shipped to Milwaukee in return for Aramis Ramirez, who has turned into an RBI machine for the Pirates. Meanwhile Barrios, who pitched for AAA Indianapolis before being traded, was sent to AA Biloxi after being acquired by the Brewers.
Barrios has been used in a closing role at times for the Shuckers, converting all six of his save opportunities, but has been far from dominant. He is allowing more than one hit per inning – 22 allowed in 20 innings – with a 3.15 ERA. His K/9 ratio of 7.2 is an improvement of what he had with Indianapolis, but is still not blowing anyone away.
Considering the Pirates’ deep pitching depth in every level of the minors, Barrios is unlikely to be missed.
Speaking of former Pirates’ pitching prospects, Adrian Sampson has really struggled for the Seattle Mariners’ AAA affiliate, Tacoma.
Few people in Pittsburgh applauded when the Pirates acquired pitcher J.A. Happ from the Mariners, and even less liked it after seeing that Sampson was sent the other way. Sampson was one of the Pirates’ top starting pitching depth options in the minors, and had a chance to be in their rotation in 2016.
But it would be hard to have guessed that now.
In seven starts for the Rainiers, Sampson has an abysmal 7.28 ERA. His 4.46 FIP suggests that his ERA should come down some, but not to where the Mariners likely want it to be at. His strikeout and walk numbers are right around where they were when he was in the Pirates’ organization, but his biggest issue is hits given up. He has given up 60 hits in 38.1 innings – good for a .353 average against.
Similar with Barrios, the Pirates have plenty of pitching depth in the upper minors to negate the loss of Sampson – even if he hadn’t been struggling as bad as he is – and with how good Happ has been for the Pirates it is easy to say the Pirates have so far won that trade as well.
Count the Michael Morse-for-Jose Tabata deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers a positive one for the Pirates as well, just for the sheer fact that Tabata’s bloated contract is off the Pirates’ payroll. For those keeping score at home, Tabata has hit .225 with a .623 OPS, two home runs and eight RBIs in 28 games for AAA Oklahoma City, while Morse is hitting .325 in 40 at-bats for the Pirates.
Shortstop JaCoby Jones, who was given up to the Detroit Tigers for Joakim Soria, has had mixed results in AA Erie. After going three-for-four with three home runs in his SeaWolves debut, his average has dipped to .250 in 37 games. He is currently batting .174 with two RBIs and two extra base hits in September. Jones has also added 10 stolen bases in 13 attempts for Erie.
It is hard to see where Jones would have fit in with the Pirates had he not been traded. Josh Harrison, Jung Ho Kang, Alen Hanson and Josh Bell appear to be the long-term infield starters for the Pirates, while Jordy Mercer, Dan Gamache, Gift Ngoepe, Max Moroff and Adam Frazier all appear to be at worst viable bench options. Perhaps the best value Jones offered the Pirates was to get a guy like Soria, even if Jones turns into a starter for the Tigers and Soria walks as a free agent in the off-season.
The trades the Pirates made may not have had the glitz and glamour of the ones made by the Kansas City Royals or New York Mets, but they have given the Pirates a good bang for their buck. The Pirates got five solid contributors for the 2015 season, while making it seem unlikely that they will regret any of these deals in the coming seasons. Sometimes that is the best thing for a lower-budget baseball team.
