2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Troy Loney
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Troy Loney » Wed Nov 06, 2019 11:45 am

You are counting on Williams to be good, Kela to be a competent closer and Santana to re-assume a big role in the bullpen. And also that Polanco can both play and not be sucky.
So the philosphy is "hopefully guy x bounces back, guy y maintains last year's production, and player z sucks less." Which would essentially be the same exact philosophy as the last two offseasons.

and the more I think about it, the more obvious it seems that the bullpen will continue to be a trainwreck.
Indeed. I think it's fair to be somewhat optimistic about the crop of position players. Marte and Bell are good, and the Newman/Reynolds breakout provides a competent top of the order. Frazier proved to be an asset, just not your leadoff batter. Moran and Polanco will probably be gifted starting roles to start 2020, but neither will have any sort of a leash. Hayes and Oliva could both push for ML at bats with strong ST or AAA numbers.

But Rivero being a pedophile completely cratered any hope of the bullpen bouncing back and they have only 1 starting pitcher that you can feel confident about, and that confidence is that he's a competent #3/4 guy (musgrove)

willeyeam
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby willeyeam » Wed Nov 06, 2019 11:58 am

They're going to completely suck so it doesn't really matter what they do this offseason

Troy Loney
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Troy Loney » Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:05 pm

MLBTR came out with their FA predictions. Pirates landing Cole Kalhoun and Drew Smyly.

Not Good!

willeyeam
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby willeyeam » Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:07 pm

Drew Smyly is such a Pirates signing

willeyeam
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby willeyeam » Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:08 pm

Kalhoun is okay, I don't hate it. But if you're signing a RF, sign a right-handed hitter

Troy Loney
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Troy Loney » Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:09 pm

I messed up, it's Kole Calhoun.

Troy Loney
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Troy Loney » Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:11 pm

Smyly would be such a worthless signing, might as well just let Brault pitch a bunch of 5 era innings.

willeyeam
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby willeyeam » Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:19 pm

I messed up, it's Kole Calhoun.
He's just Kolehoun now, we'll eliminate the confusion

Dickie Dunn
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Dickie Dunn » Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:29 pm

I love that Nutting's mismanagement has resulted in the Pirates essentially having a temp take care of the 40 man roster, picking up options, and working on a strategy for free agency. This is the most Pirates the Pirates have ever been.

Troy Loney
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Troy Loney » Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:51 pm

I love that Nutting's mismanagement has resulted in the Pirates essentially having a temp take care of the 40 man roster, picking up options, and working on a strategy for free agency. This is the most Pirates the Pirates have ever been.
The interim GM is actually a candidate for the SF GM job, so seems like he's no slouch.

robbiestoupe
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby robbiestoupe » Thu Nov 07, 2019 4:25 pm

Didn't SF interview FGMNH for their president of operations not too long ago. Wouldn't say they are on the cutting edge here either.

willeyeam
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby willeyeam » Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:53 pm


LeopardLetang
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby LeopardLetang » Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:05 am

Did i understand correctly that Dixon was BAs number 1 pick for sleeper outside the first 10 rounds? I was excited about him but that's high praise

Freddy Rumsen
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Freddy Rumsen » Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:36 am


willeyeam
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby willeyeam » Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:02 am

I didn't know FGMNH was from NH. He could have been GMNHNH the whole time

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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Freddy Rumsen » Mon Nov 11, 2019 6:57 pm


Dickie Dunn
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Dickie Dunn » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:12 am



This is a fun one that I've gathered before the cutoff point for paying customers at DK's site:
The last man to catch the last out of a World Series in a Pittsburgh uniform is out himself.

Omar Moreno was informed today by the Pirates that he won't be brought back as a minor-league instructor, a source told DKPittsburghSports.com Tuesday evening. Moreno was called with the news earlier in the afternoon by Larry Broadway, the minor-league director under already-fired Neal Huntington.

Moreno, 67, was a special assignment coach, working with prospects at Class AAA Indianapolis, Class AA Altoona, Class A West Virginia, the Dominican Republic and, occasionally, with the major-league club at Clint Hurdle's invitation. He filled in as first base coach at PNC Park for a series this past summer.

Moreno very much had hoped to continue working. Just a week ago, he and Josh Bell were meeting with fans at PNC Park.

A fleet-footed center fielder known as 'The Antelope' in his playing days, Moreno was a fixture in Major League Baseball from 1975-86, notably for his role in the Pirates' last championship, the famed 'Fam-a-lee' comeback in 1979 over the Orioles. He caught the final out of Game 7 at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium.

As instructor, he emphasized baserunning and defense, his own strengths as a player, and often spoke to prospects and major-leaguers alike with pride of being part of the Pirates' championship.

So, why is Broadway making personnel decisions?

That's the key question here and, for the moment, it's anyone's guess, assuming this was, in fact, his call. Broadway, like the overwhelming bulk of Huntington's previous staff, are expected to be replaced once a new GM is found. That includes Kyle Stark, Broadway's immediate superior and assistant GM under Huntington, who still hasn't been shown the door.

UPDATE 8:25 p.m.: I've learned that, this past summer, Moreno expressed his concerns to Huntington and Stark via an email to both men that prospects in the Pirates' system weren't being given a consistent message, that they were hearing too many voices. He also expressed a concern that he wasn't permitted to spend one-on-one time with the prospects he'd been hired to instruct.

The latter's been universally expressed over the years, by the way, by countless baseball people under Huntington. Their voices weren't heard, by prospects or anyone over their heads. And when they did speak up, they'd be demoted or fired.

Huntington then responded via email that he agreed with Moreno about too many voices but that the solution would basically be that roving or guest instructors -- such as Moreno -- should have their ranks reduced.

Eventually, that came to pass, nearly a month after Huntington himself was fired but clearly not before the housecleaning was complete.

UPDATE 9:14 p.m.: From everything I hear tonight, this will be rectified. Neither Bob Nutting nor Travis Williams was aware of this move until this report, and that's as I'd assumed. I'll keep you updated.

UPDATE 1:17 a.m. Wednesday: This will be resolved. Later today.
HOW THE **** IS LARRY BROADWAY (AND KYLE STARK) STILL EMPLOYED? HOW THE **** IS HE MAKING PERSONNEL DECISIONS WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF NUTTING OR WILLIAMS? HOW THE **** ARE ANY OF HUNTINGTON'S JABRONI dadholes STILL RECEIVING PAYCHECKS FROM THIS ORGANIZATION?

robbiestoupe
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby robbiestoupe » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:57 am

Still part of the best management team in baseball so...

Honestly, if Omar Moreno was in charge of instructing defense and base running, maybe his position should be relinquished.

DigitalGypsy66
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Thu Nov 14, 2019 9:10 am

Travis Williams reinstated Omar Moreno yesterday morning, according to multiple sources to DK.

Not sure why Kyle Stark and Larry Broadway haven't been shown the door yet. I guess they need a couple of front office people kicking around until the new GM is hired?

Dickie Dunn
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Dickie Dunn » Thu Nov 14, 2019 9:35 am

It's definitely weird. Graves is around for a reason because somebody needs to be running the show until a new hire is made, but do you really need your Farm Director hanging around making dumb decisions in November? Stark was higher on the totem pole than Graves yet was passed over for the interim role; why didn't you just dump him immediately?

Morkle
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Morkle » Fri Nov 15, 2019 1:07 pm

According to a team source the Pirates have parted ways with assistant GM Kyle Stark.
Hoka-Hey your ass out of this organization.

Troy Loney
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Troy Loney » Fri Nov 15, 2019 1:12 pm

Cherington taking the GM job.

I asked my FIL what he thought of him in Boston. Said he couldn't cut it there, but doesn't think that was his fault. I guess he's from the Epstein school, I'm not sure how those guys operate with limited resources.

Dickie Dunn
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Dickie Dunn » Fri Nov 15, 2019 1:22 pm

A lot of the excuses I heard for Cherington centered around him being "forced" to sign big name, big ticket free agents who were past their prime by ownership.

Troy Loney
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby Troy Loney » Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:16 am

Looking at the comments from this Cherington presser, there's a 100% chance he blows the team up in 2020.

MrKennethTKangaroo
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2019-2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Off-Season Thread

Postby MrKennethTKangaroo » Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:40 am

Looking at the comments from this Cherington presser, there's a 100% chance he blows the team up in 2020.
I think everyone should be OK with a blowup. Reynolds/Bell/Newman isn't a playoff contending core, and bell is going to be a free agent after 2022 anyways. Hayes and Tucker seem to be major league contributors, but are they part of a playoff contending core? And the starting rotation stinks.

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