Nice touch by the Pirates recognizing the greatness of Barry Bonds. I don’t condone anything he did after he left Pittsburgh but he was clean when he was here.
While reading Mackey's column about the team's ongoing problems with fundamentals, one in which he mentioned that we were 4th worst in K's, I was curious about how we ranked in other offensive categories. What jumped out was that we're the only team that is bottom 5 in K's and bottom 5 in ISO. Some teams that K a lot, like the Reds and Red Sox balance that with power. For example, the Reds are 5th worst in K's but 9th best in ISO, the Red Sox are 3rd worst in K's but 4th best in ISO. Granted, some of this would be due to their home parks. If misery loves company, though, then we can look at the Mariners who are worst in K% and only 22nd in ISO.
For those questioning approach, and it’s a fair question, I think this speaks more to roster construction and the types of talent they have. Guys like MAT and BDLC are never going to offer enough in power to offset the sky-high K rates, especially against RHP. Even some of the guys with relatively lower K rates, like IKF, still aren’t bringing a lot to the table offensively either. How about a .153 ISO from Tellez, who K’s 21% of the time but is supposed to be a power hitter? Some of their most productive hitters DO strike out a ton though. Cruz, Cutch and Bart rank 2, 6 and 7 in terms of K rate, amongst those with at least 100 PA’s. So is it a failed approach, or did they just build a deeply flawed roster where you aren’t getting enough from the guys further down the lineup?
Yes and no. Guys like Gary Sanchez, Jesse Winker, Tommy Pham, Carlos Santana, David Peralta were within their budget. Even Harrison Bader at $10.5 million could’ve been accommodated if they reworked how they spent their money. There’s always solid, if unspectacular guys like this available for reasonable prices. Think the Corey Dickerson aisle at Free Agents R’Us. Sure those guys aren’t game changers, and wouldn’t, for the most part, significantly have changed the outcome of this year. But it would have made them more enjoyable to watch, and raised the floor out what they’ve gotten at a few positions. You also wouldn’t have been so utterly dependent on guys like Hank and Jack to produce. But, to your point, this still raises the larger problem of how you deal with lack of impact talent offensively system wide. You are 💯 correct: we don’t have an answer for that. David Littlefield was wrong: you don’t make the playoffs merely by hitting on the right set of budget free agents.
The guys you’re listening were projected to be bad. Hindsight is always 20/20…They had an offer for Sanchez but he took less to play for Milwaukee. Regardless, Gary Sanchez wasn’t going to make the pirates better.
Yes, Winker and Peralta were projected to be bad. That’s fair. However, I don’t recall Pham, Santana, Sanchez and Bader being projected to do poorly via zips or steamer. So I’ll disagree there, but I agree with your last sentence. Gary Sanchez, or any of these guys, was not making them better this year.
I don’t know. ZIPS had them about as a 78 win team before the season, and I thought that was a bit generous given the uncertainty of what you were going to get from Tellez, MAT, Hank, whomever was playing 2B, etc. It’s possible they end up around that win total. So that would speak more to a talent issue? I also think it’s hard to measure approach when a lot of these guys wouldn’t be great under any approach. Take Tellez, and let’s say Haines is to blame. In that scenario, you replace Haines with an excellent coach. What’s the outcome? Rowdy is .5 fWAR instead of -.5 fWAR. Is that really a difference maker?
Stratton done for the season. Activate Holderman or Mlod, whoever is more ready. When the other is ready DFA Woodford. Give Jones 1 more rehab start then activate him Sept 1. Activate Nick G, option Bae. Sept 1 make Hank the other callup.
Seems like our hitting philosophy has gotten ahold of Yorke in at least one facet: he's gone from walking at a 14.2% clip to 7.7%. Ks are still low so I guess that's ok for now but hard not to notice the dramatic drop in bb%.
No reason to keep Woodford, DFA today. Jones could be a possible for one of the games against the Guardians or the Cubs. I hold NG longer in rehab, but send Bae down and get Yorke up - probably for starts in CF/RF - not at 2B. And, also find a way to get Cook some MLB AB's.
Jack Suwinski with a double and HR in a game - can anybody remember the last time that happened? It's not like we have a CF in Pittsburgh that is holding him back. Get him up and let's see if he can carry that 2 EBH night forward. Too much?
"and Esmerlyn Valdez also went deep" in the Bradenton game. This 20 year old is 6'2" 185 and was signed as an OF. He added 1B to positions played in 2022 when he played 1B in 5 games in the FCL. In '23 and '24 the number of games at 1B is almost equal to the number of games in the OF, and he has established himself as a solid middle of the order hitter. In 330 AB he has 17 doubles, 1 triple, 18 HR, 52 RBI and has that GO/FO stat around 0.70. He's rough in the field at 1B and has room for improvement at the plate, but he is one of that team full of 19/20 year old kids at A that have big futures.
The last guy they need to bring up is Jack. He’s been a basket case all year, even worse in AAA than Pgh. One game doesn’t show he’s relearned how to hit. He needs at least half a year in AAA next year.
Yes, he needs a fresh start in the spring after, presumably, working with a personal hitting coach/training facility in the offseason. I can't imagine that we won't at least have a new hitting coach in the spring and I'm optimistic that an offseason of resetting and someone new to work with will help Jack bounce back. (I don't think Haines is Jack's problem, I just think that with the funk he's in he'll benefit from a fresh perspective.)
I hear you, but his downturn was not typical, and it was like he just lost his confidence. I guess I am hoping his approach has improved enough to be confident at the plate and be able to be the hitter he was last year when he put up 21 doubles and led the team with 26 HR. Sometimes it just takes a few positive AB's.
A 25 year old OF with very little power, who was in the Pirates system, then the Twins system, and now back to the Pirates in AA. I would see him as a "filler" at best.
Nice touch by the Pirates recognizing the greatness of Barry Bonds. I don’t condone anything he did after he left Pittsburgh but he was clean when he was here.
I don’t know if anyone else sees this, but looking at Triolo’s mug, gives me Shane Gillis vibes. Not a doppelgänger but there’s similarities
While reading Mackey's column about the team's ongoing problems with fundamentals, one in which he mentioned that we were 4th worst in K's, I was curious about how we ranked in other offensive categories. What jumped out was that we're the only team that is bottom 5 in K's and bottom 5 in ISO. Some teams that K a lot, like the Reds and Red Sox balance that with power. For example, the Reds are 5th worst in K's but 9th best in ISO, the Red Sox are 3rd worst in K's but 4th best in ISO. Granted, some of this would be due to their home parks. If misery loves company, though, then we can look at the Mariners who are worst in K% and only 22nd in ISO.
And they just fired their manager and hitting instructor….
For those questioning approach, and it’s a fair question, I think this speaks more to roster construction and the types of talent they have. Guys like MAT and BDLC are never going to offer enough in power to offset the sky-high K rates, especially against RHP. Even some of the guys with relatively lower K rates, like IKF, still aren’t bringing a lot to the table offensively either. How about a .153 ISO from Tellez, who K’s 21% of the time but is supposed to be a power hitter? Some of their most productive hitters DO strike out a ton though. Cruz, Cutch and Bart rank 2, 6 and 7 in terms of K rate, amongst those with at least 100 PA’s. So is it a failed approach, or did they just build a deeply flawed roster where you aren’t getting enough from the guys further down the lineup?
The type of hitters you’re describing cost mucho dinero on the open market, not to mention Pittsburgh has to outbid the larger markets.
They have to draft and or trade for those guys. They’ve hit on Cruz, Reynolds & possibly Bart. They have some dudes in the minors that are TBD.
Yes and no. Guys like Gary Sanchez, Jesse Winker, Tommy Pham, Carlos Santana, David Peralta were within their budget. Even Harrison Bader at $10.5 million could’ve been accommodated if they reworked how they spent their money. There’s always solid, if unspectacular guys like this available for reasonable prices. Think the Corey Dickerson aisle at Free Agents R’Us. Sure those guys aren’t game changers, and wouldn’t, for the most part, significantly have changed the outcome of this year. But it would have made them more enjoyable to watch, and raised the floor out what they’ve gotten at a few positions. You also wouldn’t have been so utterly dependent on guys like Hank and Jack to produce. But, to your point, this still raises the larger problem of how you deal with lack of impact talent offensively system wide. You are 💯 correct: we don’t have an answer for that. David Littlefield was wrong: you don’t make the playoffs merely by hitting on the right set of budget free agents.
The guys you’re listening were projected to be bad. Hindsight is always 20/20…They had an offer for Sanchez but he took less to play for Milwaukee. Regardless, Gary Sanchez wasn’t going to make the pirates better.
Yes, Winker and Peralta were projected to be bad. That’s fair. However, I don’t recall Pham, Santana, Sanchez and Bader being projected to do poorly via zips or steamer. So I’ll disagree there, but I agree with your last sentence. Gary Sanchez, or any of these guys, was not making them better this year.
Why not both?
If we gave the Orioles or the Rays the same talent what would the outcome be?
We'll never know but I'm guessing they'd win 3 to 10 more games with these guys because they're not teams run by abject morons.
I don’t know. ZIPS had them about as a 78 win team before the season, and I thought that was a bit generous given the uncertainty of what you were going to get from Tellez, MAT, Hank, whomever was playing 2B, etc. It’s possible they end up around that win total. So that would speak more to a talent issue? I also think it’s hard to measure approach when a lot of these guys wouldn’t be great under any approach. Take Tellez, and let’s say Haines is to blame. In that scenario, you replace Haines with an excellent coach. What’s the outcome? Rowdy is .5 fWAR instead of -.5 fWAR. Is that really a difference maker?
Stratton done for the season. Activate Holderman or Mlod, whoever is more ready. When the other is ready DFA Woodford. Give Jones 1 more rehab start then activate him Sept 1. Activate Nick G, option Bae. Sept 1 make Hank the other callup.
Nope, looks like they calling up Brady Feigl.
There’s a message here for those who want to see Yorke and Cook. Ain’t happenin.
Seems like our hitting philosophy has gotten ahold of Yorke in at least one facet: he's gone from walking at a 14.2% clip to 7.7%. Ks are still low so I guess that's ok for now but hard not to notice the dramatic drop in bb%.
Keiner Delgado went from 15% last year to 9% this year.
No reason to keep Woodford, DFA today. Jones could be a possible for one of the games against the Guardians or the Cubs. I hold NG longer in rehab, but send Bae down and get Yorke up - probably for starts in CF/RF - not at 2B. And, also find a way to get Cook some MLB AB's.
Jack Suwinski with a double and HR in a game - can anybody remember the last time that happened? It's not like we have a CF in Pittsburgh that is holding him back. Get him up and let's see if he can carry that 2 EBH night forward. Too much?
"and Esmerlyn Valdez also went deep" in the Bradenton game. This 20 year old is 6'2" 185 and was signed as an OF. He added 1B to positions played in 2022 when he played 1B in 5 games in the FCL. In '23 and '24 the number of games at 1B is almost equal to the number of games in the OF, and he has established himself as a solid middle of the order hitter. In 330 AB he has 17 doubles, 1 triple, 18 HR, 52 RBI and has that GO/FO stat around 0.70. He's rough in the field at 1B and has room for improvement at the plate, but he is one of that team full of 19/20 year old kids at A that have big futures.
The last guy they need to bring up is Jack. He’s been a basket case all year, even worse in AAA than Pgh. One game doesn’t show he’s relearned how to hit. He needs at least half a year in AAA next year.
Yes, he needs a fresh start in the spring after, presumably, working with a personal hitting coach/training facility in the offseason. I can't imagine that we won't at least have a new hitting coach in the spring and I'm optimistic that an offseason of resetting and someone new to work with will help Jack bounce back. (I don't think Haines is Jack's problem, I just think that with the funk he's in he'll benefit from a fresh perspective.)
I hear you, but his downturn was not typical, and it was like he just lost his confidence. I guess I am hoping his approach has improved enough to be confident at the plate and be able to be the hitter he was last year when he put up 21 doubles and led the team with 26 HR. Sometimes it just takes a few positive AB's.
Actually, it WAS typical. He just didn’t have the occasional super-hot streak to get his numbers up. The problems were there all along.
Is Yoyner Fajardo a legit prospect?
A 25 year old OF with very little power, who was in the Pirates system, then the Twins system, and now back to the Pirates in AA. I would see him as a "filler" at best.