There Has to be a Difference Between Stink and Learning

9-3-21 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter

You know, it’s funny when you’re watching young players how quickly many jump to saying they suck. I mean, let’s be blunt here, baseball is hard and if you lean toward them being terrible as a default, you’re going to be right more often than not.

Oh this isn’t about chastising you for being negative or trying to convince you to have more patience, I just thought maybe we should talk through it a bit and see where we come out. I mean look at me, why do I think Cole Tucker stinks, but want to see more time for Mitch Keller? They’ve both been bad, if anything Keller has has way more time in MLB to show what he can do, yet I still can’t shake it.

So how do we tell the difference? Or, since we already relatively established that it’s fairly subjective, what makes us feel differently for different players? It’s at the very least odd right?

I mean, Jim Stamm my co-host on the Pirates Fan Forum on DK Pittsburgh Sports Podcasting Network, and I have a running joke going on about Kevin Newman. He wants to be done with him, but would happily be wrong. I want to see more, but half expect to be disappointed.

I’d have to say, I love these conversations. This is really at it’s core what fandom is all about. As I was watching the White Sox beat the Pirates the other day, I couldn’t help but think about how many Sox fans probably had the same types of conversations about some of their players.

I guess, the first thing here is you really have to be open to seeing the bits of good you do see. It’s not unlike going house shopping, you visit 10 houses and half of them are blank canvas, while the other half are staged, filled with furnishings and fixtures. Some are going to see that staged house as the only answer for their family, others will see the potential in that blank canvas, even if it’s going to take work.

Again, the goal here isn’t to get all of us on the same page, or create some formula that unlocks what baseball scouts have been begging to understand for over a century. It’s more about understanding some of the things that lead us to form our opinions.

David Bednar is a perfect example. Over two seasons in San Diego, he pitched in all of 17 ball games, posting a 6.55 ERA in 2019 and 7.11 in 2020, his stuff was good, not sharp but good. Obviously here in Pittsburgh he’s had 56 games and has a 2.26 ERA and has become the clear cut closer. Now, I’m sure there were Padres fans who were still upset to see him included in the Joe Musgrove deal even given that poor track record.

I can tell you right now, I wasn’t excited about his inclusion from the Pirates end of the deal. In fact I wrote “A young hard throwing bullpen arm who could turn into something if he can control his stuff, but I don’t expect him to come North out of Spring”. Now, once we got eyes on him in Spring, of course my mind was changed, this simply wasn’t the guy I read about, these weren’t the clips I watched.

To fans here in Pittsburgh he was a “steal”, fans in San Diego are still trying to figure out how they missed this guy.

The point is, you pay attention to the skills, you pay attention to what’s developable, you also pay attention to what isn’t.

For me, that’s why I struggle with Cole Tucker. I can’t find anything to build on. His swing, well to me it’s just weird. He can generate power like we saw the other night against the White Sox where he flicked a ball opposite field off the top of the wall, but his mechanics have so many moving parts and he’s so lanky I can’t find a way to make it repeatable.

In other words, it’s not like I don’t see that he has talent, or ability, I just can’t find an anchor to build on. Left handed, right handed, contact or power I just don’t see anything to build from. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s why I feel the way I do.

I keep feeling like he needs to bulk up, needs to find a way to build extension into his swing but somehow keep it from getting long. In other words, I see the things he has to do to be daunting, if not impossible. All of this leads me to say, he ain’t it. Way more than his batting average, or hard hit rate, for me it’s all about what I think he needs to do versus how plausible I see those changes being.

Turn to a guy like Mitch Keller. He’s flat out stunk the majority of his time here, so why do I want to see more? Well, I guess because I feel his issues are fixable. He needs to learn to pitch inside, and while this sounds as simple as telling Jacob to put the glove there until he gets it, pitching inside while necessary is also dangerous. Pitching inside is the very definition of the razor’s edge, too far in you hit the guy, not far enough you get clobbered. Don’t do it and none of your breaking stuff plays or you sacrifice half the strike zone.

He needs movement on his fastball, it’s just too flat, and more than anything, needs to command his fastball. That’s some pretty important stuff, and that’s the key word, stuff. He has stuff in spades, now he just needs to learn how to use it.

Will he? I mean your guess is as good as mine, but I do think he’s close to figuring some of that out and giving up on him now would be short sighted in my mind.

Some of you see this differently, he’s had 30+ starts now in MLB and while that’s been spread out over 3 seasons, to you he’s a lot closer to Carson Fulmer than David Cone. Thing is, I can’t even disagree really, you’re right. I happen to think he gets more time, and should, but I can’t sit here and tell you not to trust your eyes, that’s how borderline some of these discussions are.

As we watch young players make up the majority of this roster over the next few seasons, remember, these conversations can be healthy. Let yourself see things from both sides.

Sometimes you have to stink now to shine later.

Jackson Glenn Is Looking Like A Steal

Each year in the MLB Draft there are what seems like an infinite number of under-slot value signing by players that could have potentially gone undrafted, but are often leveraged into accepting extremely low bonuses due to this assertion as well as their status in the draft class-most frequently college seniors. This practice has become commonplace in order to maneuver a team’s bonus pool space toward players that will require an over-slot signing bonus.

Only a couple of months ago, the Pirates were openly praised for their manipulation of the system by employing this tactic in order to sign four potential first round talents (Henry Davis, Anthony Solometo, Lonnie White, Jr. and Bubba Chandler). Most of the discussion surrounding this topic focused on the $1,915,300 saved by getting Davis to go under-slot. In addition, those who spoke or wrote about the subject, almost made it seem like they had reinvented the wheel in the process. Obviously, this dialogue wasn’t the entire story, and the later talking point couldn’t have be further from the truth.

During the 2020 Draft, Ben Cherington and Company utilized this practice by selecting Jack Hartman and Logan Hofmann in the final two rounds in order to save money-a total of $750,200-to put toward the previous two selections, Jared Jones and Nick Garcia. Back in 2011 the Houston Astros selected Carlos Correa with the #1 Overall Pick and paid him $2.4 under-slot, using some of this savings to sign Lance McCullers for $1.25 million over-slot at the #41 spot. They did the same thing in 2015 with Alex Bregman at $1.52 million below the slot value, along with a couple other deals to get Daz Cameron at #37 for $2.33 million over-slot.

Now, as far as this most recent draft was concerned for Pittsburgh, they not only saved the almost $2 million on Davis, but also banked $717,700 between 5th Rounder Jackson Glenn and 6th Round selection Mike Jarvis; as well as a little more here and there.

For Glenn, his $12,500 was the direct result of being a Fifth Year Senior, after having his original senior year at Dallas Baptist University cut to only 16 games due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, this also timed up with the worst season of his amateur career, and a shorted 5 Round MLB Draft.

Originally, a JUCO Bandit from Grayson College, he posted a .349 average with 19 homers over his freshman and sophomore season before transferring to be a Patriot for his junior and senior years; earning Second Team All-Missouri Conference honors for his MVC best 19 doubles, a .292 AVG and 7 homers. This was followed up by the .233/.370/.367 regrettable 2020 season; although Glenn didn’t let this stop him or even slow him down; playing in the Sun Flower Collegiate League for the Cheney Diamond Dawgs again over the summer, just like it was business as usual. This led to him slashing .366/.438/.732 with 21 home runs, so while his selection was strategic as a cost saving measure, it wasn’t like they chose to throw this pick away either.

And once again, for Glenn, it was time to get to work; getting his assignment to the FCL the day he signed. Ultimately he played in his first professional game a little less than a month later in an FCL Pirates Gold Uniform; going 2 for 5 in his first two games with two doubles, and earning a promotion to the Low-A Bradenton Marauders in the process.

Since that point, he has hit safely in 11 out of 12 games, while putting up a .419/.519/.581 slash line with 7 doubles.

At 23 years old his quick promotion was a wise choice by the Pirates in order to get him some work against potentially tougher competition on a daily basis; still some have questioned his overall ability due to him being over a year and a half older than the average Low-A player, which is a valid concern to a certain degree. However, in previous years he would have more than likely have spent his first season with the Class A Short Season West Virginia Black Bears and not sniffed Low-A until the following season. Plus not all guys that reach that level, at any age, hit the way Glenn has been, so why punish a guy by passing judgement for just dealing with the hand he has been dealt?

Sure, as with any other prospect, this Pirates could end up not working out, yet why not be a little cautiously optimistic and hope that Glenn can continue to produce in a way that forces a promotion to Greensboro to begin next session; with the possibility of mid-season promotion to Altoona, at which point he would be the average age for a Double-A Minor Leaguer.

Players don’t fit into a box, and neither does their development timeline. Player Centric, remember the idea?

Pirates Swept by Chi Sox

9-2-21 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter

The White Sox did exactly what they’re supposed to do with a team like the Pirates, they swept them.

Neither of these games were blowouts. They weren’t laughed out of town, but the Sox left little doubt about what a fully rebuilt team should do to a team at the low point of it themselves.

Players like Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu remember just a couple seasons ago losing 100 games. I’m sure they even sympathize in a way with the Pirates few stars who have started wearing their frustration on their face.

Jake isn’t a huge star, but he’s been toiling for this team in a losing effort more nights than not going on 3 seasons now, and it’s starting to visibly show up.

As a fan, good.

I don’t want to see people happy with losing. Just like I cringe when Steelers players celebrate breaking up a pass down 20 with 6 minutes left in the 4th.

On the plus side, the White Sox also provide hope. They are the result of a complete tear down style rebuild and only 3 seasons removed themselves from 100 losses. As good as they are, they might not even be at their peak yet.

It can be done, but players don’t tend to think that way. Playing this game and not living in the moment don’t mix, so for now they’ll wear those scowls. For now they’ll roll those eyes knowing the one or two mistakes they make can’t be overcome with the talent they possess. Dealing with the fact they need near perfect performance to beat a team like this should act to drive them forward, but what you start to see quickly, there’s a reason no more than a handful of players survive these things on a roster from start to finish. It takes a special breed to not let it destroy you.

Now onto the actual baseball.

Max Kranick got the start in this one and his line 4.2 IP, 5 ER wasn’t reflective of his effort. Early on he was hitting his spots with the fastball, and I mean with precision. He rides that heat at 95-97 and if he’s placing it, everything else plays. This doesn’t excuse the runs. It doesn’t wipe away freshly called up Gavin Sheets destroying him for 2 homeruns.

What it does is show you flashes of what he has to offer, a player who started 2021 in AA and found his way to the bigs in the same season. Bouncing up and down, flashes are about what we can expect.

The Pirates hung in there, as Cole Tucker showed signs of life at the plate going 2 for 4, one a ringing double he took opposite field off the top of the wall.

Anthony Alford, still plagued by the strikeout showed what connecting on occasion means drilling a solo shot nearly 430 feet with an exit velocity of 110.

More than anything they simply didn’t have enough, and they certainly didn’t have enough coupled by uncharacteristic play by Kevin Newman who committed a terrible error trying to turn two that would have gotten Kranick out of an inning that turned ugly.

6-3 final.

News & Notes

  • Yesterday the Pirates and the league celebrated the 50th Anniversary of putting the first all person of color lineup on the field. Others have covered this better than I, but it’s certainly important to note, this wasn’t just for effect, this team won the Series.
    https://twitter.com/Pirates/status/1433203021224181770
  • Cole Tucker showed some signs of life tonight. I’m of the belief he has a long way to go to salvage a 40-man spot for himself, but nobody should be rooting for the failure of a former number one pick, even if he has long since exited your plans
  • Anthony Alford showed that real power and flashed the leather last night. Nobody has doubted the athletic ability, but he much like Tucker needs to show quite a bit in this chance to stick.
  • Ke’Bryan Hayes is off with a self induced injury, but his absence really makes you appreciate what he does in the field. Hoy Park manned the hot corner last night and while he played fine, there were easily two balls Hayes gets to. Little things like that change the complexion of this game, maybe not enough to win, but enough to get noticed.
  • Shelby Miller made his Pirates debut last night, and while many of you remember him beating the Bucs as a Starter for St. Louis, the Pirates will use him exclusively as a bullpen arm. He hasn’t experienced success in this league for half a decade, so it makes total sense to transition.

September Call Ups for Pirates Underwhelm

9-1-21 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter

Anyone who’s watched MLB for even half a decade can think back to when that top prospect got his first taste of action in the league. September has been an unofficial holiday of sorts for teams long since out of the race who were given a chance to see some of the future show off their skills in the show.

It’s also served as a welcome break for playoff teams who needed to start thinking about rest instead of the race.

This year MLB has changed the rule to a meager expansion from 26 to 28, paired with an MiLB season that extends on longer than normal and the reason isn’t all that important to this discussion. It’s more about the effect.

The Pirates are poised to call up Shelby Miller and Phillip Evans, not exactly the let’s see the young guys feel you’re looking for in September is it?

It’s not about deserving, Shelby Miller has been pretty good for Indianapolis. In his 10 appearances only one was a start and he’s posted a 3.86 ERA with a 0.929 WHIP. Much like Yoshi Tsutsugo, I have to question the intention here.

Shelby and Yoshi are both free agents after this season, and while the Pirates certainly have enough money to resign both if they so chose, it’s easy to see how thin that line is. For instance, if Yoshi hits even another 5 homeruns that would be 10 in his short time here, and would clearly garner him interest from other organizations. Shelby being transitioned to a reliever too could potentially get himself interest.

So, I’m trying to think, what do the Pirates get out of this? Why is this more important than seeing youngsters?

I mean, let’s even lump Phillip Evans in there. Wouldn’t you rather see a Castro return? Maybe Diego Castillo? How about this Marcano kid that Cherington was clearly smitten with?

Wouldn’t we get more out of Shea Spitzbarth than Shelby Miller?

So here’s what I got.

This one is borderline conspiracy theory. I wonder if the Pirates are trying to build a reputation for doing right by veterans that sign with the club for a shot. In other words, if you sign here looking for an opportunity, you’re going to get one.

The other thing is really about how different the minors are this year, they’ll be playing beyond even MLB and the club might simply not want to pull guys, then send them back, preferring to just let them continue to play so we get guys they don’t really care about like Evans, Miller, even Tucker.

I mean, when things don’t make sense to me, I have to try, but even I don’t 100% buy either of these.

The thing here for me is the position this club is in. They’re at the bottom arc of the rebuild progression. Of all the times you’d want to see kids play the final month, MLB has taken the tool out of the box. Couple that with AAA and for that matter the 40 man being loaded with guys who not only aren’t young, but aren’t locks to be on the 40 man as soon as this December.

So let’s put these guys in buckets.

One Last Look – To me, this is Tucker, and Evans. This seems like taking a last look at two guys who probably aren’t going to be able to stay on the 40-man. Change that probably to definitely if things go unchanged. So, you give them a chance to change it. Bring up Tucker and Evans and let them have a shot at proving you wrong.

Now, don’t get me wrong, this makes much more sense with Tucker than Evans. Tucker is a former number 1 pick and while he’s had ample opportunity to show, well, anything, I can understand why you might want to give him another shot at the show. Evans has already been given a good shot, and I think he showed enough to make the call, but I still can’t see him sticking around. By activating him, they’ve actually set up a situation where it’s more likely he goes as they’ll assuredly want to remove him from the 40 man again.

Veteran Showcase – Yoshi Tsutsugo and Shelby Miller fit nicely here. These are both free agents after the season. Both will likely get interest from elsewhere should they perform well enough that the Pirates would want them to stick around. Both are only here for one reason, opportunity.

It’s a double edged sword. Every homerun Yoshi hits makes him more expensive, and less likely to stay. Every strikeout makes him cheaper and more a guy you kind of hope they don’t roll the dice on. And I’m not even touching the fact that we have no idea if the DH is universal or not. If it isn’t, he simply has no place on an NL team.

Shelby Miller has tasted success in this league. Problem is it was all the way back in 2015. If he’s someone who can give you 8-10 appearances out of the pen and show something, he’s the type of guy you’d be looking for heading into 2022 anyway so it stands to reason a guy who has really bounced all over the lace since 2017, up and down, here and there, he might be inclined to latch on where he was given a shot.

That said, the Pirates don’t just have to make 40-man decisions on borderline guys like this, they have to make them on actual prospects too.

None more so in my mind than Diego Castillo. He needs protected from the Rule 5 draft, AND he also will qualify for Rule 55, meaning 5 days after the World Series he can become a free agent. The Pirates just promoted the Fangraphs number 22 ranked prospect in the system to AAA and the decision on him is coming like a freight train.

Now, maybe they’ll see what they need to see in his last month at AAA, but the soon to be 24 year old is in position to jump ship should he like if the Pirates don’t step up and lock him down.

Sure seems to me it’d be good to get a look at him up here, at least over Evans or Tucker, but maybe I’m just thinking like a fan.

I can’t get past the thinking though that if you felt he was worth acquiring, he’d be worth keeping, and they have to answer some questions to make that call.

Feels like a missed opportunity to me. I’d also have liked to see another catcher, but if I’m honest there isn’t really anyone who’s earned it, not that Perez himself has either.

Point is, with only 2 spots, there were always going to be guys left out that we wanted to see more from, but pulling up retreads and busts didn’t spark my interest nearly as much as guys who could really be here and part of this thing would have.

Probably not the biggest deal in the world, but curious to say the least.

The Rebuilding Pirates Drop The First Of Two Against The Rebuilt White Sox

9-1-21 By Craig W. Toth (aka @bucsbasement on Twitter)

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the midst of a full on rebuild as the enter what will be the final month of the season, aside from the three games they get to play in Buctober. After last night’s defeat at the hands of the hard hitting White Sox, their record on the year sits at 48-84; officially eliminated from contention in the NL Central, although as we as Pirates Fans know that shipped sailed along time ago. We are told it is all a part of the process. A continuation of the evaluations that started back in 2020, where wins and losses don’t matter. Some have gone as far as saying we are not even allowed to question it.

Of course, I have not been as stringent concerning the guidelines in assessing Ben Cherington and his apparent infallibility. I stated from the beginning that I had faith in Cherington abilities to build a strong Farm System, which he is well on his way towards accomplishing. Also, his history of being able to develop players has proven to be more effective than his predecessors in Pittsburgh; a feat that wouldn’t be that hard to exceed.

However, on the other side of things I have been critical of certain acquisitions, such as John Nogowski, Ka’ai Tom and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo; the later due to my confusion as to where he fits into the team’s future, as well as his current status of no more than a bench bat due to such poor fielding (-2 OAA in only 14 games with Pittsburgh). And to those clamoring for him to be a designated hitter, an idea I agree with, the decision to retain him could easily come before the two sides reach an agreement on the terms of the new CBA; if that even happens before the next season is set to start.

And just like it is OK to question Cherington, there is no one on the coaching staff that is beyond criticism; especially since our own Gary Morgan has been doing so since at least August 10th. To refresh your memory, check out his in-depth article from that date. My own frustrations have arisen from the lack of focus displayed in something as fundamental to the game like base-running; and no I am not taking about Ke’Bryan Hayes missing first base. Many times this year we have seen players misjudge fly balls, singles, sharply hit line-drives, etc. on the base paths; causing confusion as to when they should tag up at third, take the extra base, round the corner or even leave the in the first place.

These critiques, along with the performance of certain players at the plate and pitchers on the mound, are all things that the coaching staff as a whole and individual members should be judged on. Yet, at times I believe that we take these things too far: using misguided frustrations about eventual outcomes to lay blame at the feet of the staff, Ben Cherington and in last night’s specific case, Manager Derek Shelton.

With runners on the corners and no outs, Shelton decided that 69 pitches was enough for starter Bryse Wilson after back to singles by Jose Abreu and Eloy Jimenez. Replacing him with Chasen Shreve to face Yasmani Grandal, who had done this to Wilson earlier in the game.

Never mind the fact that Wilson, recently came of the IL due to arm fatigue and is on a well known hard 75 pitch count. If Wilson had gotten at least one of the previous batters out, but more than likely both, it is possible he could have been allowed to pitch to Grandal; but maybe not, as he is well known for his patience at the plate (.402 OBP and 23.9% walk rate), so what would be the point of risking a potential high stress at bat onto the arm of a guy who is clearly in the plans for 2022 and hopefully beyond.

On top of that Shelton’s selection of Shreve was not a poor one. On the season, the veteran lefty had posted a 3.12 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP, although I will agree that he is not the best in high leverage situations on the team; but honestly who is outside of David Bednar, and maybe Duane Underwood, Jr recently. Surely not Sam Howard, who has a 15.19 ERA and a 2.63 WHIP over his last 7 appearances, but appeared a little better in eighth, or Anthony Banda, as he has not looked as sharp over his last two appearances. And this is just considering that Shelton was looking to go with a lefty.

Clearly it didn’t work, as Shreve walked two straight batters and gave up sac fly to make Wilson’s line look worse than it actually was, along with putting the Pirates down 4 to 2. Nevertheless, it seems as if this type of criticism is really just looking for something to explain away the fact that if it wasn’t for a two out single by Moran, Pittsburgh was almost destined to drop this game to the White Sox.

News and Notes

  • Bryse Wilson has shown flashes of being the classic change of setting type of pitcher. In 5 games started with the Pirates he has posted a 4.32 ERA and career low 1.16 WHIP; certainly not ideal, but something to work with heading into 2022.
  • Something else that is not ideal, is the fact that Ke’Bryan Hayes is currently day to day after himself by slamming his helmet out of frustration. He did realize it was is a mistake, one I believe he will learn from, but as a guy who has struggled coming back from one injury it is frustrating that this one was self induced.
  • One thing that is equally as frustrating is watching Cole Tucker. I know it has only been a handful of at bats, and one game playing out of position, still he has to start to show something, and really anything that doesn’t make me think he isn’t going to be DFA’d in the off-season.
  • Prior to the start of the game Michael Chavis was placed on the 10-Day IL with an elbow strain, and Hoy Park was recalled.
  • In non-Pirates news, Gregory Polanco signed a Minor League deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Pirates and White Sox are scheduled for one more at Guaranteed Rate Field later this evening at 8:10 PM EST before they travel up north for a four game set at Wrigley.

Max Kranick (1-2, 7.20 ERA) toes the rubber for Pittsburgh, while Carlos Rodon (10-5, 2.43 ERA) is set to go for the Chicago team from the Southside.

Frequently Asked Questions

8-31-21 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter

It’s been a while, and we’ve been very busy, but I haven’t forgotten the questions that keep coming in. Figured I’d knock out a few of these and to be honest, I share some of these questions myself, writing about them helps me answer for myself too.

Why Do the Pirates Think Shelton Should Keep His Job?

Oh man.

Well, this one is a frequently asked question in every sense of the phrase. The answer for someone in my position who typically doesn’t feel like bothering with something that just isn’t happening is, TIME.

It’s only been two seasons. In fact, he’s not even surpassed the number of games in his career to make up an entire season yet. Much like saying things like “Bryan Reynolds stunk all of 2020” you really have to say, Bryan Reynolds wasn’t good for those two months of what we called a season in 2020.

He’s 54-97 as a manager, not good, but it’s hard to look at what they’ve done and think the team expected better.

I honestly think most of you get that stuff, I really do. I also think most of you simply don’t like a bunch of the answers they’ve had for COVID ball, especially when coupled with an already sure to be cautious approach to pitching.

2020 was weird, for everyone. Pitching was a problem because most arms didn’t get the buildup they have practiced for years to get ready. On top of that the staff they trotted out there in 2020 was brutal, BEFORE they got injured.

So when the calendar flipped to 2021, many of us expected to see a different handling of the staff. Many of us disregarded Ben Cherington telling us from his own mouth that they’d use a TON of pitchers and watch innings very closely.

That my friends is a directive.

A directive he’s executed.

Bosses like being listened to.

I’d also add here this management group, meaning all of them from Cherington to Jonathan Johnston in Bradenton, are of the belief that starters don’t need to go super deep into games. At least that’s what they’re saying now, and before you attribute it to the pitchers they have in MLB not being good enough, it’s exactly how they’ve handled it all up and down the system.

They’re hardly alone, but I’m not blind, I too have watched opposing pitchers go 8 against the Pirates on the reg.

Long way of saying, pulling guys early is a philosophy, and one that’s not likely to change when and if the manager does.

What else do we got? How about making bad choices when he does change pitchers? Well, that one I will say I’ve seen and agree with. Again, I hate to provide him cover, but the organization wants to see if Kyle Keller can handle leverage innings, guess what they’re going to see?

My main beef with him has been constant lineup changes, but he’s explained that as only feeling the need to lock in one guy, Reynolds. This leads me to believe when he gets more players who earn it, they’ll lock in a bit more, but personally, I’m a fan of continuity in a lineup. Guys like routine and bouncing people all over tends to not provide that.

Resting guys is another thing most people hate, me included. But again, this is what they want to do. Personally, I say go back to the old Sunday lineup method where you rest 3-4 guys on one day instead of sprinkling 1 here and 2 there so that the team is short handed an entire series or even week at some point.

Let’s sum this up.

He’s not getting fired, not even close. His players do play hard for him and don’t quit. They wanted to improve defensively and absolutely did. Even John Russell the worst manager I’ve personally witnessed got almost 3 full seasons. Calm down a bit. There are much bigger issues to tackle first.

Do they think he’s the “right” guy? Well, I think I’d have to leave it at they don’t think he’s not, yet.

When Will the Pirates Stop Being a Farm System for the League?

Well, unless baseball’s system changes, never.

That doesn’t mean they won’t extend guys, or that they’ll always trade everyone as soon as they have a year or two left of team control, but that’s reality.

Want to say that’s because of Nutting? Sure, why not. If he upped the yearly payroll to say 130 million, a completely fair number that everyone can agree would be both him spending, and trying I’m sure. They’d still have to trade some guys to keep the number there.

In fact, by 2025 or 2026, they’ll probably be close to that figure just through arbitration and extensions. Not coincidentally, probably will have a pretty damn good team too.

At some point though, those players will want big money. Some might get it, all definitely won’t. Even if they extend Reynolds to 2030 as I’ve suggested multiple times, he’ll be traded in 28 or 29.

Just like the Rays traded arguably their best pitcher Blake Snell right after making the World Series to receive a return at his peak value, the Pirates will also look to never let their system return to the depths it reached.

This is what baseball looks like under an unbalanced system. The owner doesn’t help, he could do more, but he, Mark Cuban, Michael Keaton, Billy Gardell, whoever you think wants to buy them and used to live here, would be faced with the same boundaries.

His personal wealth has almost no place in this conversation. Not one owner in any major professional sport here in North America is spending from their own pocket. It’s the system, and his unwillingness to ride close to the top end of the budget for any length of time is the real issue.

Even if Ben Cherington does everything absolutely right, they’ll literally never stop moving guys who are expiring.

Say it’s 2026 and Ke’Bryan Hayes is in his last year with the Pirates because they failed to extend him. He’ll probably be making 13-15 million via arbitration if he’s done well enough to care he might be almost gone. If they feel they have a real shot at the playoffs or even the series, he’ll stay, and walk away in free agency.

That’s the only time you won’t see a trade, and it still won’t stop you from thinking they’re the farm system for everyone else.

Me telling you it’s this way in 20 of the 30 cities MLB has a franchise won’t change that feeling either.

To me, it’s better to admit this is the case, rather than tell a ton of people who say it they’re wrong, only to have it crop up again in a couple years.

I get this isn’t fun to hear, but when you see me fight for a Salary Cap system, it’s to make things possible. Sidney Crosby isn’t a Penguin right now without a salary cap, hell there might not even be a Pittsburgh Penguins. Big Ben has long since been in LA or NY without a cap.

Reality isn’t pretty, but I’d rather arm you with it than placate you by lying that this time will be different. If it feels different, it’ll be because you actually want to see who’s next due to a thriving, actual, farm system. That’s what guys like me hope for.

Why Won’t the Pirates Promote Players Faster in the Minors?

Well, it’s first of all important to say there isn’t a one size fits all approach here. For instance I can’t sit here and tell you Matt Fraizer deserved to get promoted but Nick Gonzales needs to get seasoning.

Injury has played a role for so many guys that most people have eyes on. Roansy Contreras, Oneil Cruz, Nick Gonzales, Liover Peguero, and more, have all been touched by the injury bug. That alone isn’t an answer, but it is part of the equation.

I’d also say numbers aren’t what they’re looking for. Every prospect has a list of check boxes, things they’re looking to see them master or at least show a competency for before bumping them up.

I’ll also say, Cherington has a history of feeling AA and AAA aren’t really that much different. One has former MLB players or AAAA players, the other has prospects and when it comes time to look at his depth chart, guys in AA aren’t necessarily below AAA. Sure if it works out that way, great, but it isn’t always a necessity.

We’ve seen that with Rodolfo Castro this year.

Another factor is that some of these teams like Greensboro are in a playoff race, and while that doesn’t mean anything to the organization or the success of those prospects, it is an opportunity to let some of these guys grow together and fight for a championship together.

In fact the last stretch of really good baseball here in Pittsburgh was largely fueled by the Altoona Curve championship season. That group largely came up together and man they were tight. We’re already seeing Peguero and Gonzales become brothers, and as a DP combo we hope to watch play together one day, that’s not a bad thing.

So should Gonzales be in Altoona? Well, he sure could be, but what he’d gain out of it vs what he could gain out of staying, eh, I’ll just say, I get it.

Big jumps are always going to come in the off season, and after the All Star Break. Again, this year most of those candidates were injured for the first landmark, so it stands to reason they stay.

We also tend to forget guys can’t move up until someone above them moves up, down or out. Expect a TON of that this offseason as the Pirates look to make room for graduates from the DSL and places to put draft picks they haven’t placed yet.

That’s it for this edition. Even when it feels like I’m ignoring questions, I’ll get to them. Have a great night everybody and Lets Go Bucs.

-Gary

Catching Up (Pun Intended) On A Few Recent Acquisitions At A Pretty Important Position

Over the past few day I have spent a decent amount of time perusing the annals of Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects dating all the way back to about 1983; mostly focusing on catchers, as General Manager Ben Cherington has apparently made it a mission within his overall rebuilding of the Farm System to bring in some depth at this particular position.

Covering almost 40 years of baseball, a total of 17 Pittsburgh Pirates catchers have been placed inside their top 10 to 30 Minor League Prospects by various outside experts. The first two were Brian Harper and Juior Ortiz in 1983, followed by Ruben Rodriguez from 1984-1987, next were Tom Prince and Willie Smith-who actually focused more on pitching-each for one year in 1988 and 1989, then came Jason Kendall from 1993-1996, JR House from 2000-2005, Ryan Doumit in 2004-2005, Ronny Paulino in 2006, Steve Lerud spread out through 2005, 2007 and 2009, Andrew Walker 2008, Jason Jaramillo in 2009, Tony Sanchez from 2010-2012, Reese McGuire from 2014-2016, Elias Diaz in 2017 and now Henry Davis and Endy Rodriguez, with Carter Bins on MLB Pipeline’s list for a split second, and Fangraphs at #43.

Of the 17, only one-Kendall-cemented himself as an All-Star in the Majors, accumulating 41.7 WAR for his career, while three others-Harper (12.3) Doumit (8.6) and Paulino (5.3)-became MLB starters for a short period of time. Then there were Ortiz (-.3), Tom Prince (.8), who lasted in the league for an extended periods of time, mostly in reserve roles; together with Jaramillo (-.8), Rodriguez (0.0), House (-.3), Lerud (-.2) and Sanchez (.1), that got little more than a cup of coffee. Finally, you have one-Walker-who never made it past High A, along with McGuire (1.5) and Diaz (1.7)-1.4 coming this year-that are continuing to add to their career stats.

One catcher in almost 40 years from within the Pirates Farm System that amassed more than 10 WAR, as it presently stands, with Jacob Stallings sitting at 5.8; and barely any overlap throughout the years as far as competition at the position goes.

During the last offseason, in the MLB Draft and at the most recent trade deadline Cherington has acquired five catchers, but only one who currently sits at above the Low and High A Levels; the aforementioned Carter Bins, who has been slashing .130/.298/.196 between the Mariners and Pirates Farm Systems following his promotion on July 11th, with his obvious involvement in the Tyler Anderson trade squarely in between.

Moving down through the organization, 1st Overall Pick Henry Davis is on the shelf in Greensboro after 31 professional plate appearances, which is not an ideal start to a professional career, Eli Wilson has struggled since coming up from Bradenton-.235/.333/.353-and Blake Sabol is not guaranteed to be able to stick at the position long term; although he has performed well all year.

Then comes the last stop before the FCL, with the Marauders, where Cherington has really injected competition into the position; first with Endy Rodriguez, who came to the system in the three team Joe Musgrove deal from the New York Mets, challenged immediately by Wilson, and now by the recently acquired, Abrahan Gutierrez, on the second attempt from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Originally signed by the Mets for just $10,000 during the 2018-19 international signing period, Rodriguez with his .287 average, 10 homers, 18.5% and 12.3% K to BB rate and 131 wRC+ has fought to stay in the everyday lineup this far this season; playing 1st Base and now left field due to his athleticism, along with being the designated hitter on 20 occasions.

As far as Gutierrez, is concerned, he didn’t really skip a beat in his transition down Florida’s Gulf Coast from the Threshers in Clearwater, as his average stayed steady (.286 to .290), his OPS continued to be a career best (.850 to .902) and he proceeded to maintain his pattern of more walks than strike outs (50 to 39 on the season). However, as some will remember his trip from the Braves to the Phillies was a little bit more hectic. Signed by the Braves in 2016 for $3.53 million, he later entered the international signing market in November of 2017 amid Atlanta’s international signing scandal. Ultimately, Gutierrez inked a minor league deal with the Phillies in the beginning of 2018; restarting his career with a completely different organization. That was soon followed by a Low A assignment in each year surrounding the shutdown, which eventually made him expendable to the Phillies, along with his Rule 5 eligibility status. And now unfortunately, he has found his way on the 7-Day IL with what was described as a lower body injury on Friday.

So, at the present moment the Pirates have exactly three catchers that have consistently performed throughout the season; one of whom is injured (Gutierrez), one not guaranteed to stick at the position (Sabol) and another that some are all too happy to move to the outfield (Rodriguez) because of the depth that now exists within the system.

Of course, by next year all of this could change, as it becomes the push to get Davis to MLB, a hope that Jacob Stallings can remain healthy and productive and a search for a consistent back up, if it isn’t Perez, with fillers in Indianapolis for the majority of the year. So, not much different than it has been in previous years, if you look back. This is not to say that I don’t have faith in Davis, or others for that matter, I just think names and numbers don’t make a team; and as always it will be all about development throughout the system, but most importantly how they perform at PNC.

Pirates Top 30 Prospect Trend Report

8-31-21 – By Justin Verno – @JV_PITT on Twitter

It was a fun week for the Pirates system. A lot of guys had some big games, perhaps no one bigger than former 1st rounder Nick Gonzales, who had a monster game Sunday evening that included three bombs. A few guys look ready for their respective next level and one had a set back. And finally we see a positive sign from one of my personal favorite prospects, Brennan Malone.

There have been no changes to the the order of the top 30 and no one received and FV bump. Now let’s get to it!

1-Henry Davis – 50 FV       Set Back, Injury

BA/OBP/SLOPSISOwOBAwRCwalkK
Week286/353/7141.067.426.42916011.8%35.3%
Season263/375/6841.059.421.42416116.7%33.3%

 2-Quinn Priester – 50 FV ARROW UP

IPERAFIP  xFIP  WHIPBABIPK%BB
Week60.00-0.54.05316768.4%0%
Season852.864.064.061.1527125.1%8.6%

3 – Roansy Contreras – 50 FV IL

IPERAFIP  xFIP  WHIPBABIPK%BB
Week – (IL)
Season462.352.362.79.9127535.5%6%

4- Liover Peguero – 50 FV ARROW UP

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week333/394/6671.061.333.4461759.1%21.2%
Season266/324/455.779.189.3381077.2%25.1%

5-Miguel Yajure – 50 FV

IPERAFIP  xFIP  WHIPBABIPK%BB
Week – (IL)4.23.862.74.86.26715.8%0%
Season25.23.513.813.27.86.24226.3%6.1%
MLB9.13.865.214.51.86.14323.5%8.8%

6- Oneil Cruz – 50 FV

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week273/333/273.606.000.283738.3%25%
Season290/351/523.874.233.3761348.0%23.6%

7-Tahnaj Thomas – 50 FV ARROW DOWN

IPERAFIP  xFIP  WHIPBABIPK%BB
Week57.205.391.60.35019.0%4.8%
Season56.24.455.845.741.54.28322.8%13.5%

8-Nick Gonzales – 50 FV ARROW UP

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week296/345/8151.160.519.4691906.9%17.2%
Season298/365/544.910.246.3891408.3%27.9%

9-Travis Swaggerty – 50 FV – Out for the year

10-Bubba Chandler – 45 FV

BA/OPS/SLOPSISOwOBAwRCwalkK
Week
Season143/294/357.651.214.3148017.6%35.3%

11-Ji-hwan Bae – 45 FV ARROW UP

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week471/571/4711.042.000.47820214.3%9.5%
Season 277/352/414.766.137.3391109.7%23.1%

12-Brennan Malone – 45 FV ARROW UP

IPERAFIP  xFIP  WHIPBABIPK%BB
Week24.501.081.00.33333.3%0%
Season- CPX6.18.535.504.141.29.31327.6%13.8%
Week – A3.20.007.619.122.45.33310%25%

13-Hudson Head – 45 FV ARROW HAS NO CLUE WHERE TO POINT

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week-300/364/350.714.050.2401040%31.8%
Season-207/362/373.735.166.35910915.9%32.2%

14-Cody Bolton – 45 FV -out for the season

15-Maikol Escotto – 40+ FV

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week-262/333/263.596.000.301749.5%38.1%
Season-245/374/368.742.123.36311216.0%31.6%

16-Anthony Solometo – Nothing Yet

17-Jared Jones – 40+ FV ARROW DOWN

IPERAFIP  xFIP  WHIPBABIPK%BB
Week2.216.876.433.37.54530.0%20.0%
Season55.14.233.693.531.46.39835.1%10.8%

18-Carmen Mlodzinski – 40+ FV

IPERAFIP  xFIP  WHIPBABIPK%BB
Week1.210.803.193.60.62518.2%9.1%
Season46.23.474.463.901.18.28631.3%9.4%

19-Canaan Smith-Njigba – 40+ FV IL

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week – (IL)
Season.286/.403/.427.830.14137213216.1%25.8%

20-Lonnie White – 40+ FV

BA/OBP/SLOPSISOwOBAwRCwalkK
Week
Season333/333/556.889.222.4021320%44.4%

21-Rodolfo Castro – 40+ FV  ARROW DOWN

BA/OBP/SLOPSISOwOBAwRCwalkK
Week125/222/313.535.188.2404511.8%5.6%
Season287/340/511.851.224.3631256.5%19.0%
MLB198/258/395.653.198.282766.5%29.0%

22-Diego Castillo – ARROW UP

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week400/471/400.871.000.38113711.8%5.9%
Season – PIT282/342/445.787.164.3431128.3%7.4%
Season – NYY277/345/504.850.228.3671288.4%13.7%

23-Rodolfo Nolasco – 40+ FV

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week286/455/5711.026.286.45316127.3%27.3%
Season252/376/398.774.146.37411515.2%31.2%

24-Jared Oliva – 40+ FV

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week286/375/333.708.o48.3321008.3%33.3%
Season250/325/346.670.096.306837.9%28.5%
MLB175/233/225.458.050.215207%23.3%

25-Endy Rodriguez – 40+ FV ARROW UP

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week444/565/6111.176.167.54822421.7%8.7%
Season283/375/472.848.189.39513112.3%18.5%

26-Mason Martin – 40+ FV ARROW DOWN

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week158/273/211.483.053.237439.1%36.4%
Season251/328/519.847.268.3591238.5%34.8%

27-Jose Soriano – 40+ FV – Out for the season

28-Luis Oviedo -40+ FV – MLB

29-Cal Mitchel – 40+ FV ARROW UP

BA/OBP/SLOPS  ISO  wOBAwRCwalkK
Week526.550/5261.026.000.4842054.2%16.7%
Season287/338/451.789.1643431125.7%16.8%

30-Eddy Yean – 40+ FV ARROW UP

IPERAFIP  xFIP  WHIPBABIPK%BB
Week601.970.67.23133.3%4.8%
Season595.195.284.641.36.25724.1%13.6%

Quick Thoughts

A nice week all in all down on the farm. Eight arrows pointing up, four pointing down, and one that I have no clue what to think.

With Priester, Gonzales and Cruz playing so well, I can see a bump to a 55 FV soon. Priester and Cruz would technically bring the 55 back while Gonzales would be new to that rating.

Who could we be talking about as getting promoted soon? We can start with all three of the above. I think Cal Mitchel could also be in that conversation.

And last but not least, what the heck is going on with Hudson Head? The obvious center piece of the Joe Musgrove trade came with a lot of buzz and is our highlighted prospect of the week. Advanced control of the zone and power that could develop and great contact rate… that’s what we had hoped we were getting. And I can’t say he looks bad, but he certainly hasn’t been the guy we hoped we’d be getting.

Hudson is hitting an anemic .207 and that is not at all what we want to see. However, his OBP is 155 points higher at .362 due to a ridiculous walk rate of 15.9%, which is accompanied by a 32.2% strike out rate. But there’s more! His ISO (.166) and wOBA (.359) are good, or at least above average, but the wRC+ is average at best. Meanwhile, the BABIP is solid enough at .295 and that suggests bad luck with such a big drop in his average.

The good? He has 59 base on balls. The bad? He only has two more hits than walks, with 61.

Good: Power is developing with 25 extra base hits. Bad: He has 61 hits. Did I mention that?

Good: He can play multiple spots in the OF. Bad: Nothing. He’s a solid OF.

I’ll end on a high note for Hudson here by saying he uses the whole field. Here’s where he hits them:

Pull rate-45% Up the middle-22.9% Opposite field-31.4%

In short, I have no clue what to think here. I like the approach and he clearly has control of the zone. I have to think there’s some bad luck involved, as the metrics lean that way for now, but there’s a “but” to that. The 15.9% walk rate… is that due for regression? The law of averages would say it is, but there are some guys that have that eye. However, if that rate takes a dive and some of the metrics don’t bounce the right way, he could see some struggles. He’s young and there’s work to be done here for sure. But hey, that’s why they’re called prospects! See ya in a week.

Five Pirates Thoughts at Five

Baseball is such a unique sport. You can literally do nothing all game long and suddenly with one swing of the bat score 3 runs. I say this because as Pirates fans, you almost forget how quickly runs can come in this game.

You can win so many different ways in baseball, but there is no better mechanism for immediate offense than the power stroke. The system has some power but there is need to find some closer to the show, if not already here, lest risk wasting time that could be pretty productive.

Let’s dig in here, Five Thoughts has really grown since we started doing this feature and the interactions after posting have been nothing short of incredible.

1. Finding Answers

All of the losses. All the trial runs of waiver claim pickups. Every instance of watching guys try to fill roles they probably weren’t quite suited for, were an effort to find some answers. Not necessarily answers for the team that opens the window, but the team that might shove a two by four under the jam to start letting some air in.

What have they found? Well, not as much as they’d like if we’re being honest.

Ben Gamel has carved out a nice niche for himself and having one more year of arbitration and probably no more than a 2-2.5 million dollar price tag means they’ve found a guy who on a good team would be an excellent 4th outfielder. Being that the Pirates have exactly 1 real prospect who could conceivably make the jump relatively early in 2022, he’s essential to the cause.

That’s an example of the type of discovery they’ve accomplished.

Now, if anyone thinks that was worth going through Tom, Alford, Fowler, Oliva, Stokes, Evans, Vargas, or the like, I rather think you might be drunk.

Above all what I hope they’ve learned is that Gamel could have been had in the off season for the exact same price tag and they could have taken swings on guys who might have actually pushed him instead of presenting him with the zero competition he was met with.

Next season, don’t leave gaping holes, it’s not worth the hope you’ll find a plug.

2. Wil Crowe Reminds Me Too Much of Trevor Williams

I’m not ready to move on from Wil Crowe, as I’m sure most of you recall, I was more than done with Williams. I like Wil’s stuff, his mix and his bulldog style, but I simply can’t tolerate pitchers who take almost a full minute before throwing each pitch.

Now, I say that and you probably think this is about length of the game, nope, I just think it causes certain guys to give themselves too much time to think. Thinking is kryptonite to some players, especially those worried about getting their stats in line.

“In baseball, my theory is to strive for consistency, not to worry about the numbers. If you dwell on statistics you get shortsighted, if you aim for consistency, the numbers will be there at the end.” – Tom Seaver

Consistency. Man what a concept Tom Terrific hit on there. Wil would do well to focus much more on that aspect than all of his rituals and delay tactics.

While he’s up there thinking and over thinking, the batter is too, and most of the time what he’s thinking is this guy is scared of me. It’s not true most of the time to be sure but at some point, you will it into existence.

I’m not ready to give up on Crowe, but there are forces of nature headed this way named Roansy Contreras and Miguel Yajure who will turn his underachievement into a bullpen role and an opportunity for them before too long. He has time, he has ability, it’s time to execute, because one thing he doesn’t have is limitless opportunity.

3. Backup Catcher Needs Addressed

176 plate appearances. That’s going to be the excuse if the Pirates choose to let it ride and keep Michael Perez in the mix heading into 2022. They like his glove, and they claim he’s been prevented from getting traction due to inconsistent at bats.

OK, I can buy that, so why not use the rest of this season to flip the script and have him start? Lets get this question answered.

I think I know the answer, and I also think we know the next potential backup Carter Bins is both too far away, and as of yet, not good enough.

I’d rather head into next season with something a little more solid than hope and speculation. First of all, Jacob Stallings can’t be expected to catch 130 games a season, he’s not ancient, but he’s also not a kid, that’s asking for trouble, and I’d rather not be turning to a guy who is clocking in with a .143 batting average.

You can deal with a defensive only catcher at backup, it’s done all over the league, but it becomes more difficult to swallow if you’d rather watch Steven Brault hit than that player. Look, this is a team that struggled mightily on offense this entire season, but I never like spending an entire season learning what a guy can and can’t do then ignoring it and doing it again anyway once you’ve seen it isn’t good enough.

This club is a Jacob Stallings injury away from learning a valuable lesson that I hope they’re smart enough to see before it’s taught.

4. Accountability, Meet Rick Eckstein

Something that never seemed to happen under the last regime was accountability. Nobody paid the price for underperforming. Nobody was ever expected to find a way to make their voice, long since tuned out, start hitting ear drums again.

Today the Pirates brought accountability to the doorstep of the coaching staff, relieving Rick Eckstein of his duties as hitting coach.

As many of you know, I’ve been calling for this going back a couple months. There were just too many instances of players coming here hot and falling off, only to never find their way back to where they started.

Streaks in baseball are a thing, but time after time players came from other organizations or even AAA swinging a good bat. As soon as they ran into trouble, there were no answers.

Kevin Newman is a perfect example. During the Spring he worked with Jon Nunnally the hitting instructor for AAA Indianapolis. It was a revelation for Kevin, standing up ever so slightly straighter and pulling his hands in just a bit created a much better bat plane. One that allowed him to hit the ball in the air to the gaps. Exit velocity has not been Kevin’s biggest issue, launch angle has. For over 4 months of the regular season we watched Newman go back to what he had done before. Hands out a bit, crouching again ever so slightly. Able to touch outside pitches, but only just. Able to get to inside stuff but only to drive it into the ground.

Finally he emerged about a month ago, when somebody changed his approach. It’s not clear to me if Shelton did, or someone else but that’s not important, what is however is the fact even if it was Eckstein, why’d it take so damn long.

It should never take 4+ months to diagnose something like that.

That’s one example, and if you watched players like Hoy Park come up here and look electric only to fall off the face of the Earth, you start to wonder if more harm was being done than good.

Eckstein’s success here came with assistant coach Jacob Cruz, currently an assistant with the Brewers, and nothing has been the same since.

I’d also like to throw out there that while this might seem rash being that there are only a few weeks left in the season, I felt this brewing last year in September. Shelton a brand new manager and former hitting coach eventually found himself incapable of idly standing by while Josh Bell continued to look absolutely lost at the plate.

You remember, he looked like he’d change his stance 6 times during an at bat and moved like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever in the box.

Someone was filming Eckstein instructing Josh and during the session, Shelton came into frame and took over the session.

If you are military, or a former player, even if you work in an office setting, you know nothing good ever comes from the boss having to step in on your project.

For now the Pirates will stick with Christian Marrero, Don Kelley, Shelton himself and whoever else they find running around with idle hands, and won’t name a formal hitting coach to finish the season.

Here’s what Cherington had to say in a press release. “We are grateful for Rick’s dedication to the team and our players. This was a difficult decision as we have a great deal of respect for Rick. Making the decision now gives us the opportunity to use the rest of the season to focus on improvements in our hitting program while also starting the process of looking for a replacement. We wish Rick all the best moving forward.”

That’s a mouthful. But it says to me the hitting plan will be Shelton’s, and whoever comes in here will augment, not develop, that system. (Stay tuned, Derek’s

It can’t get much worse, this will go down as a historically bad offensive season. Worst in so many categories that it would be a wall of stats that serve to only back up your eye test.

Good to see this, and don’t expect them to sit on other moves either. We wanted change, and this is what it looks like.

More than anything, firing the hitting coach is rarely about the individual performances of any one guy. Instead it’s about the organization no longer believing in the overall philosophy and or method of implementation, as Derek Shelton said this afternoon to the press, “That was the reason why. To say it was specific hitter-based or group-based, it was more about how we want to move forward with our hitting program and finding a different leader to do that.”

I say this because many will point to Reynolds or Frazier and ask why he doesn’t get praised for them? If your philosophy is only working for a couple guys (assuming of course those guys didn’t just help themselves) you might want to evaluate your philosophy.

Even if they fail to hire the right guy next time, it won’t make it a bad call to move on from something you don’t agree with.

Good luck Rick.

5. The CBA Looms

There literally are no topics you can bring up that don’t have to be met with, well, if we play in 2022.

Want to talk about prospect development? OK, but what if there is no MLB next year. Want to talk about Yoshi being a great DH candidate? Fine but you’ll first have to know it’s happening, and again, if we’re playing baseball.

Literally everything.

As a writer and podcaster I’ve had to largely ignore the elephant in the room. I can’t have every story or podcast end with the caveat that the CBA could change everything. But rest assured, it is the single biggest story there is in MLB.

When all is said and done, I expect both sides to give little things and avoid the big problems. I know most of you hate the Billionaires and don’t care too much for the Millionaires either, but the reality of 2020 was that many of those people didn’t make as much as they expected to and while it’s easy to cast that aside as nothing to worry about, it also casts a pall on these negotiations. I don’t get the impression either side is anxious to not play next year.

Selfishly, I’d love a lock out and cap system. I’d happily write top ten lists and record remembrances of the lumber company everyday if it meant the game was truly fixed on an economic scale, I just don’t see it.

If anything, let’s hope they don’t sign a 10 year type deal. I’d rather see 3-5 so this is right back on the table. Momentum is picking up for what will really fix this game, and I’d rather not brush it under the rug until 2030.

Bonus – Personal Note

Recently my podcast Pirates Fan Forum which has already been on DK Pittsburgh Sports Podcasting Network for 6 months if you can believe it, was picked up and included in the launch of a brand new lineup. It’s a who’s who of Pittsburgh Sports Podcasting like Around the 412, Yinzhers, Steeler Nation, The Ramon Foster Show, Mad Chad and Eddie and so much more.

I’m humbled to be involved and grateful to everyone who’s helped us get this podcast off the ground. Jim Stamm will become my permanent co host and I truly have to thank my friend Graves who along with Jim helped me find my voice and lent me theirs.

To everyone who’s been on the show don’t think this new format will get in the way of that, I plan to continue having regular “non-experts” on every week, because at the end of the day, this show has been and always will be for you and about you.

If you’d like to read all about this new platform, here’s a free article. Hope to see you all there and thanks for listening, it means a lot to me. If you want to talk about the show, have any ideas or want to possibly participate email PiratesFanForum@yahoo.com.

Lets Go Bucs!

Pirates 4-3 Winners in Walk Off Fashion! Yoshi 3 Run Bomb in the Bottom of the 9th

8-29-21 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter

The Pirates hung in there with the Cardinals, but Wil Crowe’s 3 runs in 5 innings was too much to overcome for this light hitting lineup, well, through 8 innings anyhow.

For years, the Cardinals have felt like the Pirates big brother. They spend more, they develop a little better, they’ve drafted a lot better and they seemingly play defense that is only matched by the parade of pitching the even when struggling shows up against the Pirates.

Plays like this from Bader

The expected batting average on this hit from Kevin Newman was .650.

Late in the game two gold glovers combined for this gem to rob Wilmer Difo.

And they’re always backed by Yadier Molina, now solely in 4th place all time for innings caught in MLB.

You always wait for them to age out, and slowly but surely they do. Molina will retire after next season, Carpenter will likely be done as a Card this year, problem is they always find more. Dylan Carlson, Tommy Edman, step right in and keep it going.

The Pirates did precious little to really threaten the Cardinals all game, until the 9th inning. Alex Reyes was wild and walked to men, before Yoshi Tsutsugo stepped in and delivered an absolute bomb over the Clemente Wall to win the game 4-3. It should be noted he had all 4 RBI today, the first on a sac fly.

Little brother split the series with the Cards 2-2 to really hurt their fight for the wild card.

Exciting finish, but don’t blow past the job this bullpen did again to keep the score 3-1. Chad Kuhl tossed two and then David Bednar and Chris Stratton one each to set the stage for the drama.

News & Notes

  • Ke’Bryan Hayes was removed from the game due to right hand discomfort, not good. Expect them to be extremely careful here. Important to note the wrist injury he suffered early in the season was his left. X rays were negative, defined as a contusion. Day to Day
  • Michael Perez pinch hit in this game, he is now on an 0-27 stretch. The Pirates really need to consider finding another backup next season, Bins is the closest they have and his glove won’t play, at least not as he currently looks.
  • Nick Gonzalez went 4 for 5 with Three homeruns and 8 RBI today for Greensboro. One homer was a Grand Slam, one a Three run shot and one a solo. Insane.
  • Yoshi Tsutsugo is not a good fielder, but it’s hard to deny the bat plays. That’s 5 homeruns as a Pirate, in only 8 starts. If indeed there is a DH next year, this guy has to be a consideration. What he’s doing is great, but fielding is his downfall. No DH, hard to see him as an option.
  • That’s now 5 innings out of the bullpen for Chad Kuhl scoreless. Man he’s been good.
  • The Pirates ate 6-4 in their last 10 games