With today's announcement by Pirate President Frank Coonelly that the Pirates would most likely not pick up Paul Maholm's $9.75M option for 2012, coupled with yesterday's announcement that Charlie Morton would undergo labrum surgery on his hip, most Pirate fans on the forums went into full-scale freak-out mode.
One particular poster respected by some in the blogosphere went so far to proclaim that the Pirates were sliding towards a 100 loss season in 2012.
This is October 12th, right? The World Series isn't even started, let alone over when free agency starts, yet some have bypassed the whole offseason and gone right to the ol' Pirates Suck Card.
Neal Huntington himself has previously said that the Pirates will actively explore the trade market this offseason. They will probably sniff around some 2nd tier free agents, as well. And keep in mind, this is Paul Maholm we're talking about. The same Paul Maholm that some of the same people decrying this move as "Pirates are cheap!" were busy slamming all during the 2011 season and predicting his eventual downfall.
These same people will also wring their hands and cry into their bushy salt-and-pepper beards when Ryan Doumit's dual options are not likely picked up. The same Ryan Doumit that is hurt all the time and in possession of some of the worst, if not the worst, catcher defense in Major League baseball.
The type to say the sky is falling on the Pirates' 2012 season should probably start in, say for example, 2012.
Sooo....Wilbur has a salt-and-pepper beard? :)
ReplyDeleteI'm basically with you here. Did a quick lap around the ol' watering hole earlier, after a week away, and I thought I'd fallen into July of 2010. Garments were being rent, the wearing of sackcloth had begun, etc. etc.
I don't get the "rage" over Paul friggin' Maholm. The guy is NOT worth 9 million dollars. That cash would be better spent extending McCutchen, or even laying the foundation on the "Neil Walker Acadamey for Kids Who Want To Learn To Hit a Baseball Good And Do Other Things Good Too" down on Mexican War Street.
I'm not saying I don't think it's possible that they just roll that 9 million up in a wad and slug it into the draft....but this is NOT some extinction level event for the '12-'14 seasons, brought about merely by passing on the services of Paul friggin' Maholm.
Exactly. I like Paul Maholm a lot and I think his place in Pirate fans memories should be better than what it will be. But the fact is, his salary ceiling is around $7M, not $9.75M.
ReplyDeleteAnd Ryan Doumit? C'mon now, people. It's like everyone went to Dark City and the aliens reprogrammed their brains while they slept, thus they forget how much they don't like him.
Paul Maholm?! I know him!! ~
ReplyDeleteYou're spot on about Nomitt. A season ago no one, I repeate NO ONE, in the Tri-State area wanted that guy around. Had the Pirates found a taker for his services, Ryan would have had about 1.1 million options for a ride to the airport.
ReplyDeleteI won't miss Maholm a shred. He's basically a replacement level pitcher to me. If he were right handed he wouldn't have a gig.
That said, crazy talk like "let's bring in John Lackey somehow at 6 million!", which I saw mentioned someplace, isn't something I'd really want to see happening either.