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

[Freddy Rumsen]

There you go @columbia

[columbia]

BOOM

[Troy Loney]

Their top four prospects are still as good as anyone's with glasnow, meadows, Keller and Newman.

I'm not sure they should pencil in Watson as the closer, it would be good to bring in a back end guy to push Watson and Rivero up.

If I were in charge, I'd transition glasnow to the bullpen, he could be a lights out option there. The AAA rotation is going to have brault, kingham and Williams, all guys that could provide mlb rotation depth. I think that's just the best way to utilize that depth and get glasnow into a role where he can help in 2017.

They have plenty of options for the position players.

[dodint]

So what are they going to get for Cutch? Bag of pucks? To give as tribute to one of the actual professional teams in town?

[Cagsjr724]

Will they cut payroll again and blame it on lack of attendance?? Probably. Go Nuttings wallet.

[robbiestoupe]

Their top four prospects are still as good as anyone's with glasnow, meadows, Keller and Newman.

I'm not sure they should pencil in Watson as the closer, it would be good to bring in a back end guy to push Watson and Rivero up.

If I were in charge, I'd transition glasnow to the bullpen, he could be a lights out option there. The AAA rotation is going to have brault, kingham and Williams, all guys that could provide mlb rotation depth. I think that's just the best way to utilize that depth and get glasnow into a role where he can help in 2017.

They have plenty of options for the position players.

With Glasnow in the bullpen, the rotation next year will be:

Cole
Taillon
??
Kuhl
Locke

PUNT

[Troy Loney]

Locke is not coming back. I don't think anyone is going to give Nova 5 years 70M, so bringing him back is still on the table. I think it's likely that McCutchen is moved for a controllable SP. It's not going to be a superstar, but definitely above average.

There's no way that Glasnow can be counted on to be a huge part of the 2017 rotation.

[Dickie Dunn]

Will they cut payroll again and blame it on lack of attendance?? Probably. Go Nuttings wallet.

Yes. Especially once you factor this in:

It was Vogelsong's 14th start, triggering a $100,000 bonus in his contract. Another clause called for Vogelsong to receive a different set of bonuses based on an accumulation of points, some for starting games, and others for pitching in relief in particular contexts. By my math, today bumped Vogelsong's points from 57 to 60, earning him an additional $200,000. So the cost of Vogelsong's start today -- above his base salary -- was $300,000.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

There goes all the financial flexibility

[King Colby]

This is the right time to trade cutch. You can have a polanco-marte-bell OF and use jaso/freese at first until meadows is ready. Not as bad as it sounds. Even though jaso/freese arent the most attractive names at first, they were decent.

Big concerns with Harrison. Would like to see Frazier get every opportunity to keep 2nd base warm until newman is ready and slot j hay back in at utility or trade him.

I would gladly take the offensive hit to move cutch and get a stud young pitcher (i.e. Severino, Urias, Salazar, etc.)

Signing Nova is a must. Even at the reported 5/70 price tag. You aren't doing any better than that.

Signing Sean Rod is a near must. But I'm guessing he priced himself out.

Improving the bullpen is a MUST MUST MUST.

[columbia]

I'd be more interested in Nova for 2 years/$30M, but he's probably not.

[Troy Loney]

Looking at the payroll commitments for 2017, making some arbitration estimations, I have the team at around $85M with 12 position players (including stewart's salary) and 9 pitchers (that's including Hutchison because he's going to cost around $3M to keep)

OF: McCutche, Marte, Polanco Bell, and Frazier
IF: Kang, Mercer, Harrison, Freese, Jaso, Bell and Frazier
C: Cervelli, Diaz

SP: Cole, Taillon, Kuhl
BP: Watson, Rivero, Bastardo, Hughes,Nicasio
AAA -Hutchison

The pitching staff is beyond needing just marginal additions, that's the problem. An upgrade will require a trade because there's nothing on the FA market that will make that a reliable pitching staff. They'd better hope someone really wants McCutchen, because unless Glasnow turns a major corner this offseason, it might be another bridge year.

[beerman]

This is the right time to trade cutch. You can have a polanco-marte-bell OF and use jaso/freese at first until meadows is ready. Not as bad as it sounds. Even though jaso/freese arent the most attractive names at first, they were decent.

Big concerns with Harrison. Would like to see Frazier get every opportunity to keep 2nd base warm until newman is ready and slot j hay back in at utility or trade him.

I would gladly take the offensive hit to move cutch and get a stud young pitcher (i.e. Severino, Urias, Salazar, etc.)

Signing Nova is a must. Even at the reported 5/70 price tag. You aren't doing any better than that.

Signing Sean Rod is a near must. But I'm guessing he priced himself out.

Improving the bullpen is a MUST MUST MUST.

Agree with everything here except SeanRod. I don't think he'll touch what he did this season again and quite frankly I don't like him.

A Cutch trade is going to bring a ton of negativity and if done wrong will cost NH his job. However, if they can get a young stud for the rotation I think its a no-brainer. If they do that and use the Cutch money and other savings to keep Nova then I think the rotation is in a really nice spot for next season.

I think the offense you laid out would be good enough and would allow them to focus the rest of their efforts on the pen.

Biggest concern would be, does Cutch still fetch a stud young starter? I'd like to think he would and hopefully the stretch at the end of the season rebuilt some of that value.

[robbiestoupe]

That's where I'm at with Cutch. You only move him if you get a Godfather deal. Well, maybe not a Godfather deal, but it must be a deal based on his work as a whole, not a trade based on this past season alone. That's what I'm afraid is going to happen, because Nutting will love not having to pay him the $14M he's owed next season.

[Morkle]

I don't think signing Sean Rod is a must. Wasn't this year his highest ever? Screams enhancements to me. Oh, and he's a clown.

[Craig]

They need to count on taillon being a reasonable 2 and cole getting back that run+ per 9 innings that he gave up. If those two happen and they get 200 ip from Cole and say 180 from taillon, the rotation will be substantially improved. They cant have their 1 and 2 pitching like a 2 and 5 again.

Cutch playing like a replacement level player wont be able to keep them out of the playoffs again if they get that.

If they can get a youngish 2/3 calibre starter for cutch id say go for it.

[Beveridge]

Depending on who comes back for the Mets in that outfield, they are a good target. This time let's get a good, young pitcher and not just a pitcher.

[Troy Loney]

Blue Jays also look like a potential trade partner, maybe the Pirates could get Stroman, or the Nationals. They are probably going to want to get Giolito into their rotation next year. Also good to note that the Pirates dealt with both of these teams recently, and I think both would the Pirates as a fair trader.

[Dickie Dunn]

Who could we possibly want from the Jays? Already nabbed our top target in Drew Hutchison.

I imagine the Pirates will sign SRod to a lucrative long term deal (partially funded by the money saved from Hurdle quitting gum) and then will package Harrison, Glasnow, and Keller for some more of that delicious financial flexibility.

[shafnutz05]

Wonderful column/photo gallery of Phil Coyne, the Pirates' most beloved usher

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/ ... r=37947138

[Troy Loney]

http://m.pirates.mlb.com/news/article/2 ... ter-field/

Almost as stunning as McCutchen's nearly season-long slump at the plate was how poorly he graded out on defense, according to advanced metrics. By two prominent figures -- defensive runs saved and ultimate zone rating -- McCutchen was the worst fielder in baseball this year. His DRS total (minus-28) was the lowest in the Majors, and his UZR (minus-17.6) was better than only shortstop Alexei Ramirez.

It seems unlikely that McCutchen could have fallen so far in just one year; in 2015, he was worth minus-8 DRS and posted a minus-4.5 UZR. Last week, Pirates GM Neal Huntington said the club's internal evaluation of McCutchen was "a little bit different" than the publicly available metrics. Still, the Pirates will be asked this question throughout the winter: Is it time to move McCutchen to an outfield corner?

And what does he think about that?

"I don't see myself needing to move. I don't feel like I'm slowing down and hurting my team because of where I play," McCutchen said in an interview with MLB.com. "Playing center field is one thing, but being a leader out there is another. That's something we need."

[columbia]

Wonderful column/photo gallery of Phil Coyne, the Pirates' most beloved usher

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/ ... r=37947138

Forwarded that to my father. Good stuff.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

http://m.pirates.mlb.com/news/article/2 ... ter-field/

Almost as stunning as McCutchen's nearly season-long slump at the plate was how poorly he graded out on defense, according to advanced metrics. By two prominent figures -- defensive runs saved and ultimate zone rating -- McCutchen was the worst fielder in baseball this year. His DRS total (minus-28) was the lowest in the Majors, and his UZR (minus-17.6) was better than only shortstop Alexei Ramirez.

It seems unlikely that McCutchen could have fallen so far in just one year; in 2015, he was worth minus-8 DRS and posted a minus-4.5 UZR. Last week, Pirates GM Neal Huntington said the club's internal evaluation of McCutchen was "a little bit different" than the publicly available metrics. Still, the Pirates will be asked this question throughout the winter: Is it time to move McCutchen to an outfield corner?

And what does he think about that?

"I don't see myself needing to move. I don't feel like I'm slowing down and hurting my team because of where I play," McCutchen said in an interview with MLB.com. "Playing center field is one thing, but being a leader out there is another. That's something we need."

That quote from cutch....not sure what to think of it.

Anyways, one of Kenny the kangaroo's friends speculated that McCutchen struggled in the field because of the pirates new strategy of playing him more shallow than he usually did. Not sure if that strategy lasted all season, and not sure if playing shallow has an influence on UZR, but he certainly isn't the best on going back on a ball.

Also, josh bell sucks in the outfield. looks like an NABA player running around out there.

[Troy Loney]

The only logical course for the Pirates to take, is to trade McCutchen. I don't even really care how significant the return is. If he stays, he'll either play CF or dodint and moan about being moved.

I think Meadows is a better LF option in 2017 than McCutchen. The main Meadows downside is that he'll be in AAA till June, and he also gets hurt a lot.. Regardless, offensively, the Pirates are better with McCutchen gone, he'd be a crappy CF and a way below average #3 hitter.
So him moving would allow Marte and Polanco to play LF and CF and bat in the middle of the order with a disgruntled McCutchen hitting in between them.

[columbia]

So 1B really is the eventual spot for Bell?