Morgantown…transfered from Pittsburgh to D.C.
A blockbuster day was held in Pittsburgh today. The Pirates downed the Cubs 3-0 which was refreshing, but what came before that was very unsettling.
Eric Hinske was delt to the Yankees for two low A propspects. One is a pitcher, teh other an outfielder. Not much info is out there about the pair but when you are in A ball chances are you are lightyears from the MLB. Hinske was a solid backup player and a good role model for the younger guys on teh team. He will be missed but the fact that chances are he wasn’t returning to the team next year.
What really upsets me was the trade of Nyjer Morgan. There have been talks about dealing the speedster for teh past few weeks but I just disregarded it. I knew what we had in Morgan and believed he was going to be a part of the future. That is going against a lot of theories other Pirate fans have about Morgan. He was a great guy, great in the community, a great teammate and a fan favorite. He could have been beloved in Pittsburgh for many years to come. But then again so could Jason Bay, Xavier Nady and Nate McLouth.
What upsets me teh most about the trade was the return. We recieved Lastings Milledge.
Headcase extrodinaire. He has been the complete opposite of a Nyjer Morgan. In his 3 stints as a major league player he has been tossed numerous times, fined numerous times and found himself in trouble with the law numerous times.
Right now Lastings is in teh GCL league rehabbing an injury. His skills have been degressing over the past few seasons. He has been demoted by the Nats early this season. Take that in for a moment folks…demoted by the Nationals, the Washington Nationals. The worst team in the MLB. He is just 24, with a lot of room for development. Now some may say this is a great move for the Bucs. they traded a mediocre outfielder for one with much more upside…but I don’t see it. Milledge is a bust, he is overrated and overlooked for good reason. He’s had opportunites but has failed to live up to the hype.
The Pirates need power, and need it fast. Although Milledge will probably not make it up to PNC Park for a few months he may provide some pop. He has the coveted “potential” genes, but if he doens’t use it, makes no sense to me. If he can turn it around with this change of scenery it will be a great move….I just don’t see him getting that hot.
Speaking of hot, if you’ve ever been to the Pittsburgh area you are familiar with Quaker Steak and Lube wings.
It is known as best wings USA.
They are famous for their very hot ATOMIC hot wings. Very few have tried to down 5 of these boned wings. You must be brave, hungry, and able to handle heat to complete the coveted challenge and earn a spot on their wall of fame.
My friend Andrew Schuerholz, nephew of Braves VP John Schuerholz, who I have mentioned before completed the feat today. He was in town visiting from Baltimore and couldn’t leave Youngstown without attempting the feat. He passed with flying colors and earned respect from the restraunt. Congrats Drew!
PHOTO CREDITS: mlb.com, roethisteinnews.com, sidesalad.com
The Pittsburgh Peas 
First – congrats to your friend for eating the wings! And yes – following all the trade news yesterday certainly made many of us wonder what exactly the Pirates are up to. Good luck.
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
You know, I don’t think you can move a city from one state to another. HAHA. Just kidding. I think the Bucs will benefit from Milledge. I think he can really produce.
-Dillon
http://dillonm.mlblogs.com
I feel like the Pirates might be starting to get a little direction as they make these small, unnoticeable deals. It is something the Rays did for a few years and then, suddenly, it all came together.
McCutcheon is awesome. I liked Morgan, but McCutcheon is the guy you keep.
http://raysfanboy.mlblogs.com/
Matt – Congrats on being #34 on the Latest Leader’s List!
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
Being a Mets fan, Ive seen a bit of Lastings. He can have attitude promblems and has had some injuries. I happened to be at the minor league game where he broke his hand. I think he can be a fine player with some good coaching. Although, Nyjer Morgan would be more valuable.