2018 Pittsburgh Pirates In-Season Thread

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Fri Jun 29, 2018 6:32 pm

I also think the individual pay site thing will be the MySpace of new media. We'll transition to a different kind of journalism in the future.

Postby **NailedPenguin** » Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:25 pm

The Buccos are back

Postby **dodint** » Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:48 pm

Back to within 5 games of .500?

Back to beating teams with records worse than theirs?

Postby **willeyeam** » Sat Jun 30, 2018 8:16 am

Better than losing to bad teams

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Sat Jun 30, 2018 8:07 pm

Mitch Keller got lit the **** up in his first AAA start.

Postby **meow** » Sat Jun 30, 2018 8:48 pm

Currently watching our old friend Jennmar Gomez pitch middle relief for the AAA Charlotte Knights.

Postby **MR25** » Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:18 pm

Don't you mean Jean Shorts

Postby **NailedPenguin** » Sun Jul 01, 2018 1:29 am

Polanco last night: Smart enough to bunt to beat the shift
Polanco tonight: Runs halfway down the line and watches a caught foul ball instead of tagging.

Postby **Morkle** » Sun Jul 01, 2018 1:47 am

Polanco was told not to tag by Cora. Someone would be jobless tomorrow morning.

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Sun Jul 01, 2018 8:18 pm

Tyler glasnow made his MLB debut on July 7, 2016 and has finally strung together something resembling a competent stretch of pitching. By the way the guys are talking about it on the post game, you would think glasnow is closing in on Gange’s save streak or something. In reality, he pitched a scoreless 8th.

Anyways, it is nice to see this team win two series in a row.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:43 am

Polanco is on an absurd tear right now. Josh Bell also seems to have made a slight adjustment as well. I don't think there's any other story to this team's season than the ups and downs of these two. I think they might have had both of them step off the plate, neither of them are able to turn on inside pitches, but hell, there aren't many anthony rizzo's out there. They're both long enough to cover the entire plate, we'll just have to see how teams adjust to Polanco's new approach, and if he can quit being feast or famine.

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:50 am

Moran's grand slam was a lot of fun yesterday.

Block and Wehner were talking about all of the salamis hit over the last few days/weeks, and Block says "Let's hit one here" - next pitch, it was gone. Fun stuff.

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 7:12 am

Nice game last night

Postby **iamjs** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 7:37 am

Kingham was king of giving up the longball last night, amirite?

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 7:45 am

Did we win?

Postby **Lemon Berry Lobster** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 7:49 am

Did we win?

Close, they lost by a slim margin of 17-1.

Postby **NailedPenguin** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 8:24 am

The Buccos are back

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 9:28 am

Diaz made a Little League level throw back to Kingham which plated a run...I mean seriously, my kids’ team practiced that this year.

I’m glad he can hit, but he needs to field his position. I also didn’t like how Kingham gets charged with the E, but that’s baseball.

Postby **willeyeam** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 9:43 am

I've always had a slight beef with pitchers not getting an earned run on their own errors

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 10:04 am

Diaz's defensive issues make me laugh because all we heard during his time in the minors was that "HE'S THE BEST DEFENSIVE CATCHER IN BASEBALL!!!!!!" "HIS DEFENSE IS MAJOR LEAGUE READY RIGHT NOW!!!!!" More selling the future bullshit.

At least the Dodgers only batted around in three consecutive innings. That's a solid feat in a 17-1 loss.

Last weekend I heard GMNH and probably Brownie talking about how the Pirates just have SOOOOO MUCH starting pitching depth that they just can't fit everyone into the rotation. Nova, Taillon, Kuhl, Williams, Musgrove, Kingham, Glasnow,Brault, Holmes, and then in the very near future Eppler, Brubaker, and Keller. Just soooooo much starting pitching depth that they don't know what to do with which makes it a shame that they all **** suck. If they all suck it's not starting pitching "depth", it's just a bunch of shitty pitchers with "SP" next to their name on the roster.

His power is still non-existent, but Corey Dickerson is batting 320/370/440/810 over the last two weeks. Trade him before he goes into another slump that negates any impactful return for him.

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 10:43 am

good takes in that rant. a lot of starting pitching depth, but these guys aren't getting better/showing improvement/indicating that they can lead this team to contention let alone the playoffs. taillon has some of the same symptoms of cole.....good, but not consistent enough to carry a team.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 10:55 am

Potential 2019 Roster
C Cervelli $11,500,000
1B Bell $600,000
2B Harrison $10,500,000
SS Newman $550,000
3B Moran $600,000
RF Polanco $6,100,000
CF Marte $10,333,334
LF Meadows $550,000

1P Taillon $600,000
2P Musgrove $600,000
3P Williams $600,000
4P Kuhl $600,000
5P Kingham $550,000

BN Dickerson $8,500,000
BN Diaz $550,000
BN Luplow $550,000
BN Kramer/Moroff $550,000
BN Osuna/Frazier $550,000

RP Vazquez $4,500,000
RP Crick $550,000
RP Glasnow $550,000
RP Rodriguez $550,000
RP Feliz $1,200,000
RP Santana $550,000
RP Brault $550,000

$62,833,334

I came up with this yesterday, I think there is clearly a need to upgrade the top of the rotation. I'm also assuming they find someone to take Freese and Nova, but who know. I'd also like to jettison Harrison and Dickerson, I don't see them providing a ton of value and Newman and Kramer could provide a jolt to the team.

I think you could make Keller available for a front line starter, I wonder if Keller, Baz and Hayes could net one of De Groom or Syndergaard?

Postby **LITT** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 10:58 am

least expensive starting rotation in MLB history?

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 11:09 am

I'd also like to jettison Harrison and Dickerson, I don't see them providing a ton of value and Newman and Kramer could provide a jolt to the team.

I think the biggest value the Pirates get from these two is not having to pay them. Whether he is traded or sent packing there is zero chance the Pirates pick up Harrison's $10.5MM option when they can buy him out for a cool million. Hell they could trade him and a prospect elsewhere to have that team pick up the tab on the buyout. As far as Newman and Kramer, those two turn 25 before next season. It's **** or get off the pot time.

I think you could make Keller available for a front line starter, I wonder if Keller, Baz and Hayes could net one of De Groom or Syndergaard?

That sounds expensive. Continuing to tell people that Keller, Baz, and Hayes are going to be good while paying them minor league peanuts sounds cheap. Give ya one guess as to which one I think is more likely to happen.

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Tue Jul 03, 2018 11:18 am

We hashed this out briefly before, but the Pirates biggest problem has been, and continues to be, lack of all-star caliber players at multiple positions. DD's takes are the best, and his latest is great, but there is something to having starting pitching depth. The problem is the Pirates SP depth is a bunch of 4/5 starters on a good team.

That's the biggest problem with their minor league system right now. While there are promising players in the system that may turn into bonafide MLers, none of them stand out as future all-stars. Even Keller, whose star was bright before the season started, is beginning to turn back into a pumpkin.