He ramped it up to 99 and unlike the child who wrote this article surely understands the futility of going max effort for his first spring outing as a 36 yo veteran of 14 major league seasons.
That's what I figured. I'm used to people saying crazy BS on X but was surprised there was a whole blog full of this stuff to accompany it. Anyway, appreciate the info.
Betting the 33.7 The fan crew would be in complete lockstep with this so called beat writer if they happened to notice what went on in the game. Most likey the Fan guys had no clue since there was not even a radio broadcast of this game. They are all too engrossed in the NFL combine and football to think about anything else.
Bae is an excellent athlete and has baseball skills play up in the MI, and his footspeed and smarts made him a solid backup last year in CF. He puts the ball in play against LHP's better than Jack Suwinski, and can be an effective (>80%) base stealer. However, if the Pirates are going to move forward, they need to find a RH hitting CF who can hit for average and power.
The kid I have been talking about on here is Everson Pereira of the Yankees and he played AA and AAA as a 22 year old last year in the Eastern League and the Intl League so the Pirates should know him. He hit 8 HR in 138 AB at AAA or a HR every 17.25 AB; he hit 10 HR in 165 AB at AA or a HR every 16.5 AB. His batting average at AA was .291 and his batting average at AAA was .312. So, a RH hitting CF who hits for average and power on a team where his upward mobility is blocked, and a team supposedly in need of MLB quality Relievers? So far, he is not lighting it up in ST. What are we waiting for?
I like your way of thinking, but the Yankees were able to hold on to him and were still able to acquire Juan Soto. My guess if they wouldn't trade him in a deal for Soto, I think the asking price will be very high for the Pirates.
Getting on base and stealing bases was a huge reason for the Pirates early success last year. I know the rest of the league started to figure things out, but it seemed like the Pirates totally got away from the speed game. And after Bae got thrown out a few times in a row, he almost quit trying.
I’d like to believe Suwinski’s going to become a star like every Pirate fan would, but the main reason he’s been given so much leeway with his weaknesses is that he’s about the only potential power hitting outfielder the Pirates have at the moment. The fact that he doesn’t chase pitches out of the strike zone is tempered by the opposing fact that he takes an awfully lot of called strikes and finds himself in the hole without ever swinging the bat. Maybe he needs to go up to the plate ready to swing instead of hoping and waiting for the perfect pitch to hit. He might swing at more pitches out of the strike zone, but he just might also actually hit more strikes or at least hittable pitches.
The question is not "should Suwinski start?" The question is should he start in CF. That he should start, especially on a team as bad as the Pirates is obvious. Really though, he would start for almost all the teams in MLB, just not in CF for most.
I don't think the defensive metrics have painted a clear picture yet of how well Suwinski is playing CF. One-year numbers can be very deceptive. We shall see after this year, but... yes... if Cruz can play SS at the level that Suwinski plays CF, I would be happy and pleasantly surprised, though I still think that a competent team would put their best infield defender, Hayes, at SS, and Cruz at 3B (or better yet... give him a go in CF).
Cruz WAS a 3B when joining, bad case of the YIPS forced him to SS
Peguero was SS of future until the YIPS got him in late 2022 and 23
Shortly after Cruz injury, LP should've been called and planted at SS
instead of rotating 2B, he lost out on too many PA's
Cruz will be traded before they ask him to try the Outfield thing again, he's voiced displeasure he's not comfortable with angles, fielding and again most of all THROWING
Left side is out, he would look rediculous at keystone and the dish is out as well
He's out of positions except 1B, which is perfect for him, heres why
Doesn't NEED to throw OFTEN, which is WHY he's there
At this point please bury any remaining "your wasting his arm at 1B" arguments
Cruz can catch anything, once he does though, if he has time to throw ?
the double pump YIP comes out and from there, DUCK!
He would be the biggest target in baseball, just too bad he can't catch his own throws for practice,
1B is a total reaction position, no time to think
Hayes is the TJ WATT of BASEBALL, why weaken one position to improve another, understand Triolo is GG caliber, but there isn't another Hayes
walking on this planet. There is no one close after JT, who BTW has logged alot more innings at SS, then Hayes
Im tired of defensive stats and how there used especially in the OF
Suwinski and Reynolds are solid as can be, I watch them leave everything on the field every night from home or 3 rows behind their dugout
Reynolds LF, Suwinski CF COMBINED
239 G
1900 INN
2 E
While some ying yang is trying to convince me they are both below average defenders because they didn't save enough runs
Well... that's a lot. I have no problem with Triolo at SS. I have said that would be a good place for him, but who plays 2B? Peguero needs to spend some time in AAA. They rushed him up to try to cover for the fact that Cherington's draft picks have all bombed so far. Gonzalez can't hit breaking pitches... so... that's a problem.
Of course Cruz is going to struggle with angles and reading the ball off the bat in the OF. He has played exclusively in the infield, except for a handful of games at AAA 2 years ago. A competent organization would have moved him to CF in A-ball, but we are talking about the Pirates here. If I were Cruz, | would object to the Pirates monkeying around with moving me to the OF when I was on the cusp of moving from the minors to the majors too. If I am Cruz, it would sound to me like they were trying to manipulate my service time by monkeying around for a month. Of course, we all know that the Pirates would never do that.
Whatever the case, he would have to learn CF now in the majors, and he might have a different opinion about learning it when he is earning an MLB wage and accruing service time rather than the pittance they pay minor-leaguers.
I think it’s just a matter of time before he becomes a really good player. Just seems like a matter of time before he becomes at least serviceable vs LH Pitching. Given his low chase rate, and ability to just crush mistakes, he should rightly be considered a key foundation piece for this organization.
I wouldn’t be surprised if fans are clamoring for BN to give him an extension before anyone else.
I’m happy if he becomes our version of Joc Peterson. The team should get him a capable weak side platoon (Taylor!) and stop putting him and the team in a position to fail.
I would love to see Jack Suwinski as our full time CF, but since being in MLB, he has struggled against LHP's . In the earlier topic this morning I quoted some numbers -
2023
Against RHP - .856 OPS, .503 Slg
Against LHP - .609 OPS, .313 Slg
2022
Against RHP - .794 OPS, .465 Slg
Against LHP - .511 OPS, .286 Slg
Last year he led the team with 26 HR, but only 2 came against LHP's.
Well I've been vocal about Jack the past year on P2 and i will continue to be. His strikeout issues are more from continuously hitting behind in the count, than anything else. He's, correct me if im wrong, in the top 5 percentile of taking called strikes (and called 3rd strikes) in all of major league baseball. This isnt just limited to offspeed pitches as his take rate for fastballs is nearly the same. This tells me his approach is extremely flawed, and that he is guessing waaay too much at the plate, or deciding before the pitch is even thrown, regardless of the count, that if its not the type of pitch hes looking for, he simply isnt going to swing, regardless of where its thrown. That approach cannot lead to ever improving on pitch recognition and getting more consistent contact. It has a very low ceiling.
It took you many, many times longer to write this gibberish than it would've to click a few buttons on FanGraphs and see how wrong your inclinations are:
Curiously asking, how does a player who is “guessing waaay too much” have such a high BB%?
I recall thinking he must be getting fooled on many of those called 3rd strikes. Maybe he’s one of those players who gets too caught up in analytics? Reads a scouting report that says Pitcher A throws a slider 73% of the time with 2 strikes on a hitter, and then gets beat by a fastball.
Hes simply being extremely stubborn. He may know his weaknesses very well so he creates an intense tunnelvision at the plate which leads to high walks and ks due to ridiculously high take rates. What ive been saying, is that having a low chase rate is absolutwly useless if you have an equally high take rate of called strikes.
Did any happen to see Chapman throw? I'm curious if this article is over dramatic click bait?
https://baseballiseverything.com/aroldis-chapman-looks-terrible-in-pirates-debut-with-velocity-plummet/
I assume it is, but if anyone actually saw him I would appreciate any input.
I didn’t see him. But gamecast had his sinker and fastball at 98-99. Thats not a velocity drop at all. Clickbait in my opinion.
He ramped it up to 99 and unlike the child who wrote this article surely understands the futility of going max effort for his first spring outing as a 36 yo veteran of 14 major league seasons.
That's what I figured. I'm used to people saying crazy BS on X but was surprised there was a whole blog full of this stuff to accompany it. Anyway, appreciate the info.
Betting the 33.7 The fan crew would be in complete lockstep with this so called beat writer if they happened to notice what went on in the game. Most likey the Fan guys had no clue since there was not even a radio broadcast of this game. They are all too engrossed in the NFL combine and football to think about anything else.
I mean it is February, after all. Peak football season in Pittsburgh.
I know some people don't want to hear this, but Bae played center field very well today for the few balls that were hit his direction.
I love the idea of Bae and Triolo being super utility players, but of course each has to earn their spot.
Bae is an excellent athlete and has baseball skills play up in the MI, and his footspeed and smarts made him a solid backup last year in CF. He puts the ball in play against LHP's better than Jack Suwinski, and can be an effective (>80%) base stealer. However, if the Pirates are going to move forward, they need to find a RH hitting CF who can hit for average and power.
The kid I have been talking about on here is Everson Pereira of the Yankees and he played AA and AAA as a 22 year old last year in the Eastern League and the Intl League so the Pirates should know him. He hit 8 HR in 138 AB at AAA or a HR every 17.25 AB; he hit 10 HR in 165 AB at AA or a HR every 16.5 AB. His batting average at AA was .291 and his batting average at AAA was .312. So, a RH hitting CF who hits for average and power on a team where his upward mobility is blocked, and a team supposedly in need of MLB quality Relievers? So far, he is not lighting it up in ST. What are we waiting for?
.
I like your way of thinking, but the Yankees were able to hold on to him and were still able to acquire Juan Soto. My guess if they wouldn't trade him in a deal for Soto, I think the asking price will be very high for the Pirates.
I have Bae over Palacios on my depth chart
Getting on base and stealing bases was a huge reason for the Pirates early success last year. I know the rest of the league started to figure things out, but it seemed like the Pirates totally got away from the speed game. And after Bae got thrown out a few times in a row, he almost quit trying.
we just need to send him down to AAA each time he goes 0 for his last 7 and let him take reps in AAA until he gets his groove back
too many times in the same season, we let him go 0 for 25+
Calling it now, Jack is gone have >3.5 WAR this year
I’d like to believe Suwinski’s going to become a star like every Pirate fan would, but the main reason he’s been given so much leeway with his weaknesses is that he’s about the only potential power hitting outfielder the Pirates have at the moment. The fact that he doesn’t chase pitches out of the strike zone is tempered by the opposing fact that he takes an awfully lot of called strikes and finds himself in the hole without ever swinging the bat. Maybe he needs to go up to the plate ready to swing instead of hoping and waiting for the perfect pitch to hit. He might swing at more pitches out of the strike zone, but he just might also actually hit more strikes or at least hittable pitches.
He's been "given leeway" because he was the 21st most valuable outfielder in the entire fucking sport last year.
You people sometimes, my god.
The question is not "should Suwinski start?" The question is should he start in CF. That he should start, especially on a team as bad as the Pirates is obvious. Really though, he would start for almost all the teams in MLB, just not in CF for most.
Agreed. Let's just also hope Oneil can be as good at being one of the worst defenders at his positions.
I don't think the defensive metrics have painted a clear picture yet of how well Suwinski is playing CF. One-year numbers can be very deceptive. We shall see after this year, but... yes... if Cruz can play SS at the level that Suwinski plays CF, I would be happy and pleasantly surprised, though I still think that a competent team would put their best infield defender, Hayes, at SS, and Cruz at 3B (or better yet... give him a go in CF).
Cruz WAS a 3B when joining, bad case of the YIPS forced him to SS
Peguero was SS of future until the YIPS got him in late 2022 and 23
Shortly after Cruz injury, LP should've been called and planted at SS
instead of rotating 2B, he lost out on too many PA's
Cruz will be traded before they ask him to try the Outfield thing again, he's voiced displeasure he's not comfortable with angles, fielding and again most of all THROWING
Left side is out, he would look rediculous at keystone and the dish is out as well
He's out of positions except 1B, which is perfect for him, heres why
Doesn't NEED to throw OFTEN, which is WHY he's there
At this point please bury any remaining "your wasting his arm at 1B" arguments
Cruz can catch anything, once he does though, if he has time to throw ?
the double pump YIP comes out and from there, DUCK!
He would be the biggest target in baseball, just too bad he can't catch his own throws for practice,
1B is a total reaction position, no time to think
Hayes is the TJ WATT of BASEBALL, why weaken one position to improve another, understand Triolo is GG caliber, but there isn't another Hayes
walking on this planet. There is no one close after JT, who BTW has logged alot more innings at SS, then Hayes
Im tired of defensive stats and how there used especially in the OF
Suwinski and Reynolds are solid as can be, I watch them leave everything on the field every night from home or 3 rows behind their dugout
Reynolds LF, Suwinski CF COMBINED
239 G
1900 INN
2 E
While some ying yang is trying to convince me they are both below average defenders because they didn't save enough runs
Well... that's a lot. I have no problem with Triolo at SS. I have said that would be a good place for him, but who plays 2B? Peguero needs to spend some time in AAA. They rushed him up to try to cover for the fact that Cherington's draft picks have all bombed so far. Gonzalez can't hit breaking pitches... so... that's a problem.
Of course Cruz is going to struggle with angles and reading the ball off the bat in the OF. He has played exclusively in the infield, except for a handful of games at AAA 2 years ago. A competent organization would have moved him to CF in A-ball, but we are talking about the Pirates here. If I were Cruz, | would object to the Pirates monkeying around with moving me to the OF when I was on the cusp of moving from the minors to the majors too. If I am Cruz, it would sound to me like they were trying to manipulate my service time by monkeying around for a month. Of course, we all know that the Pirates would never do that.
Whatever the case, he would have to learn CF now in the majors, and he might have a different opinion about learning it when he is earning an MLB wage and accruing service time rather than the pittance they pay minor-leaguers.
Dude, yes! Here I thought I was the only loon screaming into the void for Hayes at SS.
I think it’s just a matter of time before he becomes a really good player. Just seems like a matter of time before he becomes at least serviceable vs LH Pitching. Given his low chase rate, and ability to just crush mistakes, he should rightly be considered a key foundation piece for this organization.
I wouldn’t be surprised if fans are clamoring for BN to give him an extension before anyone else.
Can you think of any big leaguers with 1000 PA under their belts who've solved major platoon issues?
What is it with this org refusing to put players in their best position to succeed, I don't get it.
Fans don’t seem willing to accept limitations on players either. Maybe they feel like it’s conceding if he can’t hit lefties? I dunno.
I think that's it, and I admire the sentiment! In some ways that's what being a fan should be all about.
I’m happy if he becomes our version of Joc Peterson. The team should get him a capable weak side platoon (Taylor!) and stop putting him and the team in a position to fail.
Too early to pigeonhole him as a strong side platoon player. Especially if he continues to improve from where he finished last year.
Literally the opposite of how the Tampa Rays field strong lineups every single year.
Errybody wanna be the Rays, nobody wanna act like the Rays.
I trust you and Pirate Rican21’s expertise on baseball matters. Thus, I’ll concede the point. Bench Jack vs Lefties! Win more games!
Finally wore you down! Victory tastes so sweet!!!! 😂
ice cream for everyone!
I would love to see Jack Suwinski as our full time CF, but since being in MLB, he has struggled against LHP's . In the earlier topic this morning I quoted some numbers -
2023
Against RHP - .856 OPS, .503 Slg
Against LHP - .609 OPS, .313 Slg
2022
Against RHP - .794 OPS, .465 Slg
Against LHP - .511 OPS, .286 Slg
Last year he led the team with 26 HR, but only 2 came against LHP's.
Well I've been vocal about Jack the past year on P2 and i will continue to be. His strikeout issues are more from continuously hitting behind in the count, than anything else. He's, correct me if im wrong, in the top 5 percentile of taking called strikes (and called 3rd strikes) in all of major league baseball. This isnt just limited to offspeed pitches as his take rate for fastballs is nearly the same. This tells me his approach is extremely flawed, and that he is guessing waaay too much at the plate, or deciding before the pitch is even thrown, regardless of the count, that if its not the type of pitch hes looking for, he simply isnt going to swing, regardless of where its thrown. That approach cannot lead to ever improving on pitch recognition and getting more consistent contact. It has a very low ceiling.
It took you many, many times longer to write this gibberish than it would've to click a few buttons on FanGraphs and see how wrong your inclinations are:
https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jack-suwinski/22244/graphs?statArr=50,104&legend=1,2&split=base&time=game&ymin=&ymax=&start=2023&end=2023&rtype=single>1=15&dStatArray=
I have no idea what you are expecting me to see here which proves my inclinations are wrong so why dont you show me you rude prick
Curiously asking, how does a player who is “guessing waaay too much” have such a high BB%?
I recall thinking he must be getting fooled on many of those called 3rd strikes. Maybe he’s one of those players who gets too caught up in analytics? Reads a scouting report that says Pitcher A throws a slider 73% of the time with 2 strikes on a hitter, and then gets beat by a fastball.
Hes simply being extremely stubborn. He may know his weaknesses very well so he creates an intense tunnelvision at the plate which leads to high walks and ks due to ridiculously high take rates. What ive been saying, is that having a low chase rate is absolutwly useless if you have an equally high take rate of called strikes.