Jason Scmidt like Denny Neagle

Here's Stan Savran in the July 28, 2001 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

It strikes me as rather ironic that Jason Schmidt is now in the position Denny Neagle was in five years ago.

Although Schmidt is nowhere near as accomplished as Neagle was then, there are great similarities in the circumstances surrounding these two men who were traded for one another about this time in 1996. Despite his unrealized potential, which, in turn, has resulted in unfulfilled expectations, Schmidt is the Pirates' most realistic, tradeable commodity. Not because of who he is, but because of what he is: a competent starting pitcher.

With the possible exception of Seattle -- what do you get for the team that has everything -- all the contenders are on the lookout for starting pitching. You catch Schmidt on a good night with a significantly better team behind him, you've got something.

One might legitimately ask, "Given the potential upside, why wouldn't the Pirates keep him?"

Because they can no longer afford to wait for him to reach that tantalizing potential, because he'll be a free agent and because whichever team signs him for whatever money, they'll do so at an inflated price.

Sound familiar?