Kuhl Whip – The Topping to Improve the 2020 Staff

Way back in my days at SI I wrote a piece about Chad Kuhl as I believed he could play a big role on the staff for 2020. Now that some time has passed and we’ve seen a bit more about how they plan to work him back in I thought we should revisit and remind ourselves exactly what Chad can be.

We’ve heard plans for him ranging from starter to middle relief all the way to closer, but the most credible comes from Derek Shelton himself who suggested he and Steven Brault may essentially co-start every fifth day.

Before Chad felt that nagging twinge in his pitching arm back in 2018, he was making progress as a starter. Quite frankly, the Pirates have had 3 starters in recent history with this kind of stuff, Gerrit Cole, Tyler Glasnow and Chad Kuhl.

Yeah, there’s no guarantee that Kuhl will step right back in where he was, but the upside is there, and we’ve seen what he can bring to the table in the past.

Take a look at these numbers from Brooks Baseball

That’s Five pitches, all quality with huge changes in speed and the ability to throw any of them any time for a strike. His changeup was the last one added and it still was getting hit more than the rest, so he compensated by tossing more curves to offset the speed. His arm speed doesn’t change from pitch to pitch however and that makes him a dangerous pitcher. Take a look at his whiff rates especially down in the zone and up in the zone.

Now take a look at Gerrit Cole.

That shows deceptive stuff and his biggest downfall was facing left handed batters and that seemingly started to enter the solved category as 2018 got into full swing.

In no way am I saying Chad Kuhl has the same skill set as Gerrit, nor am I saying they have the same ceiling, I am saying there are similarities there that should provide some optimism about what we could expect from Kuhl if he comes back full strength. It’s a window into just how dominant Kuhl can be when he is putting his pitches where he wants to.

There is more promise in this rotation than last season led us to believe and adding back in a talent like Kuhl will only enhance that level of talent. If nothing else Chad could and probably should cause a shorter than normal leash for members of the rotation to find their footing.

I could see Mr. Kuhl starting in the bullpen if only to build arm strength, but don’t be surprised if he ends up pushing for a spot in the rotation or at least splitting starts with Steven Brault. These are new eyes looking at these pitchers and decisions will be made in that light. How different does this rotation look not only this year but entering 2021 if Chad is a contributor?

If optimism has a name for me in 2020 it might very well be Chad Kuhl.

Who is the Closer if Keone Kela Isn’t Available?

First, let me get this out of the way, nobody knows what’s going on with Kela. Does he have COVID, is he opting out, dinged up, waiting on a test? We just don’t know, but as many of us have put Kela on the trade block anyhow, who closes for this club if he isn’t available?

The bullpen has already taken a hit when Edgar Santana was slapped with a suspension for PED use. I can’t say he was an option to close, although he has the stuff, but who does that leave on the table?

Let’s start with those we are sure will make the club. Kyle Crick strikes me as the automatic choice if Clint Hurdle was still the coach, mostly because he loved to fancy the next man up philosophy worked for all of Pittsburgh sports teams. Kyle has some growing to do. He has the stuff but not the control, and while he has more history of hitting his spots than not, last year was that bad for the young man. He was a high velocity, living example of the three true outcomes. Every at bat was a homerun, walk or strikeout.

Michael Feliz is another option but man, he’s just not in possession of any one pitch that you’d call spectacular. I love the progression he showed last season and he can be a dependable back of the pen arm for sure, closing games out would be a waste with him in my opinion. He can give you more than one inning on occasion and I ultimately think he’s more valuable utilizing his flexibility.

Richard Rodriguez is a capable pitcher. Although it feels like he gives up bombs regularly, he’s just one of those guys who accumulates a stat line that shows he wasn’t nearly as bad as he looked at times. Sometimes this is all about the timing or the particular leverage situation he surrendered something big. Either way, he surely doesn’t have closer stuff.

Here is my pick, Nick Burdi. The fastball is real, real scary. What’s underrated though, he has nasty secondary pitches too. We didn’t get to see much of him due to a catastrophic injury in 2019 but this is one Rule 5 pick up who could end up being the type of steal that forces many of us to posthumously say good job Neal.

Another option is young fireballer Blake Cederlind. He is one of the Pirates positive tests for COVID but figures to be able to work his way into position to contribute. This guy can throw, and it looks effortless, as long as you don’t freeze frame on the faces he makes. This year or next, Blake will have a role in this pen.

I’d be more than happy to see the Pirates get away from the closer role in general and simply use pitchers situationally. I’ve never liked the closer if I’m honest. Too often it forces the set-up guy to face the heart of the order while the closer get’s the bottom third. To me it’s an arbitrary assignment and I just don’t buy that it takes a different mentality. It’s become a WWE style, character driven position on a baseball team and more often than not, the vaunted closer is less scary than their intro music.

Maybe Kela shows up and all this is moot for a while, that would be best for the club, the guy is a hell of a pitcher. I could see him pulling out though and spare me all the hand clapping and backrubs about how awesome he is for choosing to shun playing in 2020, I understand it is his right and I honestly don’t begrudge him doing so. But I’ll have a hard time preventing myself from reminding everyone he has never really seemed like Pittsburgh was a place he wanted to be. If I’m honest, I don’t think his value changes much if he does play this season. Teams know what he can do, and I’d hope nobody reads into a potential decision to opt out as an indication his “want to” is lacking. Again, history with this player will factor in though.

The single biggest thing the Pirates would lose from Kela pulling the plug would probably be the prospect the Pirates can’t get by trading him.

Pitching over Hitting and it Won’t be Close

Every Spring we watch pitchers dominate hitter in Spring. Sure there are your wind blown homeruns in Bradenton but for the most part, the main hurdle pitchers face is getting stretched out.

Hitters on the other hand take time to get their timing down. To catch up to the pitching in other words. It’s why we so often have premature conversations about pitchers competing for Cy Young awards early on. Remember how great Jeff Locke looked that one half season? How about James Macdonald? Sure, they pitched great but five to seven starts we’re early on against cold bats who eventually found their way.

This season a batter who plays every game and has the average 4 at bats can expect roughly 250 total.

Leo Mazzone former pitching coach for the Braves used to tell hitters in his club after about 200 at bats we’ll see what type of season you’ll have. Well that luxury won’t be here in 2020. With the expanded rosters and compressed schedules many will be lucky to have more than 200 let alone use it to any benefit.

This season is all about a hot start. Last season we watched the Pirates come out with the pitching staff looking like world beaters while the bats were ice cold, as the calendar flipped to May the roles reversed. That’s a nice two month window into just how this could go for any number of teams.

It means we can’t just look at the rosters and assume this guy hits .300 or this dude is going to get a shot as the lead off hitter. Giving someone a shot is a stretch of games, a number of at bats and giving someone a month to try to work through something, provided they have no track record, would be like punting on half the season should you pull the plug.

For young players it won’t be much more than the cup of coffee call up in which they need to prove themselves quickly or go back to riding the bus. So, it’s not about pressure they’ve never experienced, it’s more about dealing with pressure they haven’t felt since they made it happen the first time.

Some players will react well others won’t, that’s as obvious a statement as there is, this is sports after all. But the environment is ripe for a team with no real expectations to come out on top. That doesn’t mean I’m picking the Pirates to win it all but the separation from top to bottom figures to be thin.

Even the Mighty Dodgers will deal with the effect I’m talking about, and while they have many more players with track record they also have more reason to be frustrated if it doesn’t show itself early.

Don’t bet on the Pirates, but don’t bet against them either, anything can happen this season and that much plays out every year as the season begins. This one just doesn’t leave room for the cream to rise to the top when everyone figures their game out.

Adam Frazier – An Almost Award that Changed His Role

When the Pirates took the field in 2019 the team looked different up the gut. Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer had held down the middle infield together and during the offseason both were allowed to walk. This won’t be a piece about those two leaving or that being some kind of mistake, it wasn’t, no, this is going to be all about Adam Frazier.

We had questions about Adam’s glove and his ability to thrive at one position. Simply put, Adam answered those questions and procured a Gold Glove finalist nod for his trouble.

So, the Pirates gained a steady second baseman who stepped right in where Harrison left, and in the process lost their best option for super utility man, the last position Frazier took over for Harrison.

Last week I toyed around with building the pirates lineup and I tried to do it in such a way that you’d see all the different thought processes behind it. Everyone thinks through a lineup differently, so I tried to show some of those methods. One thing that didn’t come up was moving Adam from second base. I didn’t even suggest it.

On a team that struggled defensively, I’m loathed to consider moving the only member of the infield who was even in the running for recognition to another spot on the field, but is that short sighted?

On one hand, keeping Frazier locked in at second allows he and Kevin Newman to continue to develop together and depending on who you talk to, having a true position makes Frazier a more attractive trade piece.

On the other, Moving Frazier to Left field, or at least sometimes having him play there could provide opportunity to get Cole Tucker in the lineup and the sacrificial lamb from the lineup would be Dyson or Heredia.

If Adam held his own at second base and never received any recognition, do we feel he is this locked in? I’ve struggled with Frazier. I think he is the most clear-cut trade bait on the club not named Keone Kela (and if he opts out forget that), but part of that is where he plays. Middle infield is a position of strength on the club and it makes using his talent to acquire more that can help in other areas attractive.

Adam himself has expressed a willingness to continue to play wherever he is needed, and sure most players say stuff like that, but this is a guy who is actually capable of it. If Adam plays say 20 games in LF and slides Reynolds to CF the lineup is stronger, one of the young infielders the Pirates have struggled to get at bats finds his way on the field and maybe, just maybe, keeping this rare development success story in town becomes more likely.

It’s not lost on me that suggesting the Pirates trade Frazier is a very Pirates fan thing to do. In many ways Adam is the dream, you draft a kid with quick hands and a willingness to learn and he makes his way to the club and does well wherever you stick him. That shouldn’t net you immediate trade speculation, it should be extension talk or praise for his flexibility. Talk of just what he can turn into should be all over message boards, but we (me included) have locked him in at 2B, which means in order for the flood of players behind him to get a shot he needs to make room and it led me to trade talk.

I don’t want to lose that player, he’s not just a swiss army knife in the field, he does the same in the lineup. He can hit lefty’s and righty’s and slots all up and down the lineup. He has sneaky power and with that swing, hitting for average is always going to be there.

So why do I want to move him again? Maybe I don’t, at least not out of the organization. Recent comments from Adam seem to indicate he too sees his locked in position as a restriction he and the team don’t need.

We all say frequently we want players who hustle, try, and have a certain level of toughness that we appreciate more here in Pittsburgh. Adam fits the bill on all those things right up to an including playing all of 2019 banged up.

If he is ultimately moved for prospects, I’ll understand, hell I championed it. If he is allowed to improve the overall club by staying here, I’ll gladly be wrong and celebrate a well-deserved extension.

*Insert all Nutting won’t comments here*

My suggestion for this season is to use Adam in whatever way the Pirates can to improve the lineup and find at bats for Tucker while taking them away from the two expected CF options. Regardless, don’t let almost winning an award limit the effectiveness of homegrown talent or allow it to prevent another from developing.

Osuna and Riddle and Evans, Oh My

Many fans were shocked to hear Derek Shelton pointedly offer a few bottom of the roster candidates to occupy DH duties for your Pittsburgh Pirates on 93.7 The Fan. The story took off on social media and of course the first part of the discussion where he also mentioned Gregory Polanco or Josh Bell as candidates was just a bit less publicized for those who didn’t hear it.

Personally, as I said in my lineup piece the other day, I’d prefer to see Moran get at bats there to take him off the field, at least against right-handed pitchers.

Part of me would like to just call BS. I can’t see him filling out a lineup card with Evans or Riddle at DH and I’d like to believe he is essentially handing out participation trophy comments, but what if he is serious? What if you flip on the game for that first day and see he has Moran at 3rd and Riddle as the DH?

Boy that would be one hell of a hello Pittsburgh wouldn’t it? That’s why I lean toward a coach placating some role players. Because if I look at the roster, and I’m talking the larger group encompassing those in Altoona as well, I could fill out almost three full lineups before either of those names come up.

It’s not a bitter fan take either for me, I have no reason to think those two in particular are that bad, I’m just saying either of them filling the role seems so outrageous to me thinking it’s not real is the only way to stop the headache.

OK, let’s at least try to play Devil’s advocate. 60 game season, only 5 days off, two stretches of 17 games in 17 days, ok, somewhere in there I can see the team being so tired they have little choice but to put together a questionable lineup or two.

I question the overall wisdom of being a new manager, knowing the fans expect change and putting this out in the universe. It’s very Clint Hurdle in a way, I loved the guy, but he really liked talking about things like this and tossing out weird options on occasion, sometimes it seemed like he just wanted us to know he knew more about baseball. After a few seasons he started actually believing it, remember when Sean Rod started in a playoff game?

Shelton just came from helping to lead a team of relative unknowns to incredible power numbers and a playoff berth. Maybe he believes he has superpowers and Evans has 25 homerun pop in him.

No, I just can’t see it. What disturbs me most though, I can’t see the motivation. I never understood Joe Maddon batting the pitcher 8th either but at least his best players made the lineup.

I think that’s probably where I am, I don’t understand why he says things like this. I don’t understand vocally committing to Moran playing “a whole bunch” of third base either. I’m not sure I understand announcing things that I agree with to be honest. Like Kuhl and Brault potentially splitting the fifth starter spot.

Bottom line, when you have a first-year coach, nobody can tell you “hey, this is his history” or “don’t worry, Derek always does this type of thing” everything he does or says is brand new. Add on top of that there isn’t one coach who has led their MLB team through a 60-game season.

These statements aren’t worth getting mad about until they become more than words, but that’s what Extreme said.

To Trade or Not to Trade, that is the Question

Trades and rumors of trades is almost as much a part of baseball fandom as hot dogs and Cracker Jack. People love to propose them, dissect them and forecast the results, it’s fun and it makes something that typically could be a painful moment as a fan more palatable.

Here in Pittsburgh, the culture of low payroll and rarely extending players moves trade talk from a harmless pastime to more of a prerequisite for following the team. Unfortunately, being realistic doesn’t carry the same level of importance.

Maybe you think Adam Frazier is the best trade piece on the club, I can certainly see that and he’s near the top of my list. For me Adam is a potential .300 hitter and has proven himself a capable if not outstanding defensive player, but the strength of the organization is undoubtedly middle infield. That’s element number one, why do you want to, or think they will/should trade a guy?

Let me say this, if you’re reason is “he sucks” or any derivative therein, my question to you is always going to be why would anyone want him if he’s so bad? This one comes up most often with a player like Colin Moran.

 I understand fully how that comes across to readers, it sounds like I know more than you and you’re stupid. That’s not my intention though, what I’m trying to get at is twofold.  First, to see you prove another team would want him, you’ll probably have to take a bit more honest a look at that player’s resume or second, you’ll understand why a player is at best an add on to a larger trade if anything.

Some fans propose trades based on the “get”. Anyone who follows the Pirates with any focus whatever will recognize the need for Starting Pitching and Catching. When these concepts collide that is clearly the most hilarious. Let’s trade Colin Moran, who sucks so bad he should be cut if they can’t trade him mind you, for another team’s top pitching prospect who is set to debut in the next year or two. Temper your expectations there a bit or you best hope those scouts haven’t watched him play the field.

OK you say, get a low-level pitcher then. Like who? Like Malone who the Bucs just traded Marte for? So, you think Marte and Moran might net similar returns?

How about Josh Bell? I often hear of the “King’s ransom” he will return. I’ll even give you he’s a Boras guy and extension is unlikely or at the very least not probable. Let’s define a King’s ransom a bit. Is Josh established to that point? If so, much like the Cole trade, the Pirates will absolutely not win this transaction.  With three years of control and one of the two most expensive skills on display in the form of power, Josh would certainly return a nice package. Now if Ben Cherington is being straight with us it’ll take quite a bit to pry that guy off this club prematurely.  I’d think you’re looking at the Marte package plus one player closer to making the jump, perhaps another club’s Will Craig. I’ll caution you though, that player is exactly what Colin Moran is.

Wait to move Bell next year and his control changes, so the only thing that could maintain that level of return would be a continuation of his evolution. Is that Moran/Craig player worth forcing it right now? Or do you think another club will sell the Pirates their 23-24 seasons for Bell now? Maybe, but how many even have that kind of capital?

Another thing I hear frequently is that this management team can be trusted to make a big trade like this. Maybe, I’d like to believe that but just because we want to be fair and look at trades from all angles, should Mr. Cherington choose not to move a player, why is that a cause for not trusting him? In other words, we want to believe he has the skill to evaluate talent and get an appropriate return for one of the Pirates best players. Outthink another GM and at least get fair compensation, but, and I’ve actually heard this, should he not trade one of these big chips it’ll be the same old same old. Again, if we trust he can make the right choices, we must assume keeping a player is what he sees as best.

None of this is to say the Pirates should just keep everyone, but instead is designed to make you think just a bit deeper about it. Again, I’d like to believe Cherington would have made a better trade for the services of Gerrit Cole, not assume he wouldn’t have made it. We’ll never know with any certainty what was offered or could have been pushed for in the deal but the Marte trade is a window into what the new GM sees as fair compensation for at least a player of Marte’s ability.

None of these questions or thoughts address the elephant in the room, in a 60-game season who is going to pay the price? Yes, yes, I’ve seen some players opting out and I’m sure there will be some trades, but don’t you think realistically a player like Keone Kela is more likely? He’s a pure rental anyway so the risk for both sides isn’t that severe. I just don’t read that Zimmerman opted out and assume Washington will be all in on Bell. Hey, if I’m wrong, I’m wrong, but I’ll believe teams are going to binge on plugging COVID caused holes when I see it.

Bottom line, when we discuss trades it’s important to think of all the angles and stop pretending Jim Rutherford is going to whisper in Ben’s ear to help him come up with a 4 team parlay deal that returns two of Detroit’s top pitching prospects for Moran and Gonzalez.

There is a time and place to move players, maybe that is indeed right now, more likely it’s this off season, and maybe, just maybe, the Pirates like some of these players more than the fans.

Let’s Build the Pirates Lineup

This season the Pirates along with all their National League friends will be building lineups differently. They have a new factor, the DH. Sure, they’ve all dealt with it as interleague play has been around for some time but planning for more than 3 games with one is much different than knowing it’s here all season.

I could just list off my proposed lineups, but I thought, maybe it would be nice to go through the options and talk a little bit about why we, or the coaching staff, would want to put them in each slot.

Leadoff
The Options: Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman, Guillermo Heredia, Jarrod Dyson, Cole Tucker, Jason Martin

Well, we have a window into how two of them have handled the spot, Kevin Newman did a great job setting the table last season and Adam struggled. So, here’s the rub, did Adam struggle because he was simply struggling in general or because of the pressure of leadoff? I’d say the former personally, but there is no discounting that Kevin was better. Dyson and Heredia have the speed, but their track record says their OBP isn’t up to snuff. Tucker and Martin are unproven and unlikely to start.

My Pick: Kevin Newman, every day against left and right

Two Hole
The Options: Adam Frazier, Guillermo Heredia, Jarrod Dyson, Cole Tucker, Jason Martin, Bryan Reynolds

Here is where we have a real lineup formation decision to make. And I almost have to start from the bottom. See, I assume some combination of Heredia, Dyson or Martin will play CF and most likely land in the 8 or 9 spot of the lineup. Adam Frazier would handle this position well and it gives you a Right-Left start to the lineup. Bryan Reynolds is probably the best contact hitter on the club, having him hit 2nd could ensure Bell has more meaningful at bats early on.

My Pick: Bryan Reynolds, every day against left and right

Three Hole
The Options: Gregory Polanco, Josh Bell, Colin Moran

Traditionally, the three hole has housed your most consistent hitter. I’d typically tell you that would be Bryan Reynolds but until he shows it, his power plays better in the two hole for me. There are too many ifs for Polanco and as he may or may not hit left handed pitchers I’d prefer dropping him a bit. Moran has a solid bat but also many of the same issues Polanco possesses.

My Pick: Josh Bell, every day against left and right

Clean-up
The Options: Gregory Polanco, Colin Moran

Once you take Reynolds and Bell off the board, these are the two biggest power threats left. Early reports are that Polanco looks healthy, so I assume he’ll start most games in RF.

My Pick: Gregory Polanco, and I’d start with seeing how he handles pitchers from both sides.

Five Hole
The Options: Adam Frazier, Jose Osuna, Colin Moran

Very often the five hole is almost a second lead-off spot, but there is a very real need for run production here too. Colin has handled this position well, but I think the consistency and speed of Frazier could play very well here.

My Pick: Adam Frazier, every day against left and right

Six Hole
The Options: Colin Moran, Jose Osuna, Erik Gonzalez

Ok, this is arguably the hardest spot for me to pick. I’d still like some power here so I’m inclined to go with Moran, but Jose could provide pop there too. Gonzalez could very well find himself getting starts at 3B and if he hits like he did late last season he’ll be a welcome addition.

My Pick: Colin Moran, every day against left and right, at first. If he doesn’t handle lefties, one of the other two filter in.

Seven Hole
The Options: Jacob Stallings

I’d give you options here, but it’s just a perfect place to stick Stallings. He can keep the lineup moving and not slow it down as the lineup turns over.

My Pick: Jacob Stallings, every day against left and right

Eight Hole
The Options: Guillermo Heredia, Jarrod Dyson, Cole Tucker, Jason Martin, Jose Osuna, Ke’Bryan Hayes

Let’s start with this, I don’t believe Hayes will make the club out of camp. It will be a control decision and he’ll be on the MLB roster before too long. When he does, this spot could be his as the starting 3B, but for now I’d like to see Jose Osuna get some AB’s as the starting 1B. On the other hand, Jason Martin could be a nice fit as his speed and sneaky bat could play.

My Pick: Jose Osuna, every day against left and right. I’ll call him the 1B but I’d be ok if he was the DH too.

Nine Hole
The Options: Guillermo Heredia, Jarrod Dyson, Cole Tucker

This one is pretty simple to me. VS Right handed pitchers, Dyson. Left Handed, Heredia.

My Pick: Heredia against L, Dyson against R

So, here is our final Lineup:

  1. Kevin Newman – SS (R)
  2. Bryan Reynolds – LF (S)
  3. Josh Bell – DH (S)
  4. Gregory Polanco – RF (L)
  5. Adam Frazier – 2B (L)
  6. Colin Moran – 3B (L)
  7. Jacob Stallings – C (R)
  8. Jose Osuna – 1B (R)
  9.  Dyson/Heredia – CF (L) (R)

Now, part of me thinks we could be using the DH wrong here. I think Moran is more of a defensive liability than Bell but if I want Osuna in the lineup I’d rather play him at first. Another way we could go here would be to put Gonzalez at 3rd in the eight hole and push Moran to DH and put Bell back at first.

Another thing I’m not a huge fan of there is having three left handed bats 4-6. Do I hate it enough to change the lineup? Yeah, maybe.

Let’s try this:

  1. Kevin Newman – SS (R)
  2. Bryan Reynolds – LF (S)
  3. Josh Bell – DH (S)
  4. Gregory Polanco – RF (L)
  5. Jose Osuna – 1B (R)
  6. Adam Frazier – 2B (L)
  7. Jacob Stallings – C (R)
  8. Colin Moran – 3B (L)
  9. Dyson/Heredia – CF (L) (R)

Now my biggest issue is putting someone I’m not convinced will make the starting lineup in the five hole.

Maybe I’m overthinking this whole thing, something I felt Clint Hurdle was guilty of regularly.

How about I take my “this is what I think they’ll do” hat off and just suggest what I’d like to see based on who the Bucs have.

  1. Kevin Newman – SS (R)
  2. Adam Frazier – 2B (L)
  3. Bryan Reynolds – LF (S)
  4. Josh Bell – 1B (S)
  5. Gregory Polanco – RF (L)
  6. Jose Osuna – DH (R)
  7. Jacob Stallings – C (R)
  8. Colin Moran – 3B (L)
  9. Martin – CF (L)

There are so many ways you could go, and every variable creates a new lineup. I’d love to see your ideas. How did I do? Where did I mess up?

In No Way is This a Typical Independence Day

Independence Day means something different to everyone, always has, always will. To some it’s a time to celebrate the birth of the country we love, for others it’s a time to acknowledge the many imperfections of our union.

For many it is little more than a picnic day with family or an excuse to get day drunk and blow stuff up. For me, it has always been a day to think about people like my Grandfather or Dad who fought to keep our freedoms in place, and to try to bring freedom to those who didn’t have it.

Today, we have a different situation. In our 244 years of history as a free nation, we have had events or special circumstances that have eroded our freedoms for a fleeting moment and understanding that pulling together to get through it was something we all got behind.

This is the time of year that has always been Baseball time. The final ramp up prior to the sports abyss that is the All-Star Break. Talk show hosts openly complained that there was nothing to talk about in the sports world. Writers took the opportunity to write more long form pieces about individual players or off-field examples of charity and community outreach.

Special uniforms with stars and stripes built into our favorite team’s logo, and accents of patriotism show up in socks, gloves and every piece of customizable gear. Buntings appear in home ball parks and team colors are replaced in the crowd with Red, White and Blue as fans celebrate America while they appreciate the casual enjoyment of sport afforded by the freedoms we enjoy.

None of this is gone, not forever anyway. It feels that way sometimes but as much as this country leaves to desire at times, its important to remember the very freedom to acknowledge everything isn’t perfect is not enjoyed by every country in the world. We often see things in extremes. For instance, saying you want to see some changes here in America doesn’t mean you think North Korea is the way to go.

This Independence Day, perhaps it should be pointed out, we are celebrating the day America declared our independence. The fight was yet to come. Loyalists to the crown didn’t support the declaration and the likelihood of beating back the world’s most accomplished military force wasn’t exactly a likely outcome.

It sparked a culture in this country, one that used to understand always improving but never perfecting was the hallmark of America. The beauty in that is simple, there is never a time when everything is set in stone because we built change into our very fiber.

You may not like where we are right now, but it’s hard to say it isn’t a better country than it was 30 years ago, 50 years ago. We learn, and we change. We adapt and we grow, but we never stop trying.

I was born in the 70’s but did the bulk of my growing up in the 80’s. What has transpired in this country during my lifetime is simply astounding. We’ve gone from knowing gay people existed to seeing them stand up and proudly announce they were here and tired of living in the shadows. Fighting for equal rights to marry and adopt, and very recently win the ruling that employers can no longer fire a person for living their lives. Is it perfect? No, surely not, but we have made steady progress and simply because all these wins weren’t like flipping a switch certainly doesn’t mean they aren’t worth celebrating.

Change is not overnight, and it never has been. Try to make change too quickly and it leads to rebellion. Sometimes that is exactly what needs to happen, and we fought a bloody Civil War for that simple reason. Ending slavery was something that nobody could slow roll into, it was either yes or no. A lesson learned as the country expanded and trying to straddle the fence wasn’t working anymore.

When you have this many people, from this many cultures, spread out over this much territory, baby steps are going to be part or the equation. If you told that 80’s kid that forty years later black people would feel unequal, I doubt I’d have believed you. My favorite movie was Coming to America, I watched black players and considered them heroes, TV shows like The Jeffersons were openly knocking down stereotypes and showing a sheltered white America that problems were the same for all of us. As a child you tend to think most people see things the way you do, as you get older you realize that’s not the case.

This time has forced us to sit back sans the distractions we enjoy and open our eyes to some of the changes we need to make. That doesn’t mean we all agree, honestly if you’re waiting for that I’d suggest you won’t find a time in history, in any country where that’s the case. But change can and will happen, surely not fast enough for everyone, but maybe, just maybe, that’s what helps it stick. When you climb a mountain, you secure every step before taking the next. This philosophy doesn’t make it fast, but it makes completing the climb far more probable.

This year we won’t have baseball on Independence Day, but we have an opportunity to show we can handle the responsibility that comes with that freedom. We can all come together, protect each other and in unity talk about change that we all can see is needed in our Nation. To pretend this has been one nearly 250-year-old failed experiment is to ignore the generational change that has taken place through our history. The will of the people is still powerful. Look to our past and remind yourself that LBJ the president who signed and pushed forward the Civil Rights Act was himself a documented outspoken racist. That doesn’t make it ok he said and did some of the things he did, but it shows that when the country wants change, the President is little more than a figurehead.

We have more in us as Americans, and we will come out of this stronger and more equal than before. I know this because that’s exactly what we have done time and again.

Happy Independence Day to everyone may you find a way to celebrate it in whatever way it makes you proud to live in this crazy, evolving, beautiful land we call home.

All Aboard The HOPE Train: The 2020 Pittsburgh Pirates

As players begin to filter into Spring Training 2.0/Summer Camp/MLB “The Re-Mix”, bloggers and media members alike have taken to giving Pittsburgh Pirates Fans something very similar to grasp onto…HOPE. Hope that Ke’Bryan Hayes will be standing at third base when the season begins, hope that one or more free agents will be headed to Pittsburgh and most of all, hope that the Pirates have a legitimate shot at the playoffs or maybe even more in this shortened season because anything can happen. I am not trying to rain on anyone’s parade or tell you that these ideas are out of the realm of possibilities. However, I am a realist; which means I naturally temper my expectations and prepare myself for the mostly likely scenario.

On March 20th, almost immediately following the shutdown of the MLB season, Hayes had been optioned down to the AAA Indianapolis Indians to supposedly get more regular at bats. Now I know that during this time it was thought that both the MLB and MiLB seasons were only going to be delayed, so this belief still holds some weight and causes people to speculate about Hayes getting these at bats in the majors. On the other hand it seems as if the original assessment by General Manager Ben Cherington and his staff concerning Hayes was that he was not ready for everyday play in the MLB, so how does this position change in a 60 game season? Honestly, it wouldn’t as the player pool in Altoona is permitted to conduct intra-squad games as part of their continued preparations. Ke’Bryan would be able square up against the likes of Cody Bolton, Max Kranick, James Marvel, Nick Mears, Braeden Ogle, Cody Ponce, Aaron Shortridge and others on a regular basis, while receiving consistent hitting instruction from Jon Nunnally. In essence this would execute the original plan of Hayes working on his approach at the plate to bring his bat up to speed with his glove and based on comments from Derek Shelton about a lack of competition at third base, it appears that this is going to be the case.

For now the Hayes versus Moran debate has been all but settled, but it once again brings to light an underlying theme within the Pirates Fanbase of unhappiness with the current construction of the roster and if changes aren’t going to be made with players in the clubhouse, why not bring in more free agents? Sure Chris and I placated some of this outrage by adding Yasiel Puig and Scooter Gennett to our Pirates Roster in the Bucs In The Basement Virtual Season, but we realized this was just a fantasy and realistically Chris just wanted to prove that he was right about wanting to pick up Gennett in the off-season.

Since there was a little bit of a lay-off in between the shutdown and the restart many may have forgotten or better yet, tried to forget the free agent moves that Pirates made in the off-season. However, just because they might not have been the moves you were in favor of, doesn’t mean they didn’t happen. Outfielders Guillermo Heredia and Jarrod Dyson, Catcher Luke Maile and Utility Man JT Riddle were all added to the roster via free agency. Throw in Pitchers Derek Holland, Robbie Erlin and Hector Noesi, Catchers John Ryan Murphy and Andrew Susac, Third Baseman Phillip Evans and OF Socrates Brito on Minor League contracts. These are the Pirates Free Agent Acquisitions for the 2020 Season; for better or worse, so can we please stop talking about the free agents that are still available. Baring any extreme set of circumstances; including injuries and/or illness, the roster and player pool have been set. The Pirates are happy with who they have in camp, so we need to accept this as reality.

Another piece of reality that we as Pirates Fans should become accustomed to is that this continues to be a building year for the organization. Sure in a shortened season “anything is possible”, but is it feasible to expect the Pirates to take down the likes of the Dodgers, Braves, Nationals, etc. in a five or seven game set on the way to the World Series? The same bloggers and media members that would have you buy into this, are the same ones that are unhappy with the roster construction; playing both sides of the fence. In all actuality, even in a shortened season the Pirates still only have a minimal chance of making the playoffs and an almost non-existent shot at a World Series Championship.

Of course am I not ruling out or saying that I wouldn’t be excited by over performance, it just shouldn’t be the expectation. For me the expectation for this season is individual growth of certain players, along with assessment of others in order to determine who will be a part of the organization’s future. This may not be as exhilarating as talking about a potential playoff run and honestly giving false hope, but it was the outlook and plan prior to the season and in my mind not enough has changed to do anything other than stay the course. This is my hope.

Embrace the Inevitable

Most of us want sports back, especially if you happen to be reading a sports column that you potentially found on a sports fan page. Most sports leagues are trying to accommodate that wish. Now, I’m not saying they’re doing this for some altruistic reason, they want to recoup as much money as they possibly can and preserve the integrity of the leagues, they have worked so hard building.

There is something that just has to be broached, and it is of course COVID-19. When I say embrace the inevitable, I’m not telling you that you must like the fact that some players or personnel are going to contract the virus, far from it. No, I mean the literal definition of embrace. We must get our arms around it and come to grips with the fact it can’t be avoided.

Legitimately, here are the options. 1. Wait for a vaccine.  2. Play.

I’m sure everyone will do their very best to stay safe and every player will do the best they can to keep their families safe as well. None of that is going to prevent it entirely. I don’t even mean necessarily that the players who do come down with it will get sick per se so much as test positive. When they do, some will jump up and down with I told you so’s and damning the leagues for ignoring science or whatever standard fare you like, but the player will simply be quarantined, and the league will move on.

This is exactly what played out in European Soccer and its what will happen here too. Again, I don’t get giddy thinking like this, but I like preparing myself for what is coming and if we get through all these restarts without a positive test, either the safety protocols are years above what the CDC can even come up with or the leagues are better at hiding things from the public than any of us would believe.

I say the leagues will continue regardless simply because if they were going to bow to public pressure, they wouldn’t be restarting at all. MLB and the NFL have more challenges than the NBA and NHL in my mind simply because they are still going to travel. MLB has mitigated that slightly by scheduling based on geography, but hey, just being honest, I wouldn’t drive to St. Louis right now, you dig?

Players are not one massive body that all feel and think the same way. It’s part of why I hate when politicians target the “black” vote or the “women” like somehow being black or female means you have to fall into some bucket of agreement. Some players don’t want to play, many of those will begrudgingly either for their brand, or some money, maybe even for a chance at an elusive championship. Other players desperately just want to get back to what they do best, play. Nobody wants to feel like the Ferrari in Ferris Buehler. What is crucial is that no matter which way they lean, each individual must adhere to all the safety protocols as strictly as they can.

All along this process we’ve been living with, most of the players have remained in the relatively safe zone at least when it comes to age and relative health. These are fine tuned athletes and for the most part they would all recover nicely, with of course distinction given to those who have chronic conditions or loved ones who do. Pile on top of that the mortality rate continuing to drop right along with hospitalization rates.

Does any of this make it safe? Nah, but then again, the facilities they will spend most time in might be the safest places to be in the country. I thought for quite some time we might not get sports back this year, now I’m convinced they will be back, and furthermore will be here to stay. Right or wrong, its going forward, and I’m going to let myself enjoy it. Will you?