The Pirates will call upon Luis Ortiz to make their start in their series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals, and Cal Mitchell begins a rehab assignment in Bradenton.
I really hope BC has some plan this offseason to identify and address the fastball issue with our young pitchers. Ortiz, Contreras, and Priester have all gotten hit around this year and it all seems to be that their fastball is entirely too hittable. Is this a scouting issue- that is, are we acquiring pitchers with inherently hittable fastballs- or an instruction issue? At this point, with this track record, I'm kinda expecting Skenes to be topping out at 96-97 by the time he gets up here with a fastball shape that gets smacked around.
That's my fear, which blows my mind. This is an issue which is not rooted in money, so there is no excuse to not address it.
And, I would recommend Buffalo Trace or Makers Mark. Nice, mid-level bourbons that are smooth but won't break the bank- always a consideration for these guys.
It kinda is rooted in money. These guys know as long as Bob’s profits roll in and nobody’s getting arrested for lurid crimes, there won’t be any accountability. So they can just sit back and drink bourbon.
Last time we extended anyone here abouts it precipitated a winless May/June swoon we haven’t recovered from yet. I’m a believer in the Tampa model. Hold them down until they are ripe, enjoy their prime years and trade them at top dollar year 5.
That’d be great if they could develop like the Rays. But no team really has (other than Atlanta, and they’ve gone in a vastly different direction with their core).
I think it’s poor practice to look at any extension that hasn’t worked out 100% beautiful and say that it’s a bad idea to extend a player. It’s a case by case basis.
They definitely should've traded Reynolds. He's a nice player, but not a superstar. And they controlled his prime years. I believe the extension was a PR stint, and they'll be paying for his down years.
He's a nice player now...they're paying him through age 35. There's a legitimate risk he'll be a below average the last three years of the contract or so.
And while I'll agree the contract isn't rich by baseball standards at all, the fact of the matter is that Bob Nutting just won't spend what other owners will, even those similarly situated. With that in mind, if the Pirates are paying someone 15 million year as they will Reynolds age 31-35, he has to be a good player. I'm not sure Reynolds be playing to a level of a startable player on a good team during those years. What the Pirates should do is identify homegrown, good players within a year or two of their debut, give them a pay bump during their last year or two of pre-arb years in exchange of buying out a year or two of free agency (usually age 29 and 30), and not get caught paying players in their 30s.
There’s risk. But there’s risk with any contract. The last three years of that contract are also a ways in the future. I refuse to get worried about the status of the 27 Bucs when there’s plenty to worry about with this current regime in front of us that needs immediate attention.
Agreed on your last part. This organization needs to be quicker on the draw in identifying who they think are going to be part of the future. Beyond Cruz, I’m not sure who else fits that bill (maybe Endy). As I sit here and watch Ortiz have zero idea where the ball is going, he is decidedly not part of the future.
The Cutch contract is a perfect template, and the handling of Andrew McCutchen is one thing NH did really well. The Pirates got 8.5 years out of Cutch and, other than 2017, they were easily his best years, and then moved him a year before FA from a nice player.
I think Hayes was another good move. He hasn't progressed with the bat the way we have hoped, but starting next year, they'll be paying him only 7 or 8 million and only through age 32. There's a really good chance that Hayes will be at least a gold-glove level third baseman with an OPS of .700ish for the entirety of that contract. That's a nice player.
At this point, with the insane attrition and innings limits young guys have hit, that’s what it is. They’d probably forfeit some of these games if they could.
Really i just think we are very low on pitching, maybe just tell him to air it out for 3-4 innings? Not ideal from a starter but might keep us in the game
Nolasco is another great example of someone with tremendous tools who needs to be taught how to hit. I realize that up to a point it’s the player’s responsibility, but it amazes me overall that the Pirates invest so much money in these players and then won’t provide them the support they need to succeed.
As for Jebb, the draft consensus seemed to be Kevin Newman with more speed but without the defense. Hard to tell on his hit tool until he gets to a more appropriate level.
It's why I always prefer to draft the hit over power kids. Maybe not the 'I have zero power' kids, but I'd rather have them be able to make contact first and then develop the power as they grow.
Well, if hitters with tools were easily fixed, Hudson Head would be a star in the making. Look at Jo Adell. There’s a plethora of guys like him. They seemingly have it all, but never figure it out.
As Yogi said (sorta) “The game is 90% mental and the other half physical”.
Good night for Bubba, but not Jared Jones. Jones went five innings but gave up six earned runs while walking three and allowing eight hits.
Chandler has allowed no earned runs in 14 innings pitched in two of his last four starts in August. In addition, Chandler has allowed eight hits, no walks, and struck out 12.
Aug 23, 2023Liked by Anthony Murphy, NolaJeffy(BnP)
I attended the Grasshopper game last night so here are some ONE game observations (so don't over think these). First it was 93 and humid. Bubba pitched really well. There was a big MPH area on the scoreboard which was blank all night (ugh) but as expected he appeared to have excellent gas on the fastball. He spiked some curves/sliders but they were typically low in the zone so I think he meant to put them there. He was efficient as he was at 74 pitches after 6 and went a strong 7. He was better at putting hitters away earlier in the night (Only 1 K in his last 4 innings, 5 in the first 3) and there was more loud contact later in the game although his fast ball still past the eye/noise test late so I wish I could have known if he maintained his velocity. Both the Braves and Grasshoppers hit one or two that IMO the heavy air may have kept in the ball park. Overall a very good performance and ZERO walks and not a lot of 3 ball counts so that may be the most important thing. Termarr, I'll just say we all know he is only 19 in High A. Clearly Joe Niekro's son baffled him as he chased two spiked breakers in the dirt and K'd his first two AB's and didn't look good. He did work two walks in his last two at bats and laid off low breakers against the relievers. Tres Gonzales was as reported - looks like a hitter(very poor man's Tony Gwynn). Don't know if he is MLB caliber some day but he worked the counts and just missed two line drive hits by a foot foul (one to LF the other to RF). He ended up with a hit and a walk. Nothing spectacular in center but looked smooth. Escotto swings hard and misses. Connected on one that the bench and he thought was out and it sounded loud but the air may have kept it in. Brannigan was the only one who got a bomb through the air and out and looked good at the plate and made the only above average play in the field. Bowen hit the ball hard twice but way to0 high for a few long flyouts, but he 'looked' like a ball player(that was my Triolo report a few years ago). Once again.. nothing to report that those who know better have not already shared about these players but it was fun to see them up close.
On his one strikeout I got a little Gorski vibe (not a good thing in this case) as he missed badly on a breaker. But I have to admit I saw a bad version of Gorski and Brannigan looked good in his other AB's. He and Gonzales (based on one game) need tested at a higher level. BTW.. Sightler and Cimillo both played and did nothing to excite or depress me. It's hard to make an impression in every game. Sightler did have a nice line drive hit.
We’ll start finding that out when he gets to Altoona. These advanced college players like Brannigan, Jebb and McAdoo aren’t really being tested in A ball.
Not sure where to go with this, but . . WTF!! Jared Triuolo was 3 for 4 last night but not in Pittsburgh. Some guy named Capra seems to be thought of ahead of Triolo. This is GROSS mismanagement. We need an entirely new staff, one that recognizes and develops talent.
My assumption would be they want Tree to get everyday ABs. As well as, I wouldn't be surprised if there's still some "recovery" happening with his hamate surgery.
Not sure where to go with this, but . . WTF!! Jared Triuolo was 3 for 4 last night but not in Pittsburgh. Some guy named Capra seems to be thought of ahead of Triolo. This is GROSS mismanagement. We need an entirely new staff, one that recognizes and develops talent.
SRO in Altoona.
SRO?
Standing Room Only
Ohhh, ok. Thanks
I really hope BC has some plan this offseason to identify and address the fastball issue with our young pitchers. Ortiz, Contreras, and Priester have all gotten hit around this year and it all seems to be that their fastball is entirely too hittable. Is this a scouting issue- that is, are we acquiring pitchers with inherently hittable fastballs- or an instruction issue? At this point, with this track record, I'm kinda expecting Skenes to be topping out at 96-97 by the time he gets up here with a fastball shape that gets smacked around.
If there’s a plan to do anything beyond shopping for bourbon, it’ll be a first.
That's my fear, which blows my mind. This is an issue which is not rooted in money, so there is no excuse to not address it.
And, I would recommend Buffalo Trace or Makers Mark. Nice, mid-level bourbons that are smooth but won't break the bank- always a consideration for these guys.
Ive only found BT in the pittsburgh area once in the past year, almost as hard to come by as an inspiring pirates lineup
It kinda is rooted in money. These guys know as long as Bob’s profits roll in and nobody’s getting arrested for lurid crimes, there won’t be any accountability. So they can just sit back and drink bourbon.
Extend + Endy = Extendy
Think that kid is gonna be a star, could go braves magic and get him now for well below market
Last time we extended anyone here abouts it precipitated a winless May/June swoon we haven’t recovered from yet. I’m a believer in the Tampa model. Hold them down until they are ripe, enjoy their prime years and trade them at top dollar year 5.
That’d be great if they could develop like the Rays. But no team really has (other than Atlanta, and they’ve gone in a vastly different direction with their core).
I think it’s poor practice to look at any extension that hasn’t worked out 100% beautiful and say that it’s a bad idea to extend a player. It’s a case by case basis.
They definitely should've traded Reynolds. He's a nice player, but not a superstar. And they controlled his prime years. I believe the extension was a PR stint, and they'll be paying for his down years.
And he’s being paid like a “nice” player, not a superstar. Only in Pittsburgh would fans view that contract as some sort of huge albatross.
He's a nice player now...they're paying him through age 35. There's a legitimate risk he'll be a below average the last three years of the contract or so.
And while I'll agree the contract isn't rich by baseball standards at all, the fact of the matter is that Bob Nutting just won't spend what other owners will, even those similarly situated. With that in mind, if the Pirates are paying someone 15 million year as they will Reynolds age 31-35, he has to be a good player. I'm not sure Reynolds be playing to a level of a startable player on a good team during those years. What the Pirates should do is identify homegrown, good players within a year or two of their debut, give them a pay bump during their last year or two of pre-arb years in exchange of buying out a year or two of free agency (usually age 29 and 30), and not get caught paying players in their 30s.
There’s risk. But there’s risk with any contract. The last three years of that contract are also a ways in the future. I refuse to get worried about the status of the 27 Bucs when there’s plenty to worry about with this current regime in front of us that needs immediate attention.
Agreed on your last part. This organization needs to be quicker on the draw in identifying who they think are going to be part of the future. Beyond Cruz, I’m not sure who else fits that bill (maybe Endy). As I sit here and watch Ortiz have zero idea where the ball is going, he is decidedly not part of the future.
The Cutch contract is a perfect template, and the handling of Andrew McCutchen is one thing NH did really well. The Pirates got 8.5 years out of Cutch and, other than 2017, they were easily his best years, and then moved him a year before FA from a nice player.
I think Hayes was another good move. He hasn't progressed with the bat the way we have hoped, but starting next year, they'll be paying him only 7 or 8 million and only through age 32. There's a really good chance that Hayes will be at least a gold-glove level third baseman with an OPS of .700ish for the entirety of that contract. That's a nice player.
accurate assement
I don’t understand why we would bring up Ortiz when he has done terribly in Indy. Maybe it’s a case of ‘who else do we have’?
I’m expecting LO to not be good. Which means he’ll be lights out?
It’s cause there’s no one else.
Yep….good to see you agree with me, 🤭🤭🤭
At this point, with the insane attrition and innings limits young guys have hit, that’s what it is. They’d probably forfeit some of these games if they could.
Really i just think we are very low on pitching, maybe just tell him to air it out for 3-4 innings? Not ideal from a starter but might keep us in the game
Some additional Bradenton stuff:
SS Mitch Jebb
Game stats: 2-5, a double, and a run scored
Season stats: .299/.382/.377, one triple, four doubles, eight stolen bases, and six RBIs (77 at-bats, or 19 games)
LF/RF Rodolfo Nolasco
Game stats: 2-3, two doubles, and one walk
Season stats: .215/.357/.434, 16 homers, 20 doubles, ten stolen bases, and 58 RBIs (311 at-bats, or 89 games)
Nolasco is another great example of someone with tremendous tools who needs to be taught how to hit. I realize that up to a point it’s the player’s responsibility, but it amazes me overall that the Pirates invest so much money in these players and then won’t provide them the support they need to succeed.
As for Jebb, the draft consensus seemed to be Kevin Newman with more speed but without the defense. Hard to tell on his hit tool until he gets to a more appropriate level.
It's why I always prefer to draft the hit over power kids. Maybe not the 'I have zero power' kids, but I'd rather have them be able to make contact first and then develop the power as they grow.
The issue is that we, as an industry, reallllllly suck at projecting who is actually hit over power.
Isn’t that the canard Huntington tried to sell for years? That they’ll grow into power?
Many guys can’t be taught how to hit. He’s repeating low A, he’s gonna be 22 next month. He’s the definition of the fringiest.
Well, if hitters with tools were easily fixed, Hudson Head would be a star in the making. Look at Jo Adell. There’s a plethora of guys like him. They seemingly have it all, but never figure it out.
As Yogi said (sorta) “The game is 90% mental and the other half physical”.
From Cody P
Good night for Bubba, but not Jared Jones. Jones went five innings but gave up six earned runs while walking three and allowing eight hits.
Chandler has allowed no earned runs in 14 innings pitched in two of his last four starts in August. In addition, Chandler has allowed eight hits, no walks, and struck out 12.
I attended the Grasshopper game last night so here are some ONE game observations (so don't over think these). First it was 93 and humid. Bubba pitched really well. There was a big MPH area on the scoreboard which was blank all night (ugh) but as expected he appeared to have excellent gas on the fastball. He spiked some curves/sliders but they were typically low in the zone so I think he meant to put them there. He was efficient as he was at 74 pitches after 6 and went a strong 7. He was better at putting hitters away earlier in the night (Only 1 K in his last 4 innings, 5 in the first 3) and there was more loud contact later in the game although his fast ball still past the eye/noise test late so I wish I could have known if he maintained his velocity. Both the Braves and Grasshoppers hit one or two that IMO the heavy air may have kept in the ball park. Overall a very good performance and ZERO walks and not a lot of 3 ball counts so that may be the most important thing. Termarr, I'll just say we all know he is only 19 in High A. Clearly Joe Niekro's son baffled him as he chased two spiked breakers in the dirt and K'd his first two AB's and didn't look good. He did work two walks in his last two at bats and laid off low breakers against the relievers. Tres Gonzales was as reported - looks like a hitter(very poor man's Tony Gwynn). Don't know if he is MLB caliber some day but he worked the counts and just missed two line drive hits by a foot foul (one to LF the other to RF). He ended up with a hit and a walk. Nothing spectacular in center but looked smooth. Escotto swings hard and misses. Connected on one that the bench and he thought was out and it sounded loud but the air may have kept it in. Brannigan was the only one who got a bomb through the air and out and looked good at the plate and made the only above average play in the field. Bowen hit the ball hard twice but way to0 high for a few long flyouts, but he 'looked' like a ball player(that was my Triolo report a few years ago). Once again.. nothing to report that those who know better have not already shared about these players but it was fun to see them up close.
Brann.... AGAIN!!!!!! He's two bombs away from his own 20/20 season
Is he real or not real?
You’re not real, he said in his best Creed Bratton voice.
We shouldn’t be asking if a guy at high A is real or not. It’s too early for that.
On his one strikeout I got a little Gorski vibe (not a good thing in this case) as he missed badly on a breaker. But I have to admit I saw a bad version of Gorski and Brannigan looked good in his other AB's. He and Gonzales (based on one game) need tested at a higher level. BTW.. Sightler and Cimillo both played and did nothing to excite or depress me. It's hard to make an impression in every game. Sightler did have a nice line drive hit.
Like Doc said, it's hard for me to determine real or not till they get to Altoona.
We’ll start finding that out when he gets to Altoona. These advanced college players like Brannigan, Jebb and McAdoo aren’t really being tested in A ball.
Not sure where to go with this, but . . WTF!! Jared Triuolo was 3 for 4 last night but not in Pittsburgh. Some guy named Capra seems to be thought of ahead of Triolo. This is GROSS mismanagement. We need an entirely new staff, one that recognizes and develops talent.
My assumption would be they want Tree to get everyday ABs. As well as, I wouldn't be surprised if there's still some "recovery" happening with his hamate surgery.
Has he been down long enough to be able to be recalled? Don't they have to wait 10 days or something, unless it's am emergency recall?
Not sure where to go with this, but . . WTF!! Jared Triuolo was 3 for 4 last night but not in Pittsburgh. Some guy named Capra seems to be thought of ahead of Triolo. This is GROSS mismanagement. We need an entirely new staff, one that recognizes and develops talent.
I heard someone else make that same comment. Oh wait….YOU said it!
Didja know that you can delete dupe posts? Just click on those three dots next to ‘Reply’.
😉