OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: Dull days of July

[BusinessGoose]

I would still put Jones into okay category. He's super inexperienced and needs to work on some stuff, but he can be a valuable cover for SP or even a rotate to some sort of relief.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Were 10 games out of the last wc so the 6 games would have helped. They be 76-70 instead of 70-76

I'm not saying that 6 more wins wouldn't help this team, I'm saying that this team was at best like an 85 win team. So them coming in at 78 wins isn't really that far below the upside I think this team has.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I think your number of 3-4 more wins from Bednar is pretty close, but I'd probably say 2-3 wins rather than 3-4. Bednar has been atrocious this year, but I'd argue he has only individually lost them 4 games with bad performances:

-8/28: 5 runs against in the 9th to lose 14-10 to the Cubs
-8/11: 2 runs against in the 10th to lose 6-5 against the Dodgers
-8/8: 3 runs against in the 9th to lose 7-6 against the Padres
-4/9: 4 runs against in the 9th to lose 5-3 against the Tigers

For comparison, Bednar had 2 games in 2023 that would be similar to those 4 games (2 runs against in the 10th to lose 3-2 to the Diamondbacks and 3 runs against in the 9th to lose 8-6 to the Braves).

I think Suwinski, Bednar and Hayes would both add about 2 wins each, which is where that 6 win guestimate would come from. Despite Bednar's horrid performances, a lot of these bad performances just happen in games that are already decided one way or the other.

I think the knock-on effects of having an unreliable to bad bullpen affected this team profoundly.

Chapman was terrible for 2 months. Bednar was bad basically all year. Holderman has been bad for a while. Mlodzinski has been hot and cold - ditto Nicolas. Ortiz moved to the rotation.

While I would love for them to prioritize adding an impact bat at RF or 3B this off-season, I wouldn't blame them if they went heavy on bullpen acquisitions instead. The question of what they should do with Bednar looms large. He is better than he pitched this year but he is also not as good as his results from 2021-2023. I think they bring him back but I wouldn't hate trading him for a 45FV prospect, if such an offer exists.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I would still put Jones into okay category. He's super inexperienced and needs to work on some stuff, but he can be a valuable cover for SP or even a rotate to some sort of relief.

I've mentioned this a few times, but I think Jones is still a very good prospect who was way overhyped as a ready-made top of rotation starter based on a hot month of April and this Paul Skenes osmosis effect. He is an extremely talented arm who has had ups and downs at the MLB level, and outcomes ranging from #1 starter to frustrating #4 to impact reliever are all still on the table.

I still think Jones would be the best trade candidate if we're talking about adding a controllable impact bat in the offseason. He would be valued like a 55FV prospect.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Another L

 

[MrBrightside]

What happened to DJ?

 

[BusinessGoose]

What happened to DJ?

Reality

It has kicked us all in the shins

But really, pretty sure they posted that with the drop in standings, no more deep dives

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't think we need to beat a dead horse with this team, but speaking of the game today, I think Cruz showed the first signs of growing pains in CF in today's game. He misjudged 2 fly balls that led to runs, one of which he tried diving for and the other one he wasn't able to get to. Those kind of mistakes are going to happen though, the dude is learning a brand new position and it's just a matter of him learning what he can do versus what he can't do in CF.

The tools are clearly there, but you'll have growing pains like these every now and then.

 

[MrBrightside]

Reality

It has kicked us all in the shins

But really, pretty sure they posted that with the drop in standings, no more deep dives

Setting aside deep dives, he hasn't posted at all since August 27.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Setting aside deep dives, he hasn't posted at all since August 27.

Eh, maybe just needed to detox from here, we all do at some point

Looks like a big break at least in 2018 too.. I haven't gone deeper into the search on this site

 

[ChaosAgent]

DJ is good AFAIK

 

[MrBrightside]

Hey if he's just taking a break all good - I do it often on social media in general - just notable since he's our most insightful and prolific poster regarding this shit show we root for.

Speaking of, the Pirates are 10-0 against the Marlins and White Sox and 60-78 against everyone else.

 

[Factorial]

I don't think we need to beat a dead horse with this team, but speaking of the game today, I think Cruz showed the first signs of growing pains in CF in today's game. He misjudged 2 fly balls that led to runs, one of which he tried diving for and the other one he wasn't able to get to. Those kind of mistakes are going to happen though, the dude is learning a brand new position and it's just a matter of him learning what he can do versus what he can't do in CF.

The tools are clearly there, but you'll have growing pains like these every now and then.

Better he make mistakes as part of the learning process when they are out of it vs next season.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Better he make mistakes as part of the learning process when they are out of it vs next season.

Yeah it's something I'm totally fine with him doing now, it's still a learning process.

I'd be much more concerned about him having bad range or something like that, but the dude just needs to get better at reading fly balls. That will come with experience.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Could All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds be the next prominent Pirate to switch positions?

There was something different about the pregame drills Bryan Reynolds was doing along the left field line Sunday, as the Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star outfielder was on his knees fielding grounders in foul territory. That Pirates bench coach Don Kelly used a fungo bat to hit balls to Reynolds...

triblive.com

More talk about moving Reynolds to 1B. If he can do it I’m fully supportive of it, but they really need to add a big name OF this offseason if they plan on doing it.

 

[MrBrightside]

Could All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds be the next prominent Pirate to switch positions?

There was something different about the pregame drills Bryan Reynolds was doing along the left field line Sunday, as the Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star outfielder was on his knees fielding grounders in foul territory. That Pirates bench coach Don Kelly used a fungo bat to hit balls to Reynolds...

triblive.com

More talk about moving Reynolds to 1B. If he can do it I’m fully supportive of it, but they really need to add a big name OF this offseason if they plan on doing it.

Reynolds definitely needs out of LF, especially when playing 81 games at PNC Park. That said, that would leave them with one decent OF option and he was a SS his entire life until a few weeks ago - and you know they aren't adding a big name OF this offseason.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Reynolds definitely needs out of LF, especially when playing 81 games at PNC Park. That said, that would leave them with one decent OF option and he was a SS his entire life until a few weeks ago - and you know they aren't adding a big name OF this offseason.

Not really a big name free agent of if they wanted to

 

[Empoleon8771]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1835759161117728971

 

[ImporterExporter]

Sweet, maybe he'll play every 3rd game!

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

Which useless roster player is getting the bad news?

 

[Empoleon8771]

Which useless roster player is getting the bad news?

Probably Williams if I had to guess. Maybe Cook instead because he has really struggled so far, but that's to be expected.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Gonzales getting an off-day and Yorke playing 2B. Williams was the one demoted to make a roster spot for Yorke:

 

[WickedWrister]

Glad that Yorke is getting a look. Played mostly 2B but a little at SS and OF so hopefully he'll find his way into the lineup when guys other than Gonzales get a rest day. From watching him a little bit in Indy, seems like he'll hit more for average than power. Had a lot of doubles near the warning track.

 

[wheelz87]

That 4-6 is lol
Go throw a shutout, Paul.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I am very much over IKF at SS. Dude is a great utility guy but he's simply not a regular starting SS.