50 Comments
Oct 24·edited Oct 24

Pirates in the AFL went 8 for 11 today with 2 homeruns. Edit 7 for 11

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any chance Emmanuel Rodriguez comes back in a Keller trade?

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Doubt it. I think you’re selling Keller real high. Era and whip were not even average last year.

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Then Keller for Ian happ I return to

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Oct 24·edited Oct 24

I think you would have to add a good prospect with Keller to get Rodriguez. But I’m no GM. Then use that savings from Keller and sign Baltimore‘s free agent, power hitter.Anthony Santander

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Why did he stub his toe so hard on IKf’s 2025 contract???

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author

Huh?

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with Triolo, Nick, Peguero and Williams, there was no need to trade IKF and take on his 2025 $7.5 mil salary

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not sure i've ever seen how much but I do believe a portion is covered by the acquiring team.

If you're talking about, say, a $4-5m player that's about as cheap as it's gonna come.

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only covered portion of th 2024 salary

were in for all the $7.5 in 2025

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oh good grief.

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The Jays covered essentially all of IKF's remaining 2024 salary, none of 2025. I'd say it's 50/50 whether the Pirates dump the latter. He probably made it harder, though, by collapsing with the bat after the trade.

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he just went back to his career norms batting .650ops

we have four guys who can already do that

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We also need the 2023 version of Hayes next year. The Pirates were terrible at the 3rd base position/batting

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Hayes and Triolo were excellent defensively at 3B, but both left a lot to be desired with the bat. This team needs a fully healthy Ke'Bryan Hayes, and I agree that his 2023 was very special.

What do they do with IKF and BDLC? The numbers they posted after joining the Pirates were indicative of two guys who really did not want to be with the Pirates. Does BC admit the mistake and move them? I hope so.

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Oct 23Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

Not a lotta juice left to squeeze here, fellas.

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author

I just hope they don't rush the gates like last year where they apparently HAD to sign Rowdy. If that's their off-season plan, just wait it out at that point. See if they can make some competitive trades, and then they can worry about the $4M-$5M "need a place to play" guys.

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Oct 23·edited Oct 23Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

The trade market is their most likely way to add impact. I still don't trust Cherington's skill at acquiring impact players through that route.

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author

Yeah, I think he will go that route, but he'll end up getting Ruiz and Hernaiz from Athletics.

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Ugh. But those are his types of players. Speedy, athletic, multi-positional types with little power and who can’t hit.

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Oct 23Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

So we're not getting Soto, darn.

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Oct 23Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

hey hey hey 41 yo former Cub Geovany Soto is absolutely still on the table, don't be such a downer.

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Gotta flush some “high” salaries from the Pirates payroll toilet.

My top choices are:

1. IKF

2. Hayes (hurts to type this)

3. BDLC

4. Keller

Trading IKF, Hayes, or BDLC won’t bring back what is needed. However trading Keller could. So could including IKF, Hayes, or BDLC in with a pitching prospect.

Let’s see what BC can pull off.

Unfortunately I’m expecting a rinse and repeat of last offseason. 1-year deals for vets who can’t command multiple year offers.

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Oct 23·edited Oct 23

Here's an idea, package Keller and IKF to the Mets. They need pitching and a backup 3rd basemen. Needs to be worth it though.

BDLC trade him to anyone that'll give $250,000 in international pool space or a marginal prospect.

Gotta keep Hayes, give him a chance to get healthy and hopefully look like second half 2023.

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Who comes back to Pirates from Mets?

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Oct 24·edited Oct 24

I'd want Mauricio, Acuna, Clifford, and Baty. I'd add Solometo or Peguero for Santucci as well.

I'd also eat $2.5mil of IKF's salary.

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On board with all those but Hayes, who makes about as much as a decent middle reliever and represents a clear in-house option for one of the three easiest 2024 positions to improve.

-Move Reynolds to 1B

-Sign a COF

-Trade for a SS

-pray that Hayes can continue playing baseball.

Cobble together league-average out of the 2B candidates and a COF platoon and that's a playoff roster.

Hit on half of them and they're at least in WC contention.

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Judging by how they’ve operated in the past, this probably gives them somewhere around $18 million to spend, assuming they shed Joe’s and BDLC’s salary.

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Also judging by how they've operated in the past, I assume they'll be scouring the 'not offered arbitration' bin for a number of $1M - $3M guys: e.g., Andrew Vaughan, Alex Kiriloff, etc.

BDLC falls into this category for me -- off the street he'd be one of these $1M - $3M guys. For that extra $1M (plus the attempt to make up some trade cost), might as well keep him around for a bounce back opportunity. If it doesn't work out, they can release him (again, based on how they've operated in the past) sometime in late August after taking up a roster spot waaay tooooo loooong.

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Bounce back to where? One must’ve been actually good once to be a bounce back candidate. He’s never been even a 1 WAR player, and he’s trending the wrong direction.

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author

Kiriloff would intrigue me

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He's intrigued the Twins since being drafted. More aches and pains than what might be considered "unlucky" for two or three players. What really soured his relationship with the Twins was Kiriloff going into a major slump, getting sent down, and then coming out afterward and saying he was actually hurt and that was the reason he was not hitting. So the team kept him in the minors on the IL, and I do not think he ever made it back to MLB. Hard to work with someone like that.

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Torkleson is an iteresting one at that price

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Joe and BDLC are not coming back. That saves 7 mill. That is a middle reliever $$

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Agree on Joe. Not as convinced on BDLC.

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Oct 23·edited Oct 23

But he had a 3.6 war!!!—-IKF

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After his first few AFL outings, which ultimately doesn't mean much, I wonder if they were down on Shim. Making it even more of a low cost acquisition of a warm body trade than it already was.

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Oct 23·edited Oct 23

Hope they are not planning on starting BDLC. 4th outfielder I would be ok with. But with him or Jack starting ,,,not good

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There were 49 qualifiers among MLB outfielders last year. BDLC ranked 49th in both wRC+ and fWAR. If you expand the field to OFs with 300+ PAs, he was 104th of 112 in wRC+ and 111th in fWAR. I don't want him back in any way, shape or form.

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Preach Wilbur! Real teams don’t allow someone who was clearly the worst player in the league at his position return. Period.

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The same analytics guys that were pounding the table to trade for him could convince him otherwise. (Yes I know you said they were illusory lol)

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If you ever worked any sort of technical role for a corporation or government, I promise you would not be making such blind accusations.

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So you're saying there are 8 more OF's that BC can target this off season..... :-)

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I feel the same way. But since BC traded for him, I have a feeling he will give him one more chance. God I hope I’m wrong.

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Same.

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I’d hope it’s closer to 25-30, but I’m not too optimistic.

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If we’re dreaming, than I say double this and go get Soto.

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Can’t imagine he’d come here for any amount of money. I suppose that’s part of the dream though.

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