Pittsburgh Pirates Rumors: Three Trades from MLB.com

What’s the deal with the deals?

Of the three trades the three team deal makes the least amount of sense.  Looking at the two individual trades the Pirates seem to be acquiring a lot of high end talent in the deals.  Looking at the White Sox deal they are giving up one elite prospect, a controllable bench player, and a throw in prospect, while grabbing a high-end starter.  In the Dodger deal they are getting an outfielder who can immediate help and grabbing two of the top 50 prospects in baseball.

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For the three team trade the Pirates seem to be giving up more in talent and getting less in return.  In the three team deal the Bucs are giving up a perennial all-star and player who looks to be a future all-star.  Bell is major league ready and will open at first base for the Bucs.  He has long been considered a top 100 prospect in baseball and was the top first base prospect in baseball last year.

The Pirates would be trading away two major league players, along with a major league ready, top catching prospect and receiving just Quintana in the deal.  Essentially you could look at the deal as this: Andrew McCutchen, Josh Bell, and Elias Diaz for Jose Quintana.  That seems like way more value than the other trade which offers Meadows, Frazier, and Holmes.  Even if you consider Frazier a future every day player the other deal still seems to have high impact players in it.

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Conclusion

Now of course these trades are just speculation on Phil Rogers’ part.  He is not claiming that these specific players have been talked about.  Rather he is taking reports and information and putting together what he thinks would be logical deals.  With that being said Rogers is a well-regarded baseball writer and knows what he is talking about.  Do you agree with him on any of these trades?

Keep in mind that Meadows is viewed by many as basically untouchable, but to get something you have to give up something. Of course there is a the chance that Meadows would not be needed to facilitate a deal.  However, if the Bucs had to give up Bell or Meadows it may make more sense for it to be Meadows.  It would be great to make a deal without giving him up, but obviously the White Sox would have interest in him.  Comment below with your thoughts below on Rogers’ trade ideas.