PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The Pirates don't just need to make a move, they are ready for a big move. So far, while there has been talk, no action. Is the franchise hesitant of a mega-trade because of how wrong the last one went?
It was July 31, 2018. The Pirates had won 15 of 19 games and went from seller to buyer in the span of a month. The franchise was just a couple years removed from the playoffs and looking for a spark to get back. The big need then was pitching, in the morning a trade for Rangers closer Keone Kela and then in the afternoon the trade for the best remaining starting pitcher, Chris Archer.
When the trade was made, part of the praise from Pirates management was that Archer would help that season and into the future. It's similar to what GM Ben Cherington said on Sunday that they are looking to make a deal for a player or players that could help now and years from now.
Team owner Bob Nutting came out that day and discussed seizing an opportunity and that they needed to get better now. Then team president Frank Coonelly said they believed in their young core and they brought in players that could push them forward.
You can look up the details of that transaction in any list of the Pirates worst trades ever.
16 months after making that trade, Ben Cherington replaced Huntington as general manager.
Do the ghosts of that deal make this organization reluctant to make another major trade deadline move as a buyer?
"It has no bearing on how I think about it," Cherington said on 93.7 The Fan and the Pirates Radio Network. "Zero."
"I don't believe it does with our group."
Probably would have made fans feel better if he said no one with the group is impacted by that decision. No matter, Cherington said sometimes you are going to strikeout in trades as well.
"Every baseball operations group, including ours, including ones I've been a part of in the past, if you look inside there's going to be some skeletons there," Cherington said, who previously won a World Series with the Red Sox. "Every group gets something wrong at some point over time, some are bigger than others. The most successful organizations in baseball, the most successful front offices in baseball also have their mistakes."
It would be the first time he's made a trade as a playoff contender with the Pirates, but obvious experience doing it in Boston. Cherington said Sunday the key at the trade deadline is having the sense, sometimes courage, to say no. Even though you might never get another run at that potential deal, you must be ok saying no.
You also can't let outside noise influence you to doing something to appease a fan base. It's about working hard and trusting a process.
"You can't do this job if you allow a past mistake to burden you from making future moves," Cherington said on 93.7 The Fan and the Pirates Radio Network. "You just can't do the job that way. We need to focus on what's out there in front of us."
"What do we need to do to help the Pirates get better?"
As of midnight on deadline morning, only a minor league infielder and lefty reliever. Is any more help coming?
