Morning Rundown: Connor Joe reached 30 doubles, bullpen blows late lead
Connor Joe continues to be a very solid addition by Ben Cherington.
It was a homecoming of sorts this past offseason for Connor Joe, who was traded from the Colorado Rockies, to the team that originally drafted him - the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Swapped for minor league pitcher Nick Garcia, Joe has become a solid addition to the Pirates this season.
Joe picked up his 30th double of the season on Friday, and has a total of 45 extra-base hits in 2023. He reached base four times that night, with two hits and another two walks out of the leadoff spot.
Picked up for his ability to play in the outfield, and first base, as well as good track record against left-handed pitching, Joe was exactly what the Pirates had hoped he would be, potentially even more.
He put up an .819 OPS when facing southpaws, but also managed a .711 mark versus righties, and it wasn’t a case of him only facing one side either. Joe has around 80 extra at-bats against righties compared to lefties, which also has helped him hit more extra-base hits as well (19 XBH vs LHP, 26 vs RHP).
Adding Joe gave them the added depth, and an added presence in the locker room not only with experience but also with years of control left.
Bullpen blows a late lead
Being able to throw in the mid to upper 90s, adding in two high spin breaking pitches will only take you so far if you can’t control it.
That seems to be where we are at for Colin Selby.
The eye test quickly tells you the stuff is there, and there has been data to back it up - but it’s all for not if he can’t locate it.
Selby’s struggles in the majors continues on Friday, as he came out of the bullpen in the eighth inning to try and hold the Pirates lead - but was eventually tagged with the loss.
In 24 innings this year Selby has struck out 30 batters but has also walked 15 and allowed 24 earned runs.
There is sometimes a certain expectation that relievers are generally pitching out the bullpen because they don’t have the best control, but you still have to throw strikes if he’s going to want to get hitters out.
Excellent trade to get Connor Joe for Nick Garcia. It has been a career year for Joe and I doubt that Garcia was ever in the Pirates plans - the first 3 picks in 2020 were Nick Gonzales, Carmen Mlodzinski, and Jared Jones; Garcia was our 4th pick.
Colin Selby has been a very strong draft pick considering he was picked by the Pirates in the 16th Round, Overall Pick No. 474 in 2018. Still only 25 and the exposure he and others are getting this year should help in their overall development. Another late inning big thrower getting exposure is Hunter Stratton, 26. These opportunities should pay future dividends if they stay with the Pirates or are dealt to others looking for late inning help out of the BP.
No love for Joe despite being productive AND misused