2 highly touted first round pick debuts

[Chi_archie]

today we will see both the Pittsburgh Pirates Andrew McCutchen and the white sox's Gordon Beckham make their major league debuts.... both are in the starting lineups...


As a life long pirate fan i've been anticipating McCutchen's arrival for 4 years... he is supposed to be somthing special, maybe the next Carlos Beltran..... I'm not sure he is ready ready for the show, but the Pirates had to make this move after the McClouth trade, as sort of a distraction...


Beckham, also 22 was the star of the college World Series last year....but he's only had about 200 ab's in the minors..... hopefully he is not being rushed... He'll play at 3b, despite being a SS most of his career and bat 8th. should be interesting to see how the sox use Beckham.... fields has finally started to hit at 3b but has been horrid in the field.... IMO the best thing to do would be to move Alexei ramierez to centerfield and have Beckham take short...... but not until next year

[element1286]

I wanted to go down to the Pirate game today, but couldn't find anyone who wanted to go. They were all disgusted about the McLouth trade.

Game isn't on tv either, hopefully I can find it on the internet.

[Willie Bee]

Assuming you are still scratching your head over the McLouth deal like I am Arch. Just don't get that one at all, it's not like Craig Monroe and Eric Hinske are going to stick around there, and I'm still not sold completely on either Morgan or Moss.

I may pick up McCutchen for my fantasy team just for the heck of it. Not like my team is going to be in the playoff hunt anyway with Sizemore, Votto and Burrell on my DL. Keep holding out hope for Pirates fans because I think they deserve a competitive team, but can't figure out their front office at all.

[element1286]

Keith Law (from Scouts.Inc) was just on Espn Radio here in Pittsburgh, and he called the deal a "heist" in favor of the Pirates.

[pavyracer]

The Whitesox kid will be bending curve balls like Beckham.

[Chi_archie]

might be history in the making Ele...... whereabouts do you live in da burgh?


I follow minor league baseball quite a bit, and I just find it hard to believe that the pirates couldn't have found a better deal for nate..... I know they weren't shopping him... but the quote from Neal was "they were overwhelmed with the offer and couldn't refuse it"..... fvck that... you only have one player that might amount to anything in the majors..... if McCutchen and Morgan pan out you have no need for the speedy outfielder and we know how young pitchers fare in the pirates farm...... "paging dr. frank jobe"


If you really wanted to get rid of a up and coming centerfielder with speed and power, and a cheap long term contract...why not shop him and wait until late july for some contender in need of instant offense to come and break the bank......


unreal... Pirates will never have good decision makers....

back in the day we got upset over guys like tony pena being traded... but at least we got 3 major league ready good players back for an over the hill on the decline guy

[Chi_archie]

Keith Law (from Scouts.Inc) was just on Espn Radio here in Pittsburgh, and he called the deal a "heist" in favor of the Pirates.

wow,
well that is my hope that these 2 guys outside of Chuck are showing some real upside that the stats belie....... but so far my Baseball America research is not showing me that these guys are that great.....


I'll be okay with the trade, if they go into full firesale mode and trade sanchez, wilson, adam laroche, grabow, and get anything for hinske and monroe...although i'm sure no one is interested in them

[element1286]

might be history in the making Ele...... whereabouts do you live in da burgh?


I follow minor league baseball quite a bit, and I just find it hard to believe that the pirates couldn't have found a better deal for nate..... I know they weren't shopping him... but the quote from Neal was "they were overwhelmed with the offer and couldn't refuse it"..... fvck that... you only have one player that might amount to anything in the majors..... if McCutchen and Morgan pan out you have no need for the speedy outfielder and we know how young pitchers fare in the pirates farm...... "paging dr. frank jobe"


If you really wanted to get rid of a up and coming centerfielder with speed and power, and a cheap long term contract...why not shop him and wait until late july for some contender in need of instant offense to come and break the bank......


unreal... Pirates will never have good decision makers....

back in the day we got upset over guys like tony pena being traded... but at least we got 3 major league ready good players back for an over the hill on the decline guy

I live in South Park.

I agree the timing was wierd, but it fits with NH's "overwhelmed" statements. I have faith in the guy, and will give him the benefit of the doubt. I am cautiously optimistic about the deal.

[element1286]

McCutchen is leading off today, kind of surprised about that.

[Chi_archie]

wow, yeah i'm suprised by the leading off too.... was hoping he would be hitting 6th, 7th and most likely 8th to take the pressure off......

tough to be lead off in your first big league game.....


good luck Andrew

[Chi_archie]

I live in South Park.

I agree the timing was wierd, but it fits with NH's "overwhelmed" statements. I have faith in the guy, and will give him the benefit of the doubt. I am cautiously optimistic about the deal.

I feel like Neal has a good head on his shoulders...so yeah I'm hoping that these 3 guys pan out.... also i think maybe that we traded nate at the peak of his value... as an overachiever that did well, until the league figured out how to pitch to him....



I used to have alot of friends in South Park....

born in Swissvale and mostly raised in Oil City, family moved to cranberry, I spent my college summers in east liberty and Wilkinsburg

[Chi_archie]

hit in his first big league AB..... right up the middle...


taking a big league at first..... send him!!

[jasont]

McCutchen / Morgan combo give the Pirates something to work with.

[Chi_archie]

McClouth wasn't much less faster than Andrew... but had a whole lot more power at this stage anyway

[Chi_archie]

McClouth wasn't much less faster than Andrew... but had a whole lot more power at this stage anyway

McCutch > appears to be a whole lot better than McClouth at this point...... speed, power, EVERYTHING.


Beckham needs a short term demotion to get things back together I think

[Patrickz0rs]

McCutch > appears to be a whole lot better than McClouth at this point...... speed, power, EVERYTHING.


Beckham needs a short term demotion to get things back together I think

When Beckham fist came up pitchers didn't know how to pitch against him. Thus giving him a successful year. Now that pitches and scouts have seen him for a year, he is in the "sophomore slump".