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Pirates Trade Rumors: Will Neal Huntington Make A Move To Improve Offense?

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Should the Pirates sacrifice their pitching staff to remedy their offensive struggles?

PITTSBURGH - JULY 19:  Pittsburgh Pirates GM Neal Huntington talks to reporters prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds on July 19, 2011 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH - JULY 19: Pittsburgh Pirates GM Neal Huntington talks to reporters prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds on July 19, 2011 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
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The Pittsburgh Pirates are the worst offensive team in the Major League Baseball as they're averaging an anemic 2.98 runs per game, and veteran MLB writer Ken Rosenthal thinks the Bucs should consider trading members of their stellar pitching staff for a real hitter or two:

The Pirates' pitching is almost as good as their hitting is bad. The team also has relievers to spare at Triple A. Hitters are difficult to find, much less acquire, but the Pirates are in position to grab at least one in a trade.

General Manager Neal Huntington, according to Rosenthal, is open to making a trade but says that the Pirates will only make a big move if it's in the franchise's best interests:

"We are open to an impact trade if it is the right deal," general manager Neal Huntington says, "not because we need offense."

Huntington put the Pirates current pitching staff together, so you can't blame him for being reluctant to sacrifice guys for the sake of hitting, but the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Dejan Kovacevic took exception to Huntington's comments, expressing what would probably be a popular view among Pirates fans:

Wow. Perish the thought of prioritizing an actual need at the major league level.

Huntington tends not to act in response to pressure from the public or the media, though, so don't expect him to make a big trade just because some think he ought to.

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Photographs by dizfunk used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.