Viewed logically—by a GM who doesn’t think you need 25 UT IFs on the 40-man—it ultimately should be Brannigan vs. Cheng as AAA IF depth. Both can play defense, but Cheng can’t hit at all and Brannigan will run into a few. So he has some value in that sense.
Bad news about Jack Brannigan done for the season. We have a few guys at AA who can play SS Escotto, Pichardo), but neither would be my choice to become the full time SS at Altoona. Konnor Griffin was a 932 OPS in 207 AB at A and is hitting well at A+ with an 876 OPS in 106 AB. In both A and A+ he has fielded very well at SS - 974 at A+, 985 at A.
This would be a big move for both he and the Pirates, but a promotion he has earned. I have heard for years that we do not want to risk moving kids too fast, but when a player shows that he can hit and field at a level, he deserves an opportunity for a promotion to a higher level if an opening is available. Altoona has already played 90 games and have maybe 45 games remaining. That would be a great opportunity for him to experience first hand the speed of the game at a higher level and the higher quality of pitching to take with him for work during the off-season.
If Griffin gets promoted, they won't move him because of an injury. They've been without Brannigan for over a month.
He's only played 28 games in Greensboro. He played 50 in Bradenton before the promotion. Give him some time. Feels like he's still working through some things in July.
You wrote above that the Pirates had placed Brannigan on the Full Season Injured List - I interpreted that as meaning he is done for the rest of this year. I had hoped that he would be the SS to TJ's 2B - I know he missed a lot of reps in A+, and that TJ had played SS in 36 games with a .950 Fielding %age. Brannigan is a hard nosed player and somebody I thought would be in consideration to take over for IKF if he did well at AA this year.
Not pushing Brannigan out the door, but suggesting that KG has done a great job this year and looks like one of those prospects that teams will allow to play in 3 levels in one year. He is the future of the SS position in Pittsburgh and I hope he sees MLB in that capacity in 2026. Brannigan is also a VG third baseman.
The Angels are paying there third baseman 38 million a year to not play along with teams full of dead contracts. The Pirates are paying 7 to 8 million a year to a gold glove third baseman with little pop that has a batting average near the league average. The Pirates are one of few teams that would feel the urgency to get rid of that type of money. This is one of the things that suck about being a Pirate fan.
His batting average may be near average but his bat isn't close to average at all. 63 wRC+. He's _the worst hitting_ 3B in all of MLB among qualified hitters. He's the 4th worst qualified hitter in all of baseball and one of the 3 worse than him is trying to play through the grief of losing an unborn child. Can't wait to see him being a defensive wizard for some other team.
Some players are who they are. Some are smart, competitve and get better over time. I think Keller has the right mindset and will continue to get better, especially if he gets traded.
So going by the signing tracker on MLB, the Bucs have signed Hernandez, Gray, Anker, and King for a total of about $650K under slot. Who are the likeliest picks to eat up that savings? Jones? Melendez?
Also it’s odd that some teams are completely done with signing, while others are like the Pirates. If you take a look at the Yankees picks, 18 of their 19 picks have signed already.
It's the Pirates so my thoughts would be two HS pitchers - 15th Rounder 6'7" RHP McLane Moody (96 mph), and/or Nicholas Frusco 6'5" LHP who just turned 18 right before the draft (93 mph). Moody has been committed to Arkansas for a long time, and Frusco committed to Rutgers, then changed his mind and signed with Clemson. BC drafted him in the last round as a negotiating tactic.
Khristian Curtis, 12th Rounder, signed for $497,500 in 2023 and I think the same rules were in place. So $150 K was subtracted and the remainder of $347,500 would have gone against the Pirates pool.
I do not think teams are allowed to increase their pool by underpaying the $150 K
Also, the most concerning thing about Cruz is how utterly lost he looks with two strikes. He is beyond guessing at this point, he is completely paralyzed at the plate, which tells me there is way too much noise between the ears.
Astros added to the list of teams needing a third baseman
They don't want to take on salary and don't have a good farm system though.
triolo?
Sure, he'd get their number 23 prospect down in complex league and save me $600k.
Injury updates:
Valdez has a contusion, x-rays negative, so good report there.
Brannigan has a labrum tear, expected to be fully recovered for next year. Don’t like shoulder things.
Doesn't feel like Brannigan is much of a prospect at this point. 24 in AA. 104 wRC+. Utility guy.
Viewed logically—by a GM who doesn’t think you need 25 UT IFs on the 40-man—it ultimately should be Brannigan vs. Cheng as AAA IF depth. Both can play defense, but Cheng can’t hit at all and Brannigan will run into a few. So he has some value in that sense.
Probably would've been a lights out closer if he would've went the pitching route.
They said he would be a two-way guy when he signed, but he never pitched. He was a legit prospect on the mound with potential late-inning stuff.
Bad news about Jack Brannigan done for the season. We have a few guys at AA who can play SS Escotto, Pichardo), but neither would be my choice to become the full time SS at Altoona. Konnor Griffin was a 932 OPS in 207 AB at A and is hitting well at A+ with an 876 OPS in 106 AB. In both A and A+ he has fielded very well at SS - 974 at A+, 985 at A.
This would be a big move for both he and the Pirates, but a promotion he has earned. I have heard for years that we do not want to risk moving kids too fast, but when a player shows that he can hit and field at a level, he deserves an opportunity for a promotion to a higher level if an opening is available. Altoona has already played 90 games and have maybe 45 games remaining. That would be a great opportunity for him to experience first hand the speed of the game at a higher level and the higher quality of pitching to take with him for work during the off-season.
If Griffin gets promoted, they won't move him because of an injury. They've been without Brannigan for over a month.
He's only played 28 games in Greensboro. He played 50 in Bradenton before the promotion. Give him some time. Feels like he's still working through some things in July.
You wrote above that the Pirates had placed Brannigan on the Full Season Injured List - I interpreted that as meaning he is done for the rest of this year. I had hoped that he would be the SS to TJ's 2B - I know he missed a lot of reps in A+, and that TJ had played SS in 36 games with a .950 Fielding %age. Brannigan is a hard nosed player and somebody I thought would be in consideration to take over for IKF if he did well at AA this year.
Not pushing Brannigan out the door, but suggesting that KG has done a great job this year and looks like one of those prospects that teams will allow to play in 3 levels in one year. He is the future of the SS position in Pittsburgh and I hope he sees MLB in that capacity in 2026. Brannigan is also a VG third baseman.
sources saying KeBryan and Pham to the Cubs for Ian Happ
their salaries line up
Some of my spoiled Cub fan friends would just give us Happ.
he is the best possible return we could fetch for KeBryan
Just saying the Cub fans are down on Happ right now.
its great timing
Ian Happ owns PNC park
its the best bet to convince nutting of what to do with the sunk cost of kebyran's contract
The Angels are paying there third baseman 38 million a year to not play along with teams full of dead contracts. The Pirates are paying 7 to 8 million a year to a gold glove third baseman with little pop that has a batting average near the league average. The Pirates are one of few teams that would feel the urgency to get rid of that type of money. This is one of the things that suck about being a Pirate fan.
His batting average may be near average but his bat isn't close to average at all. 63 wRC+. He's _the worst hitting_ 3B in all of MLB among qualified hitters. He's the 4th worst qualified hitter in all of baseball and one of the 3 worse than him is trying to play through the grief of losing an unborn child. Can't wait to see him being a defensive wizard for some other team.
Well, I hope this isn't the last (or second-to-last) outing we see from Mitch Keller in a pirates uniform.
I'm afraid one more is all we'll see. He's as good as gone IMHO.
Some players are who they are. Some are smart, competitve and get better over time. I think Keller has the right mindset and will continue to get better, especially if he gets traded.
Adonys Guzman signs for 499k
So going by the signing tracker on MLB, the Bucs have signed Hernandez, Gray, Anker, and King for a total of about $650K under slot. Who are the likeliest picks to eat up that savings? Jones? Melendez?
Also it’s odd that some teams are completely done with signing, while others are like the Pirates. If you take a look at the Yankees picks, 18 of their 19 picks have signed already.
Angel Cervantes is probably going to get most of that. Might have a little bit of that left to try and get one of those kids post 10th round.
Offer him 75% to protect the pick and negotiate from their to slot, if he does not sign ,he can go get his school supplies.
It's the Pirates so my thoughts would be two HS pitchers - 15th Rounder 6'7" RHP McLane Moody (96 mph), and/or Nicholas Frusco 6'5" LHP who just turned 18 right before the draft (93 mph). Moody has been committed to Arkansas for a long time, and Frusco committed to Rutgers, then changed his mind and signed with Clemson. BC drafted him in the last round as a negotiating tactic.
What is the negotiation tactic related to taking someone in the final round of the draft?
I would call it a dart throw…we like this kid we will see how much money we end up with, maybe it will convince him to turn pro.
Are post 10 round guys limited in what they can sign for? I ask this every year…
They can sign for 150k anything above eats into the overall pool
Khristian Curtis, 12th Rounder, signed for $497,500 in 2023 and I think the same rules were in place. So $150 K was subtracted and the remainder of $347,500 would have gone against the Pirates pool.
I do not think teams are allowed to increase their pool by underpaying the $150 K
Correct
Also, the most concerning thing about Cruz is how utterly lost he looks with two strikes. He is beyond guessing at this point, he is completely paralyzed at the plate, which tells me there is way too much noise between the ears.
He has tinnitus too?
Makes you wonder if that is the problem for Davis and or Suwinski too. I'm probably just being optimistic, though.
Davis needs to cut his launch angle.
Can’t remember the last time three players in the lineup had two or more xbhs in the same game.
Does that mean we need to get rid of them all now?
It’s rare enough that the whole team gets two xbhs.
1991