"Nate McLouth went from being one of the Pirates' cornerstone players to the primary piece in what probably was this management team's most controversial trade to ... the minor leagues?

Yes, really.

The Atlanta Braves demoted their opening-day center fielder to Class AAA Gwinnett Tuesday, after he batted just .168 with three home runs in 14 RBIs. He recently missed a month to a concussion but went 1 for 15 in his return, and the first-place Braves, clearly not in a position for additional patience, optioned him out despite a $5 million salary -- part of the three-year extension he signed in Pittsburgh -- that he will continue to collect.

McLouth's decline and demotion was a topic in both Coors Field clubhouses.

"Honestly, it's something I can't fathom at all," Colorado manager Jim Tracy, formerly of the Pirates, said. "I can't even wrap my head around it. The Nate that I knew and the one I've seen this year ... it's tough to get."

Don Long, the Pirates' hitting coach, oversaw McLouth's breakout 2008 in which he batted .276 with 26 home runs, 94 RBIs and 23 steals.

"When Nate was here, he was a guy who was on the edge of doing some really good things," Long said. "He'd been in the big leagues, but then he got the opportunity he could be an everyday player and, obviously, had a great year."

The reference was to 2008, although McLouth's career path through the minors and even into 2009 did not make 2008 that much of an aberration."