On the Trade Block

 
Coming off an under-.500 season and sensing they're falling farther behind division rivals in Chicago and Milwaukee, the Pirates have explored trading off several pricey veterans who are beginning to approach free agency.
Andrew McCutchen is front and center among them. Coming off two "down" seasons after five consecutive summers making the All Star Team, plenty of rumors surround the veteran center fielder. The Giants and Mets are among the clubs said to be interested. Now comes the other side of the coin: at age 32 and with a $14 million price tag, does he give good value to another team? Does he still have the range to play center field? And much might his production drop in the bigger ballparks in San Francisco and Queens?
In a sluggish off-season -- but now just five weeks from the opening of training camps, "Cutch" remains a name worth following, albeit in smaller type.

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