Keith Law has his second mock draft at The Athletic. He admits that this draft is really hard to read. He has Arquette going #1 overall with Willits going to the Cards at #5.
With the Pirates choosing between Jaime Arnold and Hernandez, he had them going with Arnold.
The funny thing about a draft as whacky as this is the possibility of other teams blowing it has as much impact on you as the possibility of you blowing it. The Pirates, for instance, maybe or maybe not blew it with Davis. But a couple years later, I think some other teams screwed up big time by passing on KG. Tons of moving parts here.
I'd be happy with Arnold. You have to have a riverboat gambler mentality to pick Hernandez. Low floor, high ceiling. First round high school pitchers have such a poor history of success. I was just looking at the 2021 draft; 5 high school pitchers selected in round 1. Painter and Jobe are already TJ victims, but still are good prospects. Mozzicato and Bruns aren't looking good, and I'm not sure what to think of Chase Petty. Of course, college pitchers also get hurt, and there is one high school pitcher from that draft who I have high hopes for.
Watched a few innings of the Altoona game last night and was shocked at how large Dotel was. For whatever reason, I was expecting a tall lean dude, but this guy is built like Yean or Ortiz. The few innings I watched, he was really spotty with the command. Good arm could be a sleeper if he can tighten up the command.
Yeah was there last night. He has some real velo and what looks like a good mix of pitching. Command was a bit off and no Kelly quick hook, he probably stayed in a batter or two too long
I’m not real good at this sort of thing, but it always seemed to me that his release point would wander. Between him and Antwone Kelly, they have some potential late-inning firepower.
It was a feel good homestand, but now we get a good reality check: 7 games against the Cubs and the Tigers. Not be defeatist, but a 3-4 record on this trip would send a strong signal that the team is improving.
Between now and the All Star Break, the only teams we face with losing records are the Rangers (32-36) and Mariners (33-34), both legitimate playoff contenders. Adding to the challenge is that 19 of our 28 games are on the road, including the last nine before the break.
It would be pretty impressive if they maintain the .500 play under Kelly over the next month, but I think they're capable. And if they do, it's reasonable to think that they could have a winning record after the break.
21 of the 30 teams are either in a play-off spot or within 4.5 games of a spot. I'm not sure if this is making baseball cities more excited or just more confused about what they should do at the break.
It was a smart move as we've played 9 games in the last 9 days with the 4 against the Cubs left before a day off. And if it's one of those weekends with the wind blowing out at Wrigley...
I have a real problem with any player putting himself and his “career goals” in front of the team. But I have a HUGE problem with a GM who has put a player’s career goals in front of the team’s goals.
BC needs to pay a price for crap like this. Mlod deserves some blame if he truly refused to go to the pen and chose a demotion to Indy instead, but the fact he was even given a choice by BC is the bigger issue in my mind.
Yes, the way I read the article quoting Cherington was that Cherington decided that once Mlod wanted the chance to start, they weren't going to pull the plug on that just to keep him in the majors. It was also a convenient way to bring Burrows and Ashcraft up without having to DFA a reliever.
But then something changed in the last couple of days.
I can't imagine that Mlod or anyone else volunteered to be sent down. I'm fairly certain that he would have stayed in the majors, whatever his role, if the decision had been his. This is just more Cherington assery.
Closers and solid backend relievers make a lot more than 5th starters and many of them have long careers without nearly so many injury worries. If I were Mlod, I would have no objections to a backend bullpen role.
-6 inning of not hit in Wrigley. He was throwing gas striking out the first 7 that game. One of the most fun games I have ever been to. I totally expected him to get pulled that game.
-Weeks later, I made the trip to Milwaukee to see him get pulled after 7 no hit innings. That one I was ticked to see him get pulled because it looked like he was not throwing max effort and had some left in the tank.
-Conclusion: My chances of seeing a major league no-hitter in person is looking less probable.
And bring in Mlodzinski to give up the hit again like they did for the 2 games I was at last year? That must be exactly why they brought him up yesterday. There is no way I am going to Chicago now. You are a wise man. Thanks for helping me see things clearly.
My early Christmas present would be for the Pirates to sweep the Cubs all 4 games and have the Cubs fall apart after that. (Linving 2 hours from Chicago is sometimes way too close :) )
Haven't heard any chatter about trade interest in McCutchen. He's arguably their most desirable 'rental', even if he's limited to a DH role. And what club wouldn't want him in their dugout for a legit playoff run?
Sure, this team needs him, too, but why not trade him to allow him a chance for a ring, and then bring him back again next year?
Very good question that my Cub and Cardinals fans have asked me. What does Cutch want more? a) finishing his career as a Pirate or b) getting another post-season run
NS9 (I think?) recently talked about whether or not the bucs would entertain flipping him for 2 months of a playoff run then bring him back next year. If he wants to, I think you absolutely have to agree to it
cutch will be here three more years and hit 20 homeruns per year
would like to see Bednar follow suit and sign a long term (very) team friendly extension (3mil per year for four years) in exchange for a guarantee his brother cracks our rotation for half a year
Pirates are playing like a team that we expected to see this year. Holding their own vs good teams and winning series vs bad teams.
Would love to see both Reynolds and Cruz simultaneously get on a heater for a few weeks. That alone could get this team to 5 +\- games under.500 by AS break. Enough to cause a vigorous discussion on how team should treat trade deadline.
I coincidentally checked just before reading your post and Reynolds has quietly (to me, at least) put up a 139 wRC+ over the last month and 136 over the last two weeks. The wins have seemed to follow as you suspect!
Last year the Pirates had such an easy schedule before the deadline and extremely brutal after it, I did not have a good feeling about how the Pirates would do last year. This year the schedule seems evenly mixed before and after the deadline.
The Pirates did very well for themselves during the Home Stand and will be challenged in Chicago. They are playing like they believe in themselves and it shows in the record since Don Kelly has been the Manager.
Some changes need to be made in the Minors, but it would be difficult to promote from A+ to AA while the A+ GBO team is fighting for First Place in the first half - how many games remaining in the first half? The two guys I was thinking about promoting to AA are C Omar Alfonzo, and OF Esmerlyn Valdez. Moving up to A+ from A would be C Axiel Plaz, and OF Will Taylor. Konnor Griffin has not missed a step since his promotion - 4 for 10.
At AA Jase Bowen has not played since May 1 due to an "Undisclosed Injury", but it looks like he is possible to return next week?
I’ll be satisfied with a split, but obviously hoping for 3-1. I would hate to see us go backward with anything less than .500. Of course competition is meant to reveal what type of team one has, so we’ll see. Definitely have seen improvement under Kelly but is there another level we can get to?
Nunez, Bowen and Siani all transferred to Bradenton for rehab. Guess it'll be the Bradenton Curve.
Billy MF Cook
Keith Law has his second mock draft at The Athletic. He admits that this draft is really hard to read. He has Arquette going #1 overall with Willits going to the Cards at #5.
With the Pirates choosing between Jaime Arnold and Hernandez, he had them going with Arnold.
The funny thing about a draft as whacky as this is the possibility of other teams blowing it has as much impact on you as the possibility of you blowing it. The Pirates, for instance, maybe or maybe not blew it with Davis. But a couple years later, I think some other teams screwed up big time by passing on KG. Tons of moving parts here.
I'd be happy with Arnold. You have to have a riverboat gambler mentality to pick Hernandez. Low floor, high ceiling. First round high school pitchers have such a poor history of success. I was just looking at the 2021 draft; 5 high school pitchers selected in round 1. Painter and Jobe are already TJ victims, but still are good prospects. Mozzicato and Bruns aren't looking good, and I'm not sure what to think of Chase Petty. Of course, college pitchers also get hurt, and there is one high school pitcher from that draft who I have high hopes for.
That same draft doesn’t look any better for college arms in the first round right now.
what about that 6'10 high school lefty kruz?
Watched a few innings of the Altoona game last night and was shocked at how large Dotel was. For whatever reason, I was expecting a tall lean dude, but this guy is built like Yean or Ortiz. The few innings I watched, he was really spotty with the command. Good arm could be a sleeper if he can tighten up the command.
Yeah was there last night. He has some real velo and what looks like a good mix of pitching. Command was a bit off and no Kelly quick hook, he probably stayed in a batter or two too long
Love the info.
I’m not real good at this sort of thing, but it always seemed to me that his release point would wander. Between him and Antwone Kelly, they have some potential late-inning firepower.
That's what I was thinking watching him. Spotty command, slider/fastball arms usually end up in the pen.
It was a feel good homestand, but now we get a good reality check: 7 games against the Cubs and the Tigers. Not be defeatist, but a 3-4 record on this trip would send a strong signal that the team is improving.
Between now and the All Star Break, the only teams we face with losing records are the Rangers (32-36) and Mariners (33-34), both legitimate playoff contenders. Adding to the challenge is that 19 of our 28 games are on the road, including the last nine before the break.
It would be pretty impressive if they maintain the .500 play under Kelly over the next month, but I think they're capable. And if they do, it's reasonable to think that they could have a winning record after the break.
21 of the 30 teams are either in a play-off spot or within 4.5 games of a spot. I'm not sure if this is making baseball cities more excited or just more confused about what they should do at the break.
Tough series coming up. The Cubs are scoring buckets of runs. It's occurred to me that Kelly wanted Mlod to get all arms on deck for this series.
It was a smart move as we've played 9 games in the last 9 days with the 4 against the Cubs left before a day off. And if it's one of those weekends with the wind blowing out at Wrigley...
I have a real problem with any player putting himself and his “career goals” in front of the team. But I have a HUGE problem with a GM who has put a player’s career goals in front of the team’s goals.
BC needs to pay a price for crap like this. Mlod deserves some blame if he truly refused to go to the pen and chose a demotion to Indy instead, but the fact he was even given a choice by BC is the bigger issue in my mind.
That's not what happened.
Yes, the way I read the article quoting Cherington was that Cherington decided that once Mlod wanted the chance to start, they weren't going to pull the plug on that just to keep him in the majors. It was also a convenient way to bring Burrows and Ashcraft up without having to DFA a reliever.
But then something changed in the last couple of days.
I don’t think that happened. Kelly said Mlod gave the same whatever-we-need answer about his role now.
I can't imagine that Mlod or anyone else volunteered to be sent down. I'm fairly certain that he would have stayed in the majors, whatever his role, if the decision had been his. This is just more Cherington assery.
Closers and solid backend relievers make a lot more than 5th starters and many of them have long careers without nearly so many injury worries. If I were Mlod, I would have no objections to a backend bullpen role.
skenes has 17 strikeouts so far in wrigley and hasnt given up any runs there
So he has a shot at a no-decision.
one of those two starts was a no hitter that he got yanked from if I remember correctly
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/746878/play/39
It should have been a perfect outing if the ump wouldn't have missed pitch 7. Ball 3 should have been strike 3.
-6 inning of not hit in Wrigley. He was throwing gas striking out the first 7 that game. One of the most fun games I have ever been to. I totally expected him to get pulled that game.
-Weeks later, I made the trip to Milwaukee to see him get pulled after 7 no hit innings. That one I was ticked to see him get pulled because it looked like he was not throwing max effort and had some left in the tank.
-Conclusion: My chances of seeing a major league no-hitter in person is looking less probable.
more likely the next time you see him, they'll yank him after eight no hit innings
And bring in Mlodzinski to give up the hit again like they did for the 2 games I was at last year? That must be exactly why they brought him up yesterday. There is no way I am going to Chicago now. You are a wise man. Thanks for helping me see things clearly.
This cubs team is pretty darn good, if we could pull out 2-2 and competitive in all 4 I would be ecstatic
My early Christmas present would be for the Pirates to sweep the Cubs all 4 games and have the Cubs fall apart after that. (Linving 2 hours from Chicago is sometimes way too close :) )
my early christmas present would be to leave town with Ian Happ on our roster
Just so we don’t have to face him…
he's been slumping so now is a perfect time to acquire him with leverage
their top prospect Owen Caissie has been lighting it up to replace him in their lineup
four game sweep
If only….
When is Axiel Plaz going to start getting the respect he deserves as a real prospect?
Stay tuned.
Zander Mueth is pitching in the FCL today, according to John. That's good to hear.
Crap, that's down in Ft. Myers.
Time to buy a car?
Ugh, not a fun drive.
Stuff like this feels planned sometimes
Yankees looking for a third baseman
sources saying Hayes for Devin Williams to return to the nl central
Haven't heard any chatter about trade interest in McCutchen. He's arguably their most desirable 'rental', even if he's limited to a DH role. And what club wouldn't want him in their dugout for a legit playoff run?
Sure, this team needs him, too, but why not trade him to allow him a chance for a ring, and then bring him back again next year?
#hugwatch
I’d start looking for some tar and feathers and plant myself outside Pirates offices looking for BC to let him know how I feel.
Very good question that my Cub and Cardinals fans have asked me. What does Cutch want more? a) finishing his career as a Pirate or b) getting another post-season run
The fact he initiated the Pirates reunion tells you all you need to know about this issue.
Could have both, assuming he plays again next year.
My guess is that is 100% up to Cutch, assuming the Pirates don't go on a serious run in the next month.
NS9 (I think?) recently talked about whether or not the bucs would entertain flipping him for 2 months of a playoff run then bring him back next year. If he wants to, I think you absolutely have to agree to it
Won’t happen. Nor should it.
you mean they want cutch to play against us in october?
flagged for blasphamy
cutch will be here three more years and hit 20 homeruns per year
would like to see Bednar follow suit and sign a long term (very) team friendly extension (3mil per year for four years) in exchange for a guarantee his brother cracks our rotation for half a year
Zander Mueth on rehab to FCL.
Pirates are playing like a team that we expected to see this year. Holding their own vs good teams and winning series vs bad teams.
Would love to see both Reynolds and Cruz simultaneously get on a heater for a few weeks. That alone could get this team to 5 +\- games under.500 by AS break. Enough to cause a vigorous discussion on how team should treat trade deadline.
I coincidentally checked just before reading your post and Reynolds has quietly (to me, at least) put up a 139 wRC+ over the last month and 136 over the last two weeks. The wins have seemed to follow as you suspect!
My definition of a “heater” for Reynolds and Cruz is a lot higher that 139 wrc+. More like 200 +/-.
Last year the Pirates had such an easy schedule before the deadline and extremely brutal after it, I did not have a good feeling about how the Pirates would do last year. This year the schedule seems evenly mixed before and after the deadline.
The Pirates did very well for themselves during the Home Stand and will be challenged in Chicago. They are playing like they believe in themselves and it shows in the record since Don Kelly has been the Manager.
Some changes need to be made in the Minors, but it would be difficult to promote from A+ to AA while the A+ GBO team is fighting for First Place in the first half - how many games remaining in the first half? The two guys I was thinking about promoting to AA are C Omar Alfonzo, and OF Esmerlyn Valdez. Moving up to A+ from A would be C Axiel Plaz, and OF Will Taylor. Konnor Griffin has not missed a step since his promotion - 4 for 10.
At AA Jase Bowen has not played since May 1 due to an "Undisclosed Injury", but it looks like he is possible to return next week?
If my math is correct, first half will be over sometime next week
I’ll be satisfied with a split, but obviously hoping for 3-1. I would hate to see us go backward with anything less than .500. Of course competition is meant to reveal what type of team one has, so we’ll see. Definitely have seen improvement under Kelly but is there another level we can get to?
Let’s hope they have just begun to improve. Team needs a big, preferably LH, bat to play LF. 2023 Jack Suwinski would be so helpful.
Obviously getting continued improvement from Davis, Horowitz, and Nick G, is also essential to becoming a league average offense, too.
Lastly, they need Bubba to figure out his control issues so he can come up and be ready to fill a spot in rotation after Heaney is dealt next month.