SAN FRANCISCO - There was a sense of celebration within the Giants organization on Monday after the addition of Andrew McCutchen. He is easily their best outfielder, a potential solution atop the order, and a player who is known for being a tremendous presence in the clubhouse.
If the Giants had any doubts, though, they surely felt better after seeing the quotes that came out of Pittsburgh. In a series of statements, Pirates officials made it clear this was a difficult trade to make, with chairman Bob Nutting calling it "one of the most emotionally agonizing decisions that we have had to make in my tenure."
Nutting, in a statement, said that McCutchen's smile and energy were infectious even as a teenager. Later, McCutchen got the Pirates to three straight postseason appearances.
"He did so while always carrying himself with humility, dignity and grace," Nutting said.
Team president Frank Coonelly described the trade as painful.
"(No) individual was more responsible for the success that we had from 2013 to 2015 than Cutch," Coonelly said in a statement," And no player was more disappointed than Andrew that we did not break through and win a World Series Championship for the City of Pittsburgh."
McCutchen was Pittsburgh's first-round selection in the 2005 draft and made his debut in 2009. In nine seasons with the Pirates, he was a five-time All-Star and a perennial MVP candidate. He won the award in 2013 and finished in the top five of voting for four consecutive seasons.
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General manager Neal Huntington said the decision to actually part with the franchise player was "incredibly difficult."
"Watching Andrew patrol center field with grace, fly around the bases, drive the ball all around the ballpark, celebrate with his teammates or interact with his family, friends or fans has created lifelong memories for me and many, many others around the game of baseball," he said.
