Without additions, this team probably won't compete with teams like the Dodgers or the Cubs or other contenders. However, to prioritize winning with the players they have...
1) DFA Pham and select Solak.
2) Put Mlod back in the bullpen. It's Chandler time to sink or swim.
3) Falter in long relief. Option Holderman. Try Burrows and quit yanking him around.
4) Tempting to give Pegs another try over IKF but this one's iffy.
5) Option Nicolas. He isn't ready. Give Isaac Mattson a shot.
Too bad Yorke and Cook have gotten off to such terrible starts. At least give Gorski AB over Pham if you don't get rid of Pham. Other observations - Cutch is amazing! Frazier is surprisingly not one of the main problems over the last 10 games or so but isn't a long-term solution. When Horwitz comes back, maybe Valdez at 2B with Frazier off the bench. SS is simply a problem. IKF is ok at the plate in a utility role but who really can play ss? Triolo is the defensive choice but he simply can't hit MLB pitching. I'm not convinced but maybe Nicky G if he's healthy.
The series was a perfect illustration of who the Pirates are. They have 3 major-league starting pitchers, 4 major-league caliber relief pitchers, and 5 major-league caliber position players. Once you get beyond these 12 guys, it is all junk.
There is very little fat on the Dodgers and on most of the top teams. The Pirates are 14 guys away from being in the same league as these teams.
Totally agree. I've been saying a long time that the Pirates are half a roster away from being a good team and that hasn't changed a bit. And it'll never change under Birdbrain because he has no commitment to winning. That's why he can blow off roster spots with dreck like Pham.
The rotation is an especially good illustration. We all thought the Pirates were gonna have this great rotation. They had Skenes, Keller and all these supposedly great prospects. But instead the rotation is barely average, and that's even with the surprise performance from Heaney. Falter sucks, but he gets a senior discount. The experiment with Mlod remains a failure and it's weakened two spots at once, a classic Cherington move. And the last prospect to come up didn't even pitch.
They're STILL strictly in rebuild mode, after six fucking years. Wait 'til next year. Or decade. Or century. Whatever, who cares.
They did not need to rebuild in the first place. The fact that the team is being carried by Huntington holdovers and Skenes proves that. You can't go 6 years without adding anything but 2 starting pitchers, a relief pitcher, and a 2Bman to a roster and not expect the team to stink.
All of Cherington's trades have been disasters. They have not had anyone come out of the Latin system in a decade, and the only high draft pick that they have hit paydirt on is Skenes (which was a complete no-brainer). They have had almost nothing come out of the lower rounds.
Now... they actually do need a complete tear-down, because all their decent players are waiver wire claims and holdovers who are on guaranteed contracts, well into arbitration, or starting arbitration. They have too much money tied up in Reynolds and Keller who will be aging out by the time all their A-ball lottery tickets and Griffin are ready for the show (assuming any of the lottery tickets make it).
Cherington's 6 year wasteland is going to cost the Pirates 9 years, not 6. If you started today, it would be 3 years, best case, before they start to look competitive.
The maddening thing about not needing the teardown is that Cherington did that to satisfy his own ego. Go back and read his comments when he was hired--they were all about why this was a great opportunity for him to show that he could tear a team down and build it up from nothing. I've felt like since then this has been his own little project. To hell with the fans who don't want to wait 7+ years, to hell with the proud history of the organization, to hell with the good work the previous administration had done...it's just been about him and his reputation.
Which is why Birdbrain needs firing yesterday. Every day Nuttin waits is two more days until they have a chance to be good. But, of course, Nuttin doesn’t care, either.
Forgot about Canario. Because he is taking up space without playing, this is another proof that winning is not a priority for this management team. Embarrassing!
Meanwhile my model team for how to do a rebuild —- the Orioles —- just got swept by the Tigers and are now 10-17. They have no pitching and their young position players are struggling, at least for now.
Skubal is a FA come '27. Whatever his deal is as an FA (or re-sign with DET), it'll give a good indication of what Skenes will demand - or if Tigers deal him beforehand, what his worth is in a trade. Difference being Tigers are in 1st, so unlikely to trade Skubal mid-season. That won't stop Bucs from trading Skenes in 5th year.
Without additions, this team probably won't compete with teams like the Dodgers or the Cubs or other contenders. However, to prioritize winning with the players they have...
1) DFA Pham and select Solak.
2) Put Mlod back in the bullpen. It's Chandler time to sink or swim.
3) Falter in long relief. Option Holderman. Try Burrows and quit yanking him around.
4) Tempting to give Pegs another try over IKF but this one's iffy.
5) Option Nicolas. He isn't ready. Give Isaac Mattson a shot.
Too bad Yorke and Cook have gotten off to such terrible starts. At least give Gorski AB over Pham if you don't get rid of Pham. Other observations - Cutch is amazing! Frazier is surprisingly not one of the main problems over the last 10 games or so but isn't a long-term solution. When Horwitz comes back, maybe Valdez at 2B with Frazier off the bench. SS is simply a problem. IKF is ok at the plate in a utility role but who really can play ss? Triolo is the defensive choice but he simply can't hit MLB pitching. I'm not convinced but maybe Nicky G if he's healthy.
SS is not a problem. Move Hayes to SS and IKF to 3rd. Problem solved.
Games like this are a useful reminder that the Cheringtons are still the Cheringtons.
The series was a perfect illustration of who the Pirates are. They have 3 major-league starting pitchers, 4 major-league caliber relief pitchers, and 5 major-league caliber position players. Once you get beyond these 12 guys, it is all junk.
There is very little fat on the Dodgers and on most of the top teams. The Pirates are 14 guys away from being in the same league as these teams.
Totally agree. I've been saying a long time that the Pirates are half a roster away from being a good team and that hasn't changed a bit. And it'll never change under Birdbrain because he has no commitment to winning. That's why he can blow off roster spots with dreck like Pham.
The rotation is an especially good illustration. We all thought the Pirates were gonna have this great rotation. They had Skenes, Keller and all these supposedly great prospects. But instead the rotation is barely average, and that's even with the surprise performance from Heaney. Falter sucks, but he gets a senior discount. The experiment with Mlod remains a failure and it's weakened two spots at once, a classic Cherington move. And the last prospect to come up didn't even pitch.
They're STILL strictly in rebuild mode, after six fucking years. Wait 'til next year. Or decade. Or century. Whatever, who cares.
They did not need to rebuild in the first place. The fact that the team is being carried by Huntington holdovers and Skenes proves that. You can't go 6 years without adding anything but 2 starting pitchers, a relief pitcher, and a 2Bman to a roster and not expect the team to stink.
All of Cherington's trades have been disasters. They have not had anyone come out of the Latin system in a decade, and the only high draft pick that they have hit paydirt on is Skenes (which was a complete no-brainer). They have had almost nothing come out of the lower rounds.
Now... they actually do need a complete tear-down, because all their decent players are waiver wire claims and holdovers who are on guaranteed contracts, well into arbitration, or starting arbitration. They have too much money tied up in Reynolds and Keller who will be aging out by the time all their A-ball lottery tickets and Griffin are ready for the show (assuming any of the lottery tickets make it).
Cherington's 6 year wasteland is going to cost the Pirates 9 years, not 6. If you started today, it would be 3 years, best case, before they start to look competitive.
The maddening thing about not needing the teardown is that Cherington did that to satisfy his own ego. Go back and read his comments when he was hired--they were all about why this was a great opportunity for him to show that he could tear a team down and build it up from nothing. I've felt like since then this has been his own little project. To hell with the fans who don't want to wait 7+ years, to hell with the proud history of the organization, to hell with the good work the previous administration had done...it's just been about him and his reputation.
Which is why Birdbrain needs firing yesterday. Every day Nuttin waits is two more days until they have a chance to be good. But, of course, Nuttin doesn’t care, either.
Out scored 13-2 since Holderman last night.
Yeah... well... the Pirates are still better than the Rockies and the White Sox.
And slightly the Orioles
Show the fastball, then throw offspeed to Gorski. The book is out already.
He’s up here to see if he can do it.
Hoping he'll get some playing time, we shouldn't be blocking him with a 38 year old. Edit: 37 year old
Correction - 37 year old (Pham). Cutch blocking a 27 year old unproven hitter with strikeout problems is fine with me.
Another season we need to wait until June for Reynolds to heat up.
Nice to see Holderman back to his sinker/slider and working the bottom of the zone. I don't what he was trying to do that last couple of times out.
Zero confidence. Zero help from the manager in trying to gain his confidence back.
How many double plays have we hit into in the last week?
All of them
Guys I think the Pirates might be buttcheeks
MIGHT?
Ok. Game over. Now get Gorski and Davis in there for some at bats, and perhaps Canario. Use this to keep guys involved.
Forgot about Canario. Because he is taking up space without playing, this is another proof that winning is not a priority for this management team. Embarrassing!
Pages 10-11 in this series and he stole a homer from Reynolds.
Raised his batting average from .183 to .280
The guy has been unbelievable this series.
Meanwhile my model team for how to do a rebuild —- the Orioles —- just got swept by the Tigers and are now 10-17. They have no pitching and their young position players are struggling, at least for now.
Tigers might be the new model!
Skubal is a FA come '27. Whatever his deal is as an FA (or re-sign with DET), it'll give a good indication of what Skenes will demand - or if Tigers deal him beforehand, what his worth is in a trade. Difference being Tigers are in 1st, so unlikely to trade Skubal mid-season. That won't stop Bucs from trading Skenes in 5th year.
Not when that model includes spending on FA!
Flaherty $20M, Gleyber Torres $15M. Way above Nutting's level.
If you have a bunch of solid young players making league minimum they could afford that.
For a team that insists that it is going to win with pitching, the Pirates sure do throw a lot of batting practice like games.
It's only going to continue with best teams coming up: Cubs, Padres, Phillies, Braves, Mets. Call a doctor.
Losing Jones was a huge blow. And then the loss of Oviedo hurt their depth. Luckily Heaney has been outstanding.
Bailey you can't fall behind 3-0 or 3-1 and then throw get-over meatballs.
Cruz is learning.
Hate to say this, but I can't root against Casparius, being a UConn guy.
So who do we think is responsible for the apparently intelligent decision to put Cruz at leadoff?
The dart board