Cubbies in Talks with Maholm

I hate it when long-time ex-Pirates end up in Comedy Central because I just KNOW what's going to happen. This goes back to Dave Cash, who killed the Pirates when he was with Philly. He hit the Pirates better than any other team except the Braves, and the Pirates had pretty good pitching in those days. (For once, my memories of Pirate history weren't wrong.)

5 months ago WTM 16 comments 0 recs |

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Dave Cash

was a terrific player, and I hated the trade with Philadelphia. The Bucs thought Rennie Stennett was an upgrade, but a severe broken leg short-circuited his career, and led to the trade for Phil Garner.

Weird thing about Cash was how quickly he went downhill after the age of 30, he had a miserable year with San Diego around ’81, and that was it.

by SteelStealth on Dec 16, 2011 8:59 PM EST reply actions

A couple of points

First, the Pirates didn’t just think Stennett was an upgrade over Cash. He was an upgrade. No disrespect to Cash (who, I think, we traded for Ken Brett), but Stennett had more range than any second baseman in the game and was leading the league in hitting when he shattered his ankle stealing second in late 1977. Not only did he make Cash expendable, but the Pirates also kept Stennett over Willie Randolph, another pretty doggone good player. That tells you what they thought about Stennett.

Secondly, Garner wasn’t acquired to replace Stennett at second. When the Pirates obtained him from Oakland (in exchange, I think, for Michell Page and Rick Langford), it was to replace Richie Hebner at third. When the 1979 season opened, Garner and Stennett were both in the starting lineup. It wasn’t until the trade deadline, when it became apparent that Stennett’s ankle injury was still hampering him, that the Pirates traded for Bill Madlock and benched Stennett.

Again, Dave Cash was a pretty good player. But Stennett was a great one — or would have been,

by bucfaninwa on Dec 16, 2011 10:26 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

+1

It was a shame about Stennett. Watching him struggle in 1979 was painful…it was obvious he didn’t have it anymore.

by maguro on Dec 16, 2011 10:45 PM EST up reply actions

Other infielders the Pirates dealt away...

…because they were set with Stennett at second included Craig Reynolds and Art Howe.

by bucfaninwa on Dec 17, 2011 12:42 AM EST up reply actions

One more?

You may want to include Willie Randolph to that list.

by BrianO' on Dec 17, 2011 7:28 AM EST up reply actions

All that talent being shipped off

Made watching Dale Berra all the more craptacular.

by Jitterbug on Dec 17, 2011 11:54 PM EST up reply actions

Your memory is spot on

That is exactly how it went down, to the last detail. Cash was damned good, but had Stennett not broken his leg, he could have been one of the greats. I listened to that game on the radio. They were playing the Giants. Stennett came in awkwardly, and Tim Foli was playing shortstop. He described it later, and Stennett confirmed the event: it was so clear that he was going to be badly hurt that Foli tried to warn him mid-slide but it was too late. Listened to his 7-7 masterpiece, and enjoyed listening to Hebner, Candelaria, Sangy, Kison and Giusti describe what it was like to play in that game, which was a 22-0 rout in Wrigley. Those were some days. People forget just how good the Pirates pitching was. Team ERA was under 3.10, third in the league behind the Dodgers and Cardinals in 1975.

"Throw strikes, but don't give him anything good to hit."

by RichieHebner on Dec 17, 2011 1:46 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Thanks for the memories

that was just after I started following the Pirates (1972). It was not usually a question of whether or not they would win, but how. Listening to Bob Prince on KDKA was a treat, while it lasted. Stennett was great those couple years and one of my favorite Pirates, just a real shame it ended up that way.

by Bangkokbuc on Dec 17, 2011 7:31 AM EST up reply actions

I can just see Maholm go 4-0

against the Pirates next year.

by BadAndy on Dec 16, 2011 9:27 PM EST reply actions

I’ll be more impressed if he goes 4-0 against a good-hitting team.

by bolton on Dec 17, 2011 12:10 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Please like that will happen.

Pittsburgh Sports: Creating sports history and legends since 1887.

Ovechkin-Leich-Semin: The greatest line in hockey..............................Tee Hee

by Bradley James McEachern on Dec 17, 2011 3:00 AM EST up reply actions

Visions of...

… Jon Lieber in a Cubs uniform.

by BrianO' on Dec 16, 2011 9:36 PM EST reply actions

Scary

Should the Pirates keep Neal Huntington?

http://www.bucsdugout.com/2011/5/16/2174135/poll-should-huntington-be-retained

by Kosstic518 on Dec 16, 2011 9:41 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

It's a little depressing

to see this posted right next to “Pirates After Jo-Jo Reyes”.

"Don Mossi was the complete five-tool ugly player. He could run ugly, hit ugly, throw ugly, field ugly and ugly for power.

by Pagliaroni on Dec 16, 2011 10:05 PM EST reply actions

only if the cubs can get Maholm on a minor league deal

by white angus on Dec 17, 2011 8:17 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Yep

plus the Cubs didn’t get Bedard, and honestly unless they get Fielder or Darvish they are still years behind us considering their young talent and farm system vs. our young talent and farm system.

Buried Treasure - #18 Pirates Prospect - Rudy Owens
Buried Treasure - Reaction: Reds get Mat Latos
Shenanigans

by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Dec 17, 2011 11:04 PM EST up reply actions