Trade deadline!!

As I've said before, this is an exciting season for Pirate fans, as we have a new front office that sometimes shows shades of competence. This is a huge improvement from the last seven or so years.

The Pirates have a decent offense this year and the worst pitching anyone's ever seen. Our minor league system is practically bankrupt.

A couple days ago we traded RF Xavier Nady and RP Damasco Marte to the Yankees for four prospects. Three were pitchers of various pedigrees, although none are top-shelf talent. The last guy, whose name is Tabata, is a 19-year-old OF with potential to be a star, although he's had a rough year in the minors so far.

Despite what some media members have said, it's a great deal for the Pirates, because Xavier Nady is mediocre and is simply having a career year. He's just as likely to fall flat on his face in New York as to continue his good year there. Marte is a relief pitcher and was going to be gone at the end of the season anyway. Nice job (general manager) Huntington!

Some have complained that we helped the Yankees. I could care less if it's the Yankees or anyone else. In fact, I'll be cheering a bit for the Yankees because Nady and Marte are both really great guys who liked Pittsburgh a lot.

As I have stated more than once, if Jason Bay is traded, I will cheer for his new team until the Pirates are good again. That promise is still on, and while there is a good chance Bay will not be traded in the next 24 hours, there is still a chance.

In fact, the Tampa Bay Rays are looking more and more like his new team. The Cardinals are in the mix too, but they don't have as much to offer. I would be excited to cheer for the Rays, although it'll make me look like a bandwagon jumper. Oh well.

What happens when you leave early

It was an interesting opening day.

First, my condolences to my fellow bloggers. Rough starts for your teams.

Second, MLB.TV sucks hardcore. Apparently, New Concord, Ohio is in the Pittsburgh market and I cannot watch Pirates games on MLB.TV from here because of local black outs. Now, don't miss this: The Pirates game was not in any way available to me on TV. Whether there's some secret TV package I can obtain to watch it I do not know. But all I have is college cable. We get Indians and Reds and Cubs games. So MLB just hates me I guess. That's okay, because they won't be getting my money any more.

Oh well. I listened to the game on MLB Audio. At the middle of the eighth, I had to leave to pick up a friend who was stranded at Olive Garden. Zach Duke had given up 2 runs in 7 innings to the improved Astros. Very impressive, Zach!!!

Anyhow, I had resigned to the loss. This is fine. The Pirates do not have the offensive talent to put up runs against aces like Roy Oswalt (especially with Sanchez on the DL). I thought they played well.

So then, I get back and find out that with 2 outs in the 9th, Xavier Nady, who missed much of Spring Training with a stomach problem, hit a tying home run! Then, in the tenth, Bay hits the go-ahead home run and Torres earns his first save with a perfect half inning! Hooray! What a great start!

The only thing that concerns me is that we hit 3 home runs and got a total of 4 runs. This is the typical Pirates way, although hopefully when Freddy is back next week, we can end that kind of nonsense.