Only veterans know how to play baseball in Pittsburgh

Mondesi's House makes a great point:

The Pirates passed on top hitting prospect Matt Wieters to take relief pitcher Daniel Moskos. Moskos signed for about $2.5 MM. Wieters wants $10MM. Assuming Wieters gets what he wants, the Pirates saved $7.5MM by drafting Moskos.

Today the Pirates traded for Matt Morris. He will pitch in Pittsburgh for either 1.33 seasons or 2.33 seasons depending if the Bucs pick up his 2009 options. For 1.33 seasons the Pirates will have to pay $15.7MM or for 2.33 seasons they will have to pay $23.7MM. The Pirates are notoriously cheap and think 2 + 3 = cheezbrgr, so most people expect Morris to be around only through 2008 for the $15.7MM. Hmmmm.... lets break this down.

Scenario A:
1.33 years of Matt Morris on a 42-62 team.
+ 6 years of a guy whose ceiling is Huston Street

or Scenario B:
6 years of a guy whose ceiling is Joe Mauer
+ $8.2 MM to spend on middle relief and utility infielders (DL tells me these are the two most important positions on a baseball team) or, perhaps, on a league average pitcher who will produce at the exact same level as Mr. Morris.

Being a baseball GM isn't rocket science. I think Steve Phillips proved that. Though, wouldn't it be a reasonable demand for a GM to have 5th grade math skills?

How Tuesday afternoon went down:

Tracy calls DL: "Woof woof woof veteran woof contend woof woof"
DL: "You're right, we better get some veterans to turn this team around before we both get fired!"
Tracy: "Woof!"

DL calls Sabean: "I'm jealous of your team. Its all veterans. It must really be nice to work with all veterans. Looking to trade anyone but that crappy Matt Cain guy who is 3-12?"
Sabean: "Since you don't like Cain, how about Matt Morris, his record is 7-7."
DL: "All I want is someone who can get us to .500, I'll take him."
Sabean: "All of him, including his contract of $15.7 MM through 2008?"
DL: "You said he has a .500 record, right?"
Sabean: "Yes, he also won 22 games in 2001"
DL: "Sold! I'll take him and I'll pay his entire salary"

DL: "Just bought us Matt Morris, he won 22 games in 2001! Combine him with Izturis and this team is right back in the wild card hunt!"
Tracy: "Woof woof pitching woof woof defense woof woof speed woof clutch woof woof woof!"
DL: "We are so smart. We talk other GMs into giving us thier best players. There's no way those fireworks monkeys stage another protest now."

Parking lot, bitch. Go Indians.