How's the rotation setting up as Spring Training winds down, what to do with two players out of options, and how the outfield picture is getting shuffled.
you need to mention that Jones ISN'T on the 40 man. If we put him in the rotation we have to cut someone. IF someone in the rotation gets injured they can go to the IL and Jones could take his place on the roster and in the rotation.
Its time to move past this archaic idea that right field is where you put your best arm. At pnc park, its where you put your worst outfielder because its a short porch, shortest throw. This isnt rocket science. Typically at pnc you want your best outfielder in left (like marte was) because of how huge it plays. Taylor and jack will likely not both be full timers (probably both play 2/3) and cutchs hopeful ability to play out there maybe once a week along with connor Joe gives plenty of days off for jack against lefties especially tough ones. Beyond that, taylor sitting 1-2 games against righties each week is also best for the club.
I always felt the same about putting your best defensive outfielders in center and left and put a good tennis player in right to handle those bounces off the wall, lol.
Of all the vets they brought in, apart from Perez the best bets might be Lauer and German, assuming health and . . . uh . . . personality issues cooperate. But they’re on MiL deals, they arrived late, and other guys are out of options.
“Opening day rotation” this year may mean less than any time I can remember. I just think of it as Mitch + Whatever.
I agree and if Jones and Stratton continue to have outstanding springs it would be a no-brainer to bring them both north. We can all agree that wins and losses don't matter in spring training but management tends to use performance as an catchall to justify their roster moves. No matter what potential help Jones and Stratton appear able to provide this staff if management doesn't want them on opening day it will be a business decision and not a baseball decision. Of course the chances that those two won't get dinged a bit in one of their future spring outings is high so then Ben will have his talking point.
There are baseball reasons for not having them on the 26-man on opening day: the most significant of which is preserving depth in the organization at pitching and not waiving guys who are out of options or on MLB or split deals. Guys are going to get hurt, especially pitchers, and guys are going to blow up: some whom we expect to blow up and one or two we do not. A team needs depth at pitcher, infield, outfield, and often catcher to get through 162 games
What I think the Pirates will do. Ortiz and Priester in the #4 and #5 spots. Jones to AAA. Roansy to the bullpen. Falter to the waiver wire. Assuming Bednar is healthy, the last 2 bullpen spots are anyone’s guess. Hernandez? Nicolas? NRIs Stratton, Honeywell, Peralta, Anderson, Fleming? I’ll guess Anderson and Peralta. Drop Ali Sanchez and Falter off the 40-man.
The starting rotation is far too complicated for my input, besides who am I anyway, but a couple of things seem pretty clear in my worthless opinion.
Falter is a waste of time and space on the roster. Contreras is still worth a spot in the bullpen but needs to earn more than that. Priester and Jones have both earned a chance to show what they can do and should be given it instead of tinkering around with veterans who were signed to minor league contracts.
German needs to stay in the minors until he proves he can still pitch and that he is healthy both physically and mentally. He needs to work on and maintain his sobriety. That might be easier in Indy at least until Shelton finds some way to reward guys other than passing around bottles of bourbon in the clubhouse. Someone should educate him that alcohol is poison to some people and not just fun and games.
Way more than I intended to say. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all the Irish and non-Irish among us. Everyone's Irish today or at least that's what my mother, whose maiden name just happened to be Murphy, used to say.
German is an interesting pitcher. His FB sucks, but his curve and change are very effective. He’s almost always had good BB and K rates, and low WHIPs. The one problem has been gopher balls, and it’s been a significant one. Going from Yankee Stadium to PNC would probably help.
But the off-field stuff . . . good grief. He’s like the old Cincinnati Bengals roster all in one guy. Maybe have a detective follow him?
This. Apart from service time/financial concerns, the only reason to not have Jones in the rotation at the begining of the season is for him to work on something in the minors.
The Pirates sign Michael A. Taylor and Yasmani Grandal seems destined to open the season on the DL. Here are the updated odds on what I think the Pirates will do.
Taylor’s signing likely moves Celestino out of the picture. It also likely eliminates any chance that Gonzales and Bae will make it. Could the Pirates keep Gonzales over Olivares? Possible but unlikely.
Celestino is the kid who has earned a spot and I hope the Pirates keep him until MAT gets about 3 weeks of live swings down in BRD. The general consensus is that if we DFA Celestino among the last cuts of all of the clubs, he will get lost and slide through - then we can sign him and keep him in AAA.
Bae is valuable to many MLB teams because of his ability to play more positions than 2B, his ability to be a leadoff batter, and the speed to steal bases. NG, although the Pirates have used him at SS in ST, is a second baseman-only by MLB standards. They are both young - in their age 25 seasons, and could both probably appreciate a shot at MLB elsewhere rather than another year at AAA for the Pirates.
you need to mention that Jones ISN'T on the 40 man. If we put him in the rotation we have to cut someone. IF someone in the rotation gets injured they can go to the IL and Jones could take his place on the roster and in the rotation.
Its time to move past this archaic idea that right field is where you put your best arm. At pnc park, its where you put your worst outfielder because its a short porch, shortest throw. This isnt rocket science. Typically at pnc you want your best outfielder in left (like marte was) because of how huge it plays. Taylor and jack will likely not both be full timers (probably both play 2/3) and cutchs hopeful ability to play out there maybe once a week along with connor Joe gives plenty of days off for jack against lefties especially tough ones. Beyond that, taylor sitting 1-2 games against righties each week is also best for the club.
I always felt the same about putting your best defensive outfielders in center and left and put a good tennis player in right to handle those bounces off the wall, lol.
Of all the vets they brought in, apart from Perez the best bets might be Lauer and German, assuming health and . . . uh . . . personality issues cooperate. But they’re on MiL deals, they arrived late, and other guys are out of options.
“Opening day rotation” this year may mean less than any time I can remember. I just think of it as Mitch + Whatever.
I agree and if Jones and Stratton continue to have outstanding springs it would be a no-brainer to bring them both north. We can all agree that wins and losses don't matter in spring training but management tends to use performance as an catchall to justify their roster moves. No matter what potential help Jones and Stratton appear able to provide this staff if management doesn't want them on opening day it will be a business decision and not a baseball decision. Of course the chances that those two won't get dinged a bit in one of their future spring outings is high so then Ben will have his talking point.
There are baseball reasons for not having them on the 26-man on opening day: the most significant of which is preserving depth in the organization at pitching and not waiving guys who are out of options or on MLB or split deals. Guys are going to get hurt, especially pitchers, and guys are going to blow up: some whom we expect to blow up and one or two we do not. A team needs depth at pitcher, infield, outfield, and often catcher to get through 162 games
What I think the Pirates will do. Ortiz and Priester in the #4 and #5 spots. Jones to AAA. Roansy to the bullpen. Falter to the waiver wire. Assuming Bednar is healthy, the last 2 bullpen spots are anyone’s guess. Hernandez? Nicolas? NRIs Stratton, Honeywell, Peralta, Anderson, Fleming? I’ll guess Anderson and Peralta. Drop Ali Sanchez and Falter off the 40-man.
The starting rotation is far too complicated for my input, besides who am I anyway, but a couple of things seem pretty clear in my worthless opinion.
Falter is a waste of time and space on the roster. Contreras is still worth a spot in the bullpen but needs to earn more than that. Priester and Jones have both earned a chance to show what they can do and should be given it instead of tinkering around with veterans who were signed to minor league contracts.
German needs to stay in the minors until he proves he can still pitch and that he is healthy both physically and mentally. He needs to work on and maintain his sobriety. That might be easier in Indy at least until Shelton finds some way to reward guys other than passing around bottles of bourbon in the clubhouse. Someone should educate him that alcohol is poison to some people and not just fun and games.
Way more than I intended to say. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all the Irish and non-Irish among us. Everyone's Irish today or at least that's what my mother, whose maiden name just happened to be Murphy, used to say.
German is an interesting pitcher. His FB sucks, but his curve and change are very effective. He’s almost always had good BB and K rates, and low WHIPs. The one problem has been gopher balls, and it’s been a significant one. Going from Yankee Stadium to PNC would probably help.
But the off-field stuff . . . good grief. He’s like the old Cincinnati Bengals roster all in one guy. Maybe have a detective follow him?
I would disagree with you about no one else standing out in the rotation battle. How about one Jared Jones!
This. Apart from service time/financial concerns, the only reason to not have Jones in the rotation at the begining of the season is for him to work on something in the minors.
The Pirates sign Michael A. Taylor and Yasmani Grandal seems destined to open the season on the DL. Here are the updated odds on what I think the Pirates will do.
Bench battles…………….Original…Now
10. Michael A. Taylor………n/a…….100%
11. Liover Peguero………….90%…..90%
12. Edward Olivares……….90%…..90%
13. Jason Delay……………..20%…..90%
———————————————————-
14. Nick Gonzales………….80%…..20%
15. Gilberto Celestino………0%…..10%
16. Ali Sanchez………………10%…..10%
17. Josh Palacios……………40%…….5%
18. Ji-Hwan Bae……………..60%……0%
19. Alika Williams…………….10%……0%
20. Canaan Smith-Njigba..10%…….0%
Taylor’s signing likely moves Celestino out of the picture. It also likely eliminates any chance that Gonzales and Bae will make it. Could the Pirates keep Gonzales over Olivares? Possible but unlikely.
Celestino is the kid who has earned a spot and I hope the Pirates keep him until MAT gets about 3 weeks of live swings down in BRD. The general consensus is that if we DFA Celestino among the last cuts of all of the clubs, he will get lost and slide through - then we can sign him and keep him in AAA.
Bae is valuable to many MLB teams because of his ability to play more positions than 2B, his ability to be a leadoff batter, and the speed to steal bases. NG, although the Pirates have used him at SS in ST, is a second baseman-only by MLB standards. They are both young - in their age 25 seasons, and could both probably appreciate a shot at MLB elsewhere rather than another year at AAA for the Pirates.
We don’t have to dfa Celestino because he is not in the 40 man. He can go down to Indy and get a consistent ABs, and be a depth option.