Anthony - The video of Olivares HR's was excellent - if I am not mistaken, one of them was against a pitcher by the name of Kuhl, another was against a Yankee pitcher by the name of King - could that be the kid in the news? He's disciplined at the plate, makes contact (16% K Rate), hits for average and possibly medium power. Probably see him in RF alternating with Jack Suwinski to start the season, but I would not give up on him in CF. I do not think he has played in CF for at least the last 2 or 3 years, but he did play in CF as a younger prospect coming up.
What struck me in the video was how pull-heavy the HRs were yet all but maybe one of them appeared to be deep enough that they'd be HRs in PNC as well. So, some concern about how his power will translate to PNC but that concern was reduced by seeing how far his HRs traveled.
OT - watched S2 E1 of Reacher tonight. Nice, albeit brief Pittsburgh reference - 79 team, Clemente, Stargell.
Which reminded me, first reacher movie was set in PGH ( tho not the book it was based on). I think Tom Cruise would come up to about the waste of his TV counterpart who is much more in line with the book’s description
Lots of opportunities to possibly collect a few thousand extremely disappointed Steeler and Penguin fans? It would mean something to a franchise that actually cared, but the Pirates?
Offense would have been an upgrade with an actually decent 1b. I predict a Hayes uptick in offense (maybe not as drastic as the last bit of the season but an uptick nonetheless). Cruz will be an upgrade, perhaps greatly, over last year's ss position. The catcher position was a black hole last year even with Endy. Surely Davis and even Sanchez/Delay would be better. The question is if someone can stake a claim at 2b and if someone could be an upgrade in rf. There's a good chance the offense would have been much improved with a Naylor, Hoskins or similar player. To me, the most disappointing move this offseason is Tellez to man first base.
This has no bearing on the need to bring in one or two more starting pitchers to start the season. The definite issue with starting pitching is the beginning of the season. There's at least a chance Brubaker, Burrows, Skenes, Jones and others could be ready to give it a try in the second half. I'm not convinced Ortiz, Contreras, Jackson and the like will fill the gap until then.
I like these signings. If the Pirates are going to have any success, in 2024, it is going to be with offense, just like last year. As an outfielder, Olivares is far better in comparison to average than say, Flarity, who is a very below average starting pitcher. But we seem to be happy about the idea of paying a Flarity $10 million a year to block a youngster might suck just as bad, but also might blossom into, well, Mitch Keller.
I don’t see it with the offense. They only scored 692 runs last year, and thats at least about 60 shy of how many they’ll need to score this year to make the playoffs. Santana to Tellez is a downgrade. Second base isn’t settled. Who knows what you’re getting out of 2B, RF and catcher. You lost Endy from catcher as well. There’s too much unsettled for me to have confidence in the offense, and it doesn’t seem like a big addition is in the cards.
Eduardo Rodríguez would have made sense too; I’m told they do allow baseball teams to offer contracts that last more than one year.
I had no problem with Flaherty as the bounce-back candidate (ie, not as the top recruit), but I thought that would price him at $8-9m. I thought similar for Luis Severino, who I also thought would be nice. I underestimated by $4-6m a year. Given that, I’m afraid that Paxton will get 2 yrs, $17m/yr, and Manaea may even get $12m.
I’m still hoping for Bader in CF, then Suwinski/Olivares platoon in RF, with Cutch getting time there too. I don’t think it’s happening, though. I know Bader can’t really hit, but I wish they prioritized CF defense the way they do Catcher’s defense (minus the .160 hitters).
Ho-hum. Hard to get excited over guys like this who are just a couple more bodies instead of adding much of anything to the team. Andujar and Palacios were and probably still are at least as good or better, which isn’t saying much.
Once they sign Bellinger to play CF pushing Jack to LF and Reynolds to RF all these moves will be for not. Oh and Snell too, both at an AV of $25 million for 5 and 6 year each. Shocking the baseball world, none more than Wilburn who will then become president of the Nuttin/Cherrington fan club.
Anthony - The video of Olivares HR's was excellent - if I am not mistaken, one of them was against a pitcher by the name of Kuhl, another was against a Yankee pitcher by the name of King - could that be the kid in the news? He's disciplined at the plate, makes contact (16% K Rate), hits for average and possibly medium power. Probably see him in RF alternating with Jack Suwinski to start the season, but I would not give up on him in CF. I do not think he has played in CF for at least the last 2 or 3 years, but he did play in CF as a younger prospect coming up.
What struck me in the video was how pull-heavy the HRs were yet all but maybe one of them appeared to be deep enough that they'd be HRs in PNC as well. So, some concern about how his power will translate to PNC but that concern was reduced by seeing how far his HRs traveled.
OT - watched S2 E1 of Reacher tonight. Nice, albeit brief Pittsburgh reference - 79 team, Clemente, Stargell.
Which reminded me, first reacher movie was set in PGH ( tho not the book it was based on). I think Tom Cruise would come up to about the waste of his TV counterpart who is much more in line with the book’s description
waist
Looks like Pgh has three sad sack teams now.
Lots of opportunities to possibly collect a few thousand extremely disappointed Steeler and Penguin fans? It would mean something to a franchise that actually cared, but the Pirates?
Offense would have been an upgrade with an actually decent 1b. I predict a Hayes uptick in offense (maybe not as drastic as the last bit of the season but an uptick nonetheless). Cruz will be an upgrade, perhaps greatly, over last year's ss position. The catcher position was a black hole last year even with Endy. Surely Davis and even Sanchez/Delay would be better. The question is if someone can stake a claim at 2b and if someone could be an upgrade in rf. There's a good chance the offense would have been much improved with a Naylor, Hoskins or similar player. To me, the most disappointing move this offseason is Tellez to man first base.
This has no bearing on the need to bring in one or two more starting pitchers to start the season. The definite issue with starting pitching is the beginning of the season. There's at least a chance Brubaker, Burrows, Skenes, Jones and others could be ready to give it a try in the second half. I'm not convinced Ortiz, Contreras, Jackson and the like will fill the gap until then.
if Tellez platoons with Justin Turner, would you change your mind about first base?
If we had Turner, what would be the point of Tellez?
Tellez i consider a replacement for Endy´s bat
I like these signings. If the Pirates are going to have any success, in 2024, it is going to be with offense, just like last year. As an outfielder, Olivares is far better in comparison to average than say, Flarity, who is a very below average starting pitcher. But we seem to be happy about the idea of paying a Flarity $10 million a year to block a youngster might suck just as bad, but also might blossom into, well, Mitch Keller.
I don’t see it with the offense. They only scored 692 runs last year, and thats at least about 60 shy of how many they’ll need to score this year to make the playoffs. Santana to Tellez is a downgrade. Second base isn’t settled. Who knows what you’re getting out of 2B, RF and catcher. You lost Endy from catcher as well. There’s too much unsettled for me to have confidence in the offense, and it doesn’t seem like a big addition is in the cards.
Olivares was worth 0.4 fWAR in 2023. Flaherty? 1.8.
Eduardo Rodríguez would have made sense too; I’m told they do allow baseball teams to offer contracts that last more than one year.
I had no problem with Flaherty as the bounce-back candidate (ie, not as the top recruit), but I thought that would price him at $8-9m. I thought similar for Luis Severino, who I also thought would be nice. I underestimated by $4-6m a year. Given that, I’m afraid that Paxton will get 2 yrs, $17m/yr, and Manaea may even get $12m.
I’m still hoping for Bader in CF, then Suwinski/Olivares platoon in RF, with Cutch getting time there too. I don’t think it’s happening, though. I know Bader can’t really hit, but I wish they prioritized CF defense the way they do Catcher’s defense (minus the .160 hitters).
Ho-hum. Hard to get excited over guys like this who are just a couple more bodies instead of adding much of anything to the team. Andujar and Palacios were and probably still are at least as good or better, which isn’t saying much.
Now sign Justin Turner and ink Cutch
Oliveres means Bae wont make the opening day roster
Bae needs at least a half season in Indy just focusing on the outfield and his approach at the plate and how to utilize his speed.
That doesn't bother me. Not a fan of Bae's game.
also means Reynolds is the backup center fielder
Once they sign Bellinger to play CF pushing Jack to LF and Reynolds to RF all these moves will be for not. Oh and Snell too, both at an AV of $25 million for 5 and 6 year each. Shocking the baseball world, none more than Wilburn who will then become president of the Nuttin/Cherrington fan club.
The belli CF and 1B combo could be a really fun solution to our various platoon problems
Will they let him bat twice
I'm waiting for Nutting to sign himself. I envision Mr Burns from the Simpsons stepping up to the plate.
No joke, at this point I would take eccentric-billionaire over one with the personality of cardboard. Get real weird with it.