Kevin McClatchy warned Pirates fans the team will cut payroll. And that it would be "painful."
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Scott Sauerbeck had a salary of $1.65 million this season - better than $1 million more than Brandon Lyon. (Peter Diana, Post-Gazette) |
Barely 24 hours after McClatchy said that, the Pirates dumped players right -- to Boston -- and left -- to the Chicago Cubs.
In separate deals, they sent left-handed relievers Scott Sauerbeck and Mike Gonzalez to the Red Sox for two right-handed relievers.
That was before they lost to Houston, 2-0, last night.
After the game, the Pirates announced a trade that gave the Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez and center fielder Kenny Lofton for veteran infielder Jose Hernandez, minor-league pitcher Matt Bruback and a player to be named later. Hernandez will succeed Ramirez at third base for the rest of this season.
"We need more players," General Manager Dave Littlefield said. "We need more financial flexibility. We need to allocate our dollars to players who are performing."
Sauerbeck, who has a $1.65 million contract for this season, stands to make perhaps as much as $4 million next season. Ramirez's contract expires after next season, in which he'll be paid $6 million.
"We have to be realistic about where we're at," Littlefield said. "We're 9 1/2 games out. We're nine games under .500. We have a lot of holes and a bunch of issues we need to address. We need financial flexibility so maybe we can take advantage of free agents -- at the right price."
Whatever price that might be.
"Although you might not understand it, we do have a plan in place," Manager Lloyd McClendon said.
The plan seems to be centered on unloading as many players and as much salary as quickly as possible, and to acquire as much young and inexpensive talent as possible.
"We need a multiple number of players," Littlefield said.
Hernandez, 34, isn't likely to remain with the Pirates after his contract expires at the end of this season. He has a chance to set a single-season strikeout record and is batting .227 with 10 home runs, 36 RBIs and 121 strikeouts in 326 at-bats.
Bruback, 24, is a 6-foot-7 right-hander who is 6-8 with a 3.96 ERA for Class AAA Iowa. He'll report to the Pirates' Class AAA Nashville affiliate.
Littlefield said the Pirates also will send cash to the Cubs and added that the player to be named later in this deal "is one we'll be pleased to get."
Lofton is pleased to be going to the Cubs, where he will be reunited with Manager Dusty Baker.
"Dusty, man, you guys don't understand," Lofton said last night. "He's so awesome. He's a player's manager. He's so relaxed, so calm."
Lofton played for Baker last year with San Francisco, joining the Giants in a trade almost a year ago from the Chicago White Sox. Ramirez, the Pirates' top run-producer this season, also seemed happy to be joining a contending team.
"Hopefully, I can go out there and help them win," he said. "This is a business. We've just got to move on. The Pirates are probably trying to save money and get younger."
The deal with the Red Sox yielded reliever Brandon Lyon and minor-league right-hander Anastacio Martinez. Lyon will join the Pirates today in Cincinnati, while Martinez will report to Class AA Altoona. In addition to Sauerbeck, the Pirates dealt Gonzalez, who has battled arm injuries at Class AAA Nashville.
To replace Gonzalez in the Nashville bullpen, the Pirates yesterday promoted Frank Brooks, a left-hander they acquired from Philadelphia Sunday, from Altoona to the Sounds.
"I'm not going to say money is not a factor," said McClendon, who lost closer Mike Williams to the Phillies in exchange for Brooks. "But it's not a major factor as far as I'm concerned."
Left fielder Brian Giles, another player who could be traded within the next nine days, wasn't surprised by the trade.
"We knew this was going to happen if we couldn't stay in the race -- and that was conceded a couple weeks ago," he said. "We showed no signs of turning the corner. It's not a surprise to anybody. [The players] are a little bit at fault. We didn't play up to our capabilities. Nobody ran away with the division. It was a golden opportunity.
"Obviously, it looks like there are going to be a lot more moves."
Does Giles have any idea where he might be by, say, next week?
"I'm thinking about reporting Friday to Latrobe," he said, referring to the start of the Steelers' training camp.
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The Pirates sent Kenny Lofton, left, and Aramis Ramirez to the Chicago Cubs in their third trade in three days.(Associated Press) | |
Sauerbeck will report to the Red Sox today and be with them this weekend when they face the New York Yankees.
"There were two parks I've always wanted to see since I was a kid -- Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park," he said. "It will be a madhouse this weekend."
Sauerbeck's departure clears the way for left-hander Joe Beimel to assume a more pressurized role in the Pirates' bullpen. Beimel had pitched in middle relief; now he'll pitch in the late innings.
"I'm looking forward to it," Beimel said. "I'll get some more appearances, more innings, when the game's on the line."
"I certainly think he's capable of pitching late in games," McClendon said. "From a mental standpoint, he's one of the toughest guys we have in the bullpen."
For now, Beimel is the only left-hander in the Pirates' bullpen. Might he get some help from that side soon?
"Ideally, you'd like to have [at least] two left-handers in the bullpen," Littlefield said. "But, when you look around the league, some teams have just one. Some teams don't have any."
Lyon might be used as the Pirates' closer this season. He was 4-5 with a 3.93 ERA in 42 games for the Red Sox this year and had a team-high nine saves during the team's "bullpen-by-committee" experiment.
Lyon's fastball is in the mid-90-mph range, and he has a "real good slider," according to McClendon.
"I look at this trade as a win-win for us," he said. "We're getting a quality right-hander who has a chance to do some special things for us."
Lyon originally was drafted by Toronto in the 14th round in 1999. The Red Sox acquired him on waivers after last season. In his career, Lyon is 10-13 with a 4.96 ERA. In 177 2/3 innings, he's allowed 198 hits and 51 walks and struck out 110.
"He's performed well as a starter and as a reliever," Littlefield said. "He's a younger guy who we feel is a part of our future and part of the direction we're going."
Martinez, 24, appeared in 34 games this year for Portland, Boston's Class AA affiliate in the Eastern League. He was 3-1 with 14 saves and a 2.25 ERA. He could become the Curve's closer.
The Pirates will almost certainly try to make more trades before the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline. Giles will probably be dealt -- perhaps to San Diego.
And for the next week or so, the players who are left will have a difficult time understanding what's happening to them and this team.
"They're not paid to understand," McClendon said. "They're paid to play."
Paul Meyer can be reached at 412-263-1144.
Pirates deal Ramirez, Lofton to Cubs 
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