25 Comments

Great work as usual Ethan. However, you did neglect to mention one date on the calendar. It’s the date us Pirates fans realize they aren’t going to sign any FA to a multi-year contract. Usually happens right around February 1 for me every year.

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I don't think I've gone into an offseason less hopeful that we'll make a significant FA signing--the hitters that would clearly upgrade our lineup seem out of our price range and with Skenes, Keller, Jones, etc., I expect us to just roll with the guys we have. Maybe we'll sign a reliever of interest.

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Oct 29·edited Oct 29Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

BA - prospects who made elite swing decisions this year...

Dalton Rushing

Walker Jenkins

Bryce Eldrige

Michael Arroyo

Drake Baldwin

Harry Ford

Edgar Quero

Termarr Johnson

Thayron Liranzo

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When we did the internal vote for best tools, I picked Termarr for hit tool due to the strike zone judgment. I guess I kinda cheated by conflating that with making contact. I figure, strike zone judgment can't be taught and, when it's as good as his, it's bound to lead to something good in the end, even if he's still finding his way. I just wish he was in an org that's better able to help players with this stuff.

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What I wouldn’t give for the Bucs to have a guy named Thayron Liranzo.

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this is Braylon Brazobana erasure and I will not stand for it

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With nearly $7mil in international pool space, how early could the pirates include international money in a potential trade (PTBNL or cash considerations)? November 16th?

With several teams going for Roki Sasaki, adding some pool space in a trade could be very beneficial to the pirates acquiring a potential bat. For example I mentioned a trade to the Mets, Johan Oviedo for Ronny Mauricio and Brett Baty. If the pirates would include a substantial amount in pool space or a player to be named later, it should potentially increase their odds on a return. If it could be on the table before the other team even knows if Roki is even posted, even better.

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Sheesh, $7m pool? Unless they've got their hooks into a stud I say get rid of as much of it as they can.

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For 2025? Not until Jan 15...

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Thanks, thought they could use it like a player to be named later. For example Roki is posted, $2mil of pool money is the ptbnl on Jan 15th '25, though the trade took place on Nov 16th. Roki is not posted the Mets could pick say Jebb on Dec 15th '24 or the pool money on Jan 15th '25 as the ptbnl.

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Nope, international space can only be used in the period its traded in

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Love the breakdown of everything! Thanks Ethan!

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Ahhh the Rule 5…the biggest nothingburger of the offseason.

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How dare you!!! Add Siani now!!!!!!!

(I feel it's only right we start a customary Rule 5 fight)

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Oct 29Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

I, for one, am happy to argue a position for which I could not care less. ;)

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He was a first round pick! Pedigree matters!!!

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Especially for us this year.

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thanks Ethan! December 10 is the next date of interest, i doubt we make any signings prior

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went to my first steeler game last night and I must say that is a different crowd than a pirate game - - sat up at the top row nose bleed by the tin house

ive gotta say nutting´s quotes about family entertainment make a lot more sense after that experience last night

certainly lots of knocks on him but I dont plan on bringing my daughter to the football stadium any time soon

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To be fair, a Monday night crowd is different from a 1:00 Sunday crowd, but Sunday still has it's fair share of idiots.

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Agree. I’ve had a few unpleasant experiences at PNC in the cheaper seats, but those have been rare amongst the hundreds of games I’ve attended. The Pirates do a pretty solid job at creating a good atmosphere. Steelers games are a whole other ball of wax.

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I once almost got beat up in the left field bleachers in the san francisco ballpark for cheering Marte Parte with my wife

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That’s a shame. I had a bad experience at Wrigley once. Some guy was high on drugs and threatening everyone and started swinging at people. Nothing that bad at PNC. Just the occasional obnoxious drunk. Probably get that everywhere though.

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Lest we slip into shaking our head at the utes today, bad fan behavior isn’t a recent occurrence. My father (in his 70’s) told me of two horrible separate ballpark trips in his teens and twenties.

In one instance at Yankee Stadium, an inebriated fan in the row in front of them was lobbing lit mini-firecrackers towards the field. The fan reared back to throw one…and dropped it in front of my father and his buddy. In the second (I believe at Shea) a gaggle of drunks got in a tussle in the upper deck area and a boot was tossed over and hit someone.

Myself, I’ve been lucky. The worst I saw was a fan in his cups mooning the field at Fenway, revealing a tattoo of Elvis on his ass.

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That’s all true. Of course there’s probably the most infamous example of MLB fan misbehavior from the 70’s: dime beer night. The fans weren’t alone in that one though… Cleveland instigated that by offering such a promo. I believe you were allowed to purchase 8 beers at a time or something ridiculous?

Having this discussion jogged my memory about bad fan behavior: I was at the infamous Jolly Roger flag riot on opening day in 1995 at Three Rivers Stadium against the Expos. Emotions were already raw coming off the strike. A few bad plays and next thing you know the field is being littered with the giveaway flags. It went on for what seemed like forever. The public address announcer at one point came on the PA and said if the fans didn’t stop the Pirates would be forced to forfeit the game. The crowd responded with a large cheer. They ended up losing 6-2.

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