The Skenes-Chandler comparison, IMO, speaks to a general flattening of talent in minor league ball right now. I don't know if it's a down period or an up period, but I don't see many dudes really standing out from the pack on either side of the ball.
That’s reflected in the drafts that we’ve seen. You have number 1 overall guys in recent drafts who have been arguably 55 FV. I have questioned if this new environment is a function of lesser talent, or are we recognizing that perhaps we were too bullish on certain types of players/skillsets, or I’ve also wondered that as the talent evaluation game has become a big business with Pipeline/Fangraphs/BA, do you have some these writers really trying to hedge and bunch guys up?
Another BA writeup by Tim Williams in the January issue speaks heavily about the small adjustments made with Anthony Solometo on his delivery (staying planted rather than leap or hop off the mound) and working with Pitching Coordinator Josh Hopper to change his 75-78 mph slurve into an 85-88 mph Sweeper. Quotes from Solometo - on the Sweeper "it's been a game changer", and "they just helped me find ways to be not leaking energy, and more efficient with my power". Very strong compliments to the pitching staff!
Now we just need to hope that the mechanical changes don't lead to arm problems. If anything, they should have the opposite effect. But my sense is that in recent years we've seen too many reports of an uptick in stuff followed weeks or months later by the pitcher going down with surgery (usually TJ).
This may be a very biased view because those are the cases that stand out. E.g., I recall reading about the steps forward Burrows took only for him to go down a few months later. Same with Bru. Same with Velasquez's early success here. You might even throw Oviedo in there as a pitcher having a "breakout" year only to need surgery, though in his case he also had a dramatic increase in workload. And it's not just our prospects--Baz was a fast riser after showing improved stuff with TB, Painter was getting accolades for being the next big thing, ... Again, likely biased by the attention those cases got, but there is also some logic that if a pitcher is suddenly throwing in a different way to improve spin rates, velocity, etc., then his arm may not have developed to handle that extra stress.
Fingers crossed on Solo, probably my favorite pick from that draft (lefty with a funky delivery).
I have had a subscription to BA for over 30 years. I realize it is not the expert opinion it used to be, but I still have the monthly mag delivered and leave it out for my grand's, same as I did for my two sons.
What they infer as being a predicament for TJ of being between a power hitter and a hitter for average, I see as more of TJ being a complete player who put up those numbers as an 18/19 year old in 2023. Thrilled the kid posted those quality numbers, and looking forward to more at GBO in 2024. Remember, he did get some exposure at A+ to end 2023 - 99 AB, .842 OPS, 5 HR, 29BB/32K. Yes, he can make improvements, but comes across as being in control of his game.
Love the recognition of Bubba Chandler who did not turn 21 until after his minor league season ended in 2023. Definitely a plus to be mentioned in the same sentence with 1-1 Paul Skenes.
I was thinking the same thing when I responded to somebody suggesting Bucs sell high when somebody gets inflated #'s from Greensboro. I do think it is a real issue. I always think the same thing about the PCL. I get front offices aren't (or certainly shouldn't) fooled but it has to affect the players some. The proverbial home game flu for starting pitchers so they can delay their start for a road game!!
And it's funny cause we did a podcast last off-season leading up to the year, and it was a specific point we brought up about Cheng, mentioning with his swing he could be a double-digit HR hitter in Greensboro. But then may find trouble in Altoona. It was EXACTLY what happened lol although he missed the double-digit HRs by one.
I remember the entire time leading up to his promotion, fans were ecstatic about Cheng's sudden "power production", and we just kept trying to remind people that isn't Cheng. And it likely isn't going to be Cheng when he has to go to Altoona.
With regards to the PCL, I can't remember who, but I believe there is one organization that mentioned they keep pitchers in Double-A primarily because of the PCL bomber parks. And thing with the SAL league too is, you can't really get away from it. Not at drastic as Greensboro's home park, but there are quite a few big bomb ding dong friendly parks in that league.
Truth. I went down to see Bubba and maybe Jones pitch for a few days late in season... I think Anthony was there a vesces... And I got Andy to sign a Hopper baseball hat for me.
Now if I'd gotten Anthony to sign a baseball hat... BONUS ROUND baby!
How much of a difference is GBO in their A+ environment than Cincy or the Brewers are in MLB? Their HR numbers are always inflated (except for Newman)!
If I was looking for swapping minor league sites, I would look to swap with the Tigers where they get Indy and we get their AA site of Erie. Then figure out which of Erie or Altoona become our AAA site, and the other remains in AA. Having a second site within a few hours drive would increase the interest in Pirate baseball for our Northwest PA communities.
Cinn and Mil are pretty standard ballparks where it's just a bit too easy to hit HRs. GBO's OF dimensions aren't close to standard. There are no power alleys at all. The fences just cut straight across from LF and RF to CF. Gorski talked about how it wasn't challenging to play center there because there was nowhere to run.
The Imanga deal seems almost reasonable compared to what the rest of the starting market is doing.
Today's outlandish prediction with no statistical backup and only limited intellectual support: Lonnie white will be a top 5 org prospect and top 100 on some lists by the end of the year
I agree. Which, somewhat tied to what I just replied to Southern Buc, we'll need to temper expectations probably JUUUUUST a little bit, cause Lonnie could potentially just obliterate High A with their hitter friendly parks.
There’s a sweet spot for Termarr for both above average contact and power. Let’s just hope he finds it sooner that Hayes found the optimal swing to generate both exit velocity and lift.
I’m confident he will find it in the next couple years. No substitue for God given talent.
The best hitters in the game do not make the tradeoff BA suggests, they figure out how to do both. Absolutely ridiculous to suggest a teenager give up on one half of the exceptional skillset he's shown so early.
The most encouraging aspect is him not chasing and staying in the zone. He's selling out for power but staying confined in the zone, I think he'll start his adjustments on contact while retaining as much power as he can.
That’s encouraging, but up to a point. Pitchers have massive issues throwing strikes at that level. Since MLB saved a couple of Continentals by contracting the short season leagues, more pitchers are pressed into full season duty before they’re really ready. It is encouraging that he kept that walk rate up there at High A though.
Not sure where to put this far-fetched thought. Is it possible for the city of Pittsburgh to condemn the Pirates (maybe as a joke or a drag on the city) and take over running the team. I know, I know, government interference, but can it possibly be worse than Nutting? Maybe the city could hire some competent people and spend some money. Maybe get our payroll to a paltry 115 million. Just thinking out loud.
Pittsburgh Associates, who bought the team off the Galbreath’s was essentially that and it didn’t work. They ended up selling the team to McClatchy. As for your payroll figure, I’d say something close to that is a pretty reasonable figure if the team was being run as a non-profit.
The Skenes-Chandler comparison, IMO, speaks to a general flattening of talent in minor league ball right now. I don't know if it's a down period or an up period, but I don't see many dudes really standing out from the pack on either side of the ball.
That’s reflected in the drafts that we’ve seen. You have number 1 overall guys in recent drafts who have been arguably 55 FV. I have questioned if this new environment is a function of lesser talent, or are we recognizing that perhaps we were too bullish on certain types of players/skillsets, or I’ve also wondered that as the talent evaluation game has become a big business with Pipeline/Fangraphs/BA, do you have some these writers really trying to hedge and bunch guys up?
Fully agree, I have the same questions just no answers.
Another BA writeup by Tim Williams in the January issue speaks heavily about the small adjustments made with Anthony Solometo on his delivery (staying planted rather than leap or hop off the mound) and working with Pitching Coordinator Josh Hopper to change his 75-78 mph slurve into an 85-88 mph Sweeper. Quotes from Solometo - on the Sweeper "it's been a game changer", and "they just helped me find ways to be not leaking energy, and more efficient with my power". Very strong compliments to the pitching staff!
Now we just need to hope that the mechanical changes don't lead to arm problems. If anything, they should have the opposite effect. But my sense is that in recent years we've seen too many reports of an uptick in stuff followed weeks or months later by the pitcher going down with surgery (usually TJ).
This may be a very biased view because those are the cases that stand out. E.g., I recall reading about the steps forward Burrows took only for him to go down a few months later. Same with Bru. Same with Velasquez's early success here. You might even throw Oviedo in there as a pitcher having a "breakout" year only to need surgery, though in his case he also had a dramatic increase in workload. And it's not just our prospects--Baz was a fast riser after showing improved stuff with TB, Painter was getting accolades for being the next big thing, ... Again, likely biased by the attention those cases got, but there is also some logic that if a pitcher is suddenly throwing in a different way to improve spin rates, velocity, etc., then his arm may not have developed to handle that extra stress.
Fingers crossed on Solo, probably my favorite pick from that draft (lefty with a funky delivery).
I have had a subscription to BA for over 30 years. I realize it is not the expert opinion it used to be, but I still have the monthly mag delivered and leave it out for my grand's, same as I did for my two sons.
What they infer as being a predicament for TJ of being between a power hitter and a hitter for average, I see as more of TJ being a complete player who put up those numbers as an 18/19 year old in 2023. Thrilled the kid posted those quality numbers, and looking forward to more at GBO in 2024. Remember, he did get some exposure at A+ to end 2023 - 99 AB, .842 OPS, 5 HR, 29BB/32K. Yes, he can make improvements, but comes across as being in control of his game.
Love the recognition of Bubba Chandler who did not turn 21 until after his minor league season ended in 2023. Definitely a plus to be mentioned in the same sentence with 1-1 Paul Skenes.
The long story short takeaway from the Baseball America podcast. Pirates need to get away from Greensboro. It's ruining our hitter prospects lol
What hitting prospects?
Exactly
I was thinking the same thing when I responded to somebody suggesting Bucs sell high when somebody gets inflated #'s from Greensboro. I do think it is a real issue. I always think the same thing about the PCL. I get front offices aren't (or certainly shouldn't) fooled but it has to affect the players some. The proverbial home game flu for starting pitchers so they can delay their start for a road game!!
And it's funny cause we did a podcast last off-season leading up to the year, and it was a specific point we brought up about Cheng, mentioning with his swing he could be a double-digit HR hitter in Greensboro. But then may find trouble in Altoona. It was EXACTLY what happened lol although he missed the double-digit HRs by one.
I remember the entire time leading up to his promotion, fans were ecstatic about Cheng's sudden "power production", and we just kept trying to remind people that isn't Cheng. And it likely isn't going to be Cheng when he has to go to Altoona.
With regards to the PCL, I can't remember who, but I believe there is one organization that mentioned they keep pitchers in Double-A primarily because of the PCL bomber parks. And thing with the SAL league too is, you can't really get away from it. Not at drastic as Greensboro's home park, but there are quite a few big bomb ding dong friendly parks in that league.
It's almost like we know what we are talking about lol
Goin' Goin' Goin' Goin' Goin' Goin' GONE!!! It's Another Hopper Homer!
Sincerely, Andy Durham
With the Hopper's announcer, it's more like:
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
(breaks for air)
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
(break for sip of water)
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE
Truth. I went down to see Bubba and maybe Jones pitch for a few days late in season... I think Anthony was there a vesces... And I got Andy to sign a Hopper baseball hat for me.
Now if I'd gotten Anthony to sign a baseball hat... BONUS ROUND baby!
How much of a difference is GBO in their A+ environment than Cincy or the Brewers are in MLB? Their HR numbers are always inflated (except for Newman)!
If I was looking for swapping minor league sites, I would look to swap with the Tigers where they get Indy and we get their AA site of Erie. Then figure out which of Erie or Altoona become our AAA site, and the other remains in AA. Having a second site within a few hours drive would increase the interest in Pirate baseball for our Northwest PA communities.
Cinn and Mil are pretty standard ballparks where it's just a bit too easy to hit HRs. GBO's OF dimensions aren't close to standard. There are no power alleys at all. The fences just cut straight across from LF and RF to CF. Gorski talked about how it wasn't challenging to play center there because there was nowhere to run.
I’ve always liked that idea, with an eye towards building the fan base up a bit more with as many affiliates as possible close to the big club.
What they should do is build a new park in New Orleans, and it can be any level they want lol
And Greensboro is very well-known for having a HR happy park. It turned Triolo and Lolo Sanchez into 15+ HR hitters lol
The Imanga deal seems almost reasonable compared to what the rest of the starting market is doing.
Today's outlandish prediction with no statistical backup and only limited intellectual support: Lonnie white will be a top 5 org prospect and top 100 on some lists by the end of the year
*inserts gif of me pounding the table*
I agree. Which, somewhat tied to what I just replied to Southern Buc, we'll need to temper expectations probably JUUUUUST a little bit, cause Lonnie could potentially just obliterate High A with their hitter friendly parks.
BnP, respectfully, I will absolutely NOT temper any expectations! There is no reason to todays prediction only vibes
Ok. Ok. I'll accept that answer.
That’s far from outlandish by my standards. You need to try harder if you’re hoping to assault my sense of reality, AdminSky. 😎
A fellow dreamer on that good hopium, appreciate your company!
There’s a sweet spot for Termarr for both above average contact and power. Let’s just hope he finds it sooner that Hayes found the optimal swing to generate both exit velocity and lift.
I’m confident he will find it in the next couple years. No substitue for God given talent.
Yeah that entire segment felt lazy to me.
The best hitters in the game do not make the tradeoff BA suggests, they figure out how to do both. Absolutely ridiculous to suggest a teenager give up on one half of the exceptional skillset he's shown so early.
The most encouraging aspect is him not chasing and staying in the zone. He's selling out for power but staying confined in the zone, I think he'll start his adjustments on contact while retaining as much power as he can.
That’s encouraging, but up to a point. Pitchers have massive issues throwing strikes at that level. Since MLB saved a couple of Continentals by contracting the short season leagues, more pitchers are pressed into full season duty before they’re really ready. It is encouraging that he kept that walk rate up there at High A though.
Not sure where to put this far-fetched thought. Is it possible for the city of Pittsburgh to condemn the Pirates (maybe as a joke or a drag on the city) and take over running the team. I know, I know, government interference, but can it possibly be worse than Nutting? Maybe the city could hire some competent people and spend some money. Maybe get our payroll to a paltry 115 million. Just thinking out loud.
Pittsburgh Associates, who bought the team off the Galbreath’s was essentially that and it didn’t work. They ended up selling the team to McClatchy. As for your payroll figure, I’d say something close to that is a pretty reasonable figure if the team was being run as a non-profit.
Thanks - not so far-fetched.