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imgreat95
12-08-2005, 01:49 PM
Pirates make trades, acquire pitchers, seal Casey deal
Thursday, December 08, 2005

By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


DALLAS -- At the close of Major League Baseball's winter meetings today, the Pirates finished with a flourish.

They reached agreement on a trade that will send utilityman Rob Mackowiak to the Chicago White Sox for left-handed reliever Damaso Marte, pending physicals.

They finally got around to announcing their acquisition of first baseman Sean Casey from Cincinnati, a trade in which they received an estimated $1.5 million in case and sent starter Dave Williams to the Reds.

They also made moves at and before the Rule 5 draft, first releasing third baseman Ty Wigginton to clear space on the 40-man roster, then drafted veteran starter Victor Santos from the Kansas City Royals.


Wigginton, 28, hit .258 with seven home runs and 25 RBI in 57 games for the Pirates last season. He spent the majority of his year at the team's Triple-A affiliate Indianapolis, where he hit .293 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI. He was acquired from the New York Mets in July 2004 and was the Pirates Opening Day third baseman.


Santos, 29, spent the 2005 season with Milwaukee and went 4-13 with a 4.57 ERA in 29 games (24 starts). He won a career-high 11 games with the Brewers in 2004 and has also spent time in the majors with Detroit (2001), Colorado (2002) and Texas (2003). Santos has been added to Pittsburgh's 40-man roster.


The Pirates also acquired minor league pitcher Chad Blackwell from the Kansas City Royals, thus completing the Mark Redman/Jonah Bayliss trade from yesterday. Blackwell, 22, spent all but one game this past season with Single-A Burlington of the Midwest League. In 48 relief appearances with the Bees, Blackwell went 7-4 with 14 saves and a 2.23 ERA.


The Pirates also acquired right-handed pitcher Clayton Hamilton from the San Diego Padres as the player to be named in the Novermber 21 deal in which Pittsburgh sent infielder Bobby Hill to the Padres. Hamilton, 23 and a native of Beaver Falls, went 9-6 with a 2.88 ERA in 20 starts with Fort Wayne (A) last season and 2-2 with a 5.14 ERA in seven games (six starts) with Lake Elsinore (A).


Blackwell and Hamilton will not be added to Pittsburgh's 40-man roster, which currently stands at 40 players.

3-2 Changeup
12-08-2005, 10:00 PM
Hmmmm....do the Pirates need a LHP reliever? Interesting move. I kind of thought Mackowiak was one of the most versatile utilitymen around AND a left handed power with pop. And a RHP starter in Santos? Littlefield isn't done yet.

imgreat95
12-08-2005, 11:02 PM
I believe that part of this deal is that it now enables us to shop Grabow. I believe that Grabow will be traded before spring training begins. Rob has been one of my favorite players. As I said in the Sox forum, what Pirate fan will ever forget the day Robs sons were born and he went off on the Cubs in a doubleheader??


THat being said, Has this not been the most exciting winter meetings that we have had as Pirate fans for about 10 years or more? Nothing earth shattering, but hey look... we made moves this year. Over the past several years, I was beginning to wonder if our invitation to the meetings had gotten lost in the mail.

yagsy
12-08-2005, 11:25 PM
what Pirate fan will ever forget the day Robs sons were born and he went off on the Cubs in a doubleheader??


more like what BASEBALL fan will ever forget? That was such a great moment for the Pirates, the Mackowiak family. Pirate fans and baseball fans. That was really a thrilling moment. :clap:

I dunno, I sure am intrigued with what I see in how this team is being built, slowly and very specifically but within a reasonable budget. The Pirates have such a rich history, it would be nice to see them as a winning team again.

Greymire
12-09-2005, 12:56 AM
Mackowiak is a super utility man. I loved his hustle and the afore mentioned day was incredible. I do not mind this move though, as he is not an everyday player. Marte has been a great reliever and this is an excellent addition. Some of you may remember that he started out in the Pirates system. Sort of funny to be bringing him back. The other odd thing about all of this is that it leaves us with one third baseman, and that is Sanchez. Suddenly the Mueller rumors are starting to sound more viable. I think Sanchez should be our starter at this point, but we will need someone else who can play third. I see a lot more on the horizon. I think McClatchey is finally letting DL do what he wants and I bet Tracy is in on things as well. This had better all work though, or DL will be gone.

imgreat95
12-09-2005, 01:08 AM
I still think that the wild card in the 3rd base race has to be Jose Bautista... with Yurendell DeCaster filling the role of Mack this season. I honestly do not expect either Marte or Grabow to open the season here, however. One or the other will go. Who needs 3 lefties in the BP?? Especially when our rotation will be almost entirely lefty.

yagsy
12-09-2005, 09:27 AM
So it's you guys hogging all the lefty bullpen guys. :duh: Sheesh, share, will ya? :D

Greymire
12-09-2005, 11:54 AM
I still think that the wild card in the 3rd base race has to be Jose Bautista... with Yurendell DeCaster filling the role of Mack this season. I honestly do not expect either Marte or Grabow to open the season here, however. One or the other will go. Who needs 3 lefties in the BP?? Especially when our rotation will be almost entirely lefty.


You are most likely right here. My preference would be to keep Marte as he is a much more proven commodity, but maybe someone offered us a deal and we said "if we can land MArte how about him and this guy"? Who knows. All speculation, but I would like to keep Marte.

00_Agent
12-11-2005, 01:57 AM
I would keep Marte too, and that's not a cut against Grabow, whom I really like. But like you said, much more of a track record with Marte.

Not to toot my own horn, but I wasn't amused when we traded Marte in the first place. He had a live arm and we gave up on him too early. He's going to be a really strong addition...or good bait in a trade. Either eay, we are definitely moving ahead with a purpose for once it seems.j

00