Is Mclouth the starting CF?

[Joltin Joe Giradio]

Mclouth has been great in the spring, and he has outplayed Morgan by a wide margin.

[buccofan21]

i feel he earned the right to start and play just about everyday. Neal Huntington said that the race for the center field job was a "dead heat" so we are goin to have to see how this plays out. McClouth's average in much higher then Morgan and has been getting on base much more.

[moebarguy]

McLouth is certainly the better player, but do the Pirates want Morgan as their leadoff? Would it make more sense to trade Nady, move McLouth to RF, and start Morgan in CF?

[Joltin Joe Giradio]

i feel he earned the right to start and play just about everyday. Neal Huntington said that the race for the center field job was a "dead heat" so we are goin to have to see how this plays out. McClouth's average in much higher then Morgan and has been getting on base much more.

That's what I don't get about the Pirates. Are they purposely losing to get higher draft picks? From what I can tell, there's no way this race should be even still going on. If I was Mclouth, and I work my butt off to play so well in a "competition" for a job, and I still lose out to a garbage player. I would demand a trade or release. If the Pirates had no intention of starting him, why not just inform him from day 1 that he's a backup?

[moebarguy]

Well, the Pirates made the correct decision. Is there any chance that the Pirates move Nady (say to the Mets), and shift McLouth over to start Morgan in center? It would seem to make sense since they like Morgan, and he'd make a solid leadoff hitter. Also, McLouth's power could be stuck more towards the middle of the order instead of leadoff. Their lineup could look like this...

CF Nyjer Morgan
2B Freddy Sanchez (when he returns)
LF Jason Bay
1B Adam LaRoche
RF Nate McLouth
3B Jose Bautista
SS Jack Wilson
C Ronny Paulino/Ryan Doumit

thoughts?

[BeatEmBucs]

I like that lineup. Morgan and McLouth cover the outfield very well. Lineup does lack pop though (especially if j-bay struggles like he did last year) but it does look like a lineup that can "manufacture" runs. X adds a little more pop than Morgan or McLouth, and if he does get traded, I hope the Bucs get good players in return, something Littlefield didn't do too often when he was GM.

[Joltin Joe Giradio]

Go Nate!

I was hoping the Pirates would be stupid enough to trade Mclouth to a good team, but now it's too late.

[brocktune01]

Its never too late, throw in a washed up has been veteran and a bucket of sunflower seeds and the bucks will trade anybody.

[Joltin Joe Giradio]

Here's one for ya. Claudio Vargas for Mclouth! What a steal for the Bucs!

[Extra Innings]

Mclouth has been impressive thus far. I thought he may peaked off at the start of the month, but he has bounced back. Wasn't he voted by the Pirates team to be the most improved player this season?