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Early, but results of their college arms this past draft so far have been very, very, very unsettling

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Aug 15, 2023Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

Too many of them had major issues that the Pirates were hoping to clean up and turn into something big because they throw hard. The minors are full of guys who are in the same boat. I wasn't a fan of the approach last year or this year, but they must think they can get guys to throw strikes. One of the problems though with getting a wild college pitcher is that you don't just need them to gain control, they make it when you get some command out of them. I don't think I've ever seen a team take a multi-year approach to attempt to build their bullpen through the draft.

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Which would make sense if they had been showing an ability to improve command, but that is probably one of the biggest things they're showing an inability to do. They have all these pitchers with quality sliders, but not a single one of them have a fastball they command well enough to let those plus sliders play. The more I look at it, the more I believe Ortiz and Priester should be having success, but their command is awful.

Jared Jones and Harrington probably have two of the more promising FF, but some of the guys in majors or with MLB experience should at least be better than they've been.

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I expect next to nothing out of them, so anything above that low bar will be outstanding. 😂😂

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Aug 15, 2023Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

Lets go bucs!

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Not buccos news, but sounds like MLB sent a group down to the dominican as wander now has 2 allegations against him from minors and he has a lawsuit against a third minor

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Innocent until proven guilty in the court of law, public opinion and social media guilty until proven innocent.

It doesn't look good, but information can be misleading.

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Yeah for sure, hoping for the case of everyone involved that nothing at all happened between them

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It would be good if it was just a big misunderstanding and nothing actually happened.

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Wonder who the Bucs would have taken if Jackson Holliday was available in this years draft. Austin Martin sure fell down the prospect rankings. One of my best friends son is named the same. Except he is studying to be an astronaut at Univ of FL. Not grinding it out in St Paul. Best of luck to both of them

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I remember when Martin slid down the draft board. It was called a steal by draft ‘experts’ when he was taken so low. Oops.

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Another "no-doubt" college bat praised for his hit tool.

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Our family vacation last month we made a stop down in Bowling Green, KY to catch a Hot Rod game. I will say that both Carson Williams & Dominic Keegan are legit. Carson definitely has a swagger to him which reminded me of Bryce Harper. (I'm not saying that he's going to be Harper.) We got to see the kid crush one that hit the scoreboard in straight away center. As for Keegan, he looked very athletic and received well. At the plate, well he went 2-5 with both hits going over the wall.

We also got to see Brock Jones, but he didn't really stand out to my novice view. He was just another guy.

It was a long game with a combined 28 runs scored so I have nothing to say about the pitching.

It should be an interesting series for Greensboro this coming week.

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Aug 15, 2023Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

I miss Vogey.

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Thanks BNP! Just what I needed before making the pilgrimage to Bowie this week. It would appear the Curve is over-matched. What game should I attend.....Solometo game?

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Good article on Cheng with notable comments from Mgr Buster Crabbe.

https://pittsburghbaseballnow.com/tsung-che-cheng-pittsburgh-pirates-callix-crabbe-altoona-curve-shortstop-baseball/

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author

Cody!!!!!

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That's a great name. Buster Crabbe.

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I owned a pair of Buster Crabbe sneakers once as a kid.

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I did too but that's not the right name!

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Buster Brown! :)

I am just mixing up names left and right, lol.

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If Indy has an extra week or so of games, I hope they give him a promotion. I think if he keeps hitting, it will be well deserved.

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From former GM Dan O’Dowd talking about the Bucs,

“This team to me is not far from being an elite challenging team. … There is tremendous floor for all these guys and tremendous upside for all these guys. So I think if you’re a Pirates fan, there’s a lot to get excited about in the next couple of years,”

One caveat….they need to bring in a couple of quality FAs to fill some holes.

I’m sure Ben and Bob will get right on that last part.

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Aug 15, 2023·edited Aug 15, 2023

I am so excited for the pending supermarket sweep that will start in November

Luis Robert and Kopech for Nick, Harrington, Suwinski, Lonnie and Blanco

Vlad Jr for Yordanny, Priester and Cheng

Manoah and Varsho for Contreras, Malcolm and Bae

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This current group of ready or nearly ready prospects will be wasted if they don’t do that. Quality outfielders are a desperate need along with the ever present need for pitching. Trading some of the lower level prospects for quality major league players probably should happen too. There’s little hope for winning if ownership simply sits back and does the same kind of shuffling they’ve done over the past few years.

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This is why sometimes it feels like they spent all these years just to get back to where they already were. Flirt with .500, and maybe playoffs if everything falls right.

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Aug 15, 2023Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

Looks like they made the skenes start the milb free game of the week!

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Most people will be watching for two innings I assume. I'm hoping it starts on time, Bradenton in August is always an adventure. I have about enough time to watch him mow down six hitters before I have to go somewhere for about 75 minutes.

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author

Am I supposed to know this Skenes guy?

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I think his names perry? Probably just another prospect

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Aug 15, 2023Liked by NolaJeffy(BnP)

Isn't he a 6'6" catcher that's going to be an astronaut pilot in the Space Force? Government says there's alien's out there.

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Thanks for the preview, and especially for the Morning Rundown for the folks who are awake before the roosters. Of the Pirate affiliates, Bradenton has the best chance to make the playoffs at their level, but Lakeland has an impressive Home Field advantage going for them this week.

GBO is a long shot at A+ and we are out of it in both AA and AAA. Lots of movement this year between the upper levels and MLB, so the status of the teams at AA and AAA is understandable.

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