Not enough bang for their Bucs

PITTSBURGH -- When you meet Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield, it's hard not to be impressed.
Littlefield comes across as knowledgeable and patient even when asked to explain his thinking again and again and again.
His patience is even more amazing when you figure his hands are pretty much tied because his team is financially strapped and the big boys of Major League Baseball are showing little mercy to their tiny brethren.
Still, when you see what the New York Yankees gave up to get third baseman Aaron Boone from the Cincinnati Reds, you have to wonder just what Littlefield and Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy were thinking when they gave away third baseman Aramis Ramirez to the Chicago Cubs last week for essentially nothing.
Filling holes
As Thursday's trading deadline approached, Yankees officials were scrambling to find a bat for their offense.
Despite a payroll that was estimated at $180 million before New York sent pouty outfielder Raul Mondesi to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Yankees are struggling to keep ahead of the Boston Red Sox in the American League East Division and keep pace with the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners.
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner is reportedly furious about getting anything but value for his huge payroll investment. Steinbrenner's answer to any problem is to throw money at it.
The Yankees had two problems -- aging third baseman Robin Ventura is prone to grounding into double plays, and their best options in right field are Karim Garcia (late of the Indians) and Ruben Sierra.
So Thursday, the Reds pried away the Yankees' top pitching prospect, left-hander Brandon Claussen, and $1 million for Boone.
Boone, 30, had a .273 batting average, with 18 home runs and a team-high 65 RBIs for the Reds.
Pirate sets sail
At the time of his trade, Ramirez, 25, was hitting .280 with 12 homers and a team-leading 67 RBIs. Ramirez is error-prone, but signed to an affordable $6 million contract next season and is five years younger than Boone.
Which player has a greater upside?
It makes one wonder what the Pirates could have obtained for Ramirez if they had kept him a week longer. Certainly, it would have been more than Jose Hernandez, the 30-year-old who's hitting .237 with just eight homers. Cubs officials still have to be giggling about their looting of the Pirates.
Imagine what might have happened if the Cubs, who are trying to stay in the National League Central Division race, and the Yankees got into a bidding war.
The Pirates brass claim they made the deal with the Cubs with an eye on future financial dealings. No one denies that reasoning, especially after McClatchy announced last week that his franchise has lost $30 million since PNC Park opened in April 2001.
Curious decisions
However, they deny the team was struggling to meet an immediate problem -- the late July payroll. Still, shedding Ramirez, center-fielder Kenny Lofton, closer Mike Williams and left-handed setup reliever Scott Sauerbeck a week before the trading deadline and getting just one big leaguer makes one wonder.
Pirates fans were expecting Littlefield to send away pitcher Kris Benson, outfielders Brian Giles and Reggie Sanders and catcher Jason Kendall. When Thursday evening arrived, all four remained Bucs.
The San Diego Padres want Giles and reportedly would take Kendall if the Pirates pay $24 million of the $42 million owed him over the next four seasons. That deal can happen anytime.
What comes next is anyone's guess. Hopefully, Littlefield's hands will be untied when the time comes to send the few remaining Pirates jewels away.
XTom Williams is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write him at williams@vindy.com