Neal Huntington couldn't have made it clearer that the Pirates are not focused on acquiring pitching from the outside.
Even though the current staff is missing multiple pieces and getting clubbed every other day, with no internal answers in sight. Even though, as he acknowledged Sunday on his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan, the younger pitchers he's promoted from Class AAA Indianapolis haven't exactly risen to the task. Even though he publicly challenged those pitchers just a week ago to seize the extraordinary opportunities at hand.
"Not to a level that we feel all that much differently than we did a week ago," Huntington replied when asked if those pitchers had stepped up. "And again, as we talk repeatedly, it's really challenging to make trades in April and May. There's a larger percentage of trades made in June than in April and May, but you're still talking about an overpay. We're going to continue to look at the minor leagues, look at other major-league clubs, look at guys who come available to see if they can help us."
By the latter, he undoubtedly meant players who are designated for assignment and, thus, available to be claimed on waivers.
"Are they better than what we have?" he proceeded. "We've still got opportunities for our young players and, at the same time, we're still looking externally, whether it's a very thin trade market -- a very expensive and thin trade market -- or it's someone out there we can help and we think can help us."
Asked if he might consider trading a position player when some return to health -- Corey Dickerson is due back soon, for example -- Huntington replied, "That's a potential scenario that could play out for us. There has to be value seen on both sides to come to an agreement. But if there's a match, that's certainly something we'd explore and hope that there will be something."
Huntington was asked to comment on the continuing availability of free-agent starter Dallas Keuchel and declined, citing "what clubs and agents should and should not talk about" based on agreements between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association.
Huntington wasn't available to reporters at PNC Park, as he's in Bradenton, Fla., preparing for tomorrow's MLB Draft. He did his radio show by phone.
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