16 Comments

Strong pitching performances in minors? What good is that when no one threw more than 5 innings and we have no hitters in our system.

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This has been the fantasy for bottom-payroll teams since I can remember, the idea that you can win with pitching alone. How any fan can believe that, I don't know, but the Pirates have been pushing the notion since Littlefield and a surprising number of fans buy it.

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3, 0, 1, 2, 4, 0, 1, 0, 2, and 2…this is the number of XBH’s per game over the last ten games. Not a coincidence that this has translated into a whopping two wins. Last five games, only five XBH’s, that’s pathetic! Same trend as last year, yet the process and philosophy remain the same with the FO expecting different results.

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I do think we are near the MLB lead in IF hits.....so there's that positive. /s

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I think that is because Tellez, Cruz and Hayes always bust it out of the box...... no wait.

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3rd in MLB in whiffs and 26th in ISO. The top two in whiffs are 6th and 8th in ISO. Their approach as a team is totally screwed up. But Haines has lifetime tenure.

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Exactly, if you’re gonna whiff, at least slug a little 🤷🏻‍♂️

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I would think a team that has a lot of extra base hits has to deal with striking out more. I would also a think the advantage of not swinging for the fences is that you don't strike out much.

It is easy to say that minor league pitching is bad and that is why hitters hit better in the minors, but they are not taking pitches like they do when they get to the majors for the Pirates. Most of the young guys in the majors for the Pirates look like they are trying something new for the first time. The guys with power potential look like they are trying to slap singles.

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The Pirates are never going to win another baseball game. That’s kind of what it feels like right now.

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141 more days, the Marlins come to town.

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That's what I call looking down the road, lol.

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Excellent outing by Michael Kennedy at A. He had been struggling, but this outing brought his stats for his 3 Starts to 12 IP, 4.50 ERA, 16K/3BB - and he will pitch all of 2024 as a 19 year old. The Top 5 of the 2022 Draft - TJ, Harrington, Barco, Brannigan, Kennedy - a strong MI and 3 Starting Pitchers!

Also good to see Braxton Ashcraft have a good outing at AA, and a tip of the cap to former Buc, Trey McGough - hated to see him leave, but the Bucs were loaded with LHRP's.

21 games into 2024 and still above .500. The Pirates are getting decent pitching, but hitting has been spotty at best, and manufacturing runs seems to be foreign to this Manager. In all fairness though, this is not a lineup geared to small ball! Oneil Cruz started off well, but has dropped about 80 points off his batting average in his last 10 games; Jack Suwinski, who never really got started in 2024, has dropped well below the Mendoza line in the last 10 games; and Rowdy Tellez has dropped about 70 points on his batting average in the past 10 games. Reynolds and Joe are trying to pick up the slack, and it did not help that Hayes was out for a few games.

Too early to start making changes - stay the course, and re-visit this patient in about 30 days

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The “patient” could well be dead in 30 days. You need to monitor vital signs regularly and make changes needed to maintain, or in the case of the Pirates attain, the best state of health possible on an ongoing basis. This group also needs to improve its mental health because they sure look like they’re just putting in their time instead of having any fun playing this game. and it still is a game. It will do no good to ignore the illness and simply hope for improvement if it’s too late when you return.

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Apr 21·edited Apr 21

Im not sure, my point even when we were winning, that this patient has any medication (down in AAA) that would be helpful to them if there offense got sick (guess NG, Lamb, Nunez will be discussed)...Well we are abit under the weather for sure, so....to me, yes, "revisit in 'x' amount of days"🤷‍♂️

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The only help I see in the minors is pitching help, such as Paul Skenes and possibly Bubba Chandler by next year. I like the possibility of Skenes coming up before Super 2. My prediction is May 4 at PNC. Chandler really started maturing in his approach the second half of 2023, and has started 2024 strong.

Position players - I like Peguero because he has the SS/2B ability, good power, and is 2 baseball years younger than NG and Bae. Can we get a young Centerfielder as the PTBNL from the Yankees - we already have BRU and the $500K Intl dollars on the table - what more will it take? Maybe too much, but I would like to see some movement in that direction.

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No risk move to bring NG up, he’s already rostered unlike the other guys you mentioned.

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