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WTM's avatar

Delay optioned, so backup C down to Endy & Davis.

Hall, Solak, Yohan Ramirez, Alika, Gutierrez, Bryce Johnson and Gorski all reassigned.

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NMR's avatar

Guy Who Thought Darrick Hall Was Best Story of Spring Training

lol.

lmao, even.

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WTM's avatar

In truth, there are rarely any real stories. Like this year. 4th OF and Endy vs. Davis. And a giant paintball fight in the bullpen, but what are the odds of the outcome making more than about a 0.5-win difference?

But we all want to believe the stories anyway. It’s fun.

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NMR's avatar

I fell for it again.

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MWT's avatar

No surprises here really. Would’ve rather given an opportunity to Gorski over Stewart, but what do I know. Interested to see who the fourth outfielder ends up being, as well as how the bullpen is finalized.

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1979andCounting's avatar

Javier Rivas....bring him North!

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WTM's avatar

Who had Javy hitting a walkoff bomb? Show of hands . . . .

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Jim's avatar

Pirates mastering the sac fly.

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Jim's avatar

And the game winning HR

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1979andCounting's avatar

Mets lost starting catcher Alvarez, their very thin with back-ups. And here we sit with 4 catchers.

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bmcferren's avatar

they also have nothing to offer in return

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

What do you expect in return for Jason Delay?

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Melkel's avatar

I'd want Eli Serrano, or add a pitching prospect with Delay for Mauricio.

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

Think that they would part with Colin Houck for Davis? I would definitely make that move if I were the Pirates.

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Melkel's avatar

I think the Mets would in a heartbeat for Davis for Houck. I would aim higher if I were the pirates though, Houck has a ton of swing and miss so far in A ball. He's still only 20 though.

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

Yeah. I didn't realize how badly he performed at A-ball last year. Fangraphs just hates him now. Looked like something when he was drafted a year and a half ago though.

I guess if I were to set my sights higher... Trey Snider? What do you think of him?

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bmcferren's avatar

i dont want to trade Delay

Bart is the one to cash in the chips

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Shawn Inlow's avatar

You didn't shock me with your blazing wit today. I can almost get behind this post. Bart for real outfielder, plz.

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

I don't think that trading one of the 3 or 4 good hitting position-players on one of the worst hitting teams in baseball is a good idea.

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bmcferren's avatar

Life of a small market fan

Barts days are numbered

Better to trade him now instead of chancing that he doesn’t hit or gets hurt

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NMR's avatar

#analysis

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

They have a guy who works at Safeway whom they think is better than anyone whom the Pirates might trade them.

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

Sorry... it's Whole Foods. Lest you think I make this stuff up. https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/hayden-senger-mets-catcher-works-at-whole-foods

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1979andCounting's avatar

We're seeing Phillies best arms today. Sanchez, Alvarado, Kerkering. Their staff one of the best.

And we're shut-out thru 7.

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Slider71's avatar

Find it interesting but not real surprising two of our worst performers this spring

Tommy Hit Man Pham .538 OPS

Adam veteran presence Frazier .561 OPS

It wouldn’t surprise me if these numbers continue into the regular season with the obvious to everyone skills decline in these two players. How long does the GM keep them on the roster to save face?

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Cb's avatar

So they are in mid season form already. BC will be pleased. That's what he paid for.

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

July 8th at the earliest for Frazier. 1 day after the trade deadline for Pham, because no matter how badly he does, the Pirates will hold out hope that someone might trade cash considerations or something for him and relieve them of their payroll obligation for the final 2 months of the season.

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WTM's avatar

Depends on when they get near any plate-appearance bonus.

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Shawn Inlow's avatar

WILBUR!!!

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Melkel's avatar

Nice hit by Hayes

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AdministrativeSky236's avatar

Let this be the Hayes from now on!

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Scott Kliesen's avatar

You know your career hasn’t gone as planned when fans are begging you to be better in ST of year #5.

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PirateRican21's avatar

Good contact from him today, against a lefty, but a pretty good one.

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PirateRican21's avatar

Man, I really like Harrington, I know the ceiling is not super high, but this is a good #4 and eventually a solid innings eater #3.

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

He is the type of pitcher that I always want to see succeed... the crafty finesse guy. I love power pitchers as much as the next guy, but I have a real soft spot for Harrington types. He is probably my new favorite Pirate... (prospect) especially after hearing how much he has helped some of the other pitchers develop.

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Scott Kliesen's avatar

There’s a place for him in Pirates rotation. Probably in the back of it though.

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1979andCounting's avatar

Pham is a concern. 4 - 33! Sure "it doesn't count" but he appears lost and tentative. Meanwhile, Tito has named Austin Hayes as his clean-up hitter specifically to protect Dela Cruz in the #3 spot. Really like to know if BC pursued him at all......

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NMR's avatar
Mar 18Edited

You're all lying to yourselves if you don't admit you would be lighting Shelton up like a damn Christmas tree if he decided to hit Austin f*cking Hays cleanup behind Oneil Cruz.

Be real. real real.

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1979andCounting's avatar

Bookmarking this to re-visit Bart vs Hays hitting cleanup. It should be very close.

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NMR's avatar

nobody is forcing you to hate your favorite team this much, man.

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1979andCounting's avatar

This is about Hays vs Pham, that's all. ???

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NMR's avatar

What does that have to do with Joey Bart?!

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1979andCounting's avatar

Bart should be hitting cleanup, but one never knows with Shelton. Austin Hays scheduled to hit cleanup for Reds. So that's the comp to watch.

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NMR's avatar

same pirate fans with a perpetual boner over the vaunted young core of Reds offensive talent now frothing over their managerial genius of placing a below average hitter who failed to find better than a $5m deal in free agency in the cleanup spot.

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Shawn Inlow's avatar

If you have a boner for more than four hours, you're supposed to contact your physician.

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

The only team in baseball more likely to disappoint their fans this season than the Pirates are the Reds.

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1979andCounting's avatar

Their FO at least tried. What are our expectations...76-86?

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

They did a better job than the Pirates this offseason, that is for certain. They will disappoint only because they have received too much hype and the expectations are too high for a team with a mediocre lineup and terrible bullpen. This is not to say that they won't finish ahead of the Pirates though.

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NMR's avatar

nobody is forcing people to degrade themselves by equating "better than the pirates" with "actually good team", but nevertheless they will.

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bmcferren's avatar

and all this chatter early in camp about him not being able to catch up to fastballs like he used to

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TNBucs's avatar

I'd guess that BC did pursue him but unless we were willing to outbid the Reds by a meaningful amount, it would have been a pretty easy choice for him--much better hitters' park and a proven manager.

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Aurorus Borealus's avatar

You mean that Shelton's .415 winning percentage, 6 losing seasons out of 6, 4 last-place finishes, complete free-fall from the wild-card race last season, constant bullpen meltdowns, bad baserunning and constant egregious fielding errors and outfield collisions and near-collisions over his tenure has not made him one of the top managers in baseball. Maybe it is because the Pirates have become notorious for not running out hits and groundballs, having cellphones in their pockets during gameplay, or eating sunflower seeds in the middle of a play under his tenure. This is all so nick-picky though. Standards are so high these days. No one could possibly be expected to hold anyone accountable for obvious lack of effort for the past 6 years from most of the players on the team.

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Shawn Inlow's avatar

harsh... but you're not wrong...

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1979andCounting's avatar

I thought he had only a 1-year deal, but there's a mutual $12M option for 2026. Ben doesn't do those, of course.

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