9-10-24 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter
When I started writing about the Pirates I remember someone laughing about how hard it would be to come up with things to write about. Joke was on them, because this team makes me ask questions every day. Sometimes it’s as simple as why?
See, for many the answer is simply Bob Cheap or Shelton Dumb, or Cherington Failure, and those things certainly crop up as part of the solution, but they’re hardly as plain as people want to make them.
In fact, one of the things I force myself to do is steel manning the question. I may come down on a subject right where I started, but I love the exercise of playing the entire thing out. Maybe there’s something I missed or didn’t think of that clears the whole thing up, maybe I remain just as confused as when I started, either way, good luck surprising me with an angle I didn’t at least consider.
Alika Williams’ Ceiling
Despite what we’ve seen from any prospect or young player, there’s usually a very simple answer as to why you want to see more of a guy as a team, the player’s ceiling. Some guys have a perceived ceiling largely based on where they were drafted and it’ll follow them from organization to organization as front offices always think there is a chance others failed to unlock what they surely can.
Alika has that kind of pedigree, and defensively, he’s a dream. Now, the other night on the broadcast I heard Greg Brown propose that if he could only hit .260 he’d get All Star Game consideration.
When I was done laughing, I figured Greg just woke up that day feeling like it was 1983 and a short stop who did more than slap a single here and there was still a strange occurrence.
Alika has shown an ability to hit in the minors, a little. He’d found a little power in AA with Tampa, and he showed a bit more in Indianapolis along with average. Worth a shot last year, sure.
This year, he’s been a part time player regardless of where he’s been.
AAA 36 games.
MLB 37 games.
258 Combined Plate Appearances.
In other words, he’s not seen as a starter regardless of what level they have him playing.
So, why is he playing now?
The ceiling I talked about earlier? Well, I think that theoretical All Star Short Stop Greg Brown mentioned on the broadcast, not only do I not believe that to be an All Star any longer, but I also think it’s mighty generous.
I just want to know why him? Even if he hits his ceiling, let’s be real, you’d be looking to upgrade right?
I’m all for seeing what you have, and if the Pirates think they have room to keep a glove first, utility guy who’s value drops exponentially if he fills in anywhere but short stop and might at best become a single hitting small ball specialist, hey, keep going fellas.
Andrew McCutchen’s Knee
I admire Andrew McCutchen, for more than just being a baseball player, but being a Pittsburgher. He’s a leader and he’s showing it every time he plays on that gimpy knee.
It’s admirable and if this team were in a playoff race or if Cutch had come out and said this season is it for me, I’m totally on board with it. Go out on your terms big boy!
But that’s not the situation.
This team isn’t playing for anything but maybe Derek Shelton’s job if you believe that’s still on the table. Andrew has a stated intention to return in 2025 so this isn’t his swan song.
Couple things here.
First, this isn’t entirely on the team, clearly it’s what Cutch wants too, which I can understand from both sides, he is managing to be productive and Andrew has a finite amount of time to keep making his slim case for the Hall of Fame.
That said, if both sides plan to bring Cutch back, and every indication is that they will, let’s get the knee right so he can have a normal Spring unlike this year. If it’s going to require being scoped, let’s get it done and give him a shot at playing the type of game he wants to play next year.
Let’s also take advantage of the DH spot to see more at bats from guys we’ve called up, even if Billy Cook is the only one.
I don’t know, again, I have mad respect for what he’s doing. But nobody remembers that Kirk Gibson homerun and him limping around the bases if it happens in September and gives you 73 wins on the season.
Seeing Andrew struggle to run to first base isn’t exactly a memory I’m looking to bank.
Michael Taylor Plays A Mean Centerfield
That’s about it. Not even this team could have possibly thought they were going to bring in a guy like Mike and get the insane power production he showed last year. 21 homeruns and he only amassed a .720 OPS by the way.
This is what he is. Low average, low OBP, low OPS, great defender.
He’s had statistically the worst season of his career. .191/.249/.285 with a .534 OPS and somehow he’s a 0.8 WAR player. Well, that speaks to the very definition of Taylor as a player, he sure can play a mean centerfield.
We get this. We’ve seen this. If we were in a playoff chase and his excellent defense were a huge part of the reason, ok, keep playing him out there.
Now though, We have Oneil Cruz, clearly the starting CF in 2025 and just recently moved into the spot. Billy Cook is up here and has experience at the position so he can handle the right handed opportunities, even though Cruz has shown he doesn’t need platooned already long before the move.
So, aside from being a nice guy or some theories that he’s coaching up Oneil, what’s he still doing here?
Cruz has looked fine out there anyway and the things he needs to learn, lets face it, Taylor isn’t gonna get covered in 3 weeks of sitting on the bench 5 days a week.
This is all coming from someone who very much so wanted Taylor signed and offensively he even underwhelmed me who had him maybe hitting like .220 with 10 homers.
Steel City Pirates 