55 Comments

Best WS would be Ohtani vs Judge. And some other all-stars surrounding them. I just want to watch high quality baseball, not this replacement level ball that we've had for 6 months.

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Sep 27·edited Sep 27

Watched the game late tonite, just an awful game for Cruz with getting picked off, dropping a fly ball that pops out of his glove, and a TOOTBLAN for good measure. I can't watch Key, Triolo, BLDC, or Cruz for another season. Best part of game was Wehner and Brownie discussing how the team must play "the game" better next year. And good to hear them admit we can't sign expensive players like the big spenders do, so we have to do the little things extremely well. Then the camera zoomed in on Shelton. Only four more days til house cleaning.

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Those weekday afternoon games are not for working people. Not that it matters. I always used to block the scores so I could watch after work or even the next day if I'm busy. I've been so disillusioned this year that I've found myself checking the score to see if I really want to spend any time watching. My kids were really into it in April but quickly fell away - even the one who has been most into it and watched spring training games with me. I have little hope that changes will be made. Will they even consider letting Haines go? I have a terrible feeling that all the management/coaching team is returning and that it will be status quo with the team. Ugh!

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So the Pirates need to sweep the Yankees to improve (by 1 game over last season). If they lose this series, they will finish with a worse record than last season. I was told, by reliable sources, that a whole season of Cruz and Skenes and Jones coming up would make the Pirates a much better team than last year. My sources were wrong.

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I was also told that failure to improve would result in major changes. This was supposed to be a .500 plus team even without the Skenes miracle. Finishing with the same record or worse WITH the best or second best pitcher in baseball is a travesty. There have to be major changes for this franchise to have any credibility going into 2025.

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They’ve already improved! GMBS said so!

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Watching this Oakland broadcast is rough. Feel bad for the fans, for the people who work at the stadium who are out a job, even the broadcasters who can tell love this team.

Even the players are making hints at it.

Only one person wants this to happen. And he’s nowhere to be found.

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He wrote a letter. He just couldn't find enough money to pay for his security.

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Not seeing Borucki as a lock to remain rostered.

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free agent in a week

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I want the season to be over, but I also don't want the season to be over

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Sep 26Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

Oh believe me you want the season to be over!

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When was the last time many fans were sorry to see a season end? Quite a comment on the Nuttin ownership.

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Yeah, but like, what do I do? Watch basketball? Yuck

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I'm looking forward to the first 2-3 weeks or whenever they make an announcement about Cherington and/or Shelton returning or not. If either is gone, then there will be interest in who the replacement(s) is/are. If no changes are made, the offseason will be boring and long with little hope other than getting to watch Skenes every five days and seeing what Chandler can do when he makes it to the Pirates.

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Sep 26Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

I want the season to be over. I want it to be over so they can start making changes to the coaches and players. But I'm afraid I'll end up more disappointed in the off season than I am with the season.

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Disappointment is a given with this Owner.

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Disappointing off season is the norm for the Pirates. I just don't see anything happening that is going to shake this team up. Until Bob frees up some money, BC is handcuffed on his options. Shopping list is easy....2 hitters and 2 bullpen arms.

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I'm already cooking up "what should they do" articles for after season. Not management bashing though, but moves they should (but let's be honest, likely won't) make.

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Sep 26Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

What should they do? Seppuku springs to mind.

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This is my favorite part of early offseason, can dream and play armchair gm for a while

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Sep 26Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

But then whater we supposed to do DURING the season. ;)

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Continue to armchair GM

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I'm up to here with the "I could give a shit" attitude from Cruz. He's a walking mistake. Dropped pop-ups, pick-offs, caught off base. And that's just today. And he doen't seem to care. He's sleepwalking through games. AND THEY ARE STUCK WITH HIM!!!

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Definitely not a good look for Cruz and hard to say he hasn't mentally checked out. But not a guy you give up on. A cure for Cruz would be hiring a guy like Buck Showalter to manage. Not that I'm suggesting that, but he won't get what he needs from Shelton.

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The only thing that would have been more Pirate-y is if that had been the last out of the season.

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If we don't come back today, we'll be 4-9 and will have lost all four series since Cherington announced that he expected Shelton's to be back. As alarming as the overall record is that the four wins were by scores of 4-3, 3-2, 2-0, and 2-1. One of the losses was by 2 runs and none of the rest have been save situations. When we lost ten straight in August, most of the games were close--five were by one run and two others were save situations. All to say, this stretch might be the worst we've looked all season.

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Coming into today, the only guy in lineup with a wRC+ over 100 was Grandal (145). Cutch was 100 even. Next closest are Triolo (99) and MAT (92!). Everyone else sucks.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&season=2024&season1=2024&ind=0&team=27&type=8&month=9&qual=10

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Checking the Fangraphs page for the Pirates wRC+ numbers - Bart 123, Reynolds 115, Cruz 113, Cutch 109, Grandal 87, Gonzales 86, Triolo 74, Taylor 50. Not that great and a big dropoff after Cutch. Both Gonzales and Triolo need to be better if we are going anywhere in 2025.

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Sep 26·edited Sep 26

Guess I wasn't clear - the link I posted is September only, in reply to the comment directly above mine about the team quitting.

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On the surface, it would appear much of the team has packed it in and are ready for the offseason. I can't believe that's the case, but to me this has much the feel of September 2019 when consensus was that the players had quit on Hurdle.

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Kovacevic implied that he had inside information that if the Pirates didn't finish strong, Shelton would be out. It's safe to say we haven't finished strong, so this may test his reporting.

I guess that I could be happy either way--Kovacevic is revealed to not being as well-connected as he implies or we get the excitement and hope of a search for a new manager and coaches.

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Too bad it wasn't BC getting fired if they didn't finish strong. That's the bigger problem. Shelton can only do so much when half of the mlb roster probably shouldn't be in the majors.

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What's the attendance look like? Bracing for hurricane down here in the South.

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Better than the last two games but not great for Fan Appreciation Day? That's my take but it is a weekday afternoon.

In any case, Fan Appreciation Day seems meaningless when there is no evidence that the people in charge care all that much about putting a quality product on the field, which of course is all we really want.

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Seriously. That's an oxymoron for this franchise. Fake fiver on Hannah winning the race. Travis Williams shot me some inside info. Not like he is all that busy.

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Cruz not having a stellar game today.

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I don’t want the season to end….but certain plays make me want it to end.

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Here is to a solid finishing start from Mitchum the Kid today. Let’s get #75 an take the series from the Brewers. Beat ‘em Bucs!!

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Good 1st inning!

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I hope so, but he hasn’t looked good recently. Would fall in line with the tenor of this season for him to lose this and fall below .500. Hope not though!

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Sep 26Liked by Anthony Murphy

lineup is coming together

missing Endy at first and our big outfield acquisition in December 2025

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Don't kick the can down the road like BC........December 2024!

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Ian Happ is the one we want

Cubs have one too many outfielders

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If you're gonna pay $20+mill for an OF, you can do better, like Santander.

Of course Nutting won't go there. So we'll get someone like Winker, or worse, Heyward.

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I wonder what Santander will sign for because he might be our ideal target. Tyler O'Neil is someone else we should look at. I'm not that interested in Bellinger and obviously Soto is, well, that goes without saying.

After that group, there are a lot of aging players that used to be decent and I'd be worried about a repeat of our experience with MAT. Such slim pickings, even decent players may be out of Bob's price range.

The real shame is that in year five Ben hasn't built up the prospect depth to trade for help, though I will give him some credit for the Yorke deal.

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Santander is way out of PGHs range. He's probably looking at 25-30M/year.

Why would Tyler Oniel or Santander want to play in Pittsburgh?

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Probably about right. LAD gave Teoscar Hernandez $23.5 MM and I’d rather have Santander than him.

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If the O's step up with a good offer, he'll likely stay. I doubt he gets 25-30M. I think he ends up around 4/80 for his age 30-33 seasons. Maybe he gets 5/100, but that's probably his ceiling.

As to why Pirates - any FA who looks at Bucs pitching will be interested in talking.

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Santander won’t sign a one year deal

I wonder what the Astros are going to do about third base next year?

Isn’t KeBryan from Houston?

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Who said anything about a one year deal? Santander isn't 30 yet.

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one year left on Happ´s contract

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Sep 26Liked by Anthony Murphy

lets go bucs

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