2018 Pittsburgh Pirates In-Season Thread

Postby **willeyeam** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:28 pm

Buccos are in Miami this weekend. Pretty sure that's where Cersei lives

Postby **willeyeam** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:29 pm

also Polanco is good imo

Postby **Troy Loney** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:29 pm

Do not anticipate this lead holding up.

Need more offense.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:31 pm

Also, very impressed with Williams after three starts. Sub 1 WHIP is crazy.

Postby **willeyeam** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:36 pm

Also, very impressed with Williams after three starts. Sub 1 WHIP is crazy.

He finished pretty strong last year too, we might have something there

Postby **Ad@m** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:40 pm

Do not anticipate this lead holding up.

Need more offense.

You got it, 3 run HR for Cervelli

Pirates lead 6-1

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:40 pm

Do not anticipate this lead holding up.

Need more offense.

This statement still holds true despite the cervelli home run

Postby **Troy Loney** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:40 pm

Yes. **** Joe Maddon, **** the Cubs.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:55 pm

This Pirate team is nuts.

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 5:00 pm

6-1 Bucs. 5 homers to center field. Guess the jet stream is going right through Wrigley today

Postby **willeyeam** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 5:14 pm

6-1 Bucs. 5 homers to center field. Guess the jet stream is going right through Wrigley today

Only in the top half of each inning, thankfully

Postby **willeyeam** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 5:30 pm

raise it. heck of a series win

Postby **shafnutz05** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:08 pm

Great series win...I agree on Williams Troy, he looks awesome so far.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 12:19 pm

#Pirates teams with 77+ runs in its first 12 games, since 1900:

2018
1903 (won NL pennant)
1902 (won NL pennant)

#Pirates best run differentials, thru first 12 games, last 100 seasons:

1992 +39 (won NL East)
1921 +30 (90-63)
1960 +27 (won World Series)
1962 +26 (93-68)
1927 +22 (NL Pennant)
1988 +20 (85-75)
2018 +19

https://twitter.com/joe_block/status/98 ... 10912?s=19

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 12:20 pm

don't sip the kool aid, chug it uncontrollably

Postby **willeyeam** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 12:23 pm

don't sip the kool aid, chug it uncontrollably

my prediction has been revised to 121-41 to reflect the current winning percentage

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 12:27 pm

Corey Dickerson is hitting .341/.386/.610, good for an OPS+ of 175. He's also been the top fielding LF by DRS

https://t.co/lrz1upTT6x https://t.co/l3FiON099b

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 12:30 pm

I played around with fangraphs this morning. I've no conclusions to draw, but some things that stood out:

Pirates at 6.42 runs/game, second behind the Angels. Are the only two teams above 6. Their 4.83 runs allowed per game is also higher compared to their expected number. There's room for the offense to come down and the pitching/defense to improve and make up for that.

The BABIP is not out of whack anymore, their HR:FB ratio got a big boost after yesterday, but not crazy. Their K and BB ratios are really impressive and they've somehow figured out how to reduce GB and boost the FB ratios, all while keeping the K's down.

Did they change hitting coach?

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 12:32 pm

Corey Dickerson is hitting .341/.386/.610, good for an OPS+ of 175. He's also been the top fielding LF by DRS
https://t.co/lrz1upTT6x https://t.co/l3FiON099b

He's a guy that comes roaring out of the gate. Pretty sure he was a 900+ OPS guy at the ASB last year. Hoping he made some adjustments to keep from falling off a cliff come July.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 3:11 pm

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-pir ... some-hope/

Some good Polanco factoids. Basically he sucked last year when he pulled the ball, he doesn't suck there any more. He's also increased his exit velocity by a ton and stopped hitting so many ground balls. AKA, he's good.

I think the other interesting note is on the number of players in the lineup producing. It's easy to score runs when a lot of guys are hitting, it's also easier to sustain when more guys are producing, hedges against individual slumps. I also like that Freese and Frazier would be able to step in and be solid regulars should someone go down.

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 3:27 pm

I may have posted this in the old thread, but I couldn't find it. A nugget of hope for Polanco:

Polanco: 494 games, 1962 PA, 252/315/401/717 49 home runs.
Jose Bautista through age 28 (His first year in Toronto): 575 games, 2038 PA 238/329/400/729 59 home runs.

Since then: 255/376/519/892 3972 at bats 272 home runs

Polanco is heading into his age 26 season. SO YOU'RE SAYING THERES A CHANCE

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 3:33 pm

So this is when Travis Snider 2.0 transforms into Joey Bats 2.0?

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 3:36 pm

Looks like Joey Bats with a higher average and OBP

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 7:09 pm

Rich rodriguez of 13 9 fame and Kyle crick of yinzer word fame up. Holmes and smoker down

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Fri Apr 13, 2018 10:27 pm

Really not a fan of Kuhl. Greatly prefer Williams.