Empoleon8771
Registered User
Also for as shitty as the Pirates have been so far, at least they're not the Rockies. Good lord, 4-20 on the year doesn't even feel like it should be possible.
OT: Pirates Talk: Lets Play Ball
- Thread starter Zirakzigil
- Start date
ChaosAgent
Registered User
- May 8, 2018
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NewAgeOutlaw
Belie Dat!
If Cruz keeps up drawing walks + hitting for power I'd move him to right.
With how PNC plays if the Pirates had a solid defensive LF and CF Cruz would be fine in the corner.
As far as the current roster goes the issue is that they don't really have a centerfielder and their outfield defense in general is quite thin. Also one of the guys with good metrics in the OF is Pham who's bat kills his overall value.
With how PNC plays if the Pirates had a solid defensive LF and CF Cruz would be fine in the corner.
As far as the current roster goes the issue is that they don't really have a centerfielder and their outfield defense in general is quite thin. Also one of the guys with good metrics in the OF is Pham who's bat kills his overall value.
DJ Spinoza
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- Aug 7, 2003
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This is a pretty tough spot because Mlod is almost certainly going to give up even more runs, but with three games against the Dodgers this weekend, you probably want the bullpen as fresh as possible.
I'm not sure how much Burrows has been pitching in each appearance, but maybe he can come in for 3ish innings so that the bullpen doesn't get torched.
I'm not sure how much Burrows has been pitching in each appearance, but maybe he can come in for 3ish innings so that the bullpen doesn't get torched.
BusinessGoose
Registered User
Absolutely infuriating that they try to run this f***er TWICE through. And every time he gets burned.
Winning 3-0 isn't great... But there is almost zero chance we win in
Because they keep thinking mlod can start
He can't
He f***ing can't
BusinessGoose
Registered User
I dunno pretty sure we have no chance at any LAD wins
Rather they didn't screw up LAA sweep
This team is stupid and run by idiots
MrBrightside
Registered User
The really depressing projection for this team is that they've only played 6 games against teams currently above .500 and are 1-5 in those games (1-2 against the Yankees, 0-3 against Cleveland). To be 10-16 against the softest stretch of schedule they'll have all season is not super.
wheelz87
LGP
BusinessGoose
Registered User
BusinessGoose
Registered User
ImporterExporter
"You're a boring old man"
Skenes, if his arm holds up through his early 30's is going to be a 1st ballot HOF'er. He makes it look just effortless.
This is the guy you build a franchise around. This is EXACTLY the type of guy you spend a few years going all in with, even at a small loss to your billionaire portfolio.
This is the guy you build a franchise around. This is EXACTLY the type of guy you spend a few years going all in with, even at a small loss to your billionaire portfolio.
ImporterExporter
"You're a boring old man"
What else do you need to see? This is a guy who can give you a W in game 1 of the WS, against the LA Dodgers. You have an advantage over basically anyone head to head in a best of 7 series.
DJ Spinoza
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- Aug 7, 2003
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Yeah, I think missing out on the sweep is a good example of the bad place the team is in. We're already in a position where we need to seize every opportunity in front of us, but the bad start put even more emphasis on that.
In a vacuum, you can shrug off something like that, but the Pirates can't really be judged in a vacuum.
Still, at the risk of a truism, the only thing that can be done is play the games in front of us now. The division is a steaming pile of mediocrity, but that also works against us a bit. We'll see if we can even close this game out tonight.
Skenes was absolutely phenomenal in this game. He really could have even been more dominant, but it seemed like the home plate umpire switched up after the first inning. He had that really bad called strike against Cutch, then Skenes came out and placed a similar pitch and got the call. But after that, it seemed like he tightened the zone and didn't give either Yamamoto or Skenes many calls right on the edges. Yamamoto painted a few that should have been strikes and so did Skenes.
Still, it's becoming clear that Skenes is successfully transitioning himself into a workhorse-type ace who will still rack up the Ks by default on most nights. It's pretty much the Wheeler mold and it's firmly what we need.
ImporterExporter
"You're a boring old man"
Bubba Chandler is going to be up by early June. Another gem today.
5 starts, 7 hits, 6 walks, 1.33 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, .106 BAAA.
Termarr off to a solid/good start considering he's a 20 year old in AA. Need him to become at least an everyday regular bat.
5 starts, 7 hits, 6 walks, 1.33 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, .106 BAAA.
Termarr off to a solid/good start considering he's a 20 year old in AA. Need him to become at least an everyday regular bat.
BusinessGoose
Registered User
DJ Spinoza
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Bednar might indeed be back. Don't remember him looking that sharp for quite a while, maybe almost all of last year. If he can command that curveball with consistency, it makes him a lot harder to face.
I think we should be being aggressive with Chandler now, though I am willing to have some patience in this regard because I trust us to assess when he's ready for MLB. Moving Mlod back to the pen in order to install Chandler in the rotation would seemingly sure up the weak points in the rotation for now, but one thing at a time. I've always been super high on him and he's seemingly found yet another level for most of this year, but it's rare that pitchers have no trouble making the transition.
Still, as IE says, early June or so should certainly be in the cards. I kind of thought he'd be a panic move with the season starting to circle the drain, but I think you maybe give Mlod another turn or two still. He clearly has the same kinds of issues every start, but I don't think we should pretend that it's a snap to transition back to starting. He's basically had 3 bad starts and 2 passable #5 starter starts, all of which get magnified because of other problems on the team.
It's another scenario where I am willing to have some blind faith in Marin and co for now. I don't see obvious reasons to be very optimistic, but it's at least feasible that some more patience could be rewarded in the long run if he's able to grow into a dependable #3/4 starter type. With Jones still out indefinitely and Chandler needing to be dictated by when he's ready, I see the logic there. My only slight hesitation is that Mlod as a multi-inning weapon could really help the bullpen out, especially if Santana and Bednar can handle the true leverage innings. You then can use Mlod multiple ways and have the various lefties for different situations. But a series W and a nice W tonight have me feeling a bit more patient than I had been.
I think we should be being aggressive with Chandler now, though I am willing to have some patience in this regard because I trust us to assess when he's ready for MLB. Moving Mlod back to the pen in order to install Chandler in the rotation would seemingly sure up the weak points in the rotation for now, but one thing at a time. I've always been super high on him and he's seemingly found yet another level for most of this year, but it's rare that pitchers have no trouble making the transition.
Still, as IE says, early June or so should certainly be in the cards. I kind of thought he'd be a panic move with the season starting to circle the drain, but I think you maybe give Mlod another turn or two still. He clearly has the same kinds of issues every start, but I don't think we should pretend that it's a snap to transition back to starting. He's basically had 3 bad starts and 2 passable #5 starter starts, all of which get magnified because of other problems on the team.
It's another scenario where I am willing to have some blind faith in Marin and co for now. I don't see obvious reasons to be very optimistic, but it's at least feasible that some more patience could be rewarded in the long run if he's able to grow into a dependable #3/4 starter type. With Jones still out indefinitely and Chandler needing to be dictated by when he's ready, I see the logic there. My only slight hesitation is that Mlod as a multi-inning weapon could really help the bullpen out, especially if Santana and Bednar can handle the true leverage innings. You then can use Mlod multiple ways and have the various lefties for different situations. But a series W and a nice W tonight have me feeling a bit more patient than I had been.
NewAgeOutlaw
Belie Dat!
Did Bednar possibly fix his issue with tipping his pitches? I've never seen a pitcher fluctuate so wildly between unhittable and BP.
Not sure if there was anything to tbe tipping or not but he looks like a totally dofferent dude right now
DJ Spinoza
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I think it's just command with the offspeed pitches for him. They aren't great but when he commands them, the arsenal is more than enough to keep opposing hitters honest. I thought Young actually gave a good breakdown on the broadcast last night. It seemed like earlier this year and then all of last season, hitters could pretty much sit fastball, which means they will have success even against a very good fastball. Bednar's stuff #s on the fastball never really changed, so I think as long as he commands the other pitches, he'll be fine.
Last night was great but also frustrating in the precise sense we've all hammered about nonstop since last season. Through the luck of getting Skenes, games like that are extremely possible: our best up against your best, we come out on top. The problem is obviously that we have not done enough to bolster the floor of the team such that getting into the playoffs for that kind of game will matter. Maybe the tide will turn and we can continue to win all these types of games, but short of some kind of 10+ game winning streak, I don't see any path to digging out of the hole we're already in. Best case scenario is we put some winnings weeks together while then being stuck with not all that much to trade from in order to try and make a real push, the kind we decidedly didn't make last year when we traded for IKF and BDLC.
Two further thoughts: the push is almost certainly going to have to come from a surprising place within. The main cause for optimism there is clearly Chandler, but maybe Gorski goes on some kind of Linsanity run now that he has his chance. The real long shot possibility is Termarr. I am not watching or even vaguely paying attention to Indy, but he has a 132 wRC+. It might seem aggressive to wonder if he can be a June/July call up, but we've seen it before from this front office and it's not exactly like there are tons of other options.
My only other thought is that re: Mlod, I do think there's some merit to the quasi-conspiratorial idea that maybe we want to see if he can make himself look good as a starter in order to use him as a trade piece. In an ideal world, you get a healthy Jared Jones back for the latter part of the season while also having the better prospect Bubba banging on the door if not already here. If Mlod shows the upside of a legit starter, that might be the kind of chip you can use as a centerpiece for certain deals.
Ultimately, I dunno, typing all this out is probably being too worked up over a decent 4-game stretch. I don't see a path to winning another game in LA, but 3-3 on the trip still avoids disaster I guess. Once we're back, it's an NL gauntlet for a month straight, but more non-divisional teams and divisional. I think that feature of the schedule actually works against us somewhat. The way we are built, given the mediocrity of the other teams in the division, we could have a path back from the basement by starting to beat up on other divisional teams. Easier said than actually done of course, but as it stands we are getting some NL Central series but then a lot of NL East series with a couple more West series dotted in.
Last night was great but also frustrating in the precise sense we've all hammered about nonstop since last season. Through the luck of getting Skenes, games like that are extremely possible: our best up against your best, we come out on top. The problem is obviously that we have not done enough to bolster the floor of the team such that getting into the playoffs for that kind of game will matter. Maybe the tide will turn and we can continue to win all these types of games, but short of some kind of 10+ game winning streak, I don't see any path to digging out of the hole we're already in. Best case scenario is we put some winnings weeks together while then being stuck with not all that much to trade from in order to try and make a real push, the kind we decidedly didn't make last year when we traded for IKF and BDLC.
Two further thoughts: the push is almost certainly going to have to come from a surprising place within. The main cause for optimism there is clearly Chandler, but maybe Gorski goes on some kind of Linsanity run now that he has his chance. The real long shot possibility is Termarr. I am not watching or even vaguely paying attention to Indy, but he has a 132 wRC+. It might seem aggressive to wonder if he can be a June/July call up, but we've seen it before from this front office and it's not exactly like there are tons of other options.
My only other thought is that re: Mlod, I do think there's some merit to the quasi-conspiratorial idea that maybe we want to see if he can make himself look good as a starter in order to use him as a trade piece. In an ideal world, you get a healthy Jared Jones back for the latter part of the season while also having the better prospect Bubba banging on the door if not already here. If Mlod shows the upside of a legit starter, that might be the kind of chip you can use as a centerpiece for certain deals.
Ultimately, I dunno, typing all this out is probably being too worked up over a decent 4-game stretch. I don't see a path to winning another game in LA, but 3-3 on the trip still avoids disaster I guess. Once we're back, it's an NL gauntlet for a month straight, but more non-divisional teams and divisional. I think that feature of the schedule actually works against us somewhat. The way we are built, given the mediocrity of the other teams in the division, we could have a path back from the basement by starting to beat up on other divisional teams. Easier said than actually done of course, but as it stands we are getting some NL Central series but then a lot of NL East series with a couple more West series dotted in.
MrBrightside
Registered User
I refuse to read too much into a 4-game sample size, 3 of which were against a not good Angels team, but it's pretty obvious that the pitching on this team is good enough that even a half-assed effort to upgrade the offense this offseason would have resulted in a competitive team that could have won 80-85 games.
DJ Spinoza
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- Aug 7, 2003
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Curious to see exactly how much prospect lists are going to adjust Griffin. He's off to a great pro debut.
Empoleon8771
Registered User
Yeah it's hard to not get super excited about Griffin with how good he looked in the spring and how hot he's starting. He has massive boom potential, probably more than anyone in the system. I'd even put his upside higher than Chandler's.
ImporterExporter
"You're a boring old man"
KG was said to have the highest ceiling of anyone in the draft last year. Hard to project HS players but 17-18 year old's aren't generally possessing the freakish size and athletic ability of Griffin. Billy Beane would hate this, but he just looks like a star aesthetically. Still way early but yeah, developing someone to a McCutchen peak (or better) would do wonders for a franchise that can't spend their way into prominence.
I've said multiple times I think Chandler has a Strider ceiling and is obviously much closer to reaching MLB so I give him the 1A/1B advantage of KG as of now. Chandler graduated from what KG is (super skilled, athlete, but raw) to a guy most reputable publications have as a top 10-15 prospect in baseball. You can argue he's the best arm that isn't in MLB now that Jobe has been up for a while.
Either way, super stoked to see Griffin's start. Hope his talent matures and he can somehow navigate the Pirates clueless developmental system as it pertains to hitters.
Interested to see how Johnson handles AA. Career has been a bit underwhelming considering the hype on his bat, but he's always been among the absolute youngest players at each level and his OBP is really, really, strong considering and the streaky pop is there thanks to elite bat speed. Fingers crossed, because we need someone sooner than later to help push the lineup in the right direction and as much as I like KG, he's not going to even touch the majors for another 2+ years most likely.
I've said multiple times I think Chandler has a Strider ceiling and is obviously much closer to reaching MLB so I give him the 1A/1B advantage of KG as of now. Chandler graduated from what KG is (super skilled, athlete, but raw) to a guy most reputable publications have as a top 10-15 prospect in baseball. You can argue he's the best arm that isn't in MLB now that Jobe has been up for a while.
Either way, super stoked to see Griffin's start. Hope his talent matures and he can somehow navigate the Pirates clueless developmental system as it pertains to hitters.
Interested to see how Johnson handles AA. Career has been a bit underwhelming considering the hype on his bat, but he's always been among the absolute youngest players at each level and his OBP is really, really, strong considering and the streaky pop is there thanks to elite bat speed. Fingers crossed, because we need someone sooner than later to help push the lineup in the right direction and as much as I like KG, he's not going to even touch the majors for another 2+ years most likely.
