Gammons: SP is precious

We rarely read Peter Gammons because the rumors are never realized and he almost never talks about the Pirates.

So it's understandable that I just caught his May 10 article tonight. (Oh yeah, I was out on the high seas too.) Anyway, he says that starting pitching is the most precious resource in the big leagues right now. Tell me why they abuse the Pirates for drafting starting pitchers? I hope the Bucs do it again, too. Don't buy into that bullshit peddled by half-interested and condescending cynics who claim that the Pirates need to draft some high school kid who's gonna make the bigs at 20, be tantalizingly below average for many years, and have his prime in post-arbitration-eligible years the Bucs won't want to afford. And that's the best-case scenario. Stay the course, Dave Littlefield, and get us another left-handed starting pitcher - preferably someone who keeps the ball in the park.

Like you care dept.: I got drunk and ranted about this six weeks ago. Scoop was face-down and drooling and Bones was sleeping beneath the table when I finished.

P.S. Get well Paul Maholm.