Trogluddite's recent post about the 2007 Pirates got me thinking about how many wins that team would get in terms of each players WAR today (or in the last season they pitched if they are currently retired). A replacement level team would get 48 wins. The WAR of each active player is multiplied by 1.6, since we are 101 games through the season.

Ronny Paulino = 0.8 WAR = 1.28 WAR/162

Adam LaRoche = 0.4 WAR = 0.64 WAR/162

Freddy Sanchez = 2.2 WAR = 3.52 WAR/162

Jack Wilson = 1.9 WAR = 3.04 WAR/162

Jose Bautista = 0.7 WAR = 1.12 WAR/162

Jason Bay = 1.7 WAR = 2.72 WAR/162

Nate McLouth = 2.1 WAR = 3.36 WAR/162

Xavier Nady (2008) = 4.0 WAR/162

Ian Snell = 0.6 WAR = 0.96 WAR/162

Tom Gorzelanny (2008) = -1.1 WAR/162

Paul Maholm = 2.5 WAR = 4 WAR/162

Zach Duke = 2.1 WAR = 3.36 WAR/162

Matt Morris (2008) = -0.4 WAR/160

Matt Capps = -0.6 WAR = -0.96 WAR/162

Shawn Chacon (2008) = -0.4 WAR/162

Salomon Torres (2008) = 0.4 WAR/162

John Grabow = 0 WAR

Damaso Marte = 1.2 WAR/162

So, overall, this would add 26.74, or about 27 wins to the 48 win replacement team. Meaning the Pirates would finish with 75 wins with this team, still under .500, and about to lose players to free agency.

Just for kicks I'm going to take the WAR of each player's career year with the Pirates.

Ronny Paulino = 2.6 WAR

Adam LaRoche = 2.5 WAR

Freddy Sanchez = 4.8 WAR

Jack Wilson = 4.3 WAR

Jose Bautista = 1.1 WAR

Jason Bay = 6.4 WAR

Nate McLouth = 3.6 WAR

Xavier Nady = 4 WAR

Ian Snell = 3.4 WAR

Tom Gorzelanny = 2.8 WAR

Paul Maholm = 2.7 WAR

Zach Duke = 3.3 WAR

Matt Morris = -0.4 WAR

Matt Capps = 1.6 WAR

Shawn Chacon = 0.2 WAR

Salomon Torres = 1.4 WAR

John Grabow = 0.5 WAR

Damaso Marte = 1.2 WAR

For a grand total of 46 WAR, or 94 wins, which would be enough to give them the NL wild card last year.

In conclusion, had the Pirates kept their players, based on the win values from Frangraphs, they would still be a below .500 time. And if they kept their players, and each had a career year, even though the odds are nearly impossible, they would still be a wild card team.

So in other words, yes, the Pirates have made the correct moves.