To borrow a phrase from Freddy, we are in a must win segment of the schedule. The next 6 home games against the Phils and Cards will determine if we are buyers or sellers.
I almost hope that we do nothing. I think we have a good core and I don’t trust NH to make a great trade. I may be delusional but with even more money pouring in from TV contracts even the Nut job has to spend more. The off season is the time to get some pitching. In the interim; it is time to bring up Keller for good. Need to know how he performs in high stakes games for the rest of the season.
On a side note; I am in Pittsburgh on business travel and will be at the Saturday and Sunday games against the Phils before catching a flight back to California. If anyone from OBN is going to the games, I would love to meet you, and talk Pirate baseball.
This is it!
Moderators: SammyKhalifa, Doc, Bobster
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Bobster21
This is it!
I think Nutting and, by extension, NH (who must work under Nutting's constraints) prefer to be sellers. They never go all in to win it anyway so shedding payroll is preferred to increasing it. They'll say anything to keep the fans invested as much as possible but it's obvious they won't be making substantial moves to turn the Pirates into legit contenders (and by legit contenders I don't mean below .500 but not yet eliminated from the 2nd WC spot). So even if they were buyers, their limited activity would stand out as not making enough of an effort (like last year when they needed help at 1B, 3B, OF and P and acquired Archer and Kela and then stopped). Being sellers decreases payroll and eliminates criticism for not being willing to do enough when buying was warranted. I really believe that Nutting and NH are breathing a sigh of relief that the Pirates are tanking at this convenient time to make selling the obvious course.
This is it!
092429383F2E39797A4B0 wrote: I think Nutting and, by extension, NH (who must work under Nutting's constraints) prefer to be sellers. They never go all in to win it anyway so shedding payroll is preferred to increasing it. They'll say anything to keep the fans invested as much as possible but it's obvious they won't be making substantial moves to turn the Pirates into legit contenders (and by legit contenders I don't mean below .500 but not yet eliminated from the 2nd WC spot). So even if they were buyers, their limited activity would stand out as not making enough of an effort (like last year when they needed help at 1B, 3B, OF and P and acquired Archer and Kela and then stopped). Being sellers decreases payroll and eliminates criticism for not being willing to do enough when buying was warranted. I really believe that Nutting and NH are breathing a sigh of relief that the Pirates are tanking at this convenient time to make selling the obvious course.
If Kela comes back soon and is effective, NH will say something like last year's deal is helping this year (same if Archer makes a couple more decent starts). Then the folks that get deal this season will be Kang, Melky, Lyles and maybe Cervelli (although I don't think he will get deal since he won't be playing before trade deadline).
If Kela comes back soon and is effective, NH will say something like last year's deal is helping this year (same if Archer makes a couple more decent starts). Then the folks that get deal this season will be Kang, Melky, Lyles and maybe Cervelli (although I don't think he will get deal since he won't be playing before trade deadline).