Truth & Rumors > MLB

Pirates join Loretta chase

Views
4261
Comments
25

The Pirates are trying to acquire a longtime nemesis. General manager Neal Huntington has had two conversations aimed at acquiring free-agent infielder Mark Loretta, agent Bob Garber confirmed yesterday, and the parties plan to communicate further. Loretta, 37, batted .280 with four home runs and 38 RBIs in 261 at-bats last season for Houston. He is a career .297 hitter in 14 seasons, including a starting berth in the 2006 All-Star Game at PNC Park, and is capable of playing any infield position, including shortstop. One highlight among those numbers is a .328 career average against the Pirates, one of the highest of any individual opponent since 1960, as well as a career-high 47 RBIs. ESPN reported that the Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers also are interested.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mark Loretta, Christian Petersen/Getty Images Mark Loretta, Christian Petersen/Getty Images
December 2, 2008  08:04 AM ET

Whoopdeedoo. The Buccos are going after a 37 year old free agent. Why would Loretta want to come to the Pirates? He'd be a great addition to a good team trying to win a championship.

December 2, 2008  08:23 AM ET

The pirates are trying to get a free agent....now that IS news...

December 2, 2008  08:46 AM ET

He will fit in well with those to unproven never pitched in orginized baseball Indians

December 2, 2008  09:55 AM ET

The Pirates ought to move their training camp to the Island of Misfit Toys.

December 2, 2008  11:23 AM ET
QUOTE(#3):

He will fit in well with those to unproven never pitched in orginized baseball Indians

on behalf of everyone else here today, I will just ask this...

WHAT THE ****?

December 2, 2008  11:24 AM ET

Are you taking a shot at the Pirates or the Indians? you need to be better "orginized"

December 2, 2008  12:04 PM ET
QUOTE(#6):

Are you taking a shot at the Pirates or the Indians? you need to be better "orginized"

No if you read the stories, the two pitchers the Pirates signed from India...thus Indians

December 2, 2008  12:08 PM ET
QUOTE(#5):

on behalf of everyone else here today, I will just ask this...WHAT THE ****?

From Fox sports....Pirates sign Indian pitchers from reality TV show

so when you make a stupid comment like the one above maybe you should be a little more organized yourself before making a stupid remark

December 2, 2008  12:11 PM ET
QUOTE(#8):

From Fox sports....Pirates sign Indian pitchers from reality TV show so when you make a stupid comment like the one above maybe you should be a little more organized yourself before making a stupid remark

Now that was stupid of me for repeating myself

December 2, 2008  01:05 PM ET

If the Pirates went after everyone that .300 off of them - they could three or four teams!

December 2, 2008  02:10 PM ET
QUOTE(#10):

If the Pirates went after everyone that .300 off of them - they could three or four teams!

and may actually win a game or 2

December 2, 2008  02:17 PM ET

Unless you are a pirates fan...who cares?!!!

December 2, 2008  03:44 PM ET

Even as a Pirates fan I don't care. The old management team went after old free agents and look where it got them. Now the new mangement is continuing to do the same. So Loretta played well AGAINST the Pirates, does that automatically mean he can play well FOR the Pirates?

December 2, 2008  04:04 PM ET
QUOTE(#3):

He will fit in well with those to unproven never pitched in orginized baseball Indians

Yea, right. Because us commenting about that troglodyte sentence makes *us* the stupid people. BIG difference between the word "two" and "to".

"He will fit in well with those two unproven, never-pitched-in-organized-baseball pitchers from India."

See how much better and at least 8th grade that sentence was?

December 2, 2008  05:17 PM ET
QUOTE(#8):

From Fox sports....Pirates sign Indian pitchers from reality TV show so when you make a stupid comment like the one above maybe you should be a little more organized yourself before making a stupid remark

HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHHHHAAA.. that's a good one !!!!!

December 2, 2008  06:05 PM ET
QUOTE(#13):

Even as a Pirates fan I don't care. The old management team went after old free agents and look where it got them. Now the new mangement is continuing to do the same. So Loretta played well AGAINST the Pirates, does that automatically mean he can play well FOR the Pirates?

Cubs saw that with Jeff Blauser, he tore the Cubs up at Wrigley, Cubs brought him in and he did nothing

December 2, 2008  08:19 PM ET
QUOTE(#13):

Even as a Pirates fan I don't care. The old management team went after old free agents and look where it got them. Now the new mangement is continuing to do the same. So Loretta played well AGAINST the Pirates, does that automatically mean he can play well FOR the Pirates?

No, he won't be facing them anymore so his average will plummet.

December 2, 2008  08:31 PM ET

Go Pirates, that's the spirit

December 2, 2008  11:40 PM ET

As a diehard Red Sox fan I would love to see my team bring Mark Loretta back to Fenway Park. The guy can still play ball and he can play anywhere in the infield, he hits well, is a very intelligent ballplayer who could one day become a great manager. Besides, I know the guy personally and can tell you flat out he is a class act. I do agree with the poster who said he should go to a team that has a chance to win it all. Well my team has that chance.

 
December 3, 2008  02:52 AM ET

How can anyone admit publicly that they are a Pirates fan? I'm from Pittsburgh, I like going to PNC Park, I like baseball, I enjoy hearing about attempts to field a "competitive" team, I find it hard to admit that I do seem some like at the end of this losing tunnel (because i dont), and to reply to SeaBeach's comment, I'm sure you guys will trade us some Single A prospects for him later on in the season (if he does the stupid thing and signs with the Pirates).

Comment

Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.


The Si.com Cover Hub Go to the Cover Hub

Stub Hub

The 2009 schedule has been released. Search for tickets!

Truth & Rumors

MOST POPULAR

  1. 1
    Sources: Big Ben having second thoughts
    Views
    7034
    Comments
    1009
  2. 2
    Report: Halladay would welcome Yankees trade
    Views
    26602
    Comments
    473
  3. 3
    Have Irish already offered Kelly job?
    Views
    34536
    Comments
    75
  4. 4
    Stoops to take Notre Dame job?
    Views
    3817
    Comments
    59
  5. 5
    Report: Tiger's injuries inflicted by wife
    Views
    1480
    Comments
    57

Most Active Users

Comments + Blog Posts + Throwdowns

  1. 1
    Chico 2.0
  2. 2
    BBK - Now it's all football
  3. 3
    rstowe
  4. 4
    gigi_iv
  5. 5
    Never NDing Struggle

Message Boards

  1. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    Is Bob Stoops being paid under…
    Views
    158
    Replies
    13
  2. NFL > General NFL

    COLTS & SAINTS ~ Is This The…
    Views
    104
    Replies
    59
  3. NFL > General NFL

    Tiger Woods???? Wife smashes…
    Views
    83
    Replies
    27

Blogs

SI.com

Swimsuit

SI Photos