2019 Pittsburgh Pirates Season Thread

Postby **willeyeam** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:11 pm

wtf happened to Jason Martin

Postby **shafnutz05** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:23 pm

So why are the bullpens so God-awful this year? The Phillies are in a similar disaster scenario with their pitching. Arrieta sucks now and their bullpen is a dumpster fire.

Postby **Morkle** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:41 pm

I assumed it was because everyone is hard up on the "swing for the fences" mentality and it's running rough-shod on pitchers.

Postby **Morkle** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:42 pm

Also, Arrieta needs more steroids.

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:50 pm

I assumed it was because everyone is hard up on the "swing for the fences" mentality and it's running rough-shod on pitchers.

That's pretty much my assumption as well. I think the impact has been greater on relievers because in general relievers are shitty pitchers or else they would be starting. Top relievers like Vazquez have some filthy stuff, but the rest are usually just easily replaceable parts. RichRod and his 92 mph four-seam fastball that he throws 85% of the time ain't fooling anyone.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:52 pm

Harper and Machado have been amazingly mediocre this year.

Postby **Morkle** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:53 pm

Harper and Machado have been amazingly mediocre this year.

Wasn't it pretty much a guarantee that this would happen given getting mega contracts that are basically free money no matter what they do?

Postby **Troy Loney** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:55 pm

Harper and Machado have been amazingly mediocre this year.
Wasn't it pretty much a guarantee that this would happen given getting mega contracts that are basically free money no matter what they do?

Not sure, but it really makes it hard to argue that these contracts are good for the team.

Postby **Morkle** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:05 pm

I think they only "mega-contract" that might have ever been worth it was AROD - and even then, it wasn't.

The Unions obviously want these mega-contracts, but there's really no justification that it improves baseball in any way, and doesn't necessarily help the product, with the exception of the bonus the team the player signs for receives.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:06 pm

I think they only "mega-contract" that might have ever been worth it was AROD - and even then, it wasn't.

The Unions obviously want these mega-contracts, but there's really no justification that it improves baseball in any way, and doesn't necessarily help the product, with the exception of the bonus the team the player signs for receives.

The union needs to advocate for a cap and a floor, but they are dumbums under the influence of the mega-agents who only really represent the stars.

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:10 pm

Sean Rodriquez pitched the other night for the Phils during their blowout loss to the #Barves. He even got a strikeout.

Postby **shafnutz05** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:15 pm

Harper and Machado have been amazingly mediocre this year.

The Harper stuff has made for superb talk radio fodder out here in Philly this summer. Earlier in the season his OBP was being held up as a mitigating factor, but even that has declined. His oWAR is 0.8 and dWAR is -0.5. Woof.

Postby **Morkle** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:18 pm

I think they only "mega-contract" that might have ever been worth it was AROD - and even then, it wasn't.

The Unions obviously want these mega-contracts, but there's really no justification that it improves baseball in any way, and doesn't necessarily help the product, with the exception of the bonus the team the player signs for receives.
The union needs to advocate for a cap and a floor, but they are dumbums under the influence of the mega-agents who only really represent the stars.

I think they're heading that way, or another labor strike when it comes to FAs simply not seeing the money they used to see at a certain age because they're spending prime years in arbitration (which is nonsense).

Postby **Factorial** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 2:17 pm

Cutch is making what $12mm? I won't shed any tears for the over 30 .270 hitters.

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 2:21 pm

Cutch is making what $12mm? I won't shed any tears for the over 30 .270 hitters.

37 over 2 years. plus a team option with a 3 million buyout. so at least $40 million over two years.

Postby **Morkle** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 2:58 pm

Which frankly doesn't make sense as to why he was signed for that much. I felt like I hear more about players on the decline getting lower "prove-it" deals over what he signed.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 4:27 pm

Brubaker is finally set to return from injury, and they also moved Weiman up to AAA. Weiman is interesting to me, he's a guy they drafted in the 8th round in 2017, essentially as a relief pitcher. I think the prospect talking heads all spit upon relief prospects in terms of draft and prospect rankings. But as we can see, bullpen arms are extremely valuable, and if they Pirates can figure out how to scoop those types up in a 50 round draft who are being ignored due to limited ceiling, then that would be a good thing.

Postby **willeyeam** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 6:07 pm

wtf happened to Jason Martin

also wtf happened to Brandon Waddell? Why are the pirates like this

Postby **Troy Loney** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 6:22 pm

Waddell always sucked

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 6:59 pm

Stratton back. Ramirez optioned back to AAA without making an appearance. Reynolds in the lineup again tonight. I gotta give Hurdle credit for making him the main guy in the outfield and rotating the other four.

wtf happened to Jason Martin
also wtf happened to Brandon Waddell? Why are the pirates like this

Martin had a ton of problems once he was elevated to AAA last season. His scouting reports talk about his swing getting long and loopy, causing swing and miss issues, but his strikeout rates aren't abnormally bad, honestly they're pretty good. His issues last year were credited to trying to do too much, getting out in front of pitches and rolling over for weak contact. After his cup of coffee in MLB he might have fallen into the same hole trying to get back to The Show. Regardless, I think he ends up as a 4th outfielder.

Waddell has sucked since he got to AAA. He's always had control issues and now he's at a level where his mediocre stuff is very hitable.

Postby **NailedPenguin** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 8:20 pm

I really don't need Greg Brown going "How do you do fellow kids" and talking about that exit velo'.

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Tue Jun 18, 2019 10:05 pm

@DanZangrilli

Mitch Keller final pitch break down tonight. 5.0 innings. 4 runs.

TOTAL: 93/59 strikes
Fastball: 62 (67%)
Curveball: 10 (11%)
Slider: 18 (19%)
Changeup: 3 (3%)

Keller has thrown 156 pitches as the MLB level in 3 starts. 100 (64%) have been fastballs.

Kid basically has one pitch they have any confidence in him being able to throw.

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:10 am

No one cares about this team on a game by game basis, but in terms of sheer ineptitude, last night’s game might have taken the cake. And that is saying something based on how many bad losses this team has been through this season.

Postby **Morkle** » Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:24 am

@DanZangrilli

Mitch Keller final pitch break down tonight. 5.0 innings. 4 runs.

TOTAL: 93/59 strikes
Fastball: 62 (67%)
Curveball: 10 (11%)
Slider: 18 (19%)
Changeup: 3 (3%)

Keller has thrown 156 pitches as the MLB level in 3 starts. 100 (64%) have been fastballs.
Kid basically has one pitch they have any confidence in him being able to throw.

I guess I never understood why they don't just open it up and see what he can do. You're putting him in a losing position if you let him throw fastballs 70% of the time. There's barely any unpredictability.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:37 am

I think their "fastball academy" outlook is just blowing up in their face this year.

Keller can't throw his curveball for a strike, so hitters can just sit on the fastball.

Williams is fine, and I think Taillon will be ok going forward. I also think that Musgrove and Archer will be at least average once Searage and Hurdle are fired (which god only knows how they survive this season). So this leaves them the task of bringing in some veteran pirchers this offseason. Not Keuchel level, but Wade Miley depth-level guys.