What if Jack Wilson had accepted the 2009 contract extension offer?

by SteelStealth on Jul 24, 2011 5:39 PM EDT

With the Seattle Mariners losing their 15th straight game today, I wonder what former Pirates SS Jack Wilson thinks about how much fun it would be now to play with a winner in a playoff chase. Instead, Wilson is stuck at 2B, with an organization which has never even tasted a World Series. In a way, the Bucs must be relived, because Wilson at 33, hasn't aged well, and that money could be used elsewhere. I don't know if Wilson even starts for Seattle anymore at 2B.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the managing editor (Charlie) or SB Nation. FanPosts are written by Bucs Dugout readers.

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I'm not sure if he's starting there either...

And given his decision to take himself out of a game after making a couple of errors at second…well, I guess it wasn’t an easy transition to say the least.

by NastyNate82 on Jul 24, 2011 5:51 PM EDT reply actions

Thank heavens NH “lowballed” him.

You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts.

by WTM on Jul 24, 2011 6:27 PM EDT reply actions

Yes

Funny how NH’s offer looks incredibly fair now when compared to his actual performance.

by MarkInDallas on Jul 24, 2011 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Somehow, I’m guessing the people who were yelling and screaming about NH not extending Jack aren’t going to acknowledge that NH had a much clearer idea of his value than Jack Z did.

You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts.

by WTM on Jul 24, 2011 7:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes, but Jack Z said he’s not at fault because they acquired all these aging players expecting them to perform at past levels and they just haven’t!

by MarkInDallas on Jul 24, 2011 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah.

My favorite was Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser throwing a fit about the Sanchez and Wilson trades during Pardon the Interruption the next day. I remember them saying that trading Wilson and Sanchez wasn’t how you build a winning team.

So onto my love rocket, climb, Inside tank of fuel is not fuel, but love.

by IAPiratesFan on Jul 24, 2011 10:12 PM EDT up reply actions

They’re correct. Trading FOR Wilson and Sanchez isn’t how one builds a winning team at all.

I must say — if the last eighteen years has taught me anything, it’s that these people getting paid to cover sports don’t deserve a penny of what they earn.

Thank you Ned Colletti.

by ryebr3ad on Jul 24, 2011 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I must say — if the last eighteen years has taught me anything, it’s that these people getting paid to cover sports don’t deserve a penny of what they earn

Bob Smizik, Ron Cook and the rest of the angry bitter senior citizens center that makes up the P-G sports staff (sans Dave Molinari and Seth Rorabaugh) would disagree with you.

But seriously I agree 100 percent with what you said

by Bradley James McEachern on Jul 24, 2011 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Found a transcript.

Mike Wilbon: The Pittsburgh Pirates usually aren’t worth a mention in our A-Block. But this latest trade, getting rid of popular players Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson in a swap for more prospects means that GM Neal Huntington has dumped 8 of the 9 players who were in the lineup opening day two years ago. The GM defends himself by saying "We don’t feel like we’ve broken up the 1927 Yankees." Tony, the Pirates are in the midst of their 17th consecutive losing season. 17! Does this seem like the best way to build a winner?

Tony Kornheiser: Pittsburgh’s a great sports city.

MW: Yeah.

TK: They support the Steelers like no team is supported throughout the country, except maybe the Cowboys. Ok? They support the Penguins, ya know, when everyone was afraid they’d move the team, they showed up for everything. The Pittsburgh Pirates organization from management down is a disgrace to have this many losing seasons. They’re not competitive and if they were in England they’d be dumped to the 2nd division and not be allowed to play anymore.

WM: They’re an embarrassment. They’re an embarrassment.

TK: They lose every year. The owner. They’ve changed GMs. They’ve changed managers and they keep losing.

WM: General Manager Neal Huntington says, he rips the players by saying these aren’t the 27 Yankees. HEY PAL, YOU’RE NOT BRANCH RICKEY, YOU’RE NOT JERRY WEST, YOU’RE NOT BILL POLIAN. I mean, for all we know, you’re the problem, not the players. Even though they’ve made all these changes, you don’t do that.

TK: Pittsburgh deserves better than this, they’re not a competitive baseball team.

So onto my love rocket, climb, Inside tank of fuel is not fuel, but love.

by IAPiratesFan on Jul 25, 2011 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Wow these guys really kow what the hell there talking about.

by Bradley James McEachern on Jul 25, 2011 2:03 AM EDT up reply actions

At least what TK says makes sense

since he keeps it in perspective with referring to the past. Wilbon is just a clown talking out of his mudflap.

by Mr. E on Jul 25, 2011 2:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed but not by that much though.

Yeah TK made some points but in one way or another both are talking out of their butts because theey didn’t know the impace those two would make on their respective ball clubs.

by Bradley James McEachern on Jul 25, 2011 3:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I wont hate on a guy who was the face of the Pirates

I wish him the best and it is clearly a shame management couldn’t bring Sanchez and him back for multiple years. He was by far one of the best defensive SS in the game while with the Pirates. His career might be over, but ill always remember his range!

by Joey Mooney on Jul 24, 2011 6:44 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs

Best play I've ever seen

hard shot deep in the hole about 3 years ago. No way he gets to that I said. He does. No way he throws out the runner I said (it wasn’t a C or P). He did.

by Mr. E on Jul 24, 2011 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions

My favorite from him was a ball up the middle maybe 4 or 5 years ago. Diving stop to get to it, then the glove flip to Jose Castillo who threw on to 1st for the out. #1 for the week on Sportscenter and a candidate for play on the year in those awards MLB.com always does.
Now that we have Cedeno, it’s rather sad. Cedeno’s probably a better pure fielder than Jack was, but I miss Jack’s flash and ability to make jaw-dropping plays every game.

by Akshay R on Jul 25, 2011 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn’t say Cedeno now is better than Jack was two or three years ago. Cedeno is good and solid this year, but Jack was brilliant there for a while.

by MarkInDallas on Jul 25, 2011 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

+1

This is Cedeno in his defensive prime, and he’s nowhere near as good as Wilson was in his prime.

www.stealingfirstbase.com

by Stealing First Base on Jul 25, 2011 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Amen on your title!

I really look forward to the day when Pirates fandom is no longer made up of, largely, people who want to see the team fail because they hate the owner and people who want former players to fail because somehow that makes Huntington a genius. Sorry, I liked guys like Nyger Morgan, Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez when they played here, and it’s not like they’re gone because they were primadonnas demanding huge contracts and dissing the city, ala Barry Bonds.

by Aphthakid on Jul 24, 2011 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions

I, too, was a fan of players like Wilson and Sanchez when

they played in Pittsburgh, and generally root for them when they aren’t playing the Bucs. Back in the day, I was sorry to see Al Oliver and Tony Pena get traded, even though those deals helped the Pirates overall. I was happy to see Freddy Sanchez played well in the WS and get that ring last season.

I was moved to write this post due to the Mariners embarrassing losing streak under their first year manager, Eric Wedge.

by SteelStealth on Jul 24, 2011 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions

I was moved to write this post due to the Mariners embarrassing losing streak under their first year manager, Eric Wedge.

Who was in the running to be our next skipper until for some reason back out of consideration and the job went to you know who smile.

by Bradley James McEachern on Jul 24, 2011 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions

And....

Isn’t Neal Huntington such a genius for not hiring Eric Wedge and waiting for Clint Hurdle?

So onto my love rocket, climb, Inside tank of fuel is not fuel, but love.

by IAPiratesFan on Jul 24, 2011 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I won't hate on him, but I was glad they didn't sign him to a long deal

It was apparent his bat was hollow when he was here, and his range was bound to lessen.

It doesn’t cost a thing to believe and the payoff on a winner is huge!

by pantherboy on Jul 24, 2011 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep.

I can’t imagine how bad SS would be now with Jack Wilson still around. He’s just not as good as he was two years ago.

So onto my love rocket, climb, Inside tank of fuel is not fuel, but love.

by IAPiratesFan on Jul 24, 2011 10:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Can you imagine a MIF of Sanchez and Wilson right now?

Charlie Morton may have a 10+ ERA now with that D

by Wizard of Woz on Jul 25, 2011 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions

I think you are really exaggerating there.

If Sanchez was healthy, he would be playing better defense than Walker, and I’m sure Jack can still play an acceptable shortstop. Probably no worse than average. With the upgrade of Sanchez from Walker, we’d probably have a better MI defense than we have now.

That said, Sanchez isn’t healthy, so Walker would be playing 2B anyway.

by MarkInDallas on Jul 25, 2011 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

That said, Sanchez isn’t healthy, so Walker would be playing 2B anyway.

Theoretically, at least. This is another opportunity to point out the logical inconsistencies of those fans who said things like “Huntington tried to keep Walker down! It was only because Iwamura failed that he made it at all!”

I disagree, but let’s assume that those fans are 100% right. If the team had extended Wilson and Sanchez like those fans wanted, Iwamura would have never been brought in and had the chance to fail. A Sanchez injury would have led to a guy like Ramon Vazquez getting everyday ABs. The team probably would have still tried to make Walker a super-utility guy, but if Sanchez is in the Majors and playing well, what’s the chance that they move him to 2B and he gets a chance to play every day?

www.stealingfirstbase.com

by Stealing First Base on Jul 25, 2011 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

what’s the chance that they move him to 2B and he gets a chance to play every day?

100%.

What gave Walker a chance to be an MLB player is that his performance in AAA was suddenly warranting a chance for a serious look. He was being groomed as a utility player because he was able to fit in a number of roles. He could play a corner outfield position, 3rd base, 2nd base and 1st base as well. So, whenever it was that the team needed a bat at those positions, he could do it.

So, if Freddy went down, you can bet that they would hope against hope that Walker could fulfill that role well, rather than rely on some stiff fill-in.

by MarkInDallas on Jul 26, 2011 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions

If Sanchez was healthy ...

And if grandpa had tits, he’d be grandma.

by BuccoFan21 on Jul 26, 2011 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think anyone's hating on him.

Just pointing out that Huntington was right to not break the bank to extend him.

www.stealingfirstbase.com

by Stealing First Base on Jul 25, 2011 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions

We should really move on. It is what it is. Im kind of tired hearing about Zach Duke and Jack Wilson. Its what you do if youre huntington…you trade players getting up there in age in their last year of contracts

by gobuccos88 on Jul 24, 2011 6:47 PM EDT reply actions

On a side note...

Charlie Morton’s post-game interviews always look like hes going to cry at any moment. its pretty interesting. Hard to watch him answer questions also haha Silly ground chuck

by gobuccos88 on Jul 24, 2011 6:54 PM EDT reply actions

What if poop tasted like Captain Crunch?

Thus Spake Bluecheerathustra

by bluecheer on Jul 24, 2011 6:59 PM EDT reply actions

Then you could put it at secondbase for the Mariners and have an upgrade.

You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts.

by WTM on Jul 24, 2011 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions

You either had poop or that cereal...

Maybe both!

by Joey Mooney on Jul 24, 2011 8:02 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

+1

by Superstar25 on Jul 25, 2011 3:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Although I think I should add that I did love Wilson when he was a Pirate

The +1 is because I laughed, not because I’m happy to see Wilson declining

by Superstar25 on Jul 25, 2011 3:51 AM EDT up reply actions

What if we hadn't traded Aramis Ramirez for

Bobby Hill and a side of tater tots

Bees Bees Everywhere

by VoteforPedro on Jul 24, 2011 8:14 PM EDT reply actions

Don't remind us of that

by WestCoastBuc on Jul 24, 2011 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I wish we'd gotten tater tots

You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts.

by WTM on Jul 24, 2011 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Why? Nutting wouldn’t have shared, he would have just hogged them all.

by thecheeseisblue on Jul 24, 2011 9:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Nutting

not involved, or he would have gotten those ’tots. We just never would have seen them until after they were eaten.

Free your ass and your mind will follow.

by cocktailsfor2 on Jul 25, 2011 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions

hey

watch it

age of last winning season: 5

by Bobby Hill on Jul 24, 2011 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

That wasn't tater tots.

That was Jack Hernandez.

So onto my love rocket, climb, Inside tank of fuel is not fuel, but love.

by IAPiratesFan on Jul 24, 2011 10:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Oops.

Jose Hernandez.

So onto my love rocket, climb, Inside tank of fuel is not fuel, but love.

by IAPiratesFan on Jul 24, 2011 10:23 PM EDT up reply actions

which is spanish for

tater tots I believe… google translate isn’t very reliable

Bees Bees Everywhere

by VoteforPedro on Jul 25, 2011 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Excuse me?

You think Aramis Ramirez is worth a prospect of the caliber of Bobby Hill along with amalgamated, store-brand potato products to be named later? No way, my friend! You need Aramis Ramirez AND Kenny Lofton to acquire that kind of talent.

by Aphthakid on Jul 24, 2011 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions