144 Comments

Dang... why did I start catching up on threads. It's easy, just don't respond to each others posts. if one of you does it (and you both have)... well DUH the other one can... you know.... .. ignore it and move on. There's plenty of good dialog with all of you.

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Would help if Substack had an ignore option.

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I'd love that. I have one problem poster here.

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We apparently jinxed Ben Heller. He blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth. Faced seven hitters and retired only one.

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'We'? I just randomly commented and agreed with your post.

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That must've put it over the top.

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Bummer that the streak is done and no sweep but the Bucs have Mitchie the Kid on the bump tomorrow and will get #51 and grab the first game against the Dirty Birds!

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Cards are going after Fedde sounds like.

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The Cards and about a dozen other teams.

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Maybe or maybe they're all focused on Skubal and Crochet for now and not banging the phones on Fedde just yet. We'll see.

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The Pirates just took 2 of 3 vs the best team in baseball. They accomplished this without Skenes, Keller or Jones pitching.

Think about that

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You realize your posts like these sound exactly like what a person in marketing for the Pirates would post right?

Think about that.

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You realize that your persistent snide attacks on individual commenters sound like a sociopath would?

Think about that.

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I don't attack Catch22. That's their game. I just dish it back and make fun of him.

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Yeah, I’m not so sure. I don’t post much, but you seem to like to stir it up. Respectful disagreements are cool. Sometimes we actually learn from the other side!

But a lot of your posts seem like you’re just trying to poke Catch with a stick. Not necessary and you should stop.

You obviously follow the team and appear quite knowledgeable (even with opinions I disagree with!), and I like reading those. That’s the wheat. Trying to antagonize other posters is your chaff. More wheat please!

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I _just_ began replying to him the same way he follows my every post as retribution.

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No wheat in this post. Move on and give everyone in this wonderful community just the wheat! (If I’m around, I’d call Catch out for the same down the road. Much respect.

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Also! Go baseball! It’s the best game ever invented! (My apologies for replying to myself).

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I guess you assume I’m part of the marketing team then because I have a sentence very similar to that in tomorrow’s article lol

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Plant. PLANT. Everybody point at the plant!

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Nuttin doesn't care whether the team wins anything. Why on earth would he care what people say in blog comments?

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I unearthed this debate about 3 weeks ago with people thinking the team pays attention and reacts to what might be discussed here and elsewhere. 20 minutes of my life I won't get back.

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At absolute most, you might get some random intern who can't resist responding to something, but I'm skeptical even about that. Some sort of FO-directed undercover operation? Please.

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I would come back with a ‘the pay should be better’ if I was a plant, but then again there’s a ‘Nutting is cheap’ comeback somewhere in that lol

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In your case, I get it. You run a Pirates blog and get paid for substack activity!

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I don’t see it as either of those. It’s literally just a fact. The Pirates won two of three, and didn’t use their top two pitchers.

If they had lost two of three, it’d be that and they didn’t use their top two pitchers.

I don’t think it’s as deep as you want it to be. No matter who it’s coming from.

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and I was glad they won 2 of 3. I'm just laughing at a guy who attacks me here constantly.

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You talk the same shit to him. Lmao. He just won’t learn to ignore you. You not a victim, you act like a little baby, name calling too.

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Thanks for saying so. I agree. There isn’t some hidden agenda behind the majority of blog comments. Usually those seeing such are the ones with an agenda.

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I guess I struggle with the concept of being a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates makes you a mole working for federal street. Personally, I can’t think of anything more childish.

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I’ve been religiously watching the Pirates as long back as I can remember. 90% of those years, they’ve been irrelevant. It’s nice when they’re relevant.

I’m not exactly sure what your agenda is, but I know it’s not normal.

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I know marketing when I see it. I saw the same hopetimism last year from goofs who thought the team was for real. You don't *have to* be employed by the team to do it (although your posts are eerily consistent in marketing tone); it could be you're just trying to convince yourself they're for real aloud with an audience. Settle down. Let the games play out. Don't forget the team is run by a guy with a lifetime .450 winning percentage. Don't be a rube.

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All I can hear in my head is Marty Feldman and Gene Wilder…..” Abby someone….Abby who….Abby…..normal”. 🤣🤣🤣

@Catch22 I am with you. I have followed the Pirates since about 1967 or so when I was old enough to understand what the game was. Have seen some great teams and a whole lot of ugly. It is very nice that they are being relevant again and could be well into the thick of things after the coming offseason. I said after 2023 that the build was going to water on the big team. I said that the acquisitions would be a bit better for 2024 and more so for 2025 whe the young arms begin to arrive. Skenes made the transition to the arrival of young arms even quicker. They can sell the pitching to FA Bats and will be able get a couple of them because the FA know the top of the rotation can compete with anyone now. It is fun to watch. My dad is 90 now. He has seen far more ugly baseball than any of us as he got to witness all of the ugly teams from the 40’s and up to 1960. Very glad he is getting to see them relevant. If his health continues as it has he should be able to watch a very good team again in 2025.

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I was born in November of ‘78, obviously too young to remember the last WS. My first taste of the Pirates was the Mets calling the Pirates little leaguers. Playing little league at the time, my Dad got me all in. Went to games every year, then 90-92 happened and I was hooked…fan for life. Endured all those terrible teams and watching religiously the 20 years of losing. Then Huntington came with an entirely different approach and stopped the losing. And as quickly as he built it up, it went away. Now, the city is rallying around the team and it’s feeling like they’re back. As a fan, to me, it’s awesome to see them playing well and fighting to get back to the postseason. If my fandom is over the top, my apologies.

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and I was born 4 years later and watched 90-92 with my dad. then endured the streak and NH and Nutting's promise to spend when the fans came. the fans came and then they dumped Cole like a hot potato for garbage to get his money off the books. if my pessimism earned from caring about the most thankless sports team on the planet for the last 42 years is over the top, my apologies, too

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Cole was never going to extend here no matter how much Pittsburgh offered. That was made clear when Houston offered him a truckload of money and he and his camp would not negotiate. His value dropping because his performance dropped the year befor the deal.

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Glad you're excited. I'd need to see the offense closer to on par with the pitching to care more. That and see a GM who shows some urgency. Not one who suggests he's not prioritizing offensive additions when he's got a bottom third offense on his Sunday show. Think of Catch22 as the optimism angel on your shoulder telling you to "believe, believe! they're actually good this time" and I'm the other one saying "naw, we've seen this movie and know this GM".

Cherington is literally telling us to not get our hopes up. The team and record isn't enough to make him feel any urgency. I personally am going to take his word on this one thing haha.

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I have seen many decades of ugly ball to know the difference between a team on the rises and pretenders. The need to add and expecting more quality adds this off-season trough FA and a couple,off,trades. Not expecting much at this deadline because of the shear number of buyers an s the dearth of sellers. They should ignore rentals as they will be expensive and waste prospect capital unless they can get an extension agreement before the trade. Trades will be easier after the season and FA will agree to a team with the top end of the rotation. I could could see some hope last year based on the pitching coming and before Oviedo was hurt. Drafting Skenes still gave me hope with his talent going in. Not a homer to look at what has been added and comimg. Outside talent see that too. Someone like Hoskins would have signed here this comimg off season as he would see the rotation potential and knows he can be a difference maker. He most likely saw the Brewers as a better option and of course when with them. Off course he may have been persuaded to sign if the Bucs so,but that offer would have made no sense.

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Not much to disagree with there. I love Skenes and wish we were going to have him around a full six years. It just seems dumb that we're wasting one of his 4-5 years here with this offense to me. Cherington's comments on todays show just really piss me off. Guy has consistently implied he doesn't care about this year.

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Hopefully Chisholm rumors get put to rest soon. Ozzie Albies headed to IL and Braves will need a 2B for a bit.

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In theory they would have no where to put him next year so doesn’t seem like a Braves move. Giving up prospect capital to fill a short term need.

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They could trade him this offseason.

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True - I’ll still vote thumbs down on the likelihood of that being a move they make.

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I highly doubt AA would make such a move for the reasons you suggest.

I could see them trading for a guy like Rengifo.

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If Nacho Alvarez scuffles in his first go at MLB, Braves will do something about it. They are not afraid of trying to win whenever it takes effort unlike some Aldi-Ivy sorts we're familiar with.

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I agree with this. I think they will give Alvarez more than a short leash but their problem is the trading deadline will be here before they really know how is doing so IMO they will likely ride it out and make moves elsewhere. But your overall comment that Braves will make moves to go for it - yes they will. You shocked me with your shot at the Pirates current regime, are you unhappy with their performance (humor intended)?

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Whats the fun in being pissed about how dumb your FO is if you don't take the occasional shot, SouthernBuc?

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14 pitch 1,2,3 first inning for Barco with 2 K’s fb at 93.

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He looked super good today

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Termarr hit a 9th inning HR today to tie the Hoppers’ game and extend his hitting streak to 15.

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Maybe an article on turning his season around?

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Finally noticing! Most bizarre top prospect in my memory…

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Maybe he just needs an adjustment period? Just curious to know what are the underlying numbers? Contact rates, is he selling out for power, etc…..

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Barco on mound for Altoona. Thought Bubba was scheduled. Hmmmm.

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I never saw anything official about him being scheduled. MiLB app had an open spot for today all the way up to about a hour ago.

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Jazz hit his 13th HR today

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Yeah, but a run prevented is the same as a run scored, so if you lose 6-0, that shows you needed to prevent seven runs to win.

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What about both?

Jazz would boast the offense & the defense. He’d even improve the base running.

I’m not necessarily banging the Jazz drum, just looking for an improvement. Today they literally started Joshua Palacios in CF.

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He’s a hard guy to peg current and future value on, injuries have limited his opportunities, declining positional value in CF, and most of his offensive value is skewed to base running. I also think a lot of his perceived value comes from his current salary. He’s probably “underpaid” based on the current system, so all he has to do is take you to arbitration next year and he loses a lot of that surplus value.

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Starting Palacios in CF is the proverbial cry for help.

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That is true

He has one start at 2b this season.

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Clearly didn't read the article. "Chisholm’s center field work has been average at best, depending on the defensive metric of choice — Defensive Runs Saved (-14) and UZR/150 (-7) have both panned his glovework, while Chisholm has +4 Outs Above Average over his 1541 innings as a center fielder. Over 1308 1/3 big league innings at second base, Chisholm has a +7 DRS and +8 OAA, though UZR/150 again has him below average with a -2.6 number."

Also someone mentioned Bob Nightengale said he was unliked in the clubhouse by the Marlins on a youtube video.

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I feel like him playing second base will put him out the running for the Pirates, if solely it adds so many extra teams into the mix. If he's going to play second, almost feel like that just means he's going to be a Dodger.

For the right price, I'd make the move. Just not sure the price is going to be right.

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Dodgers could’ve contacted the marlins and asked to see some starts at 2b as preliminary trade discussions.

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You rooting for the Marlins now? You seem like a good fit for tacky Miami. Match made in heaven.

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Very good series for the Bucs. The come from behind win Friday is even bigger after today. Hopefully they can get back on track against the Cards. Hopefully GMBC is trying to figure out how to get this team AT LEAST ONE IMPACT OF BAT. Ben, look to your left. It's in all-caps and it's not a riddle. I don't want them to give up impact talent for a marginal return or a rental, but this team needs some help.

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Hopefully they shower well after this one.

Keller

Skenes

TBD

for the Cards series. I’m encouraged that it’s TBD & not Perez. Guessing Priester

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DKPS said Perez. Maybe that's no longer operative.

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Cherington also said on his show today, that we’re at the point of the season of starting our best pitchers.

Not entirely sure why that wouldn’t be the case for the entire season

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I’m reading that as managing innings for the rookies is over, but then again…

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How can he not realize how transparent this is, as in, there's always some agenda other than winning?

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Ben's career .450 winning percentage is his comfort zone. He's a loser.

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Nuttin thinks that’s a batting average.

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How does the guy even make a pitch to get hired? I just don't get it. Good news is, this is his last GM job for sure.

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My only guess is that the sample size has grown for many of these guys.

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I heard TBD on the FAN. Who knows

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Hey 2 of 3 vs the currently best team in the league is an awesome outcome, now let’s do the same to the Cards.

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Great outcome.

Would’ve been nice to get the sweep, but winning 2 of 3 vs the best record and run diff in beisbol is good.

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Lower it.

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Cruz man, get a bigger glove dude.

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I smell a Jesse Winker trade coming soon. I wouldn’t hate it, but that OF D of Reynolds-Suwinski-Winker would probably the worst in baseball. If they would get Jazz as well, I’d feel better.

Don’t horde all those arms, parlay them into a couple bats.

If it was me, I’d unload quite a bit to get Rooker. He’s the RH power bat that slots in perfectly behind Cruz.

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Rooker is interesting. I wonder if his age affects his perceived market value.

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I’m curious to see if they will make a noteworthy move, skeptical after all I know the team I follow. But I find myself hating about every trade proposal I read. I want Robert, or at least the MVP caliber potential, but it’s a pipe dream and I know it. I will settle for Arozarena and be blown away if we get Siri as well.

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They have to, right?

Look at the fans coming out this weekend…over sell if you need to. They have a surplus of pitching prospects. Keller, Jones, Skenes, Ortiz are here for awhile. Trade some of it.

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You good with a moron making the trade?

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Genius moves bro

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