I would say he thought he would get more from another team, then had to take less. The other side would be, thinking the Brewers has a better chance for the post season.
Disappointing I think. At some point he can start pitching on re-hab so I am hoping this is just them being overly cautious. By normal time line this smells of something not quite right. Depth is good as in many ways this doesn't create much of a ripple.
Just read he had a lat injury, I'm with ya on not smelling right. They probably want to control his innings and have a fairly fresh arm come June. He'll probably start his rehab in May, and decide if he should start or be long relief.
On paper I don’t get this at all. Here we are talking about a crowded bullpen, with lots of promise, and the Bucs claim a guy with no options who’s been below replacement level, including a horrid 2024, in three of his four big league seasons. Can’t wait to hear the rationale for this one.
I guess ….. he was also below replacement in 21 and 22. And WAR takes park effects into account. Has Nicolas really been that shaky in the early going?
Which one of the half dozen dfa candidates will it be? My guess is one of the relievers that starts with a S that isn't Santana. It could be a position player that starts with a P though.
Honestly… 5 war feels like incremental improvement vs a breakout. I’d welcome it- but I also realize that is sorta just him doing his 2nd half from last year for a full year and there feels more in the bag.
If it was me, I’d have all 3 on the roster. Each would catch twice a week. Each would play 1B twice a week. Each would DH once a week. Something like that thru April. At the end of April reasses and see where Horwitz is. We need the bats!! Triolo can be a late game defensive replacement at 1B and maybe start once a week there. But I don’t think the Pirates will do anything creative. They never do.
'We need the bats' - but only one of the catchers has actually proven to be a bat at the MLB level and even that was far from a big sample. Triolo has outhit Hank and Endy at the MLB level and I fully don't support him being a regular at 1st but by track record and comparing him to the C's he should be the starter.. As I rambled on below in the 'Endy is an impact bat thread'- why do we keep treating them like proven bats? Prove it first in whatever at bats they get, they we can worry about using them elsewhere or as 'bats'. This doesn't preclude one random day at DH but IMO not as some regular thing until they show they are actually capable.
Agreed. I have to believe it is close between Endy and Hank. They both are performing well in ST, and with this FO I can definitely see them saying Endy needs everyday reps in AAA after the injury. Depending what they do at 1st that might be my preference.
After one week of games not much has changed. I dropped Cook because Yorke and Triolo are getting time at 1B and Cook is not. Peguero has barely played—seems like the organization considers him AAA material. Bae sucks and may get DFA for a NRI.
I wrote just the top part here about the minor league guide. I just wanted to give a little insight on what you get that other similar guides don't provide. Make no mistake, the main part of the book is the top 50 prospects in the system, as well as related topics, such as guessing the 26-man roster, where the top prospects should start 2025, other prospects of note, etc.
We lowered the price from last year, but it's the exact same quality as the first guide
Well, I found out I am a cousin of Grover Cleveland Alexander (twice actually, as we share great+ grandparents on two different lines), so I've thought about writing something on him. My publisher is great, but he only does Western Pennsylvania sports, so a book on GCA wouldn't fit into his work. I have a book I'm finishing this month, then another one that will take at least six months afterwards. After that one, I don't have a set plan for the next.
Keep me in mind. I can send you examples of books and journal articles that I have edited, typeset, and prepared for publication via Amazon or independent presses. I am just finishing up typesetting a gorgeous (IMO, which is, of course, biased) version of the Christian Bible with Hebrew (with the Nikun), Greek, and English characters throughout, diacritical marks everyone, glossaries, indexes. About the most complex typesetting project that you can imagine.
I will definitely keep it in mind. My schedule consists of finishing the current book in about two weeks. The next book should take about six months, but I'll be starting it immediately. Then probably that will be done right in time to start the 2026 Minor League guide.
So we are talking about January 1st when I will start something that could possibly work. We will see if I stray from Pirates history to do something else baseball related at that point. That's a lot of time to come up with a topic, so no promises. There are two GCA bios out there already, so I would have to think of something different than just a straight bio.
Cleveland was a big baseball fan. How about a book on the history of baseball and the presidency.
Another book that would be very interesting in my opinion is a history of baseball in Latin America or a history of the rise of baseball in Japan. The former would be easier, since the latter would require, probably, Japanese sources.
I do Spanish translations too. I think a History of Baseball in Latin America would sell in Latin America... at least 5,000-10,000 copies if marketed properly. Certainly worth the effort if the target price is 8.99 or 9.99 or so, and you keep cerca 70%+ of royalties ala Amazon et al.
Thanks John. While you said it focuses on the top 50, does it give some basic info on all the MiLB players? In particular those in the US based leagues as I know it is hard to have too much on the non 'big signing' international players.
I do use the resources page some. Many times I need a refresher on the less obvious minor leaguers.. ie. are they 28 and crushing low A or somebody to follow closer. Too many names at times... can't be age.
It's that time where teams start to identify their final 26. 9 games in and 18 left before opening day in Miami. There are two games at the beginning of that week where it should be practice for our starting lineup, before heading to Miami for 4 games with the Marlins.
Reading the lineups so far, we are locked in with Hayes, IKF, and Gonzales in the IF with Triolo at UT, Bart and Endy at C, Pham, Cruz, Reynolds in the OF, and Cutch as DH. That's 10 and Horwitz makes 11. So, room for only two more position players. I think Jack Suwinski will make the team as the UT OF/ LH hitting DH. Down to one and I would think it would come down to Nick Yorke or Billy Cook to start at 1B, with Endy possibly getting a few starts at 1B - need that LH bat in the lineup.
I think the only 'locked in' I disagree with is Endy. Not saying he won't be the backup catcher but in pure box score watching only, I am not sure he has been given any favor over Hank at this point. Hank has caught some of the projected starting rotation.
Endy is a difference-maker at the plate who is a strong Catcher and very experienced 1B. Toss in the switch hitter status in a home field that favors LH hitters, and I cannot see how he is not the backup, and getting additional reps at 1B. Davis is hitting well and he is very much in the future plans of this ballclub.
Bart was a great signing for the Pirates but is already in his arbitration years - this year was cheap ($1.175 mil), but next year could be a lot more expensive, and cause BC to consider other options.
Not sure where you come to the conclusion Endy is a difference maker at the plate given his 2023 performance and basically missing all of 2024. Many a player have strong minor league showings and take a while to adjust to MLB and some don't ever produce. I am not down on either he or Hank but Endy has just as much to prove at the plate in MLB as Hank. Also, he is not a power hitter so the short RF porch does not help him nearly as much as somebody like Jack.
The Bart contract situation has no bearing on this years opening day backup IMO as I suspect between injury and performance (or lack there of), both Endy and Hank will get their chances before any decision on Bart's future need to occur.
Both of their 2023 hitting performances at AAA were good; in fact Davis was excellent; their hitting at the MLB level went down, which was expected. Neither have lit it up at MLB, as yet. And, last year was not good at all for HD at the plate in MLB.
I think there is room for both of them on the team, but not for Davis at this time as the No. 2 Catcher, or at 1B. Much rather have the switch hitting bat of Endy more than the RH bat of HD. RHP's make up the majority of MLB pitchers, and the splits of the two against RHP's favor Endy.
All good observations but NONE support him being considered an impact bat and treating him (being creative in getting extra at bats at 'hitting' positions) as such at this point in time. Prove it with either backup ABs (for either of them) then we can try to get them playing time elsewhere. I'm not opposed to 1 or 2 starts (total - not in a week) at first pre-Horwitz as it looks like it may be an all hands on deck to fill those AB's but not as any type of real plan until he or Hank hit.
Since neither have hit at the MLB level I am not going to worry about LH vs RH until one of them steps up. Of course I am in the camp of Endy everyday at AAA and Hank getting his shot as he was crushing AAA last year while Endy missed an entire year. So because of that I may be Hank biased I admit. But Endy didn't exactly crush righties in his MLB debut so I don't want to overthink that.
Putting Bart at 1B throughout the spring and to start the season just makes far too much sense for a team that carries 4 Cs on its 40-man roster. Getting him some reps at 1B would let them keep his bat in the lineup more often and prepare them for a situation in which Endy or Davis is able to step up enough to merit more than a backup's playing time. Because it is Shelton and Littlefield though, something ever dumber than carrying 4 Cs on the 40-man (and then not using them) is sure to ensue.
Certainly possible, but I hope not. Bart would not be the first highly touted prospect to put it together after a couple of years of failure. He would also not be the first to put together a good half-season and then disappear.
Depends in part on how they want to manipulate the 40. If they are ready to cut one of Bae, Palacios, Peguero then yeah, if not Yorke, Triolo or Cook could hold the fort down until Horwitz return.
Sad sentence, makes it sound like Horwitz is some kind of savior!!!!!
I would guess if Horwitz were only out for a couple of weeks, they'll just throw a warm body at 1b. If he's out longer, I would guess Hall will man 1b.
They need to trade/DFA Bae, Williams, and Palacios if anyone is interested - no use for them. Peguero, still only in his age 24 season. We need to unlock whatever it is that is keeping him from looking like the prospect we had in 2023. Somebody needs to spend some time with him and get that confidence back that he had in himself then, but lost it in 2024.
When's the last time the Pirates signed a young 1B to actually play 1B at the MLB level? When they spend capital (SP Capital) to bring in a 1B, it is big time stuff with the Pirates.
As far as I can recall, Kevin Young was the last legit first baseman who came up through the Pirates system. Josh Bell was in the outfield for most of his minor league career. But correct me if there’s someone else I’m forgetting.
Q apparently took less $ to pitch for the Brewers. 4 to 5 million.
So, did he not want to go back to the Pirates? or did the Brewers offer a better deal? I thought he was going get at least double what he signed for.
I would say he thought he would get more from another team, then had to take less. The other side would be, thinking the Brewers has a better chance for the post season.
Me too on what I thought he would get.
Pirates claimed RHP Justin Lawrence off waivers from the Rox. Judging from the MLBTR pic he’s a submarine guy.
I know diddly about this guy, except he has no options.
Somebody gotta go bye bye to clear space.
Savant page looks pretty good in 2023, not so much last season.
His sinker totally sank. Statcast thinks it was one of the worst pitches in MLB. I hope somebody has a clue why.
I was wrong, Oviedo to the 60.
Disappointing I think. At some point he can start pitching on re-hab so I am hoping this is just them being overly cautious. By normal time line this smells of something not quite right. Depth is good as in many ways this doesn't create much of a ripple.
Just read he had a lat injury, I'm with ya on not smelling right. They probably want to control his innings and have a fairly fresh arm come June. He'll probably start his rehab in May, and decide if he should start or be long relief.
I got a lat injury, too. Damned if it doesn’t happen every time there’s yard work to do.
Noah Hines: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2025/03/03/justin-lawrence-waiver-claim-rockies-cherington/stories/202503030051
His sinker last year, which he throws more than 50% of the time, was the 9th worst pitch in baseball last year per Baseball Reference. Seriously.
On paper I don’t get this at all. Here we are talking about a crowded bullpen, with lots of promise, and the Bucs claim a guy with no options who’s been below replacement level, including a horrid 2024, in three of his four big league seasons. Can’t wait to hear the rationale for this one.
Don’t have time now, but if you add up everybody who should be a lock and ones with no options, pretty sure they’re over by a couple.
That’s what I thought. On the surface this is baffling.
Coors effect. he was pretty damn good in 2023. I would guess Shugart gets DFA'd and Nicolas starts in AAA.
If they can get him back to his 2023 #'s, this makes the pen better.
I guess ….. he was also below replacement in 21 and 22. And WAR takes park effects into account. Has Nicolas really been that shaky in the early going?
Oh, you're using bWAR. Nicolas is always shaky...I'm guessing the appeal is heavy sinker, paired with a slider and he had 11 saves in '23.
News of the waiver claim isn’t even on the team site yet.
Which one of the half dozen dfa candidates will it be? My guess is one of the relievers that starts with a S that isn't Santana. It could be a position player that starts with a P though.
Maybe it's just me, but watching Cruz hit accidental HRs is awesome to see!
I think he breaks out into a 5-5.5 WAR animal this season.
That was a wind blown HR, but agree with your prediction.
Honestly… 5 war feels like incremental improvement vs a breakout. I’d welcome it- but I also realize that is sorta just him doing his 2nd half from last year for a full year and there feels more in the bag.
If he's a 7 WAR player this year and they miss the playoffs, something catastrophic happened.
The Mike trout experience!
Bench battles…….original…..now
11. Endy Rodriguez…90%…..90%
12. Jack Suwinski……60%…..60%
13. Nick Yorke…………50%…..50%
———————————————————-
14. Billy Cook………….50%…..40%
15. Darick Hall………..30%…..30%
16. Henry Davis………20%…..20%
17. Josh Palacios…….20%…..20%
18. Liover Peguero….30%…..20%
19. Ji-hwan Bae………10%…….5%
20. Matt Gorski…………5%…….5%
21. DJ Stewart…………..5%…….5%
22. Nick Solak…………..5%…….5%
23. Alika Williams………5%…….5%
24. Enmanuel Valdez…5%…….5%
25. Malcolm Nunez……5%…….5%
26. Jason Delay………...5%…….5%
Gotta pump Davis higher than that.
If it was me, I’d have all 3 on the roster. Each would catch twice a week. Each would play 1B twice a week. Each would DH once a week. Something like that thru April. At the end of April reasses and see where Horwitz is. We need the bats!! Triolo can be a late game defensive replacement at 1B and maybe start once a week there. But I don’t think the Pirates will do anything creative. They never do.
'We need the bats' - but only one of the catchers has actually proven to be a bat at the MLB level and even that was far from a big sample. Triolo has outhit Hank and Endy at the MLB level and I fully don't support him being a regular at 1st but by track record and comparing him to the C's he should be the starter.. As I rambled on below in the 'Endy is an impact bat thread'- why do we keep treating them like proven bats? Prove it first in whatever at bats they get, they we can worry about using them elsewhere or as 'bats'. This doesn't preclude one random day at DH but IMO not as some regular thing until they show they are actually capable.
Agreed. I have to believe it is close between Endy and Hank. They both are performing well in ST, and with this FO I can definitely see them saying Endy needs everyday reps in AAA after the injury. Depending what they do at 1st that might be my preference.
After one week of games not much has changed. I dropped Cook because Yorke and Triolo are getting time at 1B and Cook is not. Peguero has barely played—seems like the organization considers him AAA material. Bae sucks and may get DFA for a NRI.
I wrote just the top part here about the minor league guide. I just wanted to give a little insight on what you get that other similar guides don't provide. Make no mistake, the main part of the book is the top 50 prospects in the system, as well as related topics, such as guessing the 26-man roster, where the top prospects should start 2025, other prospects of note, etc.
We lowered the price from last year, but it's the exact same quality as the first guide
If you ever need an editor or publisher, drop me a line. Would love to work on one of your projects.
Well, I found out I am a cousin of Grover Cleveland Alexander (twice actually, as we share great+ grandparents on two different lines), so I've thought about writing something on him. My publisher is great, but he only does Western Pennsylvania sports, so a book on GCA wouldn't fit into his work. I have a book I'm finishing this month, then another one that will take at least six months afterwards. After that one, I don't have a set plan for the next.
Keep me in mind. I can send you examples of books and journal articles that I have edited, typeset, and prepared for publication via Amazon or independent presses. I am just finishing up typesetting a gorgeous (IMO, which is, of course, biased) version of the Christian Bible with Hebrew (with the Nikun), Greek, and English characters throughout, diacritical marks everyone, glossaries, indexes. About the most complex typesetting project that you can imagine.
Of course, | can work on Kindle and other HTML-type publications as well (including web-pages). So... your one-stop shop for all publication needs.
I will definitely keep it in mind. My schedule consists of finishing the current book in about two weeks. The next book should take about six months, but I'll be starting it immediately. Then probably that will be done right in time to start the 2026 Minor League guide.
So we are talking about January 1st when I will start something that could possibly work. We will see if I stray from Pirates history to do something else baseball related at that point. That's a lot of time to come up with a topic, so no promises. There are two GCA bios out there already, so I would have to think of something different than just a straight bio.
Cleveland was a big baseball fan. How about a book on the history of baseball and the presidency.
Another book that would be very interesting in my opinion is a history of baseball in Latin America or a history of the rise of baseball in Japan. The former would be easier, since the latter would require, probably, Japanese sources.
I do Spanish translations too. I think a History of Baseball in Latin America would sell in Latin America... at least 5,000-10,000 copies if marketed properly. Certainly worth the effort if the target price is 8.99 or 9.99 or so, and you keep cerca 70%+ of royalties ala Amazon et al.
Thanks John. While you said it focuses on the top 50, does it give some basic info on all the MiLB players? In particular those in the US based leagues as I know it is hard to have too much on the non 'big signing' international players.
There’s a section with brief info on a dozen or so guys who “just missed.” It doesn’t cover the whole system.
There are player pages for the entire system accessible through the resources tab at the top of the page on the site.
I do use the resources page some. Many times I need a refresher on the less obvious minor leaguers.. ie. are they 28 and crushing low A or somebody to follow closer. Too many names at times... can't be age.
It's that time where teams start to identify their final 26. 9 games in and 18 left before opening day in Miami. There are two games at the beginning of that week where it should be practice for our starting lineup, before heading to Miami for 4 games with the Marlins.
Reading the lineups so far, we are locked in with Hayes, IKF, and Gonzales in the IF with Triolo at UT, Bart and Endy at C, Pham, Cruz, Reynolds in the OF, and Cutch as DH. That's 10 and Horwitz makes 11. So, room for only two more position players. I think Jack Suwinski will make the team as the UT OF/ LH hitting DH. Down to one and I would think it would come down to Nick Yorke or Billy Cook to start at 1B, with Endy possibly getting a few starts at 1B - need that LH bat in the lineup.
I think the only 'locked in' I disagree with is Endy. Not saying he won't be the backup catcher but in pure box score watching only, I am not sure he has been given any favor over Hank at this point. Hank has caught some of the projected starting rotation.
Endy is a difference-maker at the plate who is a strong Catcher and very experienced 1B. Toss in the switch hitter status in a home field that favors LH hitters, and I cannot see how he is not the backup, and getting additional reps at 1B. Davis is hitting well and he is very much in the future plans of this ballclub.
Bart was a great signing for the Pirates but is already in his arbitration years - this year was cheap ($1.175 mil), but next year could be a lot more expensive, and cause BC to consider other options.
Not sure where you come to the conclusion Endy is a difference maker at the plate given his 2023 performance and basically missing all of 2024. Many a player have strong minor league showings and take a while to adjust to MLB and some don't ever produce. I am not down on either he or Hank but Endy has just as much to prove at the plate in MLB as Hank. Also, he is not a power hitter so the short RF porch does not help him nearly as much as somebody like Jack.
The Bart contract situation has no bearing on this years opening day backup IMO as I suspect between injury and performance (or lack there of), both Endy and Hank will get their chances before any decision on Bart's future need to occur.
Both of their 2023 hitting performances at AAA were good; in fact Davis was excellent; their hitting at the MLB level went down, which was expected. Neither have lit it up at MLB, as yet. And, last year was not good at all for HD at the plate in MLB.
I think there is room for both of them on the team, but not for Davis at this time as the No. 2 Catcher, or at 1B. Much rather have the switch hitting bat of Endy more than the RH bat of HD. RHP's make up the majority of MLB pitchers, and the splits of the two against RHP's favor Endy.
All good observations but NONE support him being considered an impact bat and treating him (being creative in getting extra at bats at 'hitting' positions) as such at this point in time. Prove it with either backup ABs (for either of them) then we can try to get them playing time elsewhere. I'm not opposed to 1 or 2 starts (total - not in a week) at first pre-Horwitz as it looks like it may be an all hands on deck to fill those AB's but not as any type of real plan until he or Hank hit.
Since neither have hit at the MLB level I am not going to worry about LH vs RH until one of them steps up. Of course I am in the camp of Endy everyday at AAA and Hank getting his shot as he was crushing AAA last year while Endy missed an entire year. So because of that I may be Hank biased I admit. But Endy didn't exactly crush righties in his MLB debut so I don't want to overthink that.
The NS9 guys were saying that they think Hank looks very good behind the dish
Good chance Horowitz starts year on IL opening a spot for a short-term 1B type. Hall? Stewart? Davis?
Do they dare carry 3 Catchers? Endy has defensive versatility after all.
It was announced over the weekend that Horwitz will be on IL for opening day. Did not state 60-day, doubtful it would be 60 unless he has setback.
Putting Bart at 1B throughout the spring and to start the season just makes far too much sense for a team that carries 4 Cs on its 40-man roster. Getting him some reps at 1B would let them keep his bat in the lineup more often and prepare them for a situation in which Endy or Davis is able to step up enough to merit more than a backup's playing time. Because it is Shelton and Littlefield though, something ever dumber than carrying 4 Cs on the 40-man (and then not using them) is sure to ensue.
I'm thinking Bart regresses bigtime this year. At some point this season, I think we'll see the Endy/Davis tandem.
Certainly possible, but I hope not. Bart would not be the first highly touted prospect to put it together after a couple of years of failure. He would also not be the first to put together a good half-season and then disappear.
Depends in part on how they want to manipulate the 40. If they are ready to cut one of Bae, Palacios, Peguero then yeah, if not Yorke, Triolo or Cook could hold the fort down until Horwitz return.
Sad sentence, makes it sound like Horwitz is some kind of savior!!!!!
I would guess if Horwitz were only out for a couple of weeks, they'll just throw a warm body at 1b. If he's out longer, I would guess Hall will man 1b.
They need to trade/DFA Bae, Williams, and Palacios if anyone is interested - no use for them. Peguero, still only in his age 24 season. We need to unlock whatever it is that is keeping him from looking like the prospect we had in 2023. Somebody needs to spend some time with him and get that confidence back that he had in himself then, but lost it in 2024.
When's the last time the Pirates signed a young 1B to actually play 1B at the MLB level? When they spend capital (SP Capital) to bring in a 1B, it is big time stuff with the Pirates.
As far as I can recall, Kevin Young was the last legit first baseman who came up through the Pirates system. Josh Bell was in the outfield for most of his minor league career. But correct me if there’s someone else I’m forgetting.