I don’t think the Pirates are going to make a big move this weekend and I’m fine with that. Previously mentioned players like Jason Kubel or Casey Kotchman or even Josh Willingham and Carlos Pena will make the 2011 Pirates better without giving up much and heck, they’ve stayed in the race thus far. Maybe all they need is “a little better” to make 2011 way more memorable than any of us could’ve hoped for without compromising 2012-2015. But if they are going to make a big move, I suggest they get in on what Jayson Stark is suggesting might be happening between Philadelphia and Houston:
The reason for that is this: The Phillies initially offered their two best prospects, pitcher Jarred Cosart and first baseman Jonathan Singleton, and were told that wasn’t enough. The Phillies then offered to include their right fielder, Domonic Brown. But the Astros, according to one team that spoke with them, would prefer to spin Brown elsewhere for multiple prospects than take him themselves.
So both clubs have been contacting other teams, trying to construct a creative enough deal to work for everybody. According to an official of one club that got drawn into those talks, the chances of that happening are “50-50.” But it sure won’t be because they aren’t actively trying.
Well, my goodness. If the Phillies are dumb enough to give up two pitching prospects and Domonic Brown for Hunter freaking Pence and the Astros want more prospects than that in return, then Neal Huntington should by all means be attempting to assert himself into this discussion. You want to know who I’d be willing to trade Starling Marte and just about any non-Taillon arm in the system for (not at all once, but definitely one or two of them)? Dom Brown is probably a good starting place.
This is a long shot, of course, because Brown is 23 freaking years old and once people find out he’s available as part of a Hunter Pence trade I assume that phones are going to go nuts in Philadelphia and Houston. But if the Pirates are moving pieces out of the farm system to make a trade this summer, this is who I want them going after.
