2016-2017 Official My Goodness I'm Old Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

[Troy Loney]

So 1B really is the eventual spot for Bell?

Yes, OF will be Marte, Polanco and Meadows. But unlike Alvarez, Bell's offense is going to be strong enough for the team to manage bad 1B defense. So he won't be run off to the AL when it comes arbitration time.

[robbiestoupe]

Are there any interesting 1B or RF options in free agency? If so, I'd be OK with a McCutchen trade for a #2 arm or better, and signing a decent FA as insurance for Meadows/Bell.

[Troy Loney]

Joyce

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

So 1B really is the eventual spot for Bell?

He is a stiff no matter where he plays, but yes.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

Are there any interesting 1B or RF options in free agency? If so, I'd be OK with a McCutchen trade for a #2 arm or better, and signing a decent FA as insurance for Meadows/Bell.

They already have Freese and Jaso under contract for next year, so there is 0.0% they look elsewhere for stopgaps on the free agent market

[Dickie Dunn]

Who the hell do the Pirates have teaching defense to their minor league prospects? Bell and Frazier are a mess at any position. Alen Hanson is no bueno. Mercer's defense was mediocre at best until he got in the big leagues and Clint Barmes showed him how to defend like a boss. The guys that come into the organization with a reputation for good defense tend to hold onto it, but the players that need improvement rarely make it. I feel like the same thing can be said about our TOOTBLAN-ing base running. We're using bargain bin instructors. We need Tom Emanski and Fred McGriff.

Joyce

Completely fell off in the second half of the season (.176/.382/.343/.725), though I guess the same can be said for Polanco (.220/.267/.414/.682) who is nowhere near as good as people like to think he is. He had a great April and May, a solid June, and then was complete mud the rest of the way.

McCutchen sucks, Polanco isn't getting any better, Marte is in a full body cast, Bell can't defend, Frazier can't defend, Jaso has a stupid hair cut and hits like a tiny child, every catcher is injured at the exact same time, Harrison swings at every single pitch he sees, Mercer can only hit lefties, Kang roofied a woman and then made her disappear, Freese is old, SRod is a ******, our best pitcher sucks, our second best pitcher is Canadian, we refuse to pay any other pitchers that don't suck, our best catching prospect is almost 30, our best pitching prospect can't hit the strike zone, our best position prospect can't keep his hamstrings attached to the back of his legs. Honest to god they should just fold the franchise.

[Troy Loney]

Dickie, you need to change your name to Jaded Pirate Fan

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

That was way better than any @Rocco rant

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

also, this team has some financial flexibility going into this offseason, so there should be no worries.

[columbia]

Rants rooted in reality are always better.

[Morkle]

also, this team has some financial flexibility going into this offseason, so there should be no worries.

Second time I've seen you use financial flexibility in this thread so far. I enjoy cynicism.

[robbiestoupe]

Financial flexibility is synonymous with dysentery when used in the context of the Pirates.

also, this team has dysentery going into this offseason, so there should be no worries.

[Dickie Dunn]

NTP66 named me 5AF's official motivational speaker. I'm just trying to fulfill my role to the best of my abilities.

The financial flexibility is already gone. Vogelsong hit $300k in bonuses for starting the final game. Any other financial savings for this season went to covering the drop in attendance.

For next season let's do the math:

Liriano: +$13,666,667
Freese: - $3,250,000
Harrison: $2,500,000
Kang: $250,000
Marte: $2,000,000
McCutchen: $1,000,000
Polanco: $1,065,000
Cervelli: $5,500,000
Bastardo: $1,250,000

Subtotal: -$3,148,333

We're already more than $3 million in the red with the Liriano savings by just honoring the contracts for the guys that are signed for next season. Cole, Watson, Mercer, Hughes (!!!!), Locke (!!!!!!!), Hutchison (!!!!!!!!!!!!), plus others are due for raises in arbitration. Need to actually have 25 guys on the roster and 5 starting pitchers. Need to account for attendance going down again next season. Financial flexibility is used to keep Nutting in the black.

[Morkle]

He acknowledges that there has to be improvement with the rotation, but they are dealing with a very thin free agent market and a very “tight” budget.

He also adds that they will continue to make moves to make the club better, but will not be concerned with outspending the others in the division.

This ownership group sucks. Already preparing people with a "tight" budget comment and interview yesterday.

[Troy Loney]

Just saw that the Royals aren't going to pick up Volquez's option. If someone overpays for Nova, I would take Volquez back.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

Just saw that the Royals aren't going to pick up Volquez's option. If someone overpays for Nova, I would take Volquez back.

Hard to believe that volquez will only be 33 years old next season. he has been around forever

[columbia]

He acknowledges that there has to be improvement with the rotation, but they are dealing with a very thin free agent market and a very “tight” budget.

He also adds that they will continue to make moves to make the club better, but will not be concerned with outspending the others in the division.

This ownership group sucks. Already preparing people with a "tight" budget comment and interview yesterday.

Where's that clown, who lashed out at every poster who dared question the virtue of Nutting? He was the **** worst.

[Morkle]

Now in DK's insider it said they were hearing more and more that GMNH was looking to make a big move. So that means a trade most likely because I highly doubt they're going to take on more money unless they're shedding money too.

[Dickie Dunn]

He acknowledges that there has to be improvement with the rotation, but they are dealing with a very thin free agent market and a very “tight” budget.

He also adds that they will continue to make moves to make the club better, but will not be concerned with outspending the others in the division.

This ownership group sucks. Already preparing people with a "tight" budget comment and interview yesterday.

I'm assuming this is from his interview with Cook and Poni yesterday? I heard the tight budget comment and then immediately after he said their budget would be even tighter, if not over budget and in need of dumping players, if they had kept Liriano. There's your financial flexibility right there. Keeping things in the black.

[Morkle]

I agree Dunn, I liked your summation above too. I don't know, I still don't understand how people can defend this small market nonsense and be happy with mediocrity.

#Iknowtheyhada98winblipitsallowingthemtodothisBS

[Troy Loney]

Perfect world, McCutchen's salary is moved and a competent starting pitcher with a few years of control is brought in.

The team is pretty savvy at using data, but that makes you more reactive than proactive in some cases, and this year they weren't prepared for the shrunken strike zone. I think they'll be able to improve run prevention in 2017 without adding high profile SP's.

The Niese acquisition failed in a pretty understandable way, the Pirates' pitching philosophy is hinged on being able to control the inner part of the plate, Niese wasn't able to do that, and the huge spike in HR's allowed was the result of that inability.

The doom and gloom talk is so over the top. Cole and Taillon will anchor the rotation, they just need to bring in someone to close games so they can move Watson and Rivero to setup roles. The offense is going to be built around a core of Marte, Polanco, Bell and Kang, plus nice peripheral pieces like Freese,Frazier and Harrison. All that hinges on being able to get a good SP for McCutchen though.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

YIL that brock holt is #4 on the list of most WAR by a GMNH Draft pick:

Cole
Mercer
El Blimpo
Brock Holt

[willeyeam]

I was pretty against trading Cutch but I'm starting to think it has to happen if we want to contend next year. There is no SP available in free agency

[Morkle]

Perfect world, McCutchen's salary is moved and a competent starting pitcher with a few years of control is brought in.

The team is pretty savvy at using data, but that makes you more reactive than proactive in some cases, and this year they weren't prepared for the shrunken strike zone. I think they'll be able to improve run prevention in 2017 without adding high profile SP's.

The Niese acquisition failed in a pretty understandable way, the Pirates' pitching philosophy is hinged on being able to control the inner part of the plate, Niese wasn't able to do that, and the huge spike in HR's allowed was the result of that inability.

The doom and gloom talk is so over the top. Cole and Taillon will anchor the rotation, they just need to bring in someone to close games so they can move Watson and Rivero to setup roles. The offense is going to be built around a core of Marte, Polanco, Bell and Kang, plus nice peripheral pieces like Freese,Frazier and Harrison. All that hinges on being able to get a good SP for McCutchen though.

They literally just finished under .500 and shed important players from their self-imposed bargain basement salary cap. I'd say it's justified with a weak FA market this year.

[willeyeam]

which important players did they shed?