The Great Nate Contract

Well well well....

It came down to the eleventh hour today, but Nate McLouth and the Pittsburgh Pirates reached a very nice three-year deal, with a club option for a fourth year. Knowing that McLouth was going to be a necessary center-piece to the future of this team...maybe keystone would have been a better term...or corner stone.

Anyhow, McLouth will be vital to this team's success in the upcoming years, as long as he can put up similar or better numbers to those of last year. I think most fans would be pleased with a .276/25+ HR/90+ RBI season which included a Gold Glove and All-Star appearance. And for a guaranteed $15.75 million over three years, it could be a worthwhile expense. With bonuses, there is the potential for $27 million over three years. As with some of the other players recently signed to long-term deals, I hope McLouth doesn't crap the bed and go on the DL for three months.

I'm not going to pass judgment on whether or not this was a great signing until I see some results from McLouth. I know that I am personally hoping that he puts up some great numbers so the baseball and bat that I have signed by him will be worth something some day.

I would also like to add that, from a PR standpoint, this was a great move by the front office.

In other news...

There was a package on some ABC News show tonight featuring Rinku and Dinesh being the first ever India baseball players signed to a contract by a major league team. It was a good piece even though its all stuff we already know. I don't know if I'm just buying into the hype, but I feel like at least one of these guys will make it big.

I honestly don't find too much exciting about the start of Spring Training, so for the next 7-8 days, my posts may be limited. Once we get into more game action, then I'll be excited.

Lets Go Bucs!
Vote for Romulo!

Rinku & Dinesh Go To Pirate City

That's it. I'm calling the movie rights to these two guys right now. The story writes itself. Someone places a casting call for a reality TV show in India to find the most powerful and accurate arm in the entire country. The prize: a trip to the United States of America to pitch infront of major league scouts and the opportunity to sign a contract to a baseball team. And then, to the amazement of many, two men, who don't even have the slightest clue of what a baseball is or what the rules of baseball are, are signed to a contract. Yankees? No. Red Sox? No. Dodgers? Nope. The Pittsburgh Pirates. Ding ding ding! Already a laughing stock of the American sports world, the Pirates, of all teams, take a chance on two guys that never picked up a bat., ball, or glove.

I'm seeing a mixture of Slumdog Millionaire, Rudy, and Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle.

Well, everyone's favorite Indians have arrived in Bradenton, FL for Spring Training. They are so egar to pitch, but they must wait one more week. I'm hoping the best for these two guys. I'd love to see at least one of them be successful so the movie can be made.

I believe that the best writers in Hollywood couldn't even write stuff like this:

"We also going American Doctor. this is first time we ever going doctor like this. He having many things he testing us with. They hit knee with rubber hammer. He looking in our nose and ears even. He also checking us for hernia. We not saying how he checking, but we happy JB Sir telling us Doctor doing this thing. If he not telling us, being big surprise."

Let's Go Bucs!

Did you hear that the Pirates signed two pitchers from India?

Just thought I'd pass this along.