194 Comments

BRey's been hot for a while now so Cruz hitting & pitching staying stellar makes the Bucs continue their winning streak... and they still have more pitching in the minors, phew.

Wish they'd go for a real bat (not Chisholm), fingers crossed!

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TBH, I don't think Chisholm works because of the trade math.

Anyone kicking the tires on a trade with the Pirates is going to start with, "So it seems like you have waaaaaaaaaay more starting pitching than one team could ever possibly use . . . surely you could part with a Bubba Chandler and not feel the pinch, right?"

There is a non-zero chance that Chandler is a #1 SP some day. I mean, not on this team, because it's Skenes or GTFO. But on most other teams.

Even if you think about trade bait further down in the system, does anyone think the return for someone like Zander Meuth shouldn't be considerable?

I just don't see Chisholm rounding out the right deal with the Pirates, especially since the only thing the Pirates have to sell is loads of starting pitching.

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I've tinkered around on BTV to try and come up with a package it accepts that I actually liked and it was difficult. Luis Ortiz, Palacios and Priester was the best I came up with but I doubt the Marlins would do that.

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lol

You pretending to be a GM with BTV is hilarious and honestly the most pathetic thing I’ve seen on the internet in quite some time.

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Ok tough guy

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Agreed

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You're maybe like the Luis Ortiz of Internet Tough Guys. Not as talented or annoying as Catch22 but definitely doing the same schtick. You should either get better or give up.

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Cubs seem snakebit with injuries since Counsel signed on. I don't mind, terribly.

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Santana just hit a two run homer to tie it up in 11th in the brewers and twins game.

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I hope they still lose.

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Harrington fanned 10 today after fanning 11 last time. Making himself a darn good trade chip.

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I think at one point during the game his season WHIP fell to 0.99. Not a typo

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forgot to add my name to the mlb trade rumors chat thread question

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Hahahahaha

Guest

9:18

Pirates go big and land Trout?

Mark P

9:19

This would, on many levels, be pretty much the most surprising trade in baseball history. There is a zero percent chance it would happen, for multiple reasons.

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Day 1: Trout trade completed.

Day 2: Bob Nutting remanded to a mental institution.

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If you're not getting to watch the post game, they just commented on the pitch mix for Ortiz. He wasn't leaning on just one or two pitches. He was using four pitches which is pretty impressive.

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Turning him into Keller 2.0

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According to the P-G initial game article he used four pitches almost exactly evenly —- 25% each.

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That's a real step forward for him.

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Command and composure. Not walking as many and not unraveling the way he used to.

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I'd love to be on the inside to have a better understanding of how this has come about. He's turning into a pitcher, not just a thrower.

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Big outing from Ortiz in a couple ways. They had to run through most of the bullpen yesterday, rested all those guys today. Probably going to need all of them tomorrow.

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When I saw the pitching lineup for this series, I felt like Ortiz was the best of the three we were starting. He's made some nice strides.

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So, forget the White Sox sweep. But two out of three from the Brewers in Milwaukee and now the first two at home against the best team in the NL. While pitching the lower end of the rotation. Dare we dream that they are on a roll?

This is the perfect time to make an upgrade trade. Show the team you’re serious about making the playoffs *this year*.

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"Dare we dream that they are on a roll?"

Call them butter because they're on a roll.

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I'm not willing to forget the White Sox sweep, because they just weren't capable of doing that earlier in the season.

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Just ask the A's.

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That serious was a real low.

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Why is Ortiz located on the lower end of the rotation? He's on the top end unless he implodes.

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I know we're feeling good here but no. Ortiz is the Pirates fourth best starter closely followed by Falter.

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Even if what you say is true, which it may not be, that does not put Ortiz on the lower end of the starting rotation. His current performance, if he continues to pitch as he has, makes him a #2 or #3 starter. A team can have multiple #3 starters. Currently, the Pirates have:

#1 Skenes

#3 Jones, Ortiz, Keller

Jones has the talent to become a #2 starter. Keller and Ortiz have enough holes in their games that #3 may be their ceilings unless they markedly improve.

If it seems as though I am dismissing Keller, I'm not. He's having a great year so far, but he does not have the potential of a Jones. Ortiz does not K enough of the enemy.

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I think it's just easier to look at fwar this late in the season.

Skenes

Keller

Jones

Ortiz

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Cruz is creeping up to a .800 ops

will finish the year with .900 ops

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That’s almost statistically impossible. But I’m here for it.

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This is what makes baseball fun. You never really know.

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BOOYAH!!!!! 50 in the books!! Ortiz masterful, Cutch gets a knock, Cruz coming into his own (edited), Reynolds being Reynolds and Ke getting ino a grove. Series won and sweep tomorrow ! Raise it!! The streak goes on…….the streak goes on….

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coming into his horn sounds so lewd haha

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Lol! Never proof read…, typo that the auto correct thought “hey this idiot must have meant horn so here (edited) goes…. Thanks for the heads up !

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Erm, here lol

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Sumbich! Did not proof read….AGAIN!!!!!

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Figured! :)

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When Cruz breaks his leg because Martin Perez is chasing him with a cooler of ice.... I will be pissed.

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Raise it, nice start to the second half despite the clever rotation games. I'll take the crow.

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Raise it!!

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Raise it!!!! Six in a row!

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So, Luis Ortiz is kinda good, right? Impressive performance against a great lineup.

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Shelton was talking before the game about how they weren't sure Ortiz would stay in the rotation. Maybe rethink that.

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Post game he was singing a different tune. Essentially said he has pitched way into rotation

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At least the learning curve isn't a flat line.

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Shelton is an idiot.

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Here I vehemently agree.

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That would be a dumbass move on his part. At this point the guy should be given the opportunity to prove that he's not a starter.

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Ortiz is good for a 4th SP. Is he Skenes-Jones-Keller good? No. But that's not really the bottom of the rotation's job. SPs 4 and 5 are supposed to eat 6 or 7 innings by hook or by crook.

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Agree. I bet a lot of teams would like that kind of performance from their number four.

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My idea for the 4/5 spots…just don’t gas can games away. It’ll happen to any pitcher from time to time. But keep it competitive

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On a lot of teams he would be #3 if not a #2. Who knows how good Luis can get.

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I mean, for much of this decade, 2024 Ortiz would have been the #1 SP on the Pirates.

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He ain't no Chad Kuhl or Tom Gorzellany or Paul Maholm or Zach Duke.

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Steven Brault. The standard is the standard. I'll accept Jeff Locke, also.

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True that. If he is the #4 on your staff, you have a really good staff.

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It's hard to see Ortiz lasting as the #4 SP, when you think about it. Not because he doesn't have the stuff. Just that eventually someone like Solometo, Chandler or Ashcraft is going to displace him.

I wouldn't be stunned if Ortiz eventually lands in that 6th SP / middle relief type role. Which will be a downright embarrassment of riches, if it comes to that.

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