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Just don't give them away like the Bucs have done for the last 15 years.

They need to lower them a great deal. Bay and Nady are a valuable players. They're not more valuable than Miguel Cabrera.

The Pirates actually have a nucleus, and are not far away from maybe being a good team. But if they mess this up...

If they don't get what they want, don't trade them. The Buccos have been patsies in the trade market for way too long. Sorry Cards fan...look at the numbers:
Cabrera .284 16 HR 57 RBI 11.3 million/year
Bay .287 19 HR 53 RBI 6 million/year
Nady .321 12 HR 56 RBI 3.35 million/year

Pretty freakin even if you ask me, except for the monster salary for Cabrera. Other teams want these two, make them pay for them with real prospects.

They want two top prospects for Bay, but what do they want for Marte?

Could St Louis get an Aramis Ramirez/Bobby Hill type deal? You know, the Cards get Bay and Marte, and the Pirates get Adam Kennedy and Anthony Reyes or someone like that. The Pirates did a horrible deal like that for the Cubs benefit, the least they can do is give St Louis the same type of deal.

Sorry Ten Rings, Littlefield the Loser is no longer in charge. Nice try though.

I'd rather the Pirates ask for a lot in trade returns and get no takers than to give them away for a bag of balls.

Being the fact that the only thing keeping the Pirates even near .500 is the batting. Fourth best offense and one of the worst bullpens. If the Bucs trade for anything it has to be for a pitching prospect that is actually a real prospect. Not the crap Littlefield did by blowing a number 1 draft pick on a number 3 pitcher. Man I'm glad that moron is gone.

Isn't it interesting how the quote warning of impending doom for the Pirates (i.e., "I guarantee if the prices do not change, the Pirates are going to wake up on Aug. 1 with both players.") is by an executive from an interested team?

Hey, Pirates, don't let these big market execs try to scare you or pressure you. They're chomping at the bit knowing how valuable Bay or Nady would be to their team. Don't be unreasonable, but don't let them fleece you either. As much as they like to think otherwise, they're not entitled.

LetsGoPens - I had to ask.......it's worth a shot. I am sure you were as well, but I was pretty ticked in 2003 when the Pirates basically handed the Cubs the NL Central on a silver platter.

10 rings--Trades like that one and drafts like the one cjewart mentioned are why so many Bucs fans are at best casual observers now. I try to be a fan, I just can't bring myself to be fooled over and over again.

I can understand that, it seems like they have been re-building for 20 years.....or at least 15. I hope they hang onto enough young players that they can get back in contention in the next year or two

Heyman says the Cards are now willing to consider trading Rasmus. Is Mo the executive from the interested team?

"I guarantee if the prices do not change, the Pirates are going to wake up on Aug. 1 with both players."

Heaven forbid they hold on to some good players around the trade deadline. I know that they need to move someone so that McCutchen can have a spot in the lineup, but is it really that bad to keep them for the rest of THIS season?

Are they convinced McCutchen is ready for a place in the lineup?

I read that from Heyman. I think it is highly possible that Mo could be the exec in question. It seems that STL and AZ are the two teams most vying for Bay's services at this point.

I agree with him. They don't get much more than Rasmus for Bay. One of either Schumaker, Mather, or Duncan could be packaged.

The more I investigate Ludwick, the more I believe he will continue playing at this level. His early minor league numbers project a star of his current level. I didn't realize he had so many broken bones and surgeries over a 4 year span in his early career. He'll keep hitting like this as long as he's healthy.

If we give up Rasmus, I would agree that I wouldn't give up much more than that.

It'd be nice keep Skip as a fourth outfielder, but it's really not fair to him to be put in that position after the year he has had, but he might have a hard time playing in Pittsburgh, too, if they have McCutchen, mcLouth and still have Nady.

I think Ludwick was projected to be a big star when he was younger, and I think you could be right. He's not a fluke, and he's not someone like Craig Paquette, who is only effective when he is playing parttime and not getting over-exposed.