Toggle sidebar

OT: Pirates Talk: Lets Play Ball

I wonder at what point this team cuts its losses with Cruz and just sells him to the highest bidder, especially with him coming up on arbitration eligibility. It's pretty clear that they either can't coach him or he's not capable of playing competent defense. His issues are only going to get worse as his athleticism worsens and he's seemingly not improving the fundamentals he needs to play okay defense.

He made 2 grave mistakes today between the missed fly ball and trying to throw out Stowers at home and allowing Lopez to reach second. The Pirates coaching staff doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt because they've been terrible for so long, but Cruz can't be making those kind of mistakes. It shows a lack of focus and/or a lack of teaching.
 
That sucked, but also none of us really expect much else.

This is a very badly built team. Other than Hayes, the premium defensive positions are all bad and being filled by guys playing out of position. There's minimal offensive upside that is gained by doing so.

The bullpen is paper thin. I don't think it's giving us too much credit to say that a lot of the Marlins offense until the late bullpen implosion was pretty BS (we still deserved to lose). But it was all the top bullpen options and they all looked pretty bad.

This is embarrassing, full stop. It's what we all expected, pretty much going back to last year and before Skenes was truly established. Not sure what other options there are beyond not really caring.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rave7215, BusinessGoose and Empoleon8771
They are playing a SS in CF, a C at 1B, a UTIL at SS, and a DH in RF. Of course the D is going to be a farce, and this is happening with exactly one injury. The Marlins are going to lose 100+ games and they beat the Pirates on the day that Skenes started - just a game you can't lose.

And really, I know Empo gets all angry when I say they aren't a serious organization, but the fact Bednar is STILL the 9th inning guy is the least serious thing imaginable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rave7215 and Darren McCord
It's amazing how much rope Shelton gets from the Pirates and fans. But him being gone is in the hands of Cherington, who has been largely ass for us. At least BC built a winner in Boston. I'll always say that much because it's fact. Shelton has absolutely no redeeming qualities as a manager and his resume is one of the worst in the history of a game that's been played for well over a century.
 
I mean the second they tied it you knew the game was over.Pirates score in 1 to 2 innings a game and that's it. They got their 4 runs and it was either enough or it wasn't.

Gonna be like this all year. Will be an absolutely awful season. They'll need absolutely perfect pitching to win any games.
 
metalan2 said:
I mean the second they tied it you knew the game was over.Pirates score in 1 to 2 innings a game and that's it. They got their 4 runs and it was either enough or it wasn't.

Gonna be like this all year. Will be an absolutely awful season. They'll need absolutely perfect pitching to win any games.
Click to expand...

With your attitude I would tune out now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BusinessGoose
Shelton
Sullivan
Tomlin

Such is pittsburgh sports

Really, it was just on the bullpen. Cruz can't f*** up a play if a bomb isn't hit near him.... Miami was doing jack all game.
 

www.nytimes.com

What I saw from Konnor Griffin, Franklin Arias and others on the Grapefruit League back fields

Notes from a trip to the back fields in the Grapefruit League to see Twins, Rays, Red Sox, Pirates and Orioles prospects.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

​

Scouting Konnor Griffin, Zander Mueth and other Pirates prospects​

Konnor Griffin was the No. 9 pick in the 2024 draft, selected by Pittsburgh out of Jackson Prep in Mississippi because of the potential for three grade-70 tools in his power, speed, and arm. There were also significant questions about his present approach at the plate, from his ability to make contact against decent pitching to his pitch recognition. His swing would get long with a deep hand load that often had him barring his lead arm.

When I saw him on Tuesday, the arm bar was almost completely gone and even at the deepest point of his load, his swing wasn’t as long as it was last year. He did swing and miss several times in three at-bats, facing fairly ordinary minor-league stuff, but at least now he’s better situated to hit anything with the shorter path to the ball.

Right-hander Zander Mueth threw on the other field, and the Pirates’ second-round pick from 2023 was only 91-93 with an above-average slider, still coming from a low arm slot and lacking a pitch to get lefties out.

I only caught two at-bats from second baseman Wyatt Sanford, their second-rounder in 2024, as he wasn’t in the same game as Griffin; it’s a great swing with good bat speed, definitely more geared towards contact than power.
 
i am amazed how much rope cherington gets. this is a horrible team even when considering the financial constraints. another abject failure of a hire.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ChaosAgent
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom