ASTROS GET COLE, YANKEES HAVE STRATEGY & PIRATES GET LAUGHED AT

“I’d rather have Clint Frazier and anybody else I could get from the Yankees than that package. I don’t get it.”

- an American League Scout

Anyone else share that same sentiment besides me? I couldn't agree more, a Yankee scout said it best HERE. I was never "mad" about the Yankees not getting Gerrit Cole. Personally, I was never completely sold on him but he would've been nice to have. You can never have enough pitching. At the same time, the baseball enthusiast in me can't stop scratching my head and thinking....

"Really Pirates? You said no to us but said Yes to the Astros?!"

Photo: Getty Images

I'm glad Astros owner Jim Crane is celebrating his great victory, read that HERE. Yeah you sure did "beat" the Yankees with this trade didn't you? An offseason championship ring is in route to Houston. You may have "won" Cole but only because the Pirates gained a lot of nothing. It as underwhelming package. It's a comedy.

The Pirates sold themselves short. They gave up a valuable starting pitching for four average joes (no pun intended).

Here's what they got:

Photo: Tim Warner/Getty Images

Joe Musgrove: 4.77 ERA. 25 years old, a failed starter who now pitches out of the bullpen.

Michael Feliz: 5.63 ERA. 24 years old, only three years experience. Not much to critique here besides the high ERA.

Colin Moran: third basemen, 25 years old and was the Astros Ninth best prospect.

Jason Martin: A 22 year old outfielder, called a "fringe" prospect. That sounds.....scary.

Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire

Like the opening quote says, I'd rather have Frazier. The Pirates did too but they wanted at least one of Frazier and Miguel Andujar but then the Yankees and Pirates couldn't agree on the remaining pieces. If the Pirates would've taken Frazier with virtually any other players packaged in the deal they would've received a better return for Cole than the Astros gave.

I guess the Astros should feeling like they are #winning, but only at the Pirates expense not ours. This trade is pretty comical.

Meanwhile, Cashman isn't crying over spilled milk while the Astros celebrate their offseason victory. I like Cashman's "onward and upward attitude" here as he continues to check in on Yu Darvish I just don't think he will be able to get Darvish for as cheap as he hopes. Yes, the market is stalled, but it isn't dead and some team out there will be willing to pay more than $90 million for him.

Photo: SI

And now that Andrew McCutchen and Cole are gone Pirates fans aren't too happy. In fact, fans made a petition asking MLB to force Pirates owner Bob Nutting, read that HERE. It's getting ugly out there, with a good chunk of MLB teams in "rebuilding" modes, fans and players are frustrated. It looks like Nutting is in the same company as Derek Jeter. See? Funny.

I don't know what reasoning other than being completely intoxicated the Pirates had regarding the Cole trade. I guess it doesn't matter though, because it's funny. They passed up a prize in Frazier for.....duds and probably won't live that one down anytime soon.

Laugh on....I am.

--Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

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