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Here we are, standing on the edge of yet another trade deadline.  This year, unlike past years, would be the ideal time for the Pirates to unload their veterans, seeing as they are almost certainly not going anywhere in the near future.  These veterans mostly include the relievers Salomon Torres, Sean Chacon, and Damaso Marte.  Other rumors have mentioned players such as Jose Castillo and Ronny Paulino.

Ronny Paulino is probably not going anywhere, which is not what Pirates’ fans want to hear considering his lackadaisical play in the field and ice cold bat.  This is a player who I thought would explode this year, but he has instead completely regressed.  I can understand why the Mets would have had interest in him, considering that Omar Minaya appears to enjoy stealing players from Dave Littlefield, but I can see no reason for that interest to be continuing, considering that Paulino looks so lazy and confused.

Jose Castillo will almost certainly not go anywhere.  The best parallel that I can see to Castillo’s current situation, and it is not the best possible one, is Ty Wigginton.  Castillo, like Wigginton, is a player with power potential who came out of the chute with a very good season.  Then, also like Wigginton, he began to collapse, eventually turning into a AAAA/bench player with the Pirates.  Today, Castillo really doesn’t have a role on this team, but he also has no trade value and clearly has too much potential for Littlefield to simply dump at this point.  He will stick around until management eventually becomes so fed up with him that they simply cut ties, giving away potential for nothing.  At that point in time, the Pirates’ treatment of Castillo will come around to bite them as Castillo will latch on somewhere else and at least somewhat fulfill his potential.

Salomon Torres probably has about a 30% chance of being traded.  One issue that I heard about in relation to the durable reliever is that the grievance that he filed against the Pirates could carry onto another team, potentially making him a free agent at the end of the year.  With that said, I see no reason for Littlefield to not trade him.  What is really the difference between Torres and, say, Jesse Chavez, right now?  The answer is probably not very much.   The Pirates should definitely trade Torres and, if I had to handicap the whole situation right now, I would say that he is the second-most likely Pirate to be traded tomorrow considering his salary, issues with the team, and potentially rapidly depreciating value.  He did, however, blow up Sammy Sosa’s helmet.

The Pirate most likely to be traded is undoubtedly Sean Chacon.  The Artist Formerly Known as the Blimp has been pretty consistent since being turned into a reliever by Jim Colborn (isn’t it nice to know that he improved one Pirate?).  Throw that in with his free agent status at the end of the year and the Pirates’ not making any efforts to sign him (mainly because he would ask for more than his $3.835 million salary this year) and it appears as if “Sean Sean” has one foot out the door.  If I had to peg a destination right now, I would likely say Seattle.  Apparently they want JJ Putz to see less four and five out saves down the stretch (an idiotic idea) and are searching for a setup man.  Former closer Chacon fits the bill.  They will probably receive a AA/AAA prospect or two for him.  Bill Bavasi has shown a willingness to surrender decent prospects in trades for parts that he feels he needs, including Omar Vizquel-in-training Asdrual (sp?) Cabrera for Ben Broussard last year.  That’s probably the type of trade that Littlefield should try to pull off, meaning that we will really receive a AAA Jesse Chavezesque reliever.  I am really going to miss laughing at the radio announcers when they try to be cute and talk about “Sean Sean . . . Sean Sean Chacon.”

As for Damaso Marte, the most dominant relief pitcher in the game right now, should certainly command the most value.  If the Padres were able to get three decent prospects for the recently ineffective Scott Linebrink, there is no reason that the Pirates should not get two major-league-ready players for Marte.  With that said, I would be sort of surprised to see Marte moved tomorrow if not only because his salary is only $2.2 million next season, which is extremely affordable.  And if he is moved, the Pirates would undoubtedly undersell, as Littlefield seems to have a knack for not getting enough for his valuable assets.  They would probably be better off not selling on Marte and waiting until the offseason to make the important trades.

With that said, maybe the most important trade will be that of Jack Wilson, which will almost certainly happen in the off-season.  I can’t see the Pirates keeping the aging shortstop around to collect his paychecks which are growing inversely to his receding hairline too much longer, but no one really needs a shortstop right now.  Apparently Detroit could have interest right now, but I really don’t see that happening.

In a humorous, non-Pirate note apparently the Dodgers called Nationals’ Jim Bowden about Jon Rauch.  When asked what the price for the tall righty was, Bowden immediately asked for Matt Kemp, the untouchable young outfielder.  I think we are beginning to learn which front office Littlefield will be working for when he is fired in mid-winter.

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