PITTSBURGH -- Just a few months after signing Nate McLouth to a contract extension and labeling him a "cornerstone" of their rebuilding efforts, the Pittsburgh Pirates reversed course and traded the Gold Glove-winning, All-Star center fielder to Atlanta for three minor-league players Wednesday.
The Bucs immediately called up outfielder Andrew McCutchen, their
highly-touted first-round draft pick from 2005, to take McLouth's roster spot.
McCutchen, a speedy defensive standout, had a .303 batting average with four home runs, 20 RBI and 10 stolen bases in Triple-A. He made his major league debut Thursday afternoon, batting leadoff and playing center field in
an 11-6 win over the Mets at PNC Park.
Pirates fans, we want to know what you think! Strike back using the feedback box below."It's disappointing," Pirates fan Brian Koval told WTAE Channel 4's Aaron Saykin outside the ballpark Thursday. "It's just another case of the Pirates dealing someone really, really good for what looks like an unknown quantity. It's just another case of them putting the dollar in front of the fan, in front of a winning team."
Tom Smilek, another fan, had trouble putting together the words to properly express how shocking the trade was.
"He was, like, the best player," Smilek said.
In return for McLouth, Atlanta gave up outfielder Gorkys Hernandez -- one of the Braves' top prospects -- and pitchers Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke. Morton will report to Triple-A and is the only one of the three who's expected to play for the Pirates this year.
McLouth has a .256 batting average with nine homers and 34 RBI this season. The 27-year-old
was an All-Star last year when he set career highs with a .276 average, 26 homers, 94 RBI and 23 stolen bases.
Pirates general manager Neal Huntington acknowledged that McCutchen's bat won't replace the power that the team loses in the McLouth trade, but he said the youngster will improve the outfield defense and hopefully prevent more runs than McLouth's offense generated.
In spring training, McLouth signed a three-year, $15.75 contract extension that carries him through the 2011 season. There was also a team option for a fourth year at $10.65 million.
Huntington said trading McLouth "may be the toughest decision we have made in my time with the organization."
"Nate is a quality player and person," Huntington said. "But as we have said several times, tough decisions will need to be made as we build and sustain a championship-caliber organization. Nate has worked as hard as any player to become a starting major league player, proving wrong anyone who may have doubted him."
McCutchen nearly made the big-league club out of spring training -- but because the Pirates waited until June to call him up, none of his playing time this season will count toward his future salary arbitration eligibility and they can pay him a minimum salary for three more years.
Also, because the Pirates delayed putting McCutchen on the roster until now, they control his rights through the 2015 season instead of 2014 -- so the earliest he's eligible to be a free agent is the 2016 season.
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