2-3-24 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter
I love doing these things, but next time I put out an open request for questions, I think I’ll probably filter out Trevor Bauer and the exact phrase “so which pitcher are they signing?”. I mean, everything is fair game, but how many times can you answer the same thing too ya know?
Ok, weeding through, and a much longer time with bait in the water than normal, here we go!
Question 1
Is it correct that Shelton and his staff only under contract through 2024? If so can you foresee a terrible first half causing him to be fired ? – WV Ken
Is it correct? I truly mean this, if anyone knows it, they aren’t reporting it, and knowing a lot of reporters I find that hard to believe.
Here’s what I do know though. When Bob Nutting is ready to fire someone, having a contract that he’ll have to pay out hasn’t stopped him. I know Shelton was just extended through “at least” 2024. I find it unlikely he’d have signed an extension for one season, lame duck and coaching don’t often go well together, which is also part of why you don’t hear about their contracts often. That’s kinda why this Craig Counsel to Chicago thing riled people up, coaching salaries are very similar in every market, and the Cubs just potentially started an arms race teams have never wanted.
Finally, I know this team doesn’t like to fire mid season, if they do, it’s typically a guy getting told he’s not coming back, he doesn’t take it well, team moves on for a few final weeks to finish a season.
I get what you’re asking, I think I get why you’re asking it, but you won’t see more than guesses, educated as they may be as to how long his contract is unless he or the GM decide to tell someone.
Question 2
I keep looking at the still available hitters and wanting them to add Adam Duvall. If that happened who would play center field? – Robert Hagelin Jr.
Well, who knows what they’d do, but I’d keep Jack as the primary CF and I’d straight work Adam in 3-5 games a week either spelling Jack or platooning in RF. He can even take some DH duty here and there. He’s a clearly inferior hitter to Soler, but his ability to actually play some defense makes him interesting at least.
Personally, I think this team needs to help themselves up the middle, and I’d do that by getting a true CF who can hit a little, but everyone is sick of my 3 year sales pitch on Michael Taylor.
Question 3
Who would win in a fight, an Oneil Cruz sized meerkat, or 1000 meerkat sized Oneil Cruzes? – JG
Has to be the one giant Meerkat. All 1,000 would cripple themselves sliding off him.
Question 4
Curious from the Pirates’ perspective why they chose Tellez over Santana when the difference ended up being only $2M. Thoughts? – Nick Cammuso
Well if a Rowdy sized Meerkat..
Ok, I’ll get serious agian.
For one thing, and I know this is going to go over like a lead balloon, the Pirates are quite high on Tellez. And for what it’s worth, Tellez is kinda high on the team.
Before I go any farther, let me be extremely clear, my preference this offseason would have been to try to acquire a more permanent answer at first base, so please don’t mistake explaining/relaying things I’ve heard as being happy it’s gone in this direction.
That said, clear your mind. Think about Carlos Santana’s reputation upon signing last season with the Pirates. In fact, here is exactly what I wrote last November when they signed him…
Here’s what he does do though, he gets on base and he hits homeruns and gives the Pirates another right handed power option, something they are absolutely devoid of.
Choi provides a superior glove for sure, and he’s much less inclined to hit homeruns, but both together could make for a formidable position.
I, and many others thought he would be little more than an expensive DH and right handed platoon for 1B. That’s not at all what he delivered, and my god, what he did with the glove, he’s never done that in his entire career, not like that.
Is it really so crazy for them to think they can take the younger Tellez, coach him up a bit at first and hope they get 20+ dingers from him with Conner Joe and Triolo as support?
I mean, feet to the fire, I probably take Santana, but it’s not some wide canyon between one or the other in my mind. Especially if you buy injury was his biggest problem last year.
I also spent much of last year marveling at how Santana was literally giving his body to the game in 2023. That dude sacrificed, and fought through and never gave less than 100%, I guess what I’m saying here is, how likely is it his age 38 season following that is going to look even 75% what he did?
That’s as fair an argument as I can put out there.
Question 5
Are they really going into the season hoping Quinn/Roansy/Ortiz/Falter or one of the NRI’s are the other 2 starters along with Mitch, Marco and Perez? – SadPiratesFan
With the rapid approach of the start of spring training, how afraid are you that this is the roster we start the season with? – James Littleton
I felt these two were in a similar spirit. Personally fellas, I’m not worried at all. I won’t be the one who has to come to fans hat in hand and either say they failed to get what they wanted, or they changed their mind and either this was now enough to achieve their goals or worse they’ve changed the goal that they stuck with all off season.
If they do nothing else, Those are the three possibilities. They either sell you that they reevaluated and decided that other starter was right here all along, boy howdy, how did we miss it? It’d be like Tomlin explaining how he missed Mason could throw a football and not shit his pants.
I think you’ll see one more MLB starter added, somehow, someway, and I think they’ll add 3-4 more NRI pitchers.
Question 6
Gary, are you going to Bradenton? If so, when? inquiring minds want to know, I’ll be there March 6th thru 12th to see the Bucs vs Orioles, Twins, Phillies and Braves. Would like to say hey if you’re around. – Keith
Yup, I’ll be there March 12th through the 15th. I have no idea of what I’m doing yet, it’s my Wife’s first time so I want to make sure she wants to do it again if you catch my drift.
Certainly Thursday will be all baseball, double header day with the young farm all stars facing each other in the night cap.
All that said, I’ll be at some bar the 12th, drinking something fruity and boozy.
Question 7
Any truth to the Sanchez rumors? Are we close to adding another starter? Thanks! – Mr. Walsh
Yes. Robert Murray, a very reputable reporter, mentioned that the Pirates were one team interested in Gary Sanchez.
So, is it true that the Pirates are interested? Not that I’ve heard. I’d invite you to look at a Five thoughts I wrote a couple weeks back. This stuff comes from an agent trying to build a market for his player. The agent calls Robert, says hey, these teams called me about Gary. Robert goes, ok, I’m bored, hey world, these teams are interested in Gary Sanchez.
Nobody from the team is quoted. Nobody from the team will comment. Nobody from the other teams will comment.
So is it true? Yes, Robert Murray did not make up those teams, he was directly told they were interested. Ben Cherington could quite literally have stood next to Gary’s agent at the urinal during the Winter meetings and for some reason they talked about the future of another man while urinating. Nobody will ever know.
I’d ask, how many rumors did you hear that they were interested in Chapman before they signed him?
Question 8
What team have we received the most talent from in recent memory? Either via trade, grabbing their free agents what have you. The Yankees seem to always give us gold i.e. Burnett, Martin, Cervelli, maybe even Roansy can be added to this list – Patrick Bradford-Kenney
This is an interesting subject, probably one that deserves a much deeper look than I can give in this format, but noted Sir, noted.
That said, I think the most recent answer almost has to be San Diego. Jack Suwinski and David Bednar, and while he’s no longer here they got some nice work from Tucupita Marcano before he got hurt. I suppose we can’t give them credit for giving us Endy, although they were part of the 3 team deal including the Mets, and gave the Mets players for him to trade to us, so technicality I suppose.
Either way, that’s an All Star, a young power hitter, a decent fill in middle infielder who will find his way to a bench role in this league somewhere, and whatever Endy becomes.
Then we could add Jackson Wolf, who hey, he’s on the 40-man, yeah brother, it’s gotta be San Diego for sure.
Question 9
Any scuttlebutt on Ro or Ortiz? There’s been no news all off-season on either of them that I have heard. Is it possible that the #Pirates know more than has been made public and are moderately confident that one or both of them will step up and be productive SPs? – Curmudgley
I’ve heard absolutely nothing about Roansy. And the thing is, you’d have to imagine they’d be dying to tell us something good. I shouldn’t say I’ve heard nothing, I just haven’t heard anything verifiable. I have a couple people who could have just as easily been trying to diagnose his issues last year as have anything to do with helping him or evaluating him. So, nada.
Ortiz, I have heard. He was sent to the AFL to finish getting where they wanted him to get on innings, not to work on anything in particular. I’ve also heard he’s taking this offseason more seriously. I truly believer Ortiz let himself down last year on conditioning, and I expect he’ll remedy that.
Both players were mentioned in a positive light at Pirates Fest, so I have to imagine they feel both are at least heading in the direction they pointed. So hard with kids who don’t live stateside year round.
I half expected Jason Mackey to run into one of them or score an interview when he was at the DR Academy a couple weeks back.
Question 10
Does BC feel there is enough of a glut to make a trade or does he covet what he has enough to pry 1 more FA out of Nutting this off-season with hopes of next year being the year all the talent takes to PNC for this run we are all hopeful for – J.W. Sanders
I truly believe he can do either thing he wants to do. You don’t say things like Bob Nutting just did in the Dominican and then turn around and tie your GM’s hands. That said, I know for a fact the blueprint to “this thing working” begins and ends with 75% of their pitching being internally developed. And I mean to tell you, they’re thinking all the way to Skenes 6 years down the road, knowing they need Barco or Harrington, someone like that to pan out in that time frame.
So yes, there is more prospect hugging with a GM trying to oversee something like this. As I understand their intentions though, I believe he’s got close to 15 million without threatening their self imposed budget which once again, Bob might have just upped by opening his yap.
I also know I’ve watched this team “develop” pitching long enough to think they might just need 8 for every 1 success.
Question 11
Why is Alika Williams still on the team? – John Negich
“On this team”, meaning on the 40-man roster. The team will always have a list of who they could let go, and I’m quite sure he’s on it. I’m also sure, Alika has something most prospects don’t in this system, he’s proven he can do something at the MLB level that nobody else has, including those who will absolutely start. He can field the short stop position, and do it to a gold glove level.
it’s not a luxury a team like this can afford to carry and eventually it likely will cost him his roster spot, but they liked what he did with the stick enough in AAA last year that they feel he’s more valuable than Canaan Smith-Njigba. That’s the only decision that’s been made.
I don’t think he’d go unclaimed if they did DFA him either, but that’s going to be the story for the next few years at least, the 40-man is going to be almost 40 deep with guys you can’t just cut loose minus the thought.
The best thing I can say is, he isn’t hurting you sitting on a roster that doesn’t mean you’re in the Bigs, and having a skill nobody else has is sometimes reason enough to think twice.
He doesn’t ever have to be a player you like. But if he’s your perceived 40th player out of 40, you’re probably not all that bad.
Question 12
Do we need 1, 2 or 3 pitcher signings before opening day? – Douglas Smith
I’ll take this as a personal preference question. For me it’s 1 MLB pitcher. Now, I’d bring in 2-3 more NRI types too, because I think they’ll need more veteran depth sitting in AAA, but I think it’s critical to this effort to leave that 5th spot open for someone internal, even if it winds up being a revolving door of trying guys out.
Can’t kick that can forever, at some point you have to go through the pain of on boarding kids, it’s not their fault the bats showed up first. Ideally they’d have both arrived in 2023, instead, they’re staggered, and for this to succeed, they can’t miss on all of them by loading the entire roster up and avoiding the growing pains in an effort to win 5 more games.
That’s my take, but I’m not the one who went out and sold “competing for the division” they did.
Question 13
Is the Baltimore new ownership model helpful to small market teams in general? And why? – Douglas Smith again, hey, my man brought two good ones.
Too early to tell. They could just greenlight some stuff that previous ownership would have poopooed because they’ve seen the darkness and are terrified to go back. They could act like Cohen and be fans playing with a new toy only to learn MLB’s harsh lesson. Most likely outcome is they still want to be profitable, they will get to see the books, and if we see change at all, it’ll be short lived.
My guess though, no matter what they do here for a few years, Baltimore is a powerhouse that built something they’d have to try to screw up. that’s a good half decade window if they get even one or two pitchers to come through.
What I’m saying is, this new owner is a genius from the minute he/she walks in and the first time they can’t keep someone, uncaring idiots who are part of the problem.
That said, they won’t have felt an ounce of pain before 2027, and I have to assume those negotiations for the CBA will be a bit contentious.
Question 14
With 4/5 MLB top 100 players being pitchers, would it be best to find an AJ type or trade for a more controllable type pitcher. They need someone up top in the 1-2 spot with Mitch. I’d like Shane Bieber. – Ryan Coulson
I’m not seeing how the two are related. Having 4/5 MLB top 100 pitchers doesn’t mean a lick. The highest ranked member being Skenes has thrown all of what 9 pro innings? What they do this year has nothing to do with that list or any of them quite honestly.
Also, it would always be nice to have an AJ type. I hear this fifteen times a week. Penguins fans do it too, exclaiming the Power Play needs a Patric Hörnqvist type to play in front of the net.
Thing is, there’s a reason we remember those “types” and it’s because they aren’t just laying around.
Part of what made AJ a type, was because he was traded here and they had control of him for more than one year. Bieber isn’t that. He’s also not the same pitcher he was, and yes, yes, I know that’s what AJ was too, but in reality, AJ was a guy who never fit what the Yankees wanted him to be. He bucked, they ate his crap, he bucked some more, and neither got what they wanted out of the other. When he came here, he was THE dude, and they were very fortunate he was.
A guy like this they could go get might be Joe Musgrove. He’s got a few years left on his deal in San Diego. They need to shed more salary, he’d be an answer for a while, a leader even and liked it here when he was here. His no trade clause, and San Diego being home probably make this impossible, but that’d be my swing at “An AJ type”. And yes, it would cost, quite a bit.
Question 15
Do you think now since Milwaukee traded Corbin Burnes away their is no real frontrunner favorite to win the NL Central that they’ll obviously favor St. Louis because historically they’ve always been good, making the Central up for grabs? – Neal Kokiko
Well, I didn’t see them as a front runner, so, I guess not. You very much so like predictions it seems my friend, and as always, I just don’t do that sort of thing until Spring is close to wrapped.
Instead I’ll do a where I see them right this second ranking.
Cardinals – They didn’t add a bunch of quality outside of Gray, but they did fortify a true weakness and everything that went bad won’t go that bad again.
Reds – The hope they don’t finish near the top is that all their kids either don’t take a step or suffer sophomore slumps. That could happen, but on paper, I like their team.
Cubs – I don’t think they’re a complete team, but their starting rotation is right now better than the Pirates on paper. Lineup as we stand is meh.
Pirates – I think they might be the best offensive unit in the division when everything shakes out, but as we sit here, the mound is downright scary.
Brewers – They still have a bunch of players and some more coming quick, but their rotation isn’t what it’s been. Teams don’t just lose 1 and 2 and pick up where they left off. And they didn’t exactly leave off flying high.
Question 16
As we all know the 162 game schedule is a marathon. Is this young team ready for it. Can it withstand the ups and downs? – Butch Holt
Oh I think the only thing I can truly say Derek Shelton has done successfully that I can directly measure and point to him, it’s keeping guys playing hard and staying mentally strong through the tape. It is too long, and it will wear down every team, but the position players, in my mind are ready. Henry might struggle if he’s asked to catch say 120 games, he’s never done that in his career. Cruz may need more rest than others. Everyone else, I kinda like where they are in their careers to expect they can last.
I also think we’re going to see different faces swapped in and out and that freshens up the mix along the way.
Question 17
Do you think it’s possible that many mid level FAs have gotten so expensive that given they’re too similar in potential production to many teams’ existing players and prospects that it’s not worth the risk. Thus being the reason for a slow offseason for many clubs almost creating the appearance of soft collusion between GMs. – JIm Murica
I don’t think it’s some big conspiracy, but yes, I do think there’s a strange bubble that the COVID season created. Lots of guys who probably did nothing wrong but lose a season of their career, but MLB kept the clock rolling like they did. So there are more players along those lines who probably got protected a bit early.
Kinda like the Pirates with Peguero, he was protected long before he was ready, Cheng just this year, he’s in AA. Jack Suwinski was too.
It has created at least a little wave of teams believing they at least need to see more from some guys and I could see that preventing some typical veteran bench roles not going to Free agents.
For instance, if you wanted a veteran SS as insurance for Cruz, well, you aren’t insuring his bat, just his glove. Why wouldn’t you just hold onto Williams instead? So I think there’s logic to your observation, I’m just not sure if anyone has a 100% explanation.
One more thing, the universal DH has hurt the role player too. Everyone has a prospect they’d rather get at bats than have a 34 year old ride the pine for 5 million.
Steel City Pirates 