Frazier's getting no love around here, but I saw him with good AB's a week ago and posted he's coming around. And now he's on a 7-game hitting streak. No, he's not a power hitter but he'll hit to all fields, just a proto-typical contact hitter. Miss Nicky G. but Frazier's hitting now and playing good D. .916 OPS in last 7 games.
I am not expecting the Pirates to make a serious playoff run, but our record puts us in a neighborhood of teams that will surely produce some playoff contenders--the following teams have records between 9 or 10 wins and 14 or 15 losses: Rays, Orioles, Twins, Royals, Braves, Cardinals, and Pirates.
Of those, the Braves are given a 67% chance of making the postseason by FG, the Twins 35%, and everyone else between 7% (us) and 25% (Royals).
I usually think the way you are. This year I am taking a step back. Last year we had a softer schedule the first half, then we got hit with a series of good teams to play. Our schedule has been very soft up to this point. I am going to keep an eye on the standings, but with great caution because of the schedule.
I respect your logic and generally agree but would counter with my belief that the good teams ahead aren't *that* much better than the bad ones. I'm not seeing any club in the Central or East other than maybe the Mets that I'm worried will take 2 for every 1 of ours.
I haven’t seen this mentioned: Cruz now has 31 straight stolen bases dating back to last year. The Pirate record since caught stealing became a formal stat in 1951 is 32 by Tony Womack in 1997. Max Carey has the Pirate “unofficial” record of 37.
While that stat is super cool, I think that means he clearly needs to take more chances because the sweet spot for maximizing stolen based does involve getting caught occassionally
They showed a graphic with this info on the broadcast last night and I thought, wow, Max Carey! I hope he's not so aware of the record that he gets less likely to take chances.
In any case, Cruz may be on his way to a 30-30 season and possibly 40-40, knock on wood.
Perception is an interesting thing. We know Reynolds, for example, has a high baseball IQ (I'm not questioning that). So, when he got thrown out at 3B in the 9th with the tying run due up, all people focused on was the amazing play by Kwan. True, it was a play that is probably made less than 5% of the time. But, was it a smart risk on Reynolds part?
According to the following calculator, the chances of winning down 3 with 1 out and runners on 1st and 2nd (had Reynolds played it safe) is 9.24%. Had he made it to 3rd to put runners on 2nd and 3rd, the win probability only goes up to 10.2%. If the "reward" was an increase of 1%, the risk wasn't worth it. I wonder if it was a different player, if the decision might have been questioned more.
If nothing else, I found the calculator kind of fun to play around with:
Imo you are reading too much into that play. Going from first to third on a ball hit to the wall is automatic. Reynolds knew that and he was on auto-pilot. The difference was an extremely lucky carom directly back to Kwan that even gave him a chance to peg Reynolds at third.
My un-tested calculator puts that play in the top 1% of ever recurring.
I'll stay with the second half of the narrative. He's stealing bags without understanding on how to maximize his lead, or his secondary lead. He's doing so on his long strides and foot speed. It's his physical talent and not his baseball IQ, as we see lacking in so many other parts of his play.
I disagree. Most of these steals are not even close. He is getting great jumps and picking good spots to steal. It seems like, if he puts his mind to something, he can do it. Now, has he put his mind to being a great fielding OFer? I think if he does, he will become that.
My unproven, likely to make people mad opinion is that Cruz has problems concentrating when there is not a known immediate action. Stealing a base, facing a pitch (he seems much improved in at bat approach) etc. all are known things - the pitcher is throwing I am either ready to read it (at the plate) or ready to take off(steal). To me on defense he is the 6 and under softball / baseball league right fielder who is picking daisies and just can't focus pitch to pitch when only 3 a game may come their way (or even at shortstop in today's 3 outcome environment there is much less action). My theory does not make it right but he has lapses and whether in beer league softball, younger baseball where we remember being better than we probably were, or trying to teach a kid math... some people have REAL brain focusing issues(its' not laziness or attitude IMHO). I've yet to hear anybody in the dugout, coaching staff, even ex-players say MLB or AAA Cruz( ie. not kid Cruz) doesn't work hard or want to be good but reality (we all see it) says he may never be a great fielder for whatever reason. RF anybody as next move?
Yep. There are plenty of extremely fast guys in MLB. Fast as he is, Statcast puts Cruz 32nd in MLB in sprint speed. Many of the guys above him are really good. Most don’t run nearly as much as he does, although many are nearly as efficient. That tells me he’s getting good leads and reading pitchers well so he’s confident of success. Base stealing has never been all about speed. (And bear in mind, the long strides are already accounted for in sprint speed, so it’s not an additional advantage.)
I watched too many years of Starling Marte and Cruz is cut from the same cloth. Uber-talented physically. But the thinking part of the game never came for Marte.....although I don't follow the Mets for any improvements.
I see them as very different players. Marte was an elite defender with a gun and Cruz(see my post above) just flat out struggles in the field. I've heard complaints of Marte overthrowing cutoffs or airmailing throws but I watched enough of Andy Van Slyke doing the exact same thing on many occasions and also be a knucklehead on the base paths. Of course I just compared them so maybe I'm not really countering your point. I'd take either any day of the week as their pluses way outweighed the negative.
It's still far too early to judge Cruz as a finished product in CF. But as for the pluses outweighing the minuses, I thought exactly that last night after his 463 ft homer, followed by a high school running error when the ball is hit to SS. I came up with him potentially being a 7 oWAR (which is elite) minus 3 dWAR and baserunning = 4 WAR overall. Sure we'll take that any day of the week.....but sad that he isn't the complete player I wish he could be.
I heard Buck Showalter talking about how he would scout. Two that you don't hear enough of is 1) how he interacts with teammates and 2) the ability to concentrate.
Termarr Johnson said the concentration needed for professional baseball was a new experience for him as baseball was just always a fun game that comes naturally.
I like the idea, but I wouldn't sign anything if I were Cruz until after next season. We and he will not know where his market value is until we have a better idea of how he shakes out as an OFer.
If the Pirates can get him now for a nice price, that would be great. Just don't hold your breath.
You know who would have been a lot better add than Pham… Austin hays. I know a lot on here wanted him and I myself had him on my radar especially towards the end of FA. He has 0.6 WAR, 3 HR, .361 BA, 1.049 OPS. Kicker is he has only played in 9 games. I know it’s a SSS but man he’s been better than Pham in less than half the games.
The Statcast data on both Pham and Frazier does a number on Ben’s whining about bad luck. If anything, they’re both lucky not to be batting .050. The data makes them look like what they are: washed-up guys whose skills aren’t up to it any more.
About half of Pham's hits have been dribblers down the 3rd base line, and half is not an exaggeration. He has actually been very lucky in batted balls.
Message to Javi Rivas; stop it, STOP IT, I know what you are trying to do, I’ve done it toooo many times before. But I’m done, done dreaming on a future team where is filled of stud prospects. Not doing it, not picturing you at SS, KG in CF, TJ at 2b, Cruz in RF and old man BRey at 1b in 3 years….not doing it!
I worked with a lady whose last name was Swann. Pretty sure she wanted to murder me for all the “Stop looking at me swan” comments over a couple year period.
Great game last night from Andrew Heaney - AGAIN, and Oneil Cruz providing all of the offense needed. 25 games in with a 10-15 record against the weakest part of our schedule, but 2 wins in a row has to be appreciated! IKF, Pham, and Frazier are our big bucks add's and they have not been worth anywhere near the $13 mil the Pirates invested in them for this season.
The problem is that they have been so bad that teams may not want to take a flyer on any of them for a stretch run. Haven't seen anything out of IKF and Frazier, but Pham will always have that "he may get hot" thing that will have a playoff contender willing to pay $1.8 mil to pick him up at the trade deadline.
The success of the MiLB teams have been the positives for Pirate fans so far with strong pitching efforts throughout the system, and consistent hitting, especially from guys who have been "hopefuls" for a long time. Javier Rivas is the poster child of that group, and I hope he can continue to hit for average and power while keeping the number of K's down.
It was a lot of fun watching Heaney. I'd been impressed with his K rates in the past but when I saw the velos in spring training, I assumed those days were behind him.
Also, wrt to spring training I think I even posted that his nibbling reminded me of Locke and other soft-tossing lefties, but how wrong was I? Last night, and iirc against the Nats last week, he just went right after hitters as if he was throwing 98.
Thinking what a good signing Heaney was led me to check on another favorite Cherington signing, Quintana...he's now 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA with the Brewers.
And then Tyler Anderson, who we'll get to see today, is 2-1 with an ERA of 2.08.
Finding undervalued lefties is one thing this FO seems to do well. Now, if we can just keep one longer than the trade deadline.
I was wanting the Pirates to sign Quintana all off-season and the fact that the Brewers signed him for only 4 million about made me cry. That being said, I don't think I have even questioned any Pirate starting pitchers they have signed in the last few years. Someone really knows what they are doing in this area.
Here are some median team batting averages to look at. A lot of factors for this. I wonder if studying opponent's video helps pitchers more than hitters.
Explain that to the Angels or Orioles. I don't think it is easier. I think that the Pirates were ahead of the curve on identifying things like extension and vertical movement on 4-seam fastballs.
On the hitting side, they have been behind the curve for years and followed the fads. Shelton bought in completely to what Haines and his cohort were selling about "hitting the ball in front of the plate" and not defending the strike zone with 2 strikes. I think that most of teams (like the Brewers) who started down this road have reversed course somewhat since. The Pirates may have finally started to reverse course, but again... 2 years behind everyone else.
The Pirates were *behind* on understanding pitch shape dynamics that make 4seamers at the top of the zone miss bats and allow breaking balls to tunnel.
On a side note, all of these Cub fans keep telling me they need to lock up Kyle Tucker right now. I tell them if you do it now while he is hot, it will cost you 10 years 500 million to lock up a player that has never hit over 30 homers, 30 doubles or hit .300.
I think Tucker is a perennial top 10 MVP candidate into his 30s, so I would absolutely try to lock him up... though maybe give him more years to lower that AAV
My initial point was don't lock him up when he is at his best stretch because it will cost you more. I think the Cubs would be better off tempting him with a 3 year 200 million dollar contract than expecting him to be the face of the franchise the next 10 years.
I might be in the minority, but would not want to go longterm on this guy. I think younger guys where speed is part of their game can't sustain their greatness when getting older (often because of injuries and some just slow down)
Off the top of my head, Trout, Cutch, Acuna, Seager, Tim Anderson, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant. I'm sure I will think of more.
With what Hunter Barco is doing so far, and the fact that Heaney will be such a great sign for a contending team, I expect him to be traded anytime between now and the Deadline. BC caught him in his weakest of moments and his contract is at least $10 mil lower than what he was paid in 2023 and 2024. I think he was $15 mil in 2023 and $16 mil in 2024 for Texas.
Possible trade to a contender for a good power hitting OF in the upper minors or even a trade to Detroit for their Comp Bal "A" pick at #34 or Seattle at #35? I like trying to solidify next year's OF, if possible.
Without an injury in Detroit or Seattle's starting rotation the compA pick is dreaming, a more realistic team would be the Orioles and their compB plus a mid level prospect or 2 in highA or doubleA. He can't be traded until June without his consent.
Still need to wait until mid-May to see where this team is heading, hopefully we'll need him.
Thanks for the info regarding his authorization being needed for a trade prior to June. I'm sure if it is to a team that will have more of a chance to make the playoffs, or a team that needs to sign a veteran SP, he would be amenable. The Pirates are so deep in quality SP's, I doubt they would want to sign him beyond this year.
Brown(?) got cut off during the highlights: 'Heaney's 6 Ks of the first 6 batters was the first for a Pirate since...'. Who was the last Bucco pitcher that did that?
Liriano is the guy the Pirates wanted off the roster so bad, they gave two top ten prospects just so the Blue Jays would take him. Within a year, the Blue Jays flipped him for Teoscar Hernandez. One of my least favorite trades.
They also seemed to be successful in finding bullpen arms for free. Two of the current circle of trust pitchers, Santana and Borucki, were picked up off the scrap heap. Maybe all teams can do this, or it's only the Bucs who need to, but it has come in handy.
Skenes struck out the first seven Cubs last season but Brown went on to say the last lefty to strike out that many was..., and I'm not remembering who he said.
Frazier's getting no love around here, but I saw him with good AB's a week ago and posted he's coming around. And now he's on a 7-game hitting streak. No, he's not a power hitter but he'll hit to all fields, just a proto-typical contact hitter. Miss Nicky G. but Frazier's hitting now and playing good D. .916 OPS in last 7 games.
I am not expecting the Pirates to make a serious playoff run, but our record puts us in a neighborhood of teams that will surely produce some playoff contenders--the following teams have records between 9 or 10 wins and 14 or 15 losses: Rays, Orioles, Twins, Royals, Braves, Cardinals, and Pirates.
Of those, the Braves are given a 67% chance of making the postseason by FG, the Twins 35%, and everyone else between 7% (us) and 25% (Royals).
So, you're saying there's a chance?
I usually think the way you are. This year I am taking a step back. Last year we had a softer schedule the first half, then we got hit with a series of good teams to play. Our schedule has been very soft up to this point. I am going to keep an eye on the standings, but with great caution because of the schedule.
I respect your logic and generally agree but would counter with my belief that the good teams ahead aren't *that* much better than the bad ones. I'm not seeing any club in the Central or East other than maybe the Mets that I'm worried will take 2 for every 1 of ours.
The NL West, though, will be tough no doubt.
I was probably being more pessimistic than logical.
I'll add about 3% to FG's 7% and say my estimate of their chance is about 10% :)
I haven’t seen this mentioned: Cruz now has 31 straight stolen bases dating back to last year. The Pirate record since caught stealing became a formal stat in 1951 is 32 by Tony Womack in 1997. Max Carey has the Pirate “unofficial” record of 37.
All this per Alex Stumpf at the team website.
While that stat is super cool, I think that means he clearly needs to take more chances because the sweet spot for maximizing stolen based does involve getting caught occassionally
They showed a graphic with this info on the broadcast last night and I thought, wow, Max Carey! I hope he's not so aware of the record that he gets less likely to take chances.
In any case, Cruz may be on his way to a 30-30 season and possibly 40-40, knock on wood.
Kinda disrupts the narrative that Cruz is a lazy bonehead who doesn't understand the game.
Perception is an interesting thing. We know Reynolds, for example, has a high baseball IQ (I'm not questioning that). So, when he got thrown out at 3B in the 9th with the tying run due up, all people focused on was the amazing play by Kwan. True, it was a play that is probably made less than 5% of the time. But, was it a smart risk on Reynolds part?
According to the following calculator, the chances of winning down 3 with 1 out and runners on 1st and 2nd (had Reynolds played it safe) is 9.24%. Had he made it to 3rd to put runners on 2nd and 3rd, the win probability only goes up to 10.2%. If the "reward" was an increase of 1%, the risk wasn't worth it. I wonder if it was a different player, if the decision might have been questioned more.
If nothing else, I found the calculator kind of fun to play around with:
https://gregstoll.com/~gregstoll/baseball/stats.html#H.-3.9.1.7.0.0
Imo you are reading too much into that play. Going from first to third on a ball hit to the wall is automatic. Reynolds knew that and he was on auto-pilot. The difference was an extremely lucky carom directly back to Kwan that even gave him a chance to peg Reynolds at third.
My un-tested calculator puts that play in the top 1% of ever recurring.
I'll stay with the second half of the narrative. He's stealing bags without understanding on how to maximize his lead, or his secondary lead. He's doing so on his long strides and foot speed. It's his physical talent and not his baseball IQ, as we see lacking in so many other parts of his play.
I disagree. Most of these steals are not even close. He is getting great jumps and picking good spots to steal. It seems like, if he puts his mind to something, he can do it. Now, has he put his mind to being a great fielding OFer? I think if he does, he will become that.
"It seems like, if he puts his mind to something, he can do it. Now, has he put his mind to being a great fielding OFer?"
This is exactly what we mean.
Except for the mouthbreathers out there that's exactly what we're talking about.
My unproven, likely to make people mad opinion is that Cruz has problems concentrating when there is not a known immediate action. Stealing a base, facing a pitch (he seems much improved in at bat approach) etc. all are known things - the pitcher is throwing I am either ready to read it (at the plate) or ready to take off(steal). To me on defense he is the 6 and under softball / baseball league right fielder who is picking daisies and just can't focus pitch to pitch when only 3 a game may come their way (or even at shortstop in today's 3 outcome environment there is much less action). My theory does not make it right but he has lapses and whether in beer league softball, younger baseball where we remember being better than we probably were, or trying to teach a kid math... some people have REAL brain focusing issues(its' not laziness or attitude IMHO). I've yet to hear anybody in the dugout, coaching staff, even ex-players say MLB or AAA Cruz( ie. not kid Cruz) doesn't work hard or want to be good but reality (we all see it) says he may never be a great fielder for whatever reason. RF anybody as next move?
that's about as good as I could come up with. i too think "lazy" is a, well, lazy explanation. but he sure isn't setting any examples either.
Yep. There are plenty of extremely fast guys in MLB. Fast as he is, Statcast puts Cruz 32nd in MLB in sprint speed. Many of the guys above him are really good. Most don’t run nearly as much as he does, although many are nearly as efficient. That tells me he’s getting good leads and reading pitchers well so he’s confident of success. Base stealing has never been all about speed. (And bear in mind, the long strides are already accounted for in sprint speed, so it’s not an additional advantage.)
Case in point, Bae. He's terrible on the bases and is super fast.
Speed won’t keep you from starting too soon and getting picked off.
I watched too many years of Starling Marte and Cruz is cut from the same cloth. Uber-talented physically. But the thinking part of the game never came for Marte.....although I don't follow the Mets for any improvements.
I see them as very different players. Marte was an elite defender with a gun and Cruz(see my post above) just flat out struggles in the field. I've heard complaints of Marte overthrowing cutoffs or airmailing throws but I watched enough of Andy Van Slyke doing the exact same thing on many occasions and also be a knucklehead on the base paths. Of course I just compared them so maybe I'm not really countering your point. I'd take either any day of the week as their pluses way outweighed the negative.
It's still far too early to judge Cruz as a finished product in CF. But as for the pluses outweighing the minuses, I thought exactly that last night after his 463 ft homer, followed by a high school running error when the ball is hit to SS. I came up with him potentially being a 7 oWAR (which is elite) minus 3 dWAR and baserunning = 4 WAR overall. Sure we'll take that any day of the week.....but sad that he isn't the complete player I wish he could be.
I heard Buck Showalter talking about how he would scout. Two that you don't hear enough of is 1) how he interacts with teammates and 2) the ability to concentrate.
Termarr Johnson said the concentration needed for professional baseball was a new experience for him as baseball was just always a fun game that comes naturally.
You don't steal 30 consecutive bases without being a pretty crafty baserunner, no matter how fast.
I'm still in favor of an extention.
Now would be the time, not when he is proven.
Yep, somewhere between 6 and 8 years with an option.
I like the idea, but I wouldn't sign anything if I were Cruz until after next season. We and he will not know where his market value is until we have a better idea of how he shakes out as an OFer.
If the Pirates can get him now for a nice price, that would be great. Just don't hold your breath.
You know who would have been a lot better add than Pham… Austin hays. I know a lot on here wanted him and I myself had him on my radar especially towards the end of FA. He has 0.6 WAR, 3 HR, .361 BA, 1.049 OPS. Kicker is he has only played in 9 games. I know it’s a SSS but man he’s been better than Pham in less than half the games.
I was on Hays the day the O's non-tendered him. BC should have been on a plane to meet with him and his agent.
Tito really wanted him, so there's that, who would you want to play for.....Shelton or Francona.
There were about 7 guys who would have been better than Pham in a comparable price range. Our GM is garbage.
Pham's savant page looks like shit too so its not even like hes had bad luck like we could argue for jack a week or two ago
The Statcast data on both Pham and Frazier does a number on Ben’s whining about bad luck. If anything, they’re both lucky not to be batting .050. The data makes them look like what they are: washed-up guys whose skills aren’t up to it any more.
About half of Pham's hits have been dribblers down the 3rd base line, and half is not an exaggeration. He has actually been very lucky in batted balls.
His IF hit % is close to double the MLB norm. Also, his % of IF popups is over double the norm. Bad luck my ass.
And he’s now on pace for 30 GIDPs if he gets 500 at bats.
I won't survive 500 Pham ABs
Message to Javi Rivas; stop it, STOP IT, I know what you are trying to do, I’ve done it toooo many times before. But I’m done, done dreaming on a future team where is filled of stud prospects. Not doing it, not picturing you at SS, KG in CF, TJ at 2b, Cruz in RF and old man BRey at 1b in 3 years….not doing it!
Amen. Leader in the clubhouse for post of the day.
Definitely not jones, Skenes, barco, bubba, and Mitch in the rotation... with Nicolas and Mlod creating a devastating back end of the pen
I need to apologize, I left out Billy “Mantle Cook” in LF! Still waiting for those beverages.
soooo hot, want to touch the Heany.
I worked with a lady whose last name was Swann. Pretty sure she wanted to murder me for all the “Stop looking at me swan” comments over a couple year period.
There's no such thing as too many Billy Madison references.
Agreed
Great game last night from Andrew Heaney - AGAIN, and Oneil Cruz providing all of the offense needed. 25 games in with a 10-15 record against the weakest part of our schedule, but 2 wins in a row has to be appreciated! IKF, Pham, and Frazier are our big bucks add's and they have not been worth anywhere near the $13 mil the Pirates invested in them for this season.
The problem is that they have been so bad that teams may not want to take a flyer on any of them for a stretch run. Haven't seen anything out of IKF and Frazier, but Pham will always have that "he may get hot" thing that will have a playoff contender willing to pay $1.8 mil to pick him up at the trade deadline.
The success of the MiLB teams have been the positives for Pirate fans so far with strong pitching efforts throughout the system, and consistent hitting, especially from guys who have been "hopefuls" for a long time. Javier Rivas is the poster child of that group, and I hope he can continue to hit for average and power while keeping the number of K's down.
It was a lot of fun watching Heaney. I'd been impressed with his K rates in the past but when I saw the velos in spring training, I assumed those days were behind him.
Also, wrt to spring training I think I even posted that his nibbling reminded me of Locke and other soft-tossing lefties, but how wrong was I? Last night, and iirc against the Nats last week, he just went right after hitters as if he was throwing 98.
Thinking what a good signing Heaney was led me to check on another favorite Cherington signing, Quintana...he's now 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA with the Brewers.
And then Tyler Anderson, who we'll get to see today, is 2-1 with an ERA of 2.08.
Finding undervalued lefties is one thing this FO seems to do well. Now, if we can just keep one longer than the trade deadline.
I was wanting the Pirates to sign Quintana all off-season and the fact that the Brewers signed him for only 4 million about made me cry. That being said, I don't think I have even questioned any Pirate starting pitchers they have signed in the last few years. Someone really knows what they are doing in this area.
i think pitching is just easier.
Here are some median team batting averages to look at. A lot of factors for this. I wonder if studying opponent's video helps pitchers more than hitters.
2000 .270
2005 .265
2010 .257
2015 .251
2020 .245
2025 .236
Explain that to the Angels or Orioles. I don't think it is easier. I think that the Pirates were ahead of the curve on identifying things like extension and vertical movement on 4-seam fastballs.
On the hitting side, they have been behind the curve for years and followed the fads. Shelton bought in completely to what Haines and his cohort were selling about "hitting the ball in front of the plate" and not defending the strike zone with 2 strikes. I think that most of teams (like the Brewers) who started down this road have reversed course somewhat since. The Pirates may have finally started to reverse course, but again... 2 years behind everyone else.
I'm can't say that pointing to the 24th best offense in baseball is a terribly compelling argument.
The Pirates were *behind* on understanding pitch shape dynamics that make 4seamers at the top of the zone miss bats and allow breaking balls to tunnel.
It's easier to pitch a baseball than hit a baseball.
An indisputable fact that has only been enhanced by modern analytics.
On that note I would not be against offering Heaney a 2 year contract with a club option. It is hard to find stable veterans.
I’d get out of April before I get to that point.
Let's wait until he has a bad game or two. :)
On a side note, all of these Cub fans keep telling me they need to lock up Kyle Tucker right now. I tell them if you do it now while he is hot, it will cost you 10 years 500 million to lock up a player that has never hit over 30 homers, 30 doubles or hit .300.
The time to lock up Tucker was before Vlad Jr. signed his big deal, that really kinda set where Tucker is gonna want to be
and that's an unconscionable amount for Vladdy Prince Fielder Guerrero.
I think Tucker is a perennial top 10 MVP candidate into his 30s, so I would absolutely try to lock him up... though maybe give him more years to lower that AAV
My initial point was don't lock him up when he is at his best stretch because it will cost you more. I think the Cubs would be better off tempting him with a 3 year 200 million dollar contract than expecting him to be the face of the franchise the next 10 years.
I might be in the minority, but would not want to go longterm on this guy. I think younger guys where speed is part of their game can't sustain their greatness when getting older (often because of injuries and some just slow down)
Off the top of my head, Trout, Cutch, Acuna, Seager, Tim Anderson, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant. I'm sure I will think of more.
With what Hunter Barco is doing so far, and the fact that Heaney will be such a great sign for a contending team, I expect him to be traded anytime between now and the Deadline. BC caught him in his weakest of moments and his contract is at least $10 mil lower than what he was paid in 2023 and 2024. I think he was $15 mil in 2023 and $16 mil in 2024 for Texas.
Possible trade to a contender for a good power hitting OF in the upper minors or even a trade to Detroit for their Comp Bal "A" pick at #34 or Seattle at #35? I like trying to solidify next year's OF, if possible.
Without an injury in Detroit or Seattle's starting rotation the compA pick is dreaming, a more realistic team would be the Orioles and their compB plus a mid level prospect or 2 in highA or doubleA. He can't be traded until June without his consent.
Still need to wait until mid-May to see where this team is heading, hopefully we'll need him.
Thanks for the info regarding his authorization being needed for a trade prior to June. I'm sure if it is to a team that will have more of a chance to make the playoffs, or a team that needs to sign a veteran SP, he would be amenable. The Pirates are so deep in quality SP's, I doubt they would want to sign him beyond this year.
Brown(?) got cut off during the highlights: 'Heaney's 6 Ks of the first 6 batters was the first for a Pirate since...'. Who was the last Bucco pitcher that did that?
According to the Trib, it was F. Liriano on June 1, 2013.
Liriano is the guy the Pirates wanted off the roster so bad, they gave two top ten prospects just so the Blue Jays would take him. Within a year, the Blue Jays flipped him for Teoscar Hernandez. One of my least favorite trades.
They also seemed to be successful in finding bullpen arms for free. Two of the current circle of trust pitchers, Santana and Borucki, were picked up off the scrap heap. Maybe all teams can do this, or it's only the Bucs who need to, but it has come in handy.
When you stink and have first dibs off the waiver wire, it is easier to find gems in the scrap heap.
Skenes struck out the first seven Cubs last season but Brown went on to say the last lefty to strike out that many was..., and I'm not remembering who he said.
I was at that game. That game was so fun, I was still happy being stuck in traffic on the way home.
Probably not Ron Villone.