Perhaps it is unpopular with the fans and the players in the clubhouse, but no one can accuse Pittsburgh Pirates' General Manager Neal Huntington of being without vision and purpose.
Huntington, who has recently been almost vilified in Pittsburgh by fans and players who have nothing but disdain for his trades of popular major league players for high-ceiling talents and loads of prospects, maintains that he knows exactly what he's doing.
Before the July 31 deadline for non-waiver trades, fans could be faced with the departures of the popular Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson, the enigmatic Adam LaRoche and Matt Capps, and the steady John Grabow among others.
Whether or not the moves are popular, Huntington plans to stay the course he set when he took over the wayward franchise after the 2007 season.
Since his hiring, the Pirates have acquired two of their current starters (Ross Ohlendorf and Charlie Morton), two relievers (Joel Hanrahan and Jeff Karstens), and four regular position players (Jason Jaramillo, Andy LaRoche, Brandon Moss, and Delwyn Young) via trades with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and Washington Nationals.
But his additions to the major league roster pale in comparison to the effect his efforts have had on Pirates once-decimated farm system.
Huntington has systematically acquired pitching prospects and position players who have high ceiling talent but who needed a fresh start.
Lastings Millege, Jose Tabata, Jeff Locke, Eric Hacker, Steven Jackson, Gorkys Hernandez, Erik Kratz, and others have added depth to a system that had sorely lacked talent.
Millege and Tabata were once top prospects with the Mets and Yankees. If the Pirates guessed right on their need for little more than a fresh start (and so far Tabata has proved them right), then the Pirates have a nice stable of outfielders who will be ready within a year for major league action.
Locke is billed as a future ace, something the Pirates have lacked since Jason Schmidt departed.
Add that to the Pirates efforts to pursue Latin American talent like phenom Miguel Angel Sano and their strategy to draft the players who have the highest upside (Pedro Alvarez and Tony Sanchez among others).
The Pirates have a brighter future now than they did under Dave Littlefield. That much is certain. While the moves that have been made are painful for fans and teammates, they are necessary for long term success.
While 2009 may prove to be another lost season in a string of them, there is little doubt remaining that the Pirates are headed in the right direction.
With so much talent now in the system, its hard to imagine that this team won't be competitive for long.
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