(Edit Monday evening 9:45 PM: I’m off on the road and won’t be near a computer the next 24 hours so if anything happens feel free to discuss it in this thread. I’ll try to catch up Wednesday or that eve.)
“All trade value disappeared when there was a media report of a non-tender. .. We were working on [a trade], and we had multiple conversations that disappeared when the media report came out [Neal Huntington said].
That was a reference to a Post-Gazette story last Tuesday, in which two sources confirmed the Pirates were threatening Capps with a non-tender. — Post-Gazette, December 13, 2009
I’ve cautiously mentioned to you that tension exists between some on Federal Street and Dejan and left it at that. It’s a message I’ve thrown out to you since before the season ended, so it’s not new news by any means. I told you that information because I felt you had a right to know coverage of the team from him might not get to the same level you had experienced in the past. I considered it news, no different than Dejan feeling you had a right to know he found out Capps had been threatened with a non-tender.
Standing on the side of the road looking in I can see both sides to this story. Here we have a beat reporter who was most likely used as a tool by an agent to accomplish a goal – to get his client more money. Perhaps it’s deeper than that – perhaps it was Capps who tipped Dejan off knowing full well and good it would cause the Pirates to raise their offer or him getting non-tendered? In either case, the news had to have come from one of two parties – someone with the Pirates or someone in Capps corner because they were the only two parties to any of those conversations.
On the flip side we see Neal Huntington’s comment above which makes him look extremely weak. Obviously he had ample time to make a deal for Capps going all the way back to last July, if not last winter, so there’s no reason for him to call out a beat reporter and/or the agent or player in public like he did.
Unless, of course, he had an ulterior motive.
I think the fans will read Dejan’s article and walk away thinking the Pirates are trying to hide something and using the article as an excuse to shed payroll, but I call bluff. Instead, I think we just witnessed Huntington being honest at a vulnerable time when he should have kept his mouth shut. In other words, I think we saw genuine disappointment that he failed to obtain value for Capps and he leashed out at the one thing that hurt him in the process – news gathering.
If I’ve learned one thing about Neal Huntington over the last two years it’s that he does not like leaks in his ship, and he’s had to deal with quite a few along the way including agents, players, ex-players, family/kin of the players, insiders, his employees, host families, and so on, and so forth. But nothing has pissed him off more than when he learns he has problems within his organization from a source outside his organization.
But let’s back up a minute. When Dejan learned about the possibility that Capps was being threatened with a non-tender, should Dejan have held that story back knowing the content he was going to post couldn’t do anything but harm the organization he had a responsibility to cover? Think about it a second – if he did hold it back and then Capps was non-tendered, then he had a bigger story because he knew the Pirates threatened Capps in the contract process after Huntington had said he expected to tender all eligible players.
So why did Dejan even publish it?
Ego, for being the only one to report it? Naivety, not knowing what harm it would cause? Professional duty to inform regardless of the consequences? Concern about job security? Paying dues to a source he owed a favor too? Something else? All of the above?
We’ll never know.
As a consumer of both products, you can make up your own mind. But even though I’m not a trained journalist, I learned several years ago there are times to say things and there are times to keep your mouth shut and I think this was one of those times both parties should have kept their mouths shut. The only loser here was the fans. And as I’ve been telling you the last week or so, there’s stuff cooking on Federal Street that I think stinks which I’m not ready to go into just yet, but I want you to remember what happen with Capps, and how it happened, for later on.
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For the record, I had Capps 2010 value at less than $2M so I suspected all along he would be non-tendered especially since the fans had this mental image he was their closer when he was, at best, a limited use (righty-on-righty) setup man. I’m guessing most clubs view Capps that way too and I’d be stunned if he is used in any other capacity. That’s if he even finds another gig for the money he seems to want. And I realize many will disagree with me on my valuation.. that’s expected because of his stats in his first two years. I just don’t buy into those.
So I don’t view Capps being non-tendered as any big deal other than a red flag that the Pirates decided not to pony up again, nor do I view losing him as part of the “Littlefield’s players vs Huntington’s players’ scheme that many believe exists in this organization.
C-ya dude.. happy trails.
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Nothing new has come to light about a possible multi-team trade I mentioned yesterday. I’m still digging.
Related posts:
You did a good job on this article.
I’d like to say that losing Capps, to most fans, is not that big of a deal. Losing him and not getting any return is bothersome. I’m with you regarding his value and his not being a closer and I think the majority of the fans in the know will agree with your assessment.
Anybody want to guess where Capps winds up or will the hatchet be buried and Matt come home?
So, any word on if they tried to trade Capps for Iwamura instead of Chavez?
If i had guess on Capps i would say duncan and larussa take a shot on him in St louis only thing is it will be probably a 1 year deal worth 3.2 maybe.Duncan will get larussa into thinking to take shot on Capps to maybe set up Franklin in the back end of the pen. You know how good Duncan is in fixing pitchers flaws he turned franklin into a lights out closer, took pineiro and made him a 5/6 into a legit 3.
I thought it was a silly excuse by NH to say that media reports eliminated value. Jake says that he wasn’t surprised so I’m sure a lot of baseball folks weren’t either.
NH was not upset that it was disclosed that the Bucs tried to deal Capps for JJ Hardy. that was like an announcement that Capps was available.
Probably everybody who was non-tendered was being shopped. I’m not happy with Capps move. He was let go for money and this team should not be facing anysort of payroll crunch. Let’s see what happens with extra flexibility created by cutting of Capps. I don’t really understand thought process involved that says Ramon Vazquez is worth $2 million a year (surely his role could be filled by someone cheaper) and yet Capps is let go over at most $1 million.
They make a big deal about not signing Capps but the news media doesnt say squat about failing to sign the best young player Gayo has seen in 20 year in Sano. If your going to build with youth Sano is signed at all cost. 4 mill blew on waste material in Vasquez, Crosby and Cedeno. This organization is so backwards its sickening.
NH’s comment is worrisome.
yeah no sleep tonight….Matt Capps is gone.Guess ill make up for that in May
Kinzer, Matt Capps agent said the market number for him will be 3.4 mil. I was guessing 3.2 close enough.
if Capps is worth $3.2M, I’m a monkey’s uncle. Now I’m not saying he won’t get $3M because he might, but he isn’t worth but 65% of that.
Just so we are all clear, have any of your siblings adopted a primate?
I like Matt Capps a great deal, and I think a healthy Capps will be an asset. That said, I didn’t want to over-pay for a set-up man, which is what Capps ultimately is.
Oh darn, we couldn’t trade him because of this article. I’m SO sure there was going to be a major league ready shortstop on the other end. Poor Neal…
More scouts added-3 more. Phil D. released in dispute over minor league pay.Wow arguing over 10-20 thousand-not that we will miss him. Still waiting to sign some free agents-maybe this week??????I hope since there are over 60 bullpen arms available that are free agents!I like Calero a whole bunch.
Bill
> More scouts added-3 more.
how pitiful.. we’re growing more and more inexperienced at the area level and now adding raw supervisors. Not good.. not good at all.
> Phil D. released in dispute over minor league pay
Not so much a dispute but whether NH would pony up on a MiLB deal. Man we’re going super-cheap this year.
Halladay and agent in Philly…being reported a three-team mega deal is possible. Didn’t some blogger report on this just a few days ago??
Jake for President.
Polka – where did you hear this – and are there any more details??
Foxsports.com has this…
A three-team blockbuster that would send Halladay to the Phillies and Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee to another club is under discussion, sources say.
MLB Trade rumors – says it’s Phils, Jays, and Ms:
Heyman tweets that a three-way deal has been agreed to with Halladay going to the Phillies and Lee to the Mariners. The Phillies are now trying to sign Halladay to an extension.
Looks like I missed the trade with what I posted a couple of days ago. M’s are the mystery team. And the Phils are moving Cliff Lee. Didn’t see that at all. This one will be interesting when finished. The new Seattle GM has sure pulled off some deals in a short time. Shame we passed on him, instead of giving away players he goes and gets them. Depressing, isn’t it?
> Jake for President
LOL, I only WISH we were in a deal that large Polka! Remember what I said the other day, think small.. so small you’ll not likely know many of the names involved coming our way.
Is this still ongoing???
Bill
Capps value at less than two-million? That seems short Jake.
red sox offer Chapman 15.5 mil — If the Bucs aren’t going to spend any money on this years roster why not spend it on a premium prospect? if only…
that’s sick. They can pay that out and stick him in their system and give him limited innings then deal him to a ‘small-market’ club giving up a premium player they can’t afford. You just showed us the real problem in the game between the haves and the have-nots.
Looks like the buccos are not involved in the mega-deal
mega meaning more than one team and numerous players, not mega meaning big names. What club does everyone think they are following?
Mike Taylor and Philippe Aumont look to be 2 players going back to Toronto so far the return so far is nice.
they better get more than that.
5:16 p.m.: Neal Huntington, on the Pirates’ official site, calls Pittsburgh “small-market” in discussing the building of a bullpen.
> Neal Huntington calls Pittsburgh “small-market”
oppps!
Here comes Neal Cotts and some other non tender guys to go in the pen.
Heh heh, that lame excuse, “small market”. Yeah, baseball’s economics are borderline insane, but this friggin’ excuse has driven me bats^$% crazy ever since PNC Park opened. You can somewhat forgive the Pirates stinking in the mid 90s given the debt they incurred. However, after that first firesale that saw the likes of Jeff King, Jay Bell, Orlando Merced, Denny Neagle, et. all traded for literally nothing, well, that should have signaled something to someone that things were fundamentally flawed in the organization. I’m still looking forward to that future powerhouse Ron Wright to take the helm at first base for years to come.
“Small market” is no excuse for making ridiculous errors in team management. If you have at least two teams competing for a player, you can make a good deal happen so long as you do your homework. This is true in any endeavor. So the media leaked the deal … big deal … if Capps was getting some interest in terms of trades, simply take the damn risk and sign the guy for the arbitration price. You’re already fielding a team running on fumes @ a minimum price. They have cash to play with. While I agree that Capps is worth half of $3.2M, you know damn well he’ll get the full asking price since he does have experience closing and his ERA was inflated due to some 3 innings where he gave up 14 runs or something like that. He has value.
I’m seriously starting to believe that players are looking for reasons to leave this team due to the disgraceful ownership and management. Dumatrait knows he has little chance to be effective anywhere yet is willing to risk a rather decent shot at being on an MLB roster come opening day in order to jump on some other team. When you make millions and you are screaming about < 1% of your salary, its rather clear that person wants to get the hell out of town.
Losing Matt Capps is not what grinds my gears … it is the total negligence to get some real help where we have glaring holes … namely the bullpen and middle infield. Seriously, this team is capable of having mediocre starting pitching, hitting, and fielding in 2010, but our bullpen is a disaster. You can point out that Hanrahan looked great a couple of years ago and Meek has potential, but the facts are that things never go as planned (unless you are lucky) and we simply don't have the depth and experience to hold leads.
If this team really wants to take a step forward, try winning at a pace better than the low .400s …. shoot for something about 75 wins to prove to these players that they can make strides and start friggin winning. Throwing a team out there with a gaping hole is just going to perpetuate the misery and make it even harder to get the talent we need to field something respectable.
It's almost like these idiots have confused great batting average with winning percentage. Rant over
.
Well latest rumor had- Kyle Drabek, Mike Taylor and either J.A Happ or Travis D’Arnaud to Toronto, Phils get Halladay, Aumont and maybe 1 prospect more from the m’s, M’s get Clifton Lee
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/statistics/2009/10319.shtml
2009 Atlantic League Newark Bears roster
Rob Mackowiak age 33
Tike Redman age 32
Bobby Hill age 31
Daryle Ward age 34
Shawn Chacon age 31
Victor Santos age 32
4 of them were on the Pirates at the same time just 4 or 5 years ago and all are still fairly young.
haha good post
I haven’t done the actual count yet, but there may have been more Pirates from the 2004 & 2005 seasons on the 2009 Newark roster than Pirates from the 2007 season with the Pirates now.
That says a something. I’ll leave it to you guys to decide what exactly that something is.
Bucs Scout Chapman Throwing session. Maybe someone needed a vacation or lived near by.
MLBTRADERUMORS.com reports that the Pirates were one of the teams that watched Chapman pitch today. I highly doubt we will be able to compete with the Sox but its still nice to see us make the effort.
Rene Gayo lives in Houston.
Chuck Greenberg bid accepted over Dennis Gilbert bid to buy the Texas Rangers.
what a sad day for Pirates fans.
Was he our last hope? I know there could be others but realistically he was probably our best hope since Cuban would never be approved.
I guess 75% of the owners will have to approve which they probably will since hicks will be a small owner in the team and nolan ryan is part of the group we will know in 44 days or less if he is accepted.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Huntington is in over his head as a GM – Coonelley better keep him on a short leash. BTW, it’s been my contention that Coonelly himself was hired for 2 key reasons: he was a cheap hire because he had no real experience running a ball club, and he has a strong relationship with Selig – which is important to Nutting since he doesn’t want Selig/MLB snooping around his money machine.
I wonder with Lackey and Holliday off the market if Duke would be a viable option for the Angels or Dodgers. I would love for us to get Napoli from the Angels.Things really seem slow this year for us. Although-most of our division has been not busy. Any body see any moves for us in the near future???
Bill