Bucs Getting Ready To Trade Freddy?

July 9th, 2009 | by SL |

If recent history tells us anything about how the Pirates’ front office works, it’s that the all-stars usually don’t stick around in Pittsburgh for too long.

Just days after being named to his third National League All-Star Game, Freddy Sanchez has become the target of persistent trade talk. Sanchez has an automatic player option that kicks in based on his plate appearances, so there is substantial incentive for Neil Huntington to move him before the trade deadline. Sanchez is the lone Pirates’ all-star representative.

Dejan Kovacevic reported earlier today that the Bucs were “pushing” hard to try and deal their second baseman. The rumor mill slowed to a crawl by this afternoon, but John Perrotto thinks the Colorado Rockies are a potential suitor for Sanchez:

Colorado has emerged as the front runner for Sanchez and the Pirates have strong interest in Rockies second base prospect Eric Young, Jr., a 24-year-old who is hitting .289 at Class AAA Colorado Springs with three home runs, 26 RBIs, 47 stolen bases and a .377 on base percentage in 80 games.

That’s a pretty high price-tag for Freddy Sanchez if you ask me (sorry, but it’s the truth). Unless other teams start to show some interest in Sanchez, or Huntington lowers the asking price, then it would be unlikely that Sanchez gets dealt before Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

Huntington has shown little in the way of sympathy to a very patient fanbase when it comes to trading away talent. Sanchez (a career .302 hitter) is a former NL batting champion and has spent the last six seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates after being acquired from the Boston Red Sox. Unlike the Nate McLouth deal, there is no second baseman of the future, a la Andrew McCutchen in center, ready to step in on a regular basis.