The 10 Most Feared Pirates Hitters Since Barry Bonds

All of these lists tend to wind up with Bonds, a ton of 70s guys and Kiner. So I thought, let’s force ourselves out of that all time historical box and just focus on the past 40ish years and hopefully remember some guys we don’t talk about enough.

Fearing Risk Forces the Pirates to Take On Even More

For a baseball team that doesn’t have unlimited resources risk becomes something to avoid. Now, don’t get me wrong, risk isn’t always a good thing, but a team that has no choice but to live on that edge, well, you better have some guts, and some very smart people helping you place the right bets.

How Deep Is Our Infield

1-10-23 – By Michael Castrignano – @412DoublePlay on X Last week, I looked at the outfield, breaking down the myriad of options and illustrating the options and difficulties at filling the three positions (four, counting bench player) on the grass. This week, we’re looking at the 5 guys around the diamond and how that expectsContinue reading “How Deep Is Our Infield”

PiratesFest Takeaways, Observations & Thoughts

The first thing to say about PiratesFest which took place yesterday 1/6/2024 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center is really that is was a success. We all can nitpick, but by in large, everyone seemed to find something that got them going. My friends with kids, well, they didn’t like standing in line, but once the line was through, the players, coaches and staff made the kids feel special.

Piling Through the Pirates Starting Pitching Options

I think it’s fair to say, the phrase “the Pirates need 2-3 starters, maybe 4” has taken root. Optimists, pessimists, and even team officials have acknowledged this need, so it’s not like saying it is controversial, but it’s also projected the impression that the Pirates simply have nothing but gray faces for whatever they don’t fill.

The Build Marches On into 2024, a Pirates State of the Union

Thing is, at least a big part of the story of this build under this GM is the very absence of a solitary mention of a window, or ramp up, or competitive zone, none of that. They’ve been careful to never let anyone know what exactly they planned on as the end game here.

Mitch Keller and Bryan Reynolds, Same Situations, Completely Different Handling. Why?

Both of these guys when reaching Arb 2 were undisputed leaders of their position groups. Both were considered “stars”. Both were not scheduled to head out the door as a free agent in the following year.