This is the kind of game that reminds you that the Pirates are still a really bad baseball team. This is just the polar opposite of the win we had on Tuesday night when Barajas hit his walk-off homer.

JMac turns in an absolutely, positively, amazing start. 8 innings, 1 run, a bunch of strikeouts (I just don't have the stats in front of me but it had to be 7+).

The rest of the team? Pirates hitters managed to squander a leadoff triple and a bases loaded opportunity with NO OUTS, WITH THE TOP OF THE ORDER AT THE PLATE! What? How can a MLB team do this?

Also notable - Barajas comes through with a leadoff single and James Harrison promptly gets picked off at 1st base after being called on to pinch run. Uh, James - Rod could have done that too. What are you in little league? The last time I saw somebody get picked off that badly at first it was my brother in Teener League. Seriously man...that's not going to gain you more playing time.

I'm so frustrated right now. I'm headed down to the park tomorrow so hopefully the Pirates can muster some offense.

I think we need a new hitting coach. Then we need to trade either McClouth, MeGhee, Barmes, or Jones, or package a combination of them w/ a SP to get a bat. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing Tabata or Presley packaged w/ one of them as well if its an OF bat. Don't let me get on our ineptness on the base pads... This team is so damn close to being special, but still so far away.

I understand your sentiment but unfortunately, we really can't trade all those players away for one bat. What's worse, though, is that nobody wants those players. That's why they're on the Pirates to begin with.

Here's the breakdown of what I think about those guys:

1. McClouth - he's good for us right now as a bench player. We actually got a nice haul from him in the past (Morton, Gorksys Hernandez who was highly regarded but didn't pan out). Nobody wants him.

2. McGhee - I'm actually OK with this guy. He's a good bench player. Unfortunately, we're basically asking him to be a platoon 1B which he is not on most other teams. With an everyday 1B he's a really nice player to have around in my estimation.

3. Barmes - bad. Not only is he bad but we gave him a big contract. Nobody is going to trade for him.

4. Jones - probably a good value. Good bench player being asked to do too much on our team (see McGhee). Nobody is going to trade for him.

I don't think Tabata is ever going to come around. I think he is who he is. He was a highly touted prospect we nabbed from the Yankees, believe it or not, as part of the Xavier Nady deal. Sadly, he never lived up to his potential and in my opinion never will. He's probably the only good trade piece you mentioned and still he's not going to net much.

Presley is worthless as a trade piece. I'm still interested in him as a player. He's having a rough patch but I think he may rebound. I still have hope for him.

That's kinda the problem IMO. We have too many bench players being platooned into starting roles. Part of the reason why I'm ok with shedding a few of those guys for a starting player. I'm not for getting rid of all of them though. Maybe I should've stated that post a little better.

The problem is most of them are only suited to be bench players. McGhee/Jones are being platooned at 1B and that's just not good enough. On top of this, none of them have any trade value.

Look for Hanrahan to be traded this year. He actually brings value. Closers are also having a rough year so far so that bodes well for the return we could get for him.