The MLB off-season continues to get more depressing for Pirate fans.

As the rest of the NL Central gets stronger not just for the present but the future, the Pirates have entered tear-down mode with little path to competing as their prospect system has fallen to the middle of the pack and once regarded top prospects like Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows are no longer the significant trade chips they were a year and half ago to improve the roster dramatically.

While the Pirates stand on the sidelines, the Brewers have made major additions with the signing of Lorenzo Cain and trade for Christian Yelich……. The Cardinals significantly upgraded their roster with the trade for Marcell Ozuna who belted 37 homers and 124 RBIs, and now the Cubs have made their move in signing free-agent ace pitcher Yu Darvish to a six-year, $126 million deal on Saturday night.

The Cubs one of baseballs most prestige franchises landing a top free agent starter doesn’t surprise anyone, but what the Brewers are doing is a major gut punch to Pirate fans.

The Brewers not only signed Cain to a 5 year, $80 million contract, they built their farm system back up over the last couple years and then moved some of their top prospects for five years of control for Yelich. The type of trade the non-homer Pirate fans have been waiting years for the Pirates to do.

What is fascinating with the Brewers is how all-in they are for the next four to five years. They offered Darvish over $100 million and are among the front runners for Jake Arrieta, while reportedly still looking at a Chris Archer trade.

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