Of course Jones was the big story! Followed closely by our bullpen. But I can't overlook what was the most dominant inning I've seen in a long time.......by our $10M man Chapman.
I'll take a more positive spin on Nick Gonzales. Instead of emphasizing his 3 strike outs in yesterday's game, I will emphasize the 2 hits and 2 runs he scored to keep his .400 average to go with his 1.133 OPS. He has also has 2 doubles and a homer in the series. I will also point out he hit .338 in his September time in Indy.
If strike outs are the focus, it is fair to say that he struck out less in spring than 11 of the current hitters that are on the major league roster. Only Hayes and Reynolds struck out less than he did. Go Nick!
Seems pretty clear to this reader that Gonzales' continuing inability to do literally anything with breaking pitches - not just "strikeouts" - was the author's emphasis in this piece.
That is where stats are and charts can be misleading or misinterpreted. If pitchers threw nothing but breaking pitches to him, he would probably do just fine. If he going up there guessing fastball most of the time, he is going to look bad on breaking pitches. As long as he keeps hitting .338 or .400, we will all be happy.
I like the way he has started the season. That said, I think that before too long, the Pirates will be putting out the word that both he and Ji-Hwan Bae could be available to an interested team. Why? Step aside from Hayes and Cruz and list who the most important infielders are after that. My answer would be Peguero, Triolo, Johnson, and Brannigan.
My reasoning is that Peguero is an offensive weapon and our only one of the group who can play both 2B and especially SS at an MLB-quality level. Triolo can play all IF positions (his best are 3B/2B), but he has to start hitting for power. Nobody will hold TJ back, and Brannigan could be the equal of Triolo as a Util IF, and he showed some pop at GBO. We'll see if that carries over to AA.
That's my take, but whoever it is that are the odd men out, they deserve the opportunity to find a good home, and the opportunity to play regularly in MLB.
I think the Pirates made a mistake with sending Liover Peguero back to AAA, but I did not have the information on his health, which was said to be the reason he did not get 40+ AB's in ST. Anyone with any knowledge of the game can look at his progressions as a 22 year old through AA and AAA in 2023 and see this is a kid who should be a big contributor to the Pirates for a long time.
His ability at 2B and SS and his ability to hit for both average and power as a very young player coming through the minors puts him at the plus level. Was he rushed to MLB? Of course. After 260 AB at AA with 20 Doubles, 11 HR, he was promoted to AAA. With only 27 AB at AAA (1 Triple, 2 HR, 5 RBI) he was promoted to MLB. He struggled but still hit 7 HR in less than 200 AB - 1 HR for every 28 AB, and played solid defense at 2B and SS. He is definitely a kid who will be a solid contributor to this ballclub. I also like Triolo and a team holding either back is not a team that wants to win.
No mention of Luis Ortiz! Multi-inning relievers are so important for us with the u certainty around the rotation. Him & Borucki made it look easy this weekend.
If Ortiz is going to remain in the multi-inning relief role, and be a groundball specialist, then I'll take it. If there's hope of getting him back in the rotation, he's going to need to kick up those strikeout numbers to offset walks.
Maybe, hopefully they are easing him in for extended success at the mlb level. In the multi inning role they can pull him easier than as a starter if his command is off. By putting him on the big team they save his option for another year (if he can stay up all year). I'm not implying to give up on him as a starter, but finding a role that he can succeed in might lead to success as a starter in the future.
I struggle with that thought as well. On the one hand, it is quick to give up on him. On the other, if he excels in this role as a multi inning relief monster, it becomes pretty difficult to take him away from a role that has him succeeding.
Given the options at the upper minors, I think it’s more likely he ends up in a role like his current one.
Just saw that CJ Cron was released. One year removed from being an All Star, a feared power hitter. Think we could use him?
Of course Jones was the big story! Followed closely by our bullpen. But I can't overlook what was the most dominant inning I've seen in a long time.......by our $10M man Chapman.
Love the article format!
By far the craziest part of Jared Jones' debut for me was the fastball command. 71% for strikes and nearly all grouped in the upper third of the zone!
Repeating that could be a bunch of future success!
If he had literally ever shown that command in AAA or ST I'd have changed my tune on him immediately.
Even his own Dad seemed surprised at what he accomplished over the winter!
I am impatient for our 405 start, am in withdrawal
Took me a nice mini nap that I knew was coming after being on NS9 this morning lol.
I am really running out of excuses to knock off tasks from to-do list the next couple hours.
I swear the 2oclock hour has lasted at least 3 days lol
It has. I have been cleaning out a closet.
I'll take a more positive spin on Nick Gonzales. Instead of emphasizing his 3 strike outs in yesterday's game, I will emphasize the 2 hits and 2 runs he scored to keep his .400 average to go with his 1.133 OPS. He has also has 2 doubles and a homer in the series. I will also point out he hit .338 in his September time in Indy.
If strike outs are the focus, it is fair to say that he struck out less in spring than 11 of the current hitters that are on the major league roster. Only Hayes and Reynolds struck out less than he did. Go Nick!
Seems pretty clear to this reader that Gonzales' continuing inability to do literally anything with breaking pitches - not just "strikeouts" - was the author's emphasis in this piece.
That is where stats are and charts can be misleading or misinterpreted. If pitchers threw nothing but breaking pitches to him, he would probably do just fine. If he going up there guessing fastball most of the time, he is going to look bad on breaking pitches. As long as he keeps hitting .338 or .400, we will all be happy.
Unfortunately for Nick this is not how baseball works.
I like the way he has started the season. That said, I think that before too long, the Pirates will be putting out the word that both he and Ji-Hwan Bae could be available to an interested team. Why? Step aside from Hayes and Cruz and list who the most important infielders are after that. My answer would be Peguero, Triolo, Johnson, and Brannigan.
My reasoning is that Peguero is an offensive weapon and our only one of the group who can play both 2B and especially SS at an MLB-quality level. Triolo can play all IF positions (his best are 3B/2B), but he has to start hitting for power. Nobody will hold TJ back, and Brannigan could be the equal of Triolo as a Util IF, and he showed some pop at GBO. We'll see if that carries over to AA.
That's my take, but whoever it is that are the odd men out, they deserve the opportunity to find a good home, and the opportunity to play regularly in MLB.
I think the Pirates made a mistake with sending Liover Peguero back to AAA, but I did not have the information on his health, which was said to be the reason he did not get 40+ AB's in ST. Anyone with any knowledge of the game can look at his progressions as a 22 year old through AA and AAA in 2023 and see this is a kid who should be a big contributor to the Pirates for a long time.
His ability at 2B and SS and his ability to hit for both average and power as a very young player coming through the minors puts him at the plus level. Was he rushed to MLB? Of course. After 260 AB at AA with 20 Doubles, 11 HR, he was promoted to AAA. With only 27 AB at AAA (1 Triple, 2 HR, 5 RBI) he was promoted to MLB. He struggled but still hit 7 HR in less than 200 AB - 1 HR for every 28 AB, and played solid defense at 2B and SS. He is definitely a kid who will be a solid contributor to this ballclub. I also like Triolo and a team holding either back is not a team that wants to win.
Awesome appearance on NS9 AM!
Is this article about the Pirates? I had to make sure I wasn't dreaming!
This is a really great article! Love it!!!
Love that this feature is back!
No mention of Luis Ortiz! Multi-inning relievers are so important for us with the u certainty around the rotation. Him & Borucki made it look easy this weekend.
If Ortiz is going to remain in the multi-inning relief role, and be a groundball specialist, then I'll take it. If there's hope of getting him back in the rotation, he's going to need to kick up those strikeout numbers to offset walks.
i think they would’ve sent him to Indy with QP if they had visions of him starting again this season
Maybe, hopefully they are easing him in for extended success at the mlb level. In the multi inning role they can pull him easier than as a starter if his command is off. By putting him on the big team they save his option for another year (if he can stay up all year). I'm not implying to give up on him as a starter, but finding a role that he can succeed in might lead to success as a starter in the future.
i hope you’re right, i’d hate to give up on him as a starter so soon
I struggle with that thought as well. On the one hand, it is quick to give up on him. On the other, if he excels in this role as a multi inning relief monster, it becomes pretty difficult to take him away from a role that has him succeeding.
Given the options at the upper minors, I think it’s more likely he ends up in a role like his current one.
As long as he finds a role he's successful in, it'll be all good lol!
Yep, confidence in shorter outings, figuring out what works and what doesn't could be one method to help him have a chance to develop into a starter.
Saw a write up on The Athletic about Burke at Tennessee. I can sum it up like this…Good news: bat is legit. Bad news: born to DH.