9-2-24 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter
The Bucs for the most part have shown themselves incapable of escaping their own worst impulses and shortcomings. It feels like if there is a worst case scenario, the Pirates are at least going to take it right to the edge of fulfilling it if not exceed it.
Today, let’s talk a lot about things the Pirates need to make sure they get done with this last month, and some player decisions that it might spawn.
Oh, and Happy Labor Day!
Let’s go!
1. Thomas Harrington & Bubba Chandler
Fans always want to see the kids, but in this case I personally think you should pump the brakes.
I understand the excitement, and I truly believe both have a bright future, but one thing a team like this can’t afford to do is start the clock on and use up 40-man spots on players that don’t require it yet.
Next season the Pirates will show up to camp with Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Jared Jones, Luis Ortiz, Bailey Falter, Mike Burrows and hopefully Braxton Ashcraft competing for spots and already on the 40-man. Much like last year, they’ll give Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington a shot to win a spot, just like Jared Jones.
To push them up here for 1 or 2 starts at the end of a season in which they aren’t competing for a playoff spot, well, it’s just not something most teams will do.
Let’s say they pitch 4 or 5 innings on September 13th, and they each go another 4 or 5 a week later. They’re on the 40 and now if they come up with an elbow strain or sore ankle, or god forbid, UCL like Mike Burrows, you lose potentially years of control over potentially transformative players.
That’s why it’s not done. Even if they were in an active race, I’d suggest a rookie is about the last thing you’re looking to for help.
Let nature take it’s course here. When you’re cultivating this much pitching, you can’t afford to force the issue, if anything, you’re kinda looking for ways to slow it down a bit.
2. Nick Yorke & Billy Cook
Both of these guys need protected from the Rule 5 draft, and both will absolutely be protected. This means, sometime in December, someone would lose their spot and these two guys would get added.
That sets up the opposite of the Harrington and Chandler situation for these two kids. It’s very likely both get added and called up before this season ends.
Both could play a lot of different positions, both have had killer minor league seasons and could help answer some questions about surviving Ke’Bryan Hayes and his back issues. They both could be helpful in the outfield, first base, DH, third base, even second and they both have at the very least doubles power and contact profiles that should give them a great shot to make it and stick in 2025.
No brainer here, get them here as soon as you can and let’s start seeing what we got here.
3. Liover Peguero
At 23 years old, Peguero isn’t old, but he’s been on the 40-man for 3 years now, a player rarely gets a 4th without impacting MLB.
He’s had a rather pedestrian AAA season. -0.4 WAR on the season to be specific, but the thing is, he’s been in professional baseball long enough that he really should be dominating his level, not just existing.
I don’t think there’s much to learn about Jared Triolo right now, or Isiah Kiner-Falefa at this point, so if I’m the Pirates, I use this time to get Peguero up here, plop him at short, slide IKF to third and let the last month here guide me as to whether keeping Peggy on the 40-man is smart.
He is the next “qualified” SS in the pipeline, and again, if I’m them, I want to see it, and see it now.
4. Shelton & Company are on the Clock
It’s been reported by Dejan Kovacevic at DK Pittsburgh Sports that, well, let him speak for himself “Based upon conversations I’ve had while here this weekend, Derek Shelton and his coaching staff need to get it together over the final month, or they’re as good as gone. I’m not guessing at that.”
This is a departure from where they’ve been, and what they’ve done post All Star Break is a direct cause.
I’ll be honest, if the GM is thinking like this, and I have no reason to doubt DK’s reporting here, chances are it’s already too late.
One month of baseball isn’t enough to erase 4 years of stink. Many of us were willing to give benefit of doubt because the team didn’t have much talent in his first 3 seasons, but as I keep saying, 90% of this team will return in 2025, so to see him and his staff utterly fail with this group at this point in time, well, it means arguably more than the previous 4 years ever could.
At this point it’s like signing up for one of those meal kit services and still claiming you “can’t cook” so you just leave it on your porch and never cancel the subscription.
Even if they go on a tear, it’ll be hard to ignore just how bad August was.
5. Have to Force Henry into the Lineup
What he’s done doesn’t matter, it’s more about understanding the things he needs to learn exist at this level, not MiLB.
It’s actually funny how quickly fans have decided they’ve seen all they need to see of Henry, even as they boil over with excitement for Joey Bart.
Henry has done all there is for him in AAA, now the time has come to let this play out in MLB and the more they get done this year, the less they’ll have to deal with in 2025.
I’d recommend moving him up in the order, giving him a chance to get a few more at bats and allow his defense to continue to progress by using Bart as a DH when he returns as much as possible.
Henry isn’t a guarantee, but he can’t afford to be as much of a question as he is right now when they show up to Bradenton next year.
Results matter, but he has to have a chance to work through it and that isn’t going to happen as a part time player.
All that said, if Derek Shelton is in as much trouble as was reported, it’s going to be hard for the team to force him to care about the future, a future he might not be around for.
Steel City Pirates 