137 Comments

KC trades for Hunter Harvey. They Nats got back a prospect and a compA pick(39).

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So nobody told them they're not allowed to make trades for another two weeks?

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Apparently it's only allowed if you're actually trying to make your team better. Looks like a good return for the Nats as well.

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I get the point, believe me. I’m frustrated as well.

At the same time, the team is about to finish at maybe .500 and some bats have woken up providing the “internal improvement” and some have not.

We should acknowledge that B-Rey went nuts, Nick G. came up solid, Rowdy and Joe just might be an ok platoon. At least most aren’t clamoring to trade for a 1B so much as OF.

Things have evolved and while Tellez may still turn into a pumpkin, we could have traded for 1B a month ago when everyone was clamoring for it and not seen that evolution and had less remaining to trade for an OF.

Overall BC has been disappointing but on the speed of the trade front I don’t agree that sooner is necessarily better. I’m glad he has waited. The targets are still out there. The price is being set by the market.

I’m watching closely. Not being a sucker, but giving benefit of doubt for now that waiting was right. If he doesn’t make any trade I’ll eat my words.

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Oh, and Bart. He came back from injury and is now the actual starter. Small sample but solid defense on top of some pop. Another internal improvement.

Wait, actually an early trade as we were just clamoring for. Seriously early trade. Credit where it’s due is what I say.

Skepticism but credit. Tied of the couching everything in the skepticism only.

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Ahhh . . . a loophole!

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Good for the nats, theyre fairly close to being good imo

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Pirates need to go get Jesse Winker and Taylor Ward. That fixes the outfield, but not sure who plays center. Maybe keep Taylor for late inning sub? I don’t think Winker takes much and Ward might take a little more due to a few years of control.

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That’s a good return if you ask me for HH

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Regression starting for Milwaukee with another L today.

Pirates are primed for a run in the 2nd half.

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Need a bat, good time to jump on some momentum

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[Cries in fluent Pirates fan.]

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Davis went deep his first time up today. Maybe he'll snap out of it.

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I missed this one but am really happy for Ortiz who did what the organization asked and now has earned his way back into the rotation.

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Maybe the biggest positive, other than Skenes and Jones to the future of the rotation/long-man. Even if he can occasionally go back and forth as kinda a 6th man, could save options for other depth.

Hopefully he just stakes his claim to a spot in the rotation.

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The nice thing with Ortiz is that he's not essential to the competitive window. Skenes, Jones and Keller are all baked into the formula. Ortiz gives you four, plus the flexibility to trade off other pitchers in the system or even Ortiz.

Now, we just need to see if there's a Trader Ben in the house or not. I'm starting to worry that his trade muscles have atrophied with all of this rebuilding. At least the muscles that trade future WAR for right-now WAR.

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Oh my, CWS scheduled starter tomorrow is Chad Kuhl.

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MLB.com has changed the probable starter to Jared Shuster, a lefty reliever. Probably an opener situation.

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Things in baseball never go as expected, but how long has it been since you could routinely look at pitching matchups and think, This one favors the Pirates big-time?

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Very true but you definitely know Kuhl will want to stick it to us. Fortunately for us he's not very good.

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That’s one thing I love about this game. You look at the starting pitching matchups and then…you never really know what’ll happen.

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Did Chandler pitch at Futures Game? Life drew me elsewhere.

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He was a little excited but settled down and pitched well. The hit was a good pitch, hitter went with it down the 3rd base line wasn't hit overly hard.

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Just closed it out. 1 hit, 1K. No runs. NL won 6-1

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Nice thanks

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He said he was slated to close it.

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Every 3-5 years I think about how incredible it is to be a successful switch hitter in the MLB. B-Rey has been dwindling that average amount of years down drastically.

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Booyah!!!! 47 in the books, series won with the sweep coming with Mitchie The Kid on the mound tomorrow! Raise it high cause……officially on a winning streak!!!!!!

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Thankfully shouldn't be a Sunday lineup with the AS break. Although may bte anyway given two day games and the heat. Assume Cutch will be out, probably DH BRey again, Bart cawtching. Enough to beat Chicago, anyway.

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"shouldn't be a Sunday lineup"

Famous last words.

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ABS challenge was fast at futures game. Liked it.

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I like it better when they just signal it to the ump and the ump calls it. If they have the technology to just give the right call, I like that better than making the ump have to make the call, the catcher have to critique the ump, or the batter have to challenge the ump. I've seen both several times and strongly prefer the method when the ump just gets the signal and calls it. I do think they are going to with the challenge system though.

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3 wins in a row??? Let me check my math…

B-Rey needs 40 RBI’s in last 66 games to get to 100. If he stays healthy he has a good shot.

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Termarr with a single off Noah Schultz

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Raise it. One more to .500

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BRey just kinda took this one into his own hands.

It'd be a bonus if they can finish it out with Santana.

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Definite team MVP of first half

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Who, Santana? Bold pick! ;).

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My ranked choice vote:

Skenes

Reyonlds

Jones

Keller

Cruz

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Skenes feels so money to me. It would be hard to vote against a guy who all but guarantees a win every five games.

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I think it'd be

Reynolds

Keller

Skenes

Jones

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Reyonlds would be the best choice but for the fact that the Skenes' promotion and performance changed everything. Skenes has made the pitching staff formidable. Skenes, Jones, Keller, Ortiz means the Pirates can expect to win two of every three games if the offense gets a few runs. Now that the BP is no longer a basket case, the Pirates are a competitive team most series. If the BP remains competitive, the Pirates might best the McClatchy Line this year. Skenes may be only one pitcher, but his presence means opposing teams must consider his starts to be "We can win this one if we get lucky." Like 2nd Peak Bonds, one wonders what he'll do next.

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Termarr looked good turning a double play just now

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Now that I'm noticing the box, same with Rowdy. Upper at belt, lower couple inches below his knees, even in his slight crouch. Nicky's zone looks normal, above belt.

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GMBC, please get at least ONE credible OF bat for B-Rey. Help this man!!!!

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Yeah, he's not going to hit 4 RBIs everyday.

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