Huntington may sit this one out
If the Pirates take the ongoing second game of their doubleheader with the Cardinals and increase their NL Central lead to a game-and-a-half and their record to 22 games over .500 — I think Neal Huntington will sit out this Trade Deadline.
Could you blame him?
A year ago, the Bucs were at their 16-games-over-.500 peak at the Deadline, and we know where Huntington’s dealing got them thereafter.
If you are the Pirates GM, do you risk making moves with the club again at its season peak of 22 over? Could you even bear the thought of the moves again misfiring?
I think not. If a no-brainer move presents itself, one so obviously advantageous that even having it backfire would not be laid at Huntington’s feet, sure. But no such players appear available in the current market.
Otherwise, he will not be in a mood to hazard the club’s obvious feel-and-play-good vibes on anything marginal. And any criticism of that would be unfair.
When you own the best record in the Major Leagues, “status quo” does take on a different meaning.
Change for a Nickel 
Where is a right fielder. Where is extra help on bench. I think this is the same old pirates. Just waiting for the collapse. It will happen.
You used “collapse” and “same old Pirates” in connection with the team with the absolute best record of all 30 Major League teams. Get some help yourself.
I’m wondering whether the Pirates should pick Jason Bay up from the scrap heap. He’s obviously not a good player or an everyday starter anymore, but there’s some life left and the Pirates really lack a pinch-hitter with power.
I asked about Bay right after he’d been DFA-d, and his name did not even come up among team decision-makers. If it makes a difference, he is a career .226 hitter as a pinch-hitter, with only one homer and 3 RBIs in 31 at-bats (yeah, pretty small sample size for an 11-year veteran.
Neil Walker,,,,,,,,,,this kid has no business hitting from the right side,,,simply because he can’t. Stick to what got you here. Alverez , is a work in progress to say the least. Raw and inconsistent. Loads of power