Rum Bunter Radio: Dissecting the Pittsburgh Pirates Trade of Josh Bell

It’s never easy watching your favorite player get traded, and for fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates it was the Christmas Eve surprise no one was expecting.

In this episode of Rum Bunter Radio the crew is rejoined by Nick Caporoso, as they break down the Josh Bell transpirings from this past week and what it means for the Pittsburgh Pirates moving forward.

Why was this deal done now? The episode begins with a discussion on the timing of this trade, and the thought process behind general manager Ben Cherrington’s decision to deal the switching hitting power bat of Bell.

The immediate reaction came with mixed results; your surface level Pittsburgh Pirates fan berating the front office per usual, while those that follow the team believe in the return Pittsburgh is receiving. Two young arms, with loads of upside.

Will this deal pan out? Only time will tell, but as far as the here and now this trade fits into Cherrington’s pitcher heavy strategy.

Not only did the Pirate front office desire young talent as part of the overhaul taking place, but this move was made to shape the big league lineup as well. An immediate enhancement at defense is what to be expected, now that the team has cleared first base for former first round draft pick Colin Moran, but will a combination of Moran, Phillip Evans and others be enough to match the offense Pittsburgh once saw from Bell?

We knew the club could look drastically different to begin 2021, but now that the Bell deal has been made who’s next? To close out the episode the guys talk potential trades for Joe Musgrove and Adam Frazier.

Batten down the hatches, clear the decks, Josh Bell is now a Washington National, and Rum Bunter Radio is here to help you understand how it came to be.