I have a few disjointed thoughts rolling around in my head as I eat lunch today.
Nady Trade
Remember when the Yankees absolutely stole two of the Pirates’ best players for nothing at the 2008 trade deadline? Let us briefly recap that trade. The Yankees received a 29-year-old fourth outfielder and a 33-year-old LOOGY. The Pirates received three youngish pitchers with question marks and some potential upside, along with a 19-year-old top prospect playing at Double-A. I wonder how much Xavier Nady’s post-trade line of .268/.320/.474 helped the Yankees down the stretch. CHONE projects him to hit .273/.327/.456 in 2009.
Excessive Expectations
From today’s PG:
Almost every time Pedro Alvarez swings his mighty bat around here, the names fly.
Matt Wieters.
Albert Pujols.
Ryan Howard.
Then Manny Sanguillen dropped the big one.
“Pedro Alvarez has Willie Stargell’s swing,” the patriarch of Pirates catchers was saying Thursday. “I played with him a lot of years. I know that swing.”
Wow. Nothing like unnecessary pressure on a guy that has yet to make his first professional appearance. Let’s all take it easy for a while, and let Pedro Alvarez develop into Pedro Alvarez. I’m guessing that will probably be plenty impressive in itself.
