Nate McLouth Traded To The Atlanta Braves

by faketeams on Jun 3, 2009 8:43 PM EDT in Baseball

The Pittsburgh Pirates cleared the way for their top outfield prospect to play every day. The problem is the organizationt raded its best player to do so. OF Nate McLouth was dealt to the Atlanta Braves for three minor leaguers - AAA LHP Jeff Locke and RHP Charlie Morton and AA CF Gorkys Hernandez.

The obvious winner of the deal is the Atlanta Braves whose outfield production was nothing short of putrid. McLouth brings the power and plate discipline missing from its current iteration of Garrett Anderson, Gregor Blanco and Jeff Francouer.

The other winner of the deal if rookie Andrew McCutchen who now has nearly four months to adapt to major league pitching without a threat to his ABs. The risk for the Pirates is McCutchen struggles as badly as a similarly skilled rookie did with the Braves - Jordan Schafer. I can't help thinking the Braves dealt Gorkys after seeing a more talented Schafer struggle so badly.

The losers are the Pittsburgh Pirates who added pitching arms that do not seem to be any better then Jeff Karsten-type and an all-speed CF who plays the same position as McCutchen and hasn't shown the power to play a corner outfield spot. This for a 27-year-old signed through 2011 at less than $6 million per season and has a club option at $10.25 MM for 2012?

Poll

Who did better?

The Atlanta Braves - an affordable, All-Star OF for three minor leaguers

145 votes

The Pittsburgh Pirates - McLouth was overrated and the team needs to accumulate possiblly cheap major leaguers

63 votes

208 votes | Poll has closed

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OFer available

in UBA…..

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jun 3, 2009 9:13 PM EDT reply actions

Tommy Hanson starts Saturday

per ESPN

Bonds stands alone.

Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants

by nostocksjustbonds on Jun 3, 2009 11:02 PM EDT reply actions

Pirates team

Don’t like the deal either per Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The team takes nothing special for their best player and asks the world for Jack Wilson. Go figure!

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by faketeams on Jun 4, 2009 8:02 AM EDT reply actions

Meh

I think the Pirates might have done better, but McLouth is overrated.

by KDean75 on Jun 4, 2009 9:25 AM EDT reply actions

Lifelong Pirates fan here...

BucsDugout (The SB site for the Pirates, and an affiliate of FakeTeams) is my home blog and how I indirectly found you guys. I think the Pirates could’ve done better from a talent standpoint, but it’s not terrible. All 3 guys are legit prospects, Hernandez was #4 in the Braves system and Locke was #7. They addressed a ML depth issue because Morton should be up right around the all-star break. If you don’t think they got enough in return for McLouth, that’s fair, but you have to applaud the new front office for their approach. Since the ‘08 trade deadline they’ve moved 2 good players and 2 mediocre ones (Bay, McLouth, Nady, and Marte), for ELEVEN players.

As for McLouth, he is overrated. He walks, but not alot, he hits for power, but not alot, and he’s below average defensively. The most attractive thing about him was his contract (signed through 2011). I’m calling this a win for the Braves right now, but the jury is out, IMO.

by ILLZ on Jun 4, 2009 9:33 AM EDT reply actions