One source intimately familiar with the matter said that a deal was virtually done Tuesday and that the Pirates would receive two of Detroit's top six prospects, including an unnamed pitcher ready to join the major-league staff. But the sides haggled on how much of Wilson's contract the Pirates would pick up, the source added, and the delay was on.
If true, that'd be wonderful. A little bit baffling, given the Pirates' subsequent decision to take on Matt Morris' contract and given that it'd be weird for a good organization like the Tigers to give up two of their top six prospects for a guy who's probably going to sneak through waivers, but still wonderful.
Who might those prospects be? Detroit actually doesn't have much of a farm system beyond Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller (who's actually in the majors now anyway), and we're not getting either of those guys. The supposedly major-league ready pitcher might be Eulogio de la Cruz, who throws a million miles an hour and mowed down Class AA this year before struggling some at Class AAA Toledo. Virgil Vasquez is another possibility, although it's a stetch to say he's among the Tigers' top six prospects.
Here are a couple lists of Tigers prospects:
Minor League Ball
Motown Sports Revival
Also from the Post-Gazette, this is a terrific article on the reasons behind the Morris deal.