OT: Pirates Talk: Lets Play Ball

[ChaosAgent]

Yeah, I think that's probably right. What I worry about is a decent enough finish to the season that somehow still gives him cover. I haven't really looked at what that would be overall.

I don't think he should be fired right now, just because that doesn't make much logistical sense. I don't really have any good answers for how else that should look (i.e., presumably since there's not going to be a full rebuild just yet, the status of trading Keller is pretty tricky, and whether that should be left to Cherington if he's a sitting duck is at minimum an open question).

For the record, I don't think he's a sitting duck just yet, but I think the end of the season will loom large for what actually happens. It's possible that any "big piece" decisions at the deadline will just be dictated by ownership, but I guess in theory, if BC thinks he is trying to audition to keep his job, it might mean he is less willing to move any of the bigger pieces, assuming he has a say.

As much as we differ on Keller, I keep him unless we have an intriguing ML bat coming back. Baltimore with Coby Mayo who has been a bust so far would be logical. Arizona or the Cubs would also be logical landing spots.

Cherington would move Hayes today if he could without eating salary. He is barely above the "Triolo line" which is to say having a higher OPS than Triolo. His bat doesn't even have upside anymore. I would like to trade him for our annual lefty project like the big contract guys from the Dbacks or Kyle Freeland. Freeland intrigues me but he could be perceived as a guy who will break back out once he is removed from Coors. I guess it's down to whether anyone in baseball still likes Hayes. Maybe the Yankees whose 3b defense is atrocious. If he finds his opposing again he could hit quite a few cheapies in Yankee stadium too.

Nutting will not be emotional about keeping Bednar this time around. We would gladly take 2 45FV prospects for him.

Reynolds is the toughie. There are very worrying signs with his defense. He is headed to DH and the issue is he is not alone in this organization in that regard. His hitting has also been terrible most of the year. At the same time, in a team so comically starved for offense he is one of the 2 best bats they control over the next few years. I think Nutting is going to try to "go for it" next year but with a non-Cherington GM (a reunion with Huntington as one of the few people willing to work with him would be hilarious) then if the team sucks again it's trade Skenes and tear it down. So from that standpoint imagining a competitive lineup without Reynolds in it is very difficult. I don't think Cherington will be permitted to trade Reynolds unless they get a good offensive piece back for Keller.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

Why not let Skenes finish the 8th inning?

 

[metalan2]

Umm why didn't Skenes finish the 8th??

 

[Booker T]

Great series Bucs!

 

[BusinessGoose]

Take that, philly!

 

[WickedWrister]

Congrats to Ashcraft for his first W

Love to sweep the Filthies while they continually invade our city

 

[Factorial]

 

[ImporterExporter]

Don Kelly shows more energy and fire than Shelton ever did.

People can crow about the front office as much as they want, but I still maintain Shelton was by far the biggest problem.

Another masterful performance by Skenes. Yawn. Just need to start getting him more W's and he's the front runner for Cy Young.

 

[metalan2]

Don Kelly shows more energy and fire than Shelton ever did.

People can crow about the front office as much as they want, but I still maintain Shelton was by far the biggest problem.

Another masterful performance by Skenes. Yawn. Just need to start getting him more W's and he's the front runner for Cy Young.

I think he's the front runner right now.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

I like what I see in Aschcraft. It's hard to know with certainty, but it really seems like Mlod had no interest in returning to a bullpen role based on his general actions on the mound. Ashcraft has really taken to embracing the bullpen role early on, even while Burrows is getting the crack in the rotation.

I think Ashcraft's stuff plays well for a leverage role, so him settling into a mainstay for the rest of this year would be welcome, especially given the general uncertainty of the pen / likelihood of Bednar getting traded.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I like what I see in Aschcraft. It's hard to know with certainty, but it really seems like Mlod had no interest in returning to a bullpen role based on his general actions on the mound. Ashcraft has really taken to embracing the bullpen role early on, even while Burrows is getting the crack in the rotation.

I think Ashcraft's stuff plays well for a leverage role, so him settling into a mainstay for the rest of this year would be welcome, especially given the general uncertainty of the pen / likelihood of Bednar getting traded.

I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Mlod traded at the deadline with an agreement for the acquiring team to pitch him out of the pen this year and then do the starter thing again thereafter. I actually think Mlod in a multi-inning reliever could be a high value asset and earn himself a lot of money. As we are seeing with Ashcraft, a guy who can do 2 2-3 inning leverage stints per week effectively stabilizes a bullpen.

Mlod starting weakened two units over the first month and given the Bednar/Holderman implosions cost us 2-3 games. It's a selfish move, the juice better be worth the squeeze

 

[bigdaddyk88]

I like what I see in Aschcraft. It's hard to know with certainty, but it really seems like Mlod had no interest in returning to a bullpen role based on his general actions on the mound. Ashcraft has really taken to embracing the bullpen role early on, even while Burrows is getting the crack in the rotation.

I think Ashcraft's stuff plays well for a leverage role, so him settling into a mainstay for the rest of this year would be welcome, especially given the general uncertainty of the pen / likelihood of Bednar getting traded.

Mlrod reminds me of Ortiz who we traded to Cleveland

 

[Booker T]

Don Kelly shows more energy and fire than Shelton ever did.

People can crow about the front office as much as they want, but I still maintain Shelton was by far the biggest problem.

Another masterful performance by Skenes. Yawn. Just need to start getting him more W's and he's the front runner for Cy Young.

They have to be near 0.500 so far with Kelly, right?

 

[DJ Spinoza]

I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Mlod traded at the deadline with an agreement for the acquiring team to pitch him out of the pen this year and then do the starter thing again thereafter. I actually think Mlod in a multi-inning reliever could be a high value asset and earn himself a lot of money. As we are seeing with Ashcraft, a guy who can do 2 2-3 inning leverage stints per week effectively stabilizes a bullpen.

Mlod starting weakened two units over the first month and given the Bednar/Holderman implosions cost us 2-3 games. It's a selfish move, the juice better be worth the squeeze

Mlrod reminds me of Ortiz who we traded to Cleveland

My read on it is that Plan A was to see if it could increase his trade value to try and acquire similar young hitting talent.

I don't think it was a bad idea necessarily. It could have worked out, but I think now it seems more like a limbo situation. Although we need the bullpen help, we're also a last place team, so it's fine that he continues to work on starting in AAA. We'll eventually trade Heaney and although we can only keep Chandler down for so long, there's no guarantee he'll stick / Burrows will stick / no other injuries will happen, so it's possible that he'll get another run later in the season.

 

[McGroarty2]

They have to be near 0.500 so far with Kelly, right?

Yep. 14-14

 

[Empoleon8771]

The rebound this team has had since firing Shelton makes me feel like they’re much more a .500 team that had an awful start to the season, but the hole they put themselves in to start the year is basically impossible to come out of.

It does seem like Davis is finally figuring stuff out and I think Gonzales looks legit, but they still need another 2 legit bats. And I don’t mean another IKF, who they’re going to trade anyway.

 

[ChaosAgent]

The rebound this team has had since firing Shelton makes me feel like they’re much more a .500 team that had an awful start to the season, but the hole they put themselves in to start the year is basically impossible to come out of.

It does seem like Davis is finally figuring stuff out and I think Gonzales looks legit, but they still need another 2 legit bats. And I don’t mean another IKF, who they’re going to trade anyway.

I wonder if IKF would come back after this season to play 3b. I would move Hayes for literally anything, then put Gonzales at SS and IKF at 3rd.

2b can be some combo if Yorke, Frazier and another acquisition