Luigi Hernandez had an interesting story from when I tried to get info on him. It seemed like there was a 50/50 split between people who really liked him and those who didn't think he was worth signing even at a lower bonus price. Probably the biggest internal split of opinions that I have come across.
In other news, our old friend Gerrit Cole is headed to the Dr.’s office for imaging of his elbow. Yankees fans are blasting their GM for allowing Cole to change his mind and opt in to the last 4 years of his deal.
Must be nice to be upset about spending market rate money on a highly successful player. Talk about first world baseball problems.
This is getting fun. Just hoping the joy of it translates over into the long season.
Looks from the game the other day for me: Jones looked good, of course, but there were times when I thought he might have been overthrowing? I'll depend on the guys who know better around here.
The Eddy Yean Cartel deserves a fan club.
Very interested that guys like Bae, Peggy, Tank, Gorski and some others are bringing game. It makes me wonder if being so patient with them is going to pay off in the bigs. Peggy still young. Bae could be a real problem on the bases. Tank / Gorski are showing they want in.
Tank was solid receiving. Maybe because he's comfortable on the field his bat will now naturally follow.
Your last sentence about Davis speaks volumes. However, he is really in a tough situation. The Pirates picked up Joey Bart for next to nothing and he gives them 13 HR/45 RBI in only 250 AB. He is still in only his 4th year making $1.175 mil in his first year of Arb and hitting the cover off the ball. Endy Rodriguez give us a backup Catcher who is stronger defensively than our primary Catcher, gives us the switch hitter capability, and can and has also played 1B, 2B, and OF.
Peguero the same. Very strong in the minors in 2023 and called up at SS when Cruz was injured and did well defensively at both SS and 2B, and hit for 7 HR, 654 OPS as a 22 year old. He may have thought he would get a good shot in 2024, but the Pirates felt it best to send him to AAA. That was not a good year. He's showing well lately, but with IKF and Gonzales as returning regulars, his chances of making the Active Roster are very slim.
Bae and Gorski may help in a trade, or they will both be back at AAA.
Loved the MLB interview with 'Cutch - 38 and chiseled.
With only 13 slots available on the Active Roster, what do the Pirates think they are going to do with Adam Frazier? A sort of last minute signing to a very inexpensive contract, but a guaranteed contract all the same. Unless traded, it looks like he will be blocking younger players who could possibly have a future with this team. The .576 OPS last year was his worst since being in MLB.
Excellent interview during the game with Stephen Morales. Nice input regarding Oneil Cruz, and Paul Skenes and the fact that Skenes is All business, All the time. That's two guys we need to turn this franchise around, but that cannot be if we continue the "poor boy" routine. We are the only team in the NL Central with a player payroll of less than $100 mil. Have to pay players to keep them!
I'm glad to see the player who they got for Josh Bell is starting to put it all together (Eddy Yean). Will he be in high-leverage at AAA to start the year? Hopefully. And more so, hopefully can establish himself as the first call-up due to injury. He looked good if only against those few hitters. It's about time.
Yean appears to be just on the cusp of figuring it out. Saw him in Toon Town and he was getting mixed results... What I saw on teevee yesterday was fresh.
He only got two innings in AAA last season at the end so he probably goes there to start the regular season and might be a quality depth option.
Also: LOVE the 2025 Pittsburgh Pirates Minor League Guide
One thing though: Book needs an index. Took me five minutes to find Eddy Yean at #45 on page 35.
Yean seems to be able to hit spots now rather than just throwing hard. According to Fangraphs, in 2024 he threw his FB at 96 about 80% of the time, a changeup at 86 about 13% of the time and a Slider about 7% of the time. Seems like hitters who follow Fangraphs would go to the plate looking dead red!
Surprised - not any mention of the game ending play by Liover Peguero getting to a smashed GB to deep short, backhanding, then a jump throw to 1B to save the victory? He did very little in his first few games, but in the game of Mar 6 he hit the go ahead, game winning HR, and then last night the excellent defensive play at Shortstop while the possible tying run was crossing the plate. Still only in his age 24 season. His 2024 was not his best, but I think he's the best the Pirates have at Shortstop right now. We disagree on that.
Jared Jones looked good. Still working on the changeup which looked very good last night - getting a few K's with it iirc. Henry Davis looking good behind the plate and at the plate he just missed on a pitch and hit a fly ball to LF that might still be traveling if he had caught it square. Even into a very strong wind it traveled a long way. How strong was the wind? Embarrassing moments by both the Phillies and Pirates on high pops that the infielders ran back into the OF grass and the balls fell in the infield dirt for singles.
And....Shelton had Peggy playing 5-6 steps towards the bag, so he had a long way to go to get that grounder. Tait is a Catcher so that allowed Peggy to get him with a strong throw, much more on that throw than IKF has.
And it was Peggy who was embarrassed on the pop up you described. Just saying.
Does Falter have options to be sent to AAA?
He's locked in to the rotation bMac. Signed, President of Bailey Falter Fan Club.
Luigi Hernandez had an interesting story from when I tried to get info on him. It seemed like there was a 50/50 split between people who really liked him and those who didn't think he was worth signing even at a lower bonus price. Probably the biggest internal split of opinions that I have come across.
Three true outcome pitcher, strikeout, walk, give up a run.
In other news, our old friend Gerrit Cole is headed to the Dr.’s office for imaging of his elbow. Yankees fans are blasting their GM for allowing Cole to change his mind and opt in to the last 4 years of his deal.
Must be nice to be upset about spending market rate money on a highly successful player. Talk about first world baseball problems.
Oy.
This is getting fun. Just hoping the joy of it translates over into the long season.
Looks from the game the other day for me: Jones looked good, of course, but there were times when I thought he might have been overthrowing? I'll depend on the guys who know better around here.
The Eddy Yean Cartel deserves a fan club.
Very interested that guys like Bae, Peggy, Tank, Gorski and some others are bringing game. It makes me wonder if being so patient with them is going to pay off in the bigs. Peggy still young. Bae could be a real problem on the bases. Tank / Gorski are showing they want in.
Tank was solid receiving. Maybe because he's comfortable on the field his bat will now naturally follow.
Good things.
______________________________
“I bet you say that to all the wabbits.”
-Wabbit
Your last sentence about Davis speaks volumes. However, he is really in a tough situation. The Pirates picked up Joey Bart for next to nothing and he gives them 13 HR/45 RBI in only 250 AB. He is still in only his 4th year making $1.175 mil in his first year of Arb and hitting the cover off the ball. Endy Rodriguez give us a backup Catcher who is stronger defensively than our primary Catcher, gives us the switch hitter capability, and can and has also played 1B, 2B, and OF.
Peguero the same. Very strong in the minors in 2023 and called up at SS when Cruz was injured and did well defensively at both SS and 2B, and hit for 7 HR, 654 OPS as a 22 year old. He may have thought he would get a good shot in 2024, but the Pirates felt it best to send him to AAA. That was not a good year. He's showing well lately, but with IKF and Gonzales as returning regulars, his chances of making the Active Roster are very slim.
Bae and Gorski may help in a trade, or they will both be back at AAA.
Loved the MLB interview with 'Cutch - 38 and chiseled.
With only 13 slots available on the Active Roster, what do the Pirates think they are going to do with Adam Frazier? A sort of last minute signing to a very inexpensive contract, but a guaranteed contract all the same. Unless traded, it looks like he will be blocking younger players who could possibly have a future with this team. The .576 OPS last year was his worst since being in MLB.
Excellent interview during the game with Stephen Morales. Nice input regarding Oneil Cruz, and Paul Skenes and the fact that Skenes is All business, All the time. That's two guys we need to turn this franchise around, but that cannot be if we continue the "poor boy" routine. We are the only team in the NL Central with a player payroll of less than $100 mil. Have to pay players to keep them!
The Frazier signing never made sense to me. He's just blocking a younger guy that needs at bats.
I'm glad to see the player who they got for Josh Bell is starting to put it all together (Eddy Yean). Will he be in high-leverage at AAA to start the year? Hopefully. And more so, hopefully can establish himself as the first call-up due to injury. He looked good if only against those few hitters. It's about time.
He's still only 23 and will turn 24 in June. He was very young and very rough when that trade was made - credit the Pirate Pitching Development Group.
Yean appears to be just on the cusp of figuring it out. Saw him in Toon Town and he was getting mixed results... What I saw on teevee yesterday was fresh.
He only got two innings in AAA last season at the end so he probably goes there to start the regular season and might be a quality depth option.
Also: LOVE the 2025 Pittsburgh Pirates Minor League Guide
One thing though: Book needs an index. Took me five minutes to find Eddy Yean at #45 on page 35.
____________________________
“Poor little maroon, so trusting, so naive.”
-Wabbit
Yean seems to be able to hit spots now rather than just throwing hard. According to Fangraphs, in 2024 he threw his FB at 96 about 80% of the time, a changeup at 86 about 13% of the time and a Slider about 7% of the time. Seems like hitters who follow Fangraphs would go to the plate looking dead red!
Surprised - not any mention of the game ending play by Liover Peguero getting to a smashed GB to deep short, backhanding, then a jump throw to 1B to save the victory? He did very little in his first few games, but in the game of Mar 6 he hit the go ahead, game winning HR, and then last night the excellent defensive play at Shortstop while the possible tying run was crossing the plate. Still only in his age 24 season. His 2024 was not his best, but I think he's the best the Pirates have at Shortstop right now. We disagree on that.
Jared Jones looked good. Still working on the changeup which looked very good last night - getting a few K's with it iirc. Henry Davis looking good behind the plate and at the plate he just missed on a pitch and hit a fly ball to LF that might still be traveling if he had caught it square. Even into a very strong wind it traveled a long way. How strong was the wind? Embarrassing moments by both the Phillies and Pirates on high pops that the infielders ran back into the OF grass and the balls fell in the infield dirt for singles.
And....Shelton had Peggy playing 5-6 steps towards the bag, so he had a long way to go to get that grounder. Tait is a Catcher so that allowed Peggy to get him with a strong throw, much more on that throw than IKF has.
And it was Peggy who was embarrassed on the pop up you described. Just saying.