The cost was marginal pitching prospect Yhonathan Barrios and about half of the $6 million or so left on Ramirez's Milwaukee contract.
Given how this year's deadline market is tilted heavily toward the sellers, it may even be a remarkable deal when it's done. Ramirez has said this is his last season, and competing for a postseason berth has to be more appealing than playing out the string in the Brewers' dreary season.
After a half season of incredible good fortune with injuries, the Pirates were suddenly hit with the 1-2 punch of losing Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer. Even when they come back, there's no guarantee they'll be ready to immediately pick up and get back in the fast lane. Help was needed.
There's still a week until the non-waiver deadline, and Huntington can't stop here. He needs to get another arm for the bullpen, a hedge against any part of the busy Jared Hughes/Tony Watson/Mark Melancon troika wearing down between now and the end of the season.
Even if those three are fine, the relievers who often precede them are too much of a crap shoot and require some reinforcement.
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--GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
Baseball-reference. com says Ramirez has made just under $147 million in his career.
He should be thankful to Lloyd McClendon that his career has turned out as well as it has.
When Ramirez was a young player with the Pirates, he was unfocused and didn't have good work habits. McClendon recognized Ramirez's talent, and that he had a chance to make some money in baseball. Ramirez didn't always seem to care that much.
McClendon would boost him sometimes, yell at him at other times. But he finally got Ramirez's attention. Ramirez worked to get in better physical condition, and he put in extra time with the coaches to become an acceptable third baseman.
The Pirates had to give Ramirez away and didn't get to reap much of the work McClendon did with him. But Ramirez turned those early lessons into a lucrative career.
By the way, when Ramirez made his major league debut with the Pirates on May 26, 1998, the outfield from left to right was Manny Martinez, Jermaine Allensworth and Jose Guillen. Kevin Polcovich was at shortstop.
That was a long time ago. With Ramirez's return, the Pirates have someone who played home games at Three Rivers Stadium.
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--BENCH BUILDING
There's been a lot of consternation about the weakness of the Pirates bench, and it's valid.
But there also needs to be an understanding that the concept of building a bench has changed. With 12-man pitching staffs, there are only five extra position players. One of them is a backup catcher, and teams try to avoid using him unless absolutely necessary.
One of the extra men had better be able to play adequate defense at shortstop in a close game, too. With three spots open, versatility becomes even more important.
Teams used to have seven players on the bench, and could afford to carry a pinch hitting specialist, the role that Manny Mota and Rusty Staub filled late in their careers. They weren't able to play in the field, and they were almost always removed for a pinch runner. So when they pinch hit, it took two players to fill the spot, either on the bases or in the field.
That luxury doesn't exist now.
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--WHO CARES?
The great thing about television is something that's been researched and planned will rarely be discarded for irrelevance. Must justify the effort.
So in the late innings of last Sunday's game at Milwaukee, Root Sports in-game reporter Robby Incmikoski was gushing about Brewers reliever Neal Cotts' comeback from injuries. He urged viewers to look up the details.
If you're a Pirates fan and your team is being swept, you're probably not really that interested in the admittedly inspirational story of a guy from the opposing team who is helping to complete the demolition.
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--'80S FLASHBACK
The headlines said WWE had fired Hulk Hogan for making racial slurs on a tape.
Which begs the question: Someone is still paying attention to Hulk Hogan?
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