RAY SWANSON Keystoner Trading standouts weakens Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates were a little late this year in doing their spring cleaning.
Maybe they jumped the gun a little, but by trading of some of their best players, they took themselves right out of the ball game as far as the 2003 season is concerned. They wrote themselves off too early.
So what are they attempting to do? In some corners, they say the Bucs are eyeing a youth movement; while others believe it's a money move. Dump the high-salaried players and start from scratch once again. Baloney!
One had to feel that general manager Dave Littlefield knew what he was doing when he had earlier made some moves to solidify the Bucs' offensive attack. So what happened? The Bucs are only a little better off now than they were last year, and the team is now heading for its 11th consecutive losing season.
May be next to go
Who's next on the list to depart the premises? Brian Giles, the only other capable hitter on the roaster outside of Jason Kendall, may be the next to depart. Maybe they will both get their walking papers. Both draw big salaries.
Thursday was the trading deadline. Trading away your top players to save a few bucks doesn't seem to be the answer. In order to make money, you have to put a team on the field that's a winner. Pirate fans have been deprived of that feeling for too long.
The new PNC Park certainly has not solved the problem like a new stadium in Cleveland did, or in other cities that enjoy the fruits of a major league team. According to owner Kevin McClatchy, losses since the Pirates opened up in PNC Park in 2001 could reach $30 million by the end of the season.
By stockpiling young players, the Pirates are only pushing back the hopes of fielding a winner, yielding to more frustration.
Peddled standouts
In recent trades, the Pirates have dealt away their two top relievers in Scott Sauerbeck and Mike Williams and a pair of offensive threats in Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton.
Ramirez, the Pirates' leading RBI man at the time of the trade, is only 25 years old which kind of discounts the Pirates' theory of going for a youth movement.
Lofton, an excellent leadoff man, now has been with seven clubs and plays center field.
The deal for Lofton and Ramirez was made with the Chicago Cubs, who are gearing up for the stretch run in the NL Central race. The acquisition by the Cubs could push the Cubs into a serious pennant race. In the swap with the Cubs, the Pirates received infielder Jose Hernandez and two minor leaguers.
Academic All-Americans
The Westminster College women's swim program recently was named a Division III Academic All-American Team by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America.
This marks the 26th time out of 29 rating periods that coach Rob Klamut's team has been honored by the CSCAA as a recipient of its All-Academic Team honors. The team compiled a cumulative grade-point average of 3.245 in the spring 2003 semester.
To qualify for the honors, the entire swimming team must have a GPA of at least 2.80.
Contributing to the team's success were Academic All-Americans Brittany Jardine (North Allegheny High School) and Stefanie King (Panama Central in New York).
Jardine earned a 3.825 GPA while King showed a 3.675 GPA.
The women's swim team finished 7-3 overall, including a 3-0 mark and team championship in the Presidents' Athletic Conference.