I hate to be cynical, because I don't want to appear to be one of the geniuses who know everything about every sport, but I expect them to wait until he (Gonzales) cools off before they bring him up. Because that's what they normally do. Which reminds me of something that I'm surprised I didn't hear someone talk about earlier, that being Michael A. Taylor being on a tear at the start of the year before Shelton sat him down for 3 games straight because he didn't have a normal spring training and needed rest. He hasn't hit since he had the 3 games off.
It's still too small of a sample size, but I'm increasingly intrigued by Bae. Shelton cares too much about being liked and Cherington isn't going to give up on Tellez yet, so we're stuck for a while. However, if they're committed to Triolo playing everyday (which is okay with me), then the platoon should be Bae/Joe with Triolo sliding between 1B and 2B. Cherington/Shelton won't do that because there is no pressure to win, but Bae replacing Tellez would make watching so much better.
Triolo is a must have based on the known absences of Ke'Bryan Hayes over a season of work, and Triolo's proven defensive abilities at 3B and 2B. At present he has played 4 games at 3B with a 1.000 fld %age, and 21 games at 2B with a 989 fld %age.
In the last 2 years Hayes has played in 136 and 124 games. In years prior to 2023, the Pirates tried various prospects and non-prospects to fill in at 3B during those absences. Nothing seemed to work. Last year they just plugged in Triolo and the kid who was picked twice by MiLB opposing Managers as the best 3B prospect at the level he was playing, just went to work and the team did not notice any type of downside. He's that good with the glove.
We also have Liover Peguero who is still at least 2 years younger than the other MI's, and he also is the only SS on the Pirates 40 other than Oneil Cruz. That is very important!! We also have MI's Jack Brannigan and Termarr Johnson and they are probably going to be at AA at some point this year. My opinion is that BC gets himself on that cell and finds a beneficial landing spot for Bae and Gonzales based on how well they are currently performing. And if one of those conversations happens to involve a young, RH hitting Centerfielder who can hit for power - MAKE THE DEAL!
If Nick has a 35% whiff rate, but only strikes out 17% of the time, that tells me his is swinging away early and has a different approach with 2 strikes.
Problem is that it doesn’t appear the Pirates are looking to shake things up at all. They’re dead set on doing things their way whether it works or not. Sending Tellez up to pinch hit with the game on the line last night after how absolutely awful he’s been was a pretty clear statement of that. They’ll drive the team over a cliff before admitting they might be wrong.
If baseball could make a rule change for the better next year, it would be to expand the number of hitters on the roster. I would have preferred the Pirates pinch hit 86 year old Manny Mota last night, but there is no room for him on the roster.
Hated when they let him go in the expansion draft. We got Mota from Houston iirc for some lump of protoplasm named Howie Goss. Back in the day when the pirate won trades.
I hate to be cynical, because I don't want to appear to be one of the geniuses who know everything about every sport, but I expect them to wait until he (Gonzales) cools off before they bring him up. Because that's what they normally do. Which reminds me of something that I'm surprised I didn't hear someone talk about earlier, that being Michael A. Taylor being on a tear at the start of the year before Shelton sat him down for 3 games straight because he didn't have a normal spring training and needed rest. He hasn't hit since he had the 3 games off.
@Murph, where are you getting expected stats for AAA? I’ve looked and looked but have never found anything.
It's still too small of a sample size, but I'm increasingly intrigued by Bae. Shelton cares too much about being liked and Cherington isn't going to give up on Tellez yet, so we're stuck for a while. However, if they're committed to Triolo playing everyday (which is okay with me), then the platoon should be Bae/Joe with Triolo sliding between 1B and 2B. Cherington/Shelton won't do that because there is no pressure to win, but Bae replacing Tellez would make watching so much better.
Triolo is a must have based on the known absences of Ke'Bryan Hayes over a season of work, and Triolo's proven defensive abilities at 3B and 2B. At present he has played 4 games at 3B with a 1.000 fld %age, and 21 games at 2B with a 989 fld %age.
In the last 2 years Hayes has played in 136 and 124 games. In years prior to 2023, the Pirates tried various prospects and non-prospects to fill in at 3B during those absences. Nothing seemed to work. Last year they just plugged in Triolo and the kid who was picked twice by MiLB opposing Managers as the best 3B prospect at the level he was playing, just went to work and the team did not notice any type of downside. He's that good with the glove.
We also have Liover Peguero who is still at least 2 years younger than the other MI's, and he also is the only SS on the Pirates 40 other than Oneil Cruz. That is very important!! We also have MI's Jack Brannigan and Termarr Johnson and they are probably going to be at AA at some point this year. My opinion is that BC gets himself on that cell and finds a beneficial landing spot for Bae and Gonzales based on how well they are currently performing. And if one of those conversations happens to involve a young, RH hitting Centerfielder who can hit for power - MAKE THE DEAL!
I just dont want to see him play second base
If Michael Taylor is just a smoke in the pan, then shake it up i guess
Looks like Nick has ditched the Haines approach and sacrificed exit velocity for . . . you know . . . actual results.
I’m sure Haines will fix that first chance he gets.
Even if Nick's hot streak isnt sustainable, makes sense to try to ride the spark even if just for a week
If Nick has a 35% whiff rate, but only strikes out 17% of the time, that tells me his is swinging away early and has a different approach with 2 strikes.
Problem is that it doesn’t appear the Pirates are looking to shake things up at all. They’re dead set on doing things their way whether it works or not. Sending Tellez up to pinch hit with the game on the line last night after how absolutely awful he’s been was a pretty clear statement of that. They’ll drive the team over a cliff before admitting they might be wrong.
If baseball could make a rule change for the better next year, it would be to expand the number of hitters on the roster. I would have preferred the Pirates pinch hit 86 year old Manny Mota last night, but there is no room for him on the roster.
Hated when they let him go in the expansion draft. We got Mota from Houston iirc for some lump of protoplasm named Howie Goss. Back in the day when the pirate won trades.
Lump of protoplasm in the baseball sense. I’m sure he was a fine human being.