What to Do with Steve Pearce

[SyrBucco]

First post on this board. Lord knows how many thousands of posts I've made over the years in this board's various incarnations, but it's fun to be a Newbie again.  On to what I hope is a fun topic:

I'm all for Pearce being on the MLB roster if he'll actually get playing time. Fact is, we do need to trade Bay or Nady for some good prospects, but probably can't do it at the beginning of the season because their trade value is low. Let either of them get off to a good start, and then Huntington might be able to get a decent return.

The question then is, do you keep Pearce on the MLB roster as a supersub or keep him playing every day at AAA until the Bucs make room for him as a starter? I'm not sure that the answer is cut and dried, but I took the Bucs' unwillingnness to got to arbitration with Phelps as a sign that they intended to keep Pearce with the Bucs.

LaRoche and McLouth are both OK vs. LHP, but everyone needs a breather, and between using Pearce to rest one or the other vs. LHSP, you've got about 40 starts. Then quit grinding Bay down to nothing: give Pearce another 10-15 starts there. Consider Nady's fragility, the odd day off for LaRoche even vs. RHSP, and it's not hard to see 70+ starts for Pearce, and a bunch of PH opportunities, and 350-400 MLB at bats.

But if they're equally committed to giving Morgan and Doumit time in the OF, then there won't be enough at bats to keep every young player sharp. In that case, I'd rather see Pearce stay busy at Indy. We could sign Hack Wilson for the occasional breather vs. LHSP, and get an emergency catcher in the balance.

We probably all agree that the team has nothing to lose by getting Pearce into the starting lineup as soon as possible. But we do have something to lose - by way of prospects in return - by not showcasing Bay and Nady. The Boston Red Sox have a similar situation with Coco Crisp and Jacob Ellisbury, but with greater margin for error.

Your thoughts are welcome!

[Novelist]

Right now, I say send him to AAA and make sure he's back in the same grove he was last year. He had a taste of success, now he needs to prove it every day. If they had dealt Bay or Nady, then I would start him, but he's a corner outfielder and hte position is filled right now. We have Doumit to deal with as well.

Leave him in AAA and let him force their hand with Bay or Nady. They need to start dealing from a position of strength when they have even the slightest bit of a chance.

Best case: Bay lights it up, Nady plays like last year and Peace blows AAA away. Then, trade Bay or Nady and plug Pearce.

Worst case: Bay is on the downhill, Nady had a career year and Pearce can't replicate his performance last year.

[wvbucco]

I agree with Novelist.  We're better off sending Pearce to AAA and hoping Bay or Nady starts off very hot so we can move one to make room for Pearce- assuming his 07 was not a fluke.

[Max Power]

It's my hope that last season was a blip for Bay and that he's his old self once again.  If his value goes up enough, he needs to be moved.  Simply put, he doesn't have the power I'd like to see from one of our outfielders.  

Nady is not going to bring the same in return so I think we keep him.  He can be the partner to Pearce as Corner outfielders.  

Bay if he is back to his old self should bring at least a very high rated prospect and a couple so so's to help fill out the minor system.  I doubt we bring in a ML level talent when we move Bay.  And it is Bay we need to and will move.  

In the mean time Indy becomes his temporary home.  Don't buy any real estate there Steve.

[ECBucs]

I hope by mid-season Nady has become a supersub at first, right, left and center because Pierce and McLouth have beaten him out of full-time job.

Nady will be old enough and have enough veteranosity that a contender will want him to boost there offense.  I think he would look good in Atlanta, Seattle, Minnesota, and Baltimore now.

[wvbucco]

If Doumit, Pearce, and Morgan all do well it's possible- at least in theory- that they might move both Bay and Nady.  We could restock our minors and still do well enough with Pearce in left, McLouth in center, and Doumit in right.  I'm not certain Pearce would even be a downgrade in left defensively.  Thats IF those three show us something significant at the plate. 

[bAnimal]

I dont think Pearce is very good.  He is old.  He cant play anywhere but first.  He had one over his head season. If he plays in the majors long he will be exposed.

[Woobie]

He can't play anywhere but first. 

Uh, Pearce played a lot of right field after being called up. For someone with virtually no experience at the position, he did a darn good job.

[SpeedyG]

It's my hope that last season was a blip for Bay and that he's his old self once again.  If his value goes up enough, he needs to be moved.  Simply put, he doesn't have the power I'd like to see from one of our outfielders./ 

Nady is not going to bring the same in return so I think we keep him.  He can be the partner to Pearce as Corner outfielders. 

Bay if he is back to his old self should bring at least a very high rated prospect and a couple so so's to help fill out the minor system.  I doubt we bring in a ML level talent when we move Bay.  And it is Bay we need to and will move. 

In the mean time Indy becomes his temporary home.  Don't buy any real estate there Steve.

Huh?

Bay has average 29 HR a season since becoming the starting LF for the Pirates.  That is including his rookie season when he only played 120 games and his piss poor 2007 season.

There were only 25 players who hit 30 or more HR in all of baseball last season - 8 of whom were outfielders.  There were only 8 players who hit 35 or more - 2 outfielders (Dunn & Holliday).  There were only 5 players who hit 40 or more - one outfielder named Adam Dunn.

Bay's power should not be questioned.  If he is healthy and putting up 05 and 06 numbers, then he is one of the top OF in the game - period.

[Jimbo21]

My concern on Bay has more to do with his shoulder strength... last year his throws from the outfield brought back memories of Sid Bream scoring from second because Bonds couldn't find it in himself to must anything more than a very weak, poor, and feeble attempt from short left field.

Bay looked like a first baseman waiting to happen, because his arm was pitiful... let's see if he regains any ability to throw like somebody other than Mickey Rivers...

[Novelist]

Let's be fair to Bay; last spring those few lonely voices who were bleeting about his weak arm were ridiculed for finding warts on a super model. He had a bad year, let's hope it's an aberation. If not his contract is still friendly enough to show he has more value that anyone else the team could put on the field.

Also, calling Peace old and a man who played above his head is really, well, wuite petty. He went through four levels and succeeded on every one. Sure, he has to prove he can do it year in and year out, but what rookie doesn't. It's fine to go all grandma-ugly over things that are proven as bad (Nutting!), but let's try and be fair where we can.

- Novelist

[Jimbo21]

Don't get me wrong, I like Bay a lot... but an outfielder without an arm needs to move to first. You cannot hide a poor arm. It happened to me when I tore my rotator cuff back in the 70's... it isn't condemnation of the player, it is a realization that it comes time in some careers to move to help your team and your self...

Pearce can make or break his 2008 by the first half of the year, either in Pittsburgh or in AAA... it is up to him where he eventually forces a spot on the roster.

[Hammer]

2008 Plan

April - June
Bay - LF
McLouth - CF
Nady/Doumit - RF

July - September
McLouth - LF
McCutchen - CF
Pearce - RF

I believe the Pirates will trade Bay and Nady once the team shows they cannot contend for the division and player value is at the max for an in-season trade to a contender looking for RH power help. This will give Pearce half a season to show what he can or cannot do at the major league level.

[81omar]

   They could be trying to keep Pearce,McCutchen,Bixler and Walker on the same time table thinking theyre a core group of players if the current guys dont work out,and then they will try to build thru trades with guys on the same time table as them. Huntington came out today and basically said Pearce will start at AAA as long as Bay,Nady and LaRoche are healthy.

  Without Pearce the bench looks like:
McLouth or Morgan
Doumit
Gomez
Josh Wilson
backup catcher i assume from talk you hear

Not really the making of a great team,especially when the bullpen sucks and Morris/Duke combo will be very lucky to win 20 games total and the C/SS/3B/CF are all at best average

  I'd rather the put up with the mostly average and occasional bad defense of a Bay/Nady/Pearce OF and combine with LaRoche put out a lineup with 4 guys who can possibly avg 30 HR's batting behind Sanchez who should hit 300+ with a ton of doubles. You can always put in defense and speed(pinch runner) later on when the games on the line. At least the team would be more fun to watch while theyre losing 90+

[Woobie]

I'm not getting worked up over this.

Things change. Players slump. Xavier Nady and Ryan Doumit get hurt.

Regardless of what NH is saying now -- he could change his mind, you know -- Steve Pearce will more than likely get his shot in 2008. Well, unless the following happens:

1.) Pearce tanks in Indy and proves '07 was a Jack-like fluke.

2.) Nady stays off the DL isn't traded and puts up a .295/.350/.525 season.

3.) Nate McClouth wins the CF job and puts up similar numbers to last year's second half, but is moved to RF in mid-June when a hot-hitting Andrew McCutchen is called up.

I can't see any of the three happening, particularly No. 2 ... Nady is too darn fragile to play a full season.