Hurdle says he'd like a couple of veteran starters for 2017

Quail · Post by **Quail** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 4:17 pm

In another thread Bobster quoted Clint Hurdle as stating that he'd like one or two veteran starters for the rotation in 2017. That being the case who do you think the Pirates could/would/should bring in to fill those two slots?

Let's assume for the sake of this thread that Jeff Locke (everybody's whippin' boy) is not an option and that Ivan Nova (everybody's fave FA) has priced himself out of the Pirates' price range.

For me the free agents that the Pirates should be looking at would be Edinson Volquez, Doug Fister and Jeremy Hellickson.

Volquez is the only one of the three that I know relatively well. He's had a pretty lousy year in KC that looks an awful lot like the Volquez who came to the Pirates in 2014 as a reclamation project. If Searage was instrumental in getting him on track back then perhaps he'd be more than willing to come back to Pittsburgh to get straightened out. If he can get back to pitching the way he did in 2014 he'd be a great add.

Doug Fister is a guy who's been around and had some success. His recent numbers look pretty mediocre, but I liked what I saw when he pitched against the Bucs at PNC this year. Can he get back to pitching the way he did several years ago?

Jeremy Hellickson is having a nice year for a not very good Phillies team. Maybe the best year of any free agent starter. After 3 very mediocre seasons in a row this year he's gotten back to being the good pitcher he was for Tampa back in 2011 and 2012. Will he be likely to continue to pitch successfully? Is this year an aberration or is he the real deal? Hmmm. I do know that his agent is Scott Boras so he might be looking for a big payday.

My trade targets for the offseason as I've stated before are Carlos Carrasco, Chris Archer and Jose Quintana. I'd be offering one of our starting outfielders as the center of a trade for any of the three.

So who do you like for the Pirates' veteran pitching presence in 2017? What's the plan you'd like to see enacted?

BucsFaninGA · Post by **BucsFaninGA** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 4:31 pm

I would go out and sign Edison Volquez! He could do well again under Uncle Ray's tutelage!

Not sure on the trade front...Now I know how Neal Huntington feels...

Beat'em Bucs

JollyRoger · Post by **JollyRoger** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 4:36 pm

I think you already have your answers. The Front Office will resign Vogelsong and call Hutchison a "veteran presence". It's the financial flexibility mantra.

SCBucco · Post by **SCBucco** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 4:52 pm

092C2F2F3A112C242631430 wrote: I think you already have your answers. The Front Office will resign Vogelsong and call Hutchison a "veteran presence". It's the financial flexibility mantra.

You have my sarcasm and I like it. In all seriousness, we have seen this movie far too often. I see the above happening, or them going after Aaron Harang and Kyle Lohse. Unfortunately, their idea of veteran starters are cheap reclamation projects and not veterans that have had more than one or two years of real success in this league. I don't trust them at all to find good solutions without them crying poor.

DemDog · Post by **DemDog** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 6:45 pm

For all you nay sayers I hope the FO thinks outside their usual box and trades for someone who can do the job and who has had a decent year or two recently. It might cost but who knows Nutting might just hit the Powerball and have some extra money to spend. ;D If it happens like I say here be sure to acknowledge that I told you guys so. If not, well I'm old, bald and on Medicare so I am allowed to be wrong!

Quail · Post by **Quail** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:30 pm

5A7B735A71791E0 wrote: For all you nay sayers I hope the FO thinks outside their usual box and trades for someone who can do the job and who has had a decent year or two recently. It might cost but who knows Nutting might just hit the Powerball and have some extra money to spend. ;D If it happens like I say here be sure to acknowledge that I told you guys so. If not, well I'm old, bald and on Medicare so I am allowed to be wrong! :D

Possum- Sounds like a description of most of the free agent starting pitchers! ;D

JollyRoger · Post by **JollyRoger** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 9:08 pm

1F3B2F27224E0 wrote: For all you nay sayers I hope the FO thinks outside their usual box and trades for someone who can do the job and who has had a decent year or two recently. It might cost but who knows Nutting might just hit the Powerball and have some extra money to spend. ;D If it happens like I say here be sure to acknowledge that I told you guys so. If not, well I'm old, bald and on Medicare so I am allowed to be wrong! :D

Possum- Sounds like a description of most of the free agent starting pitchers! ;D

Lol.

SCBucco · Post by **SCBucco** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 2:29 am

7256424A4F230 wrote: For all you nay sayers I hope the FO thinks outside their usual box and trades for someone who can do the job and who has had a decent year or two recently. It might cost but who knows Nutting might just hit the Powerball and have some extra money to spend. ;D If it happens like I say here be sure to acknowledge that I told you guys so. If not, well I'm old, bald and on Medicare so I am allowed to be wrong! :D

Possum- Sounds like a description of most of the free agent starting pitchers! ;D

Too funny. ;D

Leyland1948 · Post by **Leyland1948** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 2:37 pm

Vogelsong again!

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 2:53 pm

7C55495C515E5401090408300 wrote: Vogelsong again!
Charlie Morton might be available. ::)