Pirates Sign Tabata: Signing McCutchen/Walker is the Key

bagdragger.com

The Pittsburgh Pirates are trying their best to show their fan-base that they're committed to trying to win and spend money.

The Pirates signed outfielder Jose Tabata to a deal that guarantees him $15 million and controls his rights through 2019..


That's a good signing for the Pirates. Tabata is a good player who's best years are still ahead of him. He has a pedigree and will be a starting outfielder for years to come in this league.

The Pirates also spend $17 million on this year's draft, signing top prospects Josh Bell and Gerrit Cole. They also went out and showed that they could be buyers at this year's trade deadline, acquiring Derek Lee and Ryan Ludwick.

That's all very good, but I'm still not impressed and neither should you be. Don't settle.

Spend more money. Make good baseball moves. Sing Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker long-term.

Signing Tabata is good but signing Andrew McCutchen a nd/or Walker  long-term would be great. Actually signing McCucthen long-term is still the key for the Pirates.  Walker isn't as good as McCutchen but he's the
"hometown" kid and could be a all-star second basemen.

As for McCtuchen, they have other good outfielders that are up and coming, like Alex Pressley, Starling Matre, and Josh Bell, but McCutchen is already proven.

Yes the Pirates "control" McCutchen for the next four years, but locking him up now will show everyone that this franchise can back up it's talk.

Marte and Bell are great prospects, but are they in Pittsburgh to play alongside McCutchen, or to replace him?

The Pirates are showing commitment, showing progress, but unless they keep their proven players, proven stars, then color me unimpressed.