Last winter, the Pittsburgh Pirates gave their fans a nice gift by announcing that they had agreed with Andrew McCutchen to bring him back to the fold. McCutchen, one of the most popular Pirates players in club history, was back after a few years away from Pittsburgh.
It was really a great story for a team that hasn’t been going anywhere for years.
And clearly, the return to town has been good for McCutchen, who is one of the best designated hitters in the league this season. He was not selected for the All-Star Game, but he hits very well.
However, as the Pirates are experiencing another difficult season (despite an excellent month of April), trade rumors sent him to other skies recently. Of the lot, the Texas Rangers were seen as a logical destination.
In terms of baseball, it would make sense for the Pirates to trade a 36-year-old guy (soon to be 37) who is experiencing a comeback. The club will (most likely) not make the playoffs this year anyway, so picking up a prospect or two in return would be smart.
But McCutchen’s case goes far beyond a simple baseball decision. We’re talking about a guy who’s adored in town and has just returned to reunite with the team he grew up with.
And for all these reasons, Pirates owner Bob Nutting has been pretty clear: he’s not closing totally the door to a transaction, but let’s say the odds are very, very slim.
In Nutting’s eyes, McCutchen deserves to stay in Pittsburgh as long as he wants. After all, we’re talking squarely about one of the greats in dealership history and a guy who wanted to come back to Pittsburgh this year.
And in addition to starting to produce at bat again, McCutchen is also an important voice in the locker room. He is highly respected and an important ambassador for the Pirates, a role that is important for a young team like Pittsburgh.
In short, unless there is a major turnaround, Andrew McCutchen will still be a member of the Pirates at the end of the season. And I don’t know about you, but personally, I think it’s perfect that way.
