Jun 4, 2009 10:44 am US/Eastern
Pirates Trade All-Star For 3 Braves Prospects
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) ―
-
-
Nate McLouth #13 of the Pittsburgh Pirates bats against the New York Mets on May 9, 2009 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are back in action today at PNC Park after Wednesday night's game against the New York Mets was postponed due to rain.
But the team will be playing without one of their stars.
On Wednesday, the Pirates announced the trade of All-Star center fielder Nate McLouth to the Atlanta Braves for three prospects.
"We did this because our sole focus as front office of the Pittsburgh Pirates is to become a consistent championship caliber organization," said Neal Huntington, Pirates general manager. "In order to do that, we have to have a lot of solid average to above average major league players."
In February, the Pirates signed McLouth to a three-year contract for $15 million.
"Nate is one solid, average major league player. He's done a great job for us in the year and a half that he's gotten regular at-bats," added Huntington.
The three prospects that the Pirates got in return for McLouth include AA outfielder Gorkys Hernadez, AAA pitcher Charlie Morton and left-hand pitcher Jeff Locke.
"In this trade in return, we feel like we are going to get …three guys that have a chance to be above average major league players," said Huntington. "We have a good wave of talent coming. We have to build to that; we have to add to that."
McLouth, 27, was an All-Star last season and set career highs with a .276 average, 26 homers and 94 RBIs.
Stay with KDKA for the latest on this Pirates trade.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Pirates News & More
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
