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*Official Pirates 2015 Thread*: We're pretty f--king bitter (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Plorfu
- Start date
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
I think the team will be solid again and has a shot at winning the division. The Cubs have improved but I don't think they're ready just yet. The rotation and bullpen should be solid with a lot of depth. The major question marks will be at catcher, 1b and RF. I'm hoping Polanco is ready to take the next step and be the phenom that he was projected to be. Marte has become a very solid player and he needs to continue progressing. Can Pedro go back to the power hitter he was a couple years ago without the burden of having to play third? Cervelli could be decent if he can just stay healthy (although there does not seem to be any evidence for him staying healthy). I'm going to predict 87-92 wins.
ETA -- Forgot to mention one of the biggest question marks of all -- can J-Hay (sorry RnR) come close to duplicating the type of season he had last year.
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fred_1_15301
Footballguy
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
They don't grow on trees. They can't replace Martin but he got a ridiculous contract. Cervelli could be decent when he's healthy.
jfranco77
Footballguy
My guess would be that one of the other 47 infielders they signed to minor league deals would get that spot. I think they envision S-Rod playing a little outfield and 3B and really want another backup SS/2B type.
monessen
Footballguy
Seems many dominoes will fall if/when Kang signs: the future of Tony Sanchez as a Buc; if the 1B platoon will be Alvarez/Hart; who plays SS (Kang or Mercer), etc. Agree with the ubiquitous Balco to the extent Cervelli is a dubious candidate to stay healthy AND productive. Fred, however, has a great point on availability. David Ross, a former Pirate, got a fair-sized contract for a player at the end of the road. Glad they didn't consider Pierzynski. If they did, glad they didn't move on it.
The Sean Rodriguez stat discrepancy cited above is really tough to reconcile. Wild stuff.
The Kang time-table must have another 22 days or so. Wonder how that's going.
Can't wait to discover the arbitration-determined salaries and subsequent fallout. Anyone know the date(s) of the announcement on arbitration?
The Sean Rodriguez stat discrepancy cited above is really tough to reconcile. Wild stuff.
The Kang time-table must have another 22 days or so. Wonder how that's going.
Can't wait to discover the arbitration-determined salaries and subsequent fallout. Anyone know the date(s) of the announcement on arbitration?
Captain Hook
Footballguy
Jan. 13 -- Salary arbitration filing
Jan. 16 -- Salary arbitration figures exchanged
Feb. 1-21 -- Salary arbitration hearings
Jan. 16 -- Salary arbitration figures exchanged
Feb. 1-21 -- Salary arbitration hearings
monessen
Footballguy
Thanks for posting the calendar for those deadlines!
Where are we on the Kang Clock? 17 more days? Noticed in a NY Daily News article before the Pirates obtained the rights that the Winter Meetings talk was Kang/Nero were expecting a 3 year & $24 million deal. Obviously, things are less expensive after the holidays. If he signs with the Bucs, he'll get about half that total over 3 years. That may have seemed like a joke a month ago, but as NFL announcers say about a missed TD opportunity, it now "looms large."
Where are we on the Kang Clock? 17 more days? Noticed in a NY Daily News article before the Pirates obtained the rights that the Winter Meetings talk was Kang/Nero were expecting a 3 year & $24 million deal. Obviously, things are less expensive after the holidays. If he signs with the Bucs, he'll get about half that total over 3 years. That may have seemed like a joke a month ago, but as NFL announcers say about a missed TD opportunity, it now "looms large."
January 20th deadline.
This is from today, basically just Kang's agent saying he's confident a deal will be made:
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2015/01/08/Korean-shortstop-s-agent-confident-of-deal-with-Pirates/stories/201501080180
monessen
Footballguy
Do you believe Kang gets 5 million a year over 4 years, and the Pirates then trade Alvarez or Walker?
Does the team sign Kang at, say, 3 yrs/$12 million, and no one, therefore, on the roster gets dealt?
Or is it door #3? Kang gets his sought-after 5 mil/4 year deal, and the team does not move an Alvarez, Walker, or Melancon?
None of the above?
Does the team sign Kang at, say, 3 yrs/$12 million, and no one, therefore, on the roster gets dealt?
Or is it door #3? Kang gets his sought-after 5 mil/4 year deal, and the team does not move an Alvarez, Walker, or Melancon?
None of the above?
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
monessen
Footballguy
Yes, sir. Yet, I kind of hoped the release of Ike Davis would deke other teams into believing Pedro can readily turn fortunes around. We know what he can do on a hot streak---carry a club for a period.
Am not sure the club has a "true" leadoff hitter, but Polanco seems the best bet. Four and five are intriguing. Marte seems more at ease in the 6-slot. Cervelli---7th? Does Walker bat second or fourth? Or is it best for Walker to bat 2nd, Pedro to hit 4th, and use Cervelli or Marte as the 5-guy? Maybe Kang, whatever happens with him versus Mercer, is the key to the order?
My 100% guess on our opening day starting lineup assuming a RH pitcher & barring injury is:
J-Hey - 3B
Polanco - RF
Cutch - CF
Pedro - 1B (this might not last long)
Walker - 2B
Marte - LF
Cervelli - C
Mercer - SS
Cole - P
Bench - Stewart, Snyder, Hart, Kang, Rodriguez.
SP - Burnett, Liriano, Worley, Locke (Morton when/if healthy).
RP - Melancon, Bastardo, Watson, Hughes, Holdzkom, LaFromboise, Stolmy, & Liz
J-Hey - 3B
Polanco - RF
Cutch - CF
Pedro - 1B (this might not last long)
Walker - 2B
Marte - LF
Cervelli - C
Mercer - SS
Cole - P
Bench - Stewart, Snyder, Hart, Kang, Rodriguez.
SP - Burnett, Liriano, Worley, Locke (Morton when/if healthy).
RP - Melancon, Bastardo, Watson, Hughes, Holdzkom, LaFromboise, Stolmy, & Liz
Captain Hook
Footballguy
Reasonable but unless he wows them at spring training I think it is far more likely they send Kang to AA or AAA to start the year so he can play everyday and they can see defensively where they might need to play him
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
2015 is the season that has been circled for a while. Is this the year they truly contend? It's possible.
What's taillon's status at this point?
What's taillon's status at this point?
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
That's true but I'm guessing they won't want a guy making that much in the minors.
Captain Hook
Footballguy
Kang's deal roughly 4 years for $16 million with a fifth year option
Captain Hook
Footballguy
Still recovering from surgery - they hope to have him back on a mound by mid season
monessen
Footballguy
Unlikely to expect Mercer displaced at shortstop. Stats folks contend he was among the best fielders at his position last year, With the Bucs' emphasis on pitching, shortstops with pop like Mercer are valuable. If Kang plays regularly, where do they put him? If he is not a regular, what role he'll have draws intrigue.
When John Russell managed the team, the squad assembled then lacked power. Andy LaRoche/Lastings Milledge/Ronny Cedeno types. With Hurdle, position versatility and homers seem to be a pre-requisite. That is, players with the rep or potential to go deep. Not all pan(ned) out.
When John Russell managed the team, the squad assembled then lacked power. Andy LaRoche/Lastings Milledge/Ronny Cedeno types. With Hurdle, position versatility and homers seem to be a pre-requisite. That is, players with the rep or potential to go deep. Not all pan(ned) out.
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
Kang deal is official
This is a pretty good deal. I fully expect him to outperform this even if he is just a utility guy.
This is a pretty good deal. I fully expect him to outperform this even if he is just a utility guy.
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
I think the Pirates are stockpiling guys who could be good. No all fo them will work out, but some will. Position versatility is great in this approach.
monessen
Footballguy
Agreed. The players being stockpiled are unlike ones (Crosby, Diaz, Church, Aki, etc.) in prior years who were gambles, stopgaps, or on their last run. The current crop has MLB value to some team(s). I like the emphasis on versatility, too, and the flexibility it gives Hurdle in close contests or injuries.
To get Kang as inexpensively as they did is a coup for the Pirates, and probably a blow to his agent and other teams who bid. To discover the $5 million posted is not part of his 4-year salary is an interesting twist as they're paying the fellow less than $3 million a year now. Can't visualize him starting in the minors in 2015. They need to, at least, give him a shot in some capacity and enable others to eyeball what he offers. If Kang falters in whatever role they envision, he, unlike others cited, represents an intriguing pick-up for another squad.
Melancon for $5.4 million in 2015 is less than expected by most projections. Harrison, Snider, Watson, Hughes, and Cervelli all seemed to get roughly what was anticipated. If Cishek, Miami's closer, got $6 million, Melancon's price is a win for the Bucs' management.
The day is still young but can anyone see Alvarez or Walker avoiding arbitration? I am skeptical. If Hart is the platoon against lefties, righties may face Walker as the complementary first-basement to Hart. Pedro's name always seems to be bandied around in deals, but we know what the guy can do when he's on.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
I really think trading Pedro will haunt the bucs. He has good range and should turn into a good fielding 1B. I feel like his errors were mostly throwing, and a lot of that will be minimized by position change and platooning. Maybe he hits lefties better eventually too. He has so much talent. Still early to give up on him imo.
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
monessen
Footballguy
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Good article from Buster Olney today on the Pirates depth. http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/post/_/id/9231. Since it's an Insider article I'll post it below.
The transformation of the Pittsburgh Pirates has been gradual, encompassing the larger part of a decade. The growth has been steady, and the organization is now well past the time when the Pirates had only a handful of front-line players and almost nothing in the way of reinforcements. Year by year, the Pirates take on the shape of the St. Louis Cardinals, who have been the model for Plan Bs over the past 15 years, with veterans and young players stepping in seamlessly when needed. The Cardinals' front office has drafted the right guys, or picked the right veterans to support them.
And so it goes now for the Pirates. Andrew McCutchen is homegrown, and so are Neil Walker, Gerrit Cole, Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Pedro Alvarez, and time and again, the veterans added in the Pirates' modest free-agent signings or trades have flourished, from A.J. Burnett to Francisco Liriano to Edinson Volquez. Increasingly, Pittsburgh is seen as a place where a free agent can go to thrive, especially among pitchers, and through this perception, the Pirates get better, the roster deeper.
As Pittsburgh has constructed its roster for 2015, it has built in alternatives, maybe the best the Pirates have had since the advent of free agency in the 1970s. Not only will manager Clint Hurdle have a lot of options to rest his every-day players, but he also will have the flexibility to make adjustments if any player is struggling.
Pedro Alvarez is penciled in as the first baseman, for example, after a throwing problem forced his move away from third base. Based on what they saw last season after Alvarez began working out at first, there is confidence in the organization that his transition to the new spot will go smoothly. Kevin Young, a longtime Pirate and a right-handed thrower who made a mid-career switch to first base, will be among those who will work with Alvarez this spring. Yes, there will be a challenge for Alvarez to spin and make a throw to second base for a forceout or start a double-play attempt, but he has looked at ease with the glove work.
Pedro Alvarez is moving to first base this season. If Alvarez has a problem, however, there are safety nets all around him. Hurdle could try Andrew Lambo, a 26-year-old first baseman and a left-handed hitter who has developed in the Pirates' system. They could use Corey Hart, who was signed this winter after playing just 68 games for the Mariners last season. They could try Sean Rodriguez, the longtime utilityman acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays who has played 49 games at first base in his career. Tony Sanchez is likely to get some reps at first base, and maybe Francisco Cervelli as well. Alvarez could get back to what he has been in the past, a slugger who mashes 35 homers and carries the team for a few weeks at a time while hitting for a low average; if he doesn't, Hurdle has other options.
Josh Harrison is likely to be the third baseman, but if the Pirates need to move him to another spot -- say right field, if Gregory Polanco's second season in the big leagues sinks into some valleys -- then the Pirates could try their newly signed veteran infielder from Korea, Jung Ho Kang, whose best position is shortstop and second-best position is third base. Or Hurdle could use Rodriguez.
Jordy Mercer is the Pirates' shortstop, but Kang is an option, and so is Pedro Florimon, a good defender, and Rodriguez.
Travis Snider is part of the Pirates' outfield depth, as are Lambo and Hart, all experienced big leaguers. Pittsburgh also will have some prospects developing during the season, such as Alen Hanson, who is seen as the Pirates' sixth-best prospect by MLB.com.
After signing a two-year deal with Pittsburgh before the 2013 season, Russell Martin played a lot for a catcher (127 games). He had a good season, posting a .327 on-base percentage with 36 extra-base hits, helping the Pirates to their first postseason appearance in more than two decades. In 2014, he played slightly less, 111 games, partly because of a hamstring injury and partly out of design, and he performed better, batting .290 and improving his OPS by 129 points.
Martin has moved on, but the Pirates took something away from that experience. Martin loves to play as much as possible, having had seasons earlier in his career in which he appeared in more than 150 games. But the Pirates thought he was a better player last season partly because he rested more.
It figures that with his deep roster, Hurdle will give more rest to his regulars, giving Walker a breather, or Marte, or perhaps protect Polanco against a tough left-hander on a given day (he could start Harrison in right and use Rodriguez at third).
It's not as if everything went right for the Pittsburgh lineup last season. Alvarez led the National League in homers in 2013 but took a step back last year, and Marte got off to a terrible start. McCutchen played through an injury, and Polanco had growing pains, as the Pirates expected. Yet in the second half of the season, Pittsburgh's offense began to blossom, ranking fourth in the NL in runs. Martin was an important part of the team and now he is gone, but the Pirates can reasonably expect more consistency from Marte and Walker, perhaps more from Alvarez, and from Polanco, who could be a beast at the plate someday. The rotation looks solid, supported by starting pitching depth in the minors, and the bullpen should be good again.
The Pirates were baseball's best story in 2013, but they have proved that they weren't one-year wonders, with the layers of their success deepening.
The transformation of the Pittsburgh Pirates has been gradual, encompassing the larger part of a decade. The growth has been steady, and the organization is now well past the time when the Pirates had only a handful of front-line players and almost nothing in the way of reinforcements. Year by year, the Pirates take on the shape of the St. Louis Cardinals, who have been the model for Plan Bs over the past 15 years, with veterans and young players stepping in seamlessly when needed. The Cardinals' front office has drafted the right guys, or picked the right veterans to support them.
And so it goes now for the Pirates. Andrew McCutchen is homegrown, and so are Neil Walker, Gerrit Cole, Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Pedro Alvarez, and time and again, the veterans added in the Pirates' modest free-agent signings or trades have flourished, from A.J. Burnett to Francisco Liriano to Edinson Volquez. Increasingly, Pittsburgh is seen as a place where a free agent can go to thrive, especially among pitchers, and through this perception, the Pirates get better, the roster deeper.
As Pittsburgh has constructed its roster for 2015, it has built in alternatives, maybe the best the Pirates have had since the advent of free agency in the 1970s. Not only will manager Clint Hurdle have a lot of options to rest his every-day players, but he also will have the flexibility to make adjustments if any player is struggling.
Pedro Alvarez is penciled in as the first baseman, for example, after a throwing problem forced his move away from third base. Based on what they saw last season after Alvarez began working out at first, there is confidence in the organization that his transition to the new spot will go smoothly. Kevin Young, a longtime Pirate and a right-handed thrower who made a mid-career switch to first base, will be among those who will work with Alvarez this spring. Yes, there will be a challenge for Alvarez to spin and make a throw to second base for a forceout or start a double-play attempt, but he has looked at ease with the glove work.
Pedro Alvarez is moving to first base this season. If Alvarez has a problem, however, there are safety nets all around him. Hurdle could try Andrew Lambo, a 26-year-old first baseman and a left-handed hitter who has developed in the Pirates' system. They could use Corey Hart, who was signed this winter after playing just 68 games for the Mariners last season. They could try Sean Rodriguez, the longtime utilityman acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays who has played 49 games at first base in his career. Tony Sanchez is likely to get some reps at first base, and maybe Francisco Cervelli as well. Alvarez could get back to what he has been in the past, a slugger who mashes 35 homers and carries the team for a few weeks at a time while hitting for a low average; if he doesn't, Hurdle has other options.
Josh Harrison is likely to be the third baseman, but if the Pirates need to move him to another spot -- say right field, if Gregory Polanco's second season in the big leagues sinks into some valleys -- then the Pirates could try their newly signed veteran infielder from Korea, Jung Ho Kang, whose best position is shortstop and second-best position is third base. Or Hurdle could use Rodriguez.
Jordy Mercer is the Pirates' shortstop, but Kang is an option, and so is Pedro Florimon, a good defender, and Rodriguez.
Travis Snider is part of the Pirates' outfield depth, as are Lambo and Hart, all experienced big leaguers. Pittsburgh also will have some prospects developing during the season, such as Alen Hanson, who is seen as the Pirates' sixth-best prospect by MLB.com.
After signing a two-year deal with Pittsburgh before the 2013 season, Russell Martin played a lot for a catcher (127 games). He had a good season, posting a .327 on-base percentage with 36 extra-base hits, helping the Pirates to their first postseason appearance in more than two decades. In 2014, he played slightly less, 111 games, partly because of a hamstring injury and partly out of design, and he performed better, batting .290 and improving his OPS by 129 points.
Martin has moved on, but the Pirates took something away from that experience. Martin loves to play as much as possible, having had seasons earlier in his career in which he appeared in more than 150 games. But the Pirates thought he was a better player last season partly because he rested more.
It figures that with his deep roster, Hurdle will give more rest to his regulars, giving Walker a breather, or Marte, or perhaps protect Polanco against a tough left-hander on a given day (he could start Harrison in right and use Rodriguez at third).
It's not as if everything went right for the Pittsburgh lineup last season. Alvarez led the National League in homers in 2013 but took a step back last year, and Marte got off to a terrible start. McCutchen played through an injury, and Polanco had growing pains, as the Pirates expected. Yet in the second half of the season, Pittsburgh's offense began to blossom, ranking fourth in the NL in runs. Martin was an important part of the team and now he is gone, but the Pirates can reasonably expect more consistency from Marte and Walker, perhaps more from Alvarez, and from Polanco, who could be a beast at the plate someday. The rotation looks solid, supported by starting pitching depth in the minors, and the bullpen should be good again.
The Pirates were baseball's best story in 2013, but they have proved that they weren't one-year wonders, with the layers of their success deepening.
monessen
Footballguy
And this report's been making the rounds. Trading Snider for a package of minor league players makes sense on many levels, particularly if the club believes Worley, Alvarez, and Walker all win their arbitration cases. Subtracting Snider, who started producing in 2014, from the roster frees up salary cap room to the tune of the 2+ million he was set to earn in 2015. Also, you can't have enough good prospects if you expect to contend someday. Finally, we expect our outfielders to stay healthy for 162 games. So who needs a left-handed slugger, anyway, in a pinch-hitting circumstance?
A good time to do this deal is when Pgh sports fans are talking about the Pens or the Super Bowl, and not inclined to pay attention to baseball.
A tad bitter and cynical, you say? Guilty as charged. Want to rationalize such a deal? By all means. I'm not up to dissenting. Is this merely a rumored deal? Uh, looks like essentially a done deal.
http://mlb.mlblogs.com/2015/01/27/pirates-os-resume-trade-talks-regarding-snider/?adbid=560233340049952768&adbpl=tw&adbpr=18479513&partnerId=as_mlb_20150128_39510977
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/27/orioles-closing-in-on-trade-for-pirates-travis-snider/
A good time to do this deal is when Pgh sports fans are talking about the Pens or the Super Bowl, and not inclined to pay attention to baseball.
A tad bitter and cynical, you say? Guilty as charged. Want to rationalize such a deal? By all means. I'm not up to dissenting. Is this merely a rumored deal? Uh, looks like essentially a done deal.
http://mlb.mlblogs.com/2015/01/27/pirates-os-resume-trade-talks-regarding-snider/?adbid=560233340049952768&adbpl=tw&adbpr=18479513&partnerId=as_mlb_20150128_39510977
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/27/orioles-closing-in-on-trade-for-pirates-travis-snider/
I understand the annoyance of liking a small market (cheap) team. I'm just wondering if you ever give Huntington credit and admit you or the public were wrong? I know everyone including myself hated keeping Polanco down until June but looking back he should've been kept down longer. Burnett, Martin, Liriano, & Volquez all seemed like cheap signings but they worked out great. I'm not trying to start an argument & I don't like all their moves either but not every move is bad.
monessen
Footballguy
Really, we're not far apart on the topic. Huntington has been an effective and resourceful GM for those who employ him. He has to balance what he calls "payroll flexibility" with putting the team in position to contend. It is a difficult job and he's been at it since the end of 2007. But, over time, he's achieved success in locating the satisfactory mix. He doesn't work for the fans. And he shouldn't. Many GMs fail when efforts are designed primarily to please the vocal fan base.
On Snider, though admittedly sarcastic, my contention is the Pirates organization likely will have to pay the asking prices of Walker, Alvarez, and Worley given the arbitration figures involved. It's hard to sell supporters of the club on the premise that a couple of Class A prospects wowed the Pirates who were eager to obtain pitchers unable to help them anytime soon. As one headline put it: http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/smizik-on-sports/2015/01/28/Bob-Smizik-In-senseless-deal-Pirates-trade-Snider-to-Baltimore/stories/201501280132
Huntington's often stated the club will not pay market value for players. That's a truly candid admission. The Pirates will not spend a dime more than the Nutting group stipulates. NH's declaration is "I can't exceed the budget designated for the squad." Snider also had to be moved because they are saddled with a contract in Tabata's which scares off teams, and because Option-Lambo (the same age as Snider) earns a quarter of Snider's 2015 amount.
This framework compels Hurdle and his coaches to get the best out of the players they have. And they probably have, despite a few duds. Hurdle was a great hire. Though payroll has risen appreciably since he's been manager, the Pirates, irrespective of market size, remain in the low tier of spenders. How many MLB owners are not pocketing big money? How many are looking to sell their franchise? There probably will be no change in policy toward club payroll under this regime. In that context, Huntington merits congratulations.
On Snider, though admittedly sarcastic, my contention is the Pirates organization likely will have to pay the asking prices of Walker, Alvarez, and Worley given the arbitration figures involved. It's hard to sell supporters of the club on the premise that a couple of Class A prospects wowed the Pirates who were eager to obtain pitchers unable to help them anytime soon. As one headline put it: http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/smizik-on-sports/2015/01/28/Bob-Smizik-In-senseless-deal-Pirates-trade-Snider-to-Baltimore/stories/201501280132
Huntington's often stated the club will not pay market value for players. That's a truly candid admission. The Pirates will not spend a dime more than the Nutting group stipulates. NH's declaration is "I can't exceed the budget designated for the squad." Snider also had to be moved because they are saddled with a contract in Tabata's which scares off teams, and because Option-Lambo (the same age as Snider) earns a quarter of Snider's 2015 amount.
This framework compels Hurdle and his coaches to get the best out of the players they have. And they probably have, despite a few duds. Hurdle was a great hire. Though payroll has risen appreciably since he's been manager, the Pirates, irrespective of market size, remain in the low tier of spenders. How many MLB owners are not pocketing big money? How many are looking to sell their franchise? There probably will be no change in policy toward club payroll under this regime. In that context, Huntington merits congratulations.
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fred_1_15301
Footballguy
I'm not exactly devastated by the move but I'm also not sure why they did it. Snider has a fair amount of value because Polanco and Lambo are still unknowns. Sure they could move J-Hay to the OF and then Kang to 3b but what if there is an injury or Pedro flames out? The Pirates could contend for the division and depth will be an important piece of that.
jfranco77
Footballguy
I'm OK with the trade but I don't love it. Pitching is hard to find, even when you're Ray Searage. Save the money for Polanco, Cutch, Cole, Marte and maybe Walker (not sure about giving him a long extension) by getting cheap pitchers. Young pitchers flame out all the time so you need a lot of them in order to produce 1 or 2 good ones. If in a couple years they have Cole, Liriano, Taillon, one of Glasnow/Kingham, one guy from the rest of their minor league pitchers, and one Searage reclamation project, I think that's fine.
OTOH, pinch hitting is a tough skill and Snider seemed to have it. Most rookies suck at it. Hopefully Kang and whichever of Pedro/Hart is on the bench can be the primary PH guys. The other spots will probably be a defensive infielder, a backup catcher and Lambo or another OF.
Here's a good article about Tarpley: http://www.piratesprospects.com/2015/01/first-pitch-where-would-stephen-tarpley-have-ranked-in-the-pirates-2015-top-50.html%C2'>
OTOH, pinch hitting is a tough skill and Snider seemed to have it. Most rookies suck at it. Hopefully Kang and whichever of Pedro/Hart is on the bench can be the primary PH guys. The other spots will probably be a defensive infielder, a backup catcher and Lambo or another OF.
Here's a good article about Tarpley: http://www.piratesprospects.com/2015/01/first-pitch-where-would-stephen-tarpley-have-ranked-in-the-pirates-2015-top-50.html%C2'>
Now that it's clear we got pretty much nothing back I don't love the trade either. I just doubt we'll be saying we missed a chance at a title because we lost Snider. I think a lot of this season rides on 2 or 3 guys.
Pedro: If he can revert to 2013 form while playing average D at 1B that would be huge.
Polanco: Needs to show flashes of what we all hope he can become.
J-Hay: Don't be a 1 year wonder.
Pedro: If he can revert to 2013 form while playing average D at 1B that would be huge.
Polanco: Needs to show flashes of what we all hope he can become.
J-Hay: Don't be a 1 year wonder.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Guys. It's travis snider. Who cares?
I agree but I imagine that, despite recent team success, we still subconsciously expect Snider turn into Aramis or Bautista as soon as he leaves.
monessen
Footballguy
Or Brandon Moss or Steve Pearce, maybe, Pearce evidently is a Bill Robinson-type late bloomer if we invoke a good 70s reference, or he's a fluke. Either way, he will earn 3.7 million this season.
Had Lambo shown a good reliable bat in Spring Training, maybe it'd been time to move Snider, Clubs dealing with uncertainties or injuries in late March might have offered more for a lefty power bat. A late January deal for prospects raises eyebrows if the club could not obtain Matusz when talks occurred in December. A MLB-level player could help them now. Comes off like a strong desire to unload a viable fill-in who was doing very well in the second half of '14.
Is Tony Sanchez in the mix for anything, or is it back to Triple A? Is Hart healthy?
Had Lambo shown a good reliable bat in Spring Training, maybe it'd been time to move Snider, Clubs dealing with uncertainties or injuries in late March might have offered more for a lefty power bat. A late January deal for prospects raises eyebrows if the club could not obtain Matusz when talks occurred in December. A MLB-level player could help them now. Comes off like a strong desire to unload a viable fill-in who was doing very well in the second half of '14.
Is Tony Sanchez in the mix for anything, or is it back to Triple A? Is Hart healthy?
Encyclopedia Brown
Footballguy
I remember being upset when the Cubs traded Bobby Hill for Ramirez because I thought Hill was going to be another Biggio. He was one of the best college players I have ever seen, and I thought for sure he was the real deal.
Serious oof on my part.
jfranco77
Footballguy
Steve Lombardozzi, once a key component in the Fister-to-Nats deal, acquired from the O's for cash.
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/02/03/pirates-acquire-steve-lombardozzi-from-the-orioles/
Jake Elmore and one of the other triple-A shortstops were let go. Pirates still have lots of utility infielders at AAA.
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/02/03/pirates-acquire-steve-lombardozzi-from-the-orioles/
Jake Elmore and one of the other triple-A shortstops were let go. Pirates still have lots of utility infielders at AAA.
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Copeman
Footballguy
The Pirates acquired right-handed pitcher Arquimedes Caminero from the Miami Marlins Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations.
Caminero, 27, has been added to the Pirates’ 40-man roster. He went 4-1 with 10 saves, a 4.86 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 42 appearances at Class AAA New Orleans in 2014. He has appeared in 19 major league games, going 0-1 with a 5.49 ERA.
He made six relief outings with the Marlins last season, giving up eight earned runs in six innings.
Caminero, 27, has been added to the Pirates’ 40-man roster. He went 4-1 with 10 saves, a 4.86 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 42 appearances at Class AAA New Orleans in 2014. He has appeared in 19 major league games, going 0-1 with a 5.49 ERA.
He made six relief outings with the Marlins last season, giving up eight earned runs in six innings.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
I traded for Lombardozzi in my MLB The Show franchise. He had a game winning double in the world series for me.
