Gift Ngoepe called up

[Bobster21]

Joyce is struggling in his role as the starting RFer for Oakland. That would not have been his role with the Bucs. Who knows if history would have changed for S-Rod if he resigned with the Pirates. We'll never know. But I don't think it's fair to suggest for certain that Joyce would currently be struggling with the Bucs and S-Rod would not be available.

[fjk090852-7]

1D303D2C2B3A2D6D6E5F0 wrote: Joyce is struggling in his role as the starting RFer for Oakland.  That would not have been his role with the Bucs. Who knows if history would have changed for S-Rod if he resigned with the Pirates. We'll never know. But I don't think it's fair to suggest for certain that Joyce would currently be struggling with the Bucs and S-Rod would not be available. I was not disappointed that the Bucs did not resign Joyce because his second half stats were not as strong as those the first couple months of the season.

[fjk090852-7]

676B6A3138313934332C36010 wrote: Joyce is struggling in his role as the starting RFer for Oakland.  That would not have been his role with the Bucs. Who knows if history would have changed for S-Rod if he resigned with the Pirates. We'll never know. But I don't think it's fair to suggest for certain that Joyce would currently be struggling with the Bucs and S-Rod would not be available. I was not disappointed that the Bucs did not resign Joyce because his second half stats were not as strong as those the first couple months of the season.

Just looked at Joyce's stats and he hit .295 prior to the All Star Break last year and .176 after the break. So far this year he is hitting about.150. So it appears he may be on the decline.

[ChitownBucco]

I wouldn't doubt that S-Rod is the one that introduced the idea of cheating with some anabolics to Marte

[CarolinaBucco]

I'm happy with Gift's promotion and if his glove is as good as advertised I think he should start at 2B every day, even if he can't hit a lick.



The majority of our players can hit OR field, so if Gift can perform just one of those duties very well he should be in the lineup.

[Tintin]

162428283C0E2D24292C2324450 wrote: Good story.  I hope he does something well for the Bucs in probably limited time.



That said, this is where we are at as an organization.  Bringing up a guy that can't hit a lick, but supposedly fields well.  After being swept 2-1 by a mediocre Cards team and losing 1-0 last night ... this doesn't really help in the grand scheme of things. Really miss guys like Rodriguez and Joyce this year. I definitely would have brought him back. The Braves only gave him a 2 year deal for 11 million which the Pirates definitely could have paid but chose not too for whatever ridiculous reason.




That is the point I was trying to make.  Our bench situation is poor.  We lost two valuable players that weren't replaced in those two and one of our bench players, Freese is starting due to the actions of Kang.  Phil Gosselin isn't SRod. They didn't resign them because they didn't want to pay them. It always come back to money with this team and them not wanting to spend more then they are willing too. Don't know why it's so hard for people to figure this out. They could have afforded to give Rodtiguez 5 million they easily have that money but once again the tight owner of this team refuses to spend more then he is willing too. The proof of this is the Pirates are still in the bottom half of payroll in the entire league when they should be a lot better and well over 100 million dollars.




So do you propose that he would be as good this year as he was last year (his career year by far)? 



Because the first time we signed Rodriguez most people trashed the organization.  Right before last season started people HATED he was on the team, saying that "he's a great example of the Nuttings not willing to spend" on better players.  People seem to be erasing this part from their memory.




Amen to this. Some have short memories. The Scorpio cooler jokes. I had no idea he was the missing piece.



The fact of the matter is that the front office has been hamstrung. The fates of Kang and now Marte are not anything that anyone could have predicted.

Go back on this board and see how late we were posting that Kang would be a little late to spring training....and who had Marte out for 80 games?

The Cubs can't replace Rizzo and Bryant. No team can take the hit this one took and stay up. Not one.

[SteadyFreddy]

123938253E263F132432323E510 wrote: I wouldn't doubt that S-Rod is the one that introduced the idea of cheating with some anabolics to Marte I'm not gonna make that assumption which I think is ridiculous to suggest anyway. Even if Rodriguez did tell Marte about it Marte is still a big boy and knew what the consequences would be if he got caught which he obviously did. I don't blame anyone for Marte's steroid usage other then Marte himself.

[ChitownBucco]

6341524F4C494E41625543434F200 wrote: I'm happy with Gift's promotion and if his glove is as good as advertised I think he should start at 2B every day, even if he can't hit a lick.



The majority of our players can hit OR field, so if Gift can perform just one of those duties very well he should be in the lineup.


does anyone remember what source had the fairly long article about gift's back story, with his mom and sleeping in the clubhouse, and equipment manager sometimes finding the grown gift sleeping in a bin of towels?



was it SI?

[ChitownBucco]

nevermind... found it



wow from 2009!!! what a journey



https://www.si.com/vault/2009/08/10/105 ... rom-africa#

[JollyRoger]

Gift with a hit in his first at bat!!! Awesome