Kang and Gonzalez

OrlandoMerced · Post by **OrlandoMerced** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 4:11 pm

022823132432323E510 wrote: There is no room for Newman at Indy, and he is a reliable glove at SS and 2b. I see this bench as the season opens:

Jake Stallings ( a surprise, but Diaz is hurt)

Kevin Newman (2b & SS)

Colin Moran (3B and 1B)

Melky Cabrera (RF platoon)

Pablo Reyes (CF and utility)

And here is the AAA lineup:

C - Baron & Kelley

1B - Craig

2B - Kramer

3B - Hayes

SS - Tucker

INF Util - Franklin

LF - Reynolds

CF - Martin

RF - Osuna

OF Subs - Kivlehan & Shuck

25th Man - Wide open

That is how I see it as well. Melky will platoon with Chisenhall and start against LH pitchers. Then when Polanco returns Chisenhall and Melky start rotating DL stints.

fjk090852-7 · Post by **fjk090852-7** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:09 pm

15272B2B3F0D2E272A2F2027460 wrote: There is no room for Newman at Indy, and he is a reliable glove at SS and 2b. I see this bench as the season opens:

Jake Stallings ( a surprise, but Diaz is hurt)

Kevin Newman (2b & SS)

Colin Moran (3B and 1B)

Melky Cabrera (RF platoon)

Pablo Reyes (CF and utility)

And here is the AAA lineup:

C - Baron & Kelley

1B - Craig

2B - Kramer

3B - Hayes

SS - Tucker

INF Util - Franklin

LF - Reynolds

CF - Martin

RF - Osuna

OF Subs - Kivlehan & Shuck

25th Man - Wide open

That's going to be a fairly exciting Indy team to follow.

I agree this will be a very interesting team to follow as to how the players are doing. Tucker, Hayes, Craig, Martin and Reynolds all could be future starters in Pittsburgh. If so this could be similar as the late 1960s when Cash, Sangy, Oliver, Hebner and Robertson joined the Pirates. Let’s hope this next wave of players can be as good as those past players.

ArnoldRothstein · Post by **ArnoldRothstein** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:17 pm

Huntington also said 2B Kevin Kramer will play some outfield at: "Not because we're trying to create a utility player, but we're trying to find a pathway to our major league team because we like the bat and we are going to need him this year."

Just makes me nuts: diddle around with Frazier for three years because you don't trust him in the middle infield, then use him to block the next second base prospect you come up with.

SammyKhalifa · Post by **SammyKhalifa** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:04 pm

I just noticed this game is in the fifth inning already: teams must be in a hurry to get the heck out of spring training.

MaineBucs · Post by **MaineBucs** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:15 pm

First, I do like that they officially made the call now instead of waiting until the last day or two of camp.

Secondly, really have to hope that Kang can provide some offense; this team really needs some power. I will not miss seeing Moran's limited (read none) range at third any time soon. He did, however, have a good and consistent arm.

Third, it is really disappointing that neither Newman or Kramer could claim a starting role this year. Was hoping for more from former 1st round picks. Hoping that Gonzalez can provide more range and offense that is at least the equivalent of Mercer.

Fourth, if Reyes makes the team (I assume that he does), and with Kang, Gonzalez and Frazier all having some versatility, I don't see much of a role for Newman on the team as a light hitting bench player. I would rather have a bat on a regular basis. And, if one of the infielders is injured (DL injury), Newman and Kramer are not that far away.

Lastly, while he likely may make the team, I would just as soon see the Bucs pass on Cabrera.

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 7:51 pm

Just heard on 93.7 that Gonzalez has been erratic in the field this spring and Hurdle hopes that by naming him the starter he'll relax and field better. This seems to indicate there was never a real competition for SS. Neither he nor Newman has hit well but Newman has hit a little better and Gonzalez has been "erratic" in the field. So the winner is....Gonzalez! Not very encouraging.

IABucFan · Post by **IABucFan** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 11:52 am

I’m sorry, but I just don’t see it with Kang. Admittedly, I haven’t watched anything this spring. But he has five hits, all of them dingers. I know for a fact that one came off a journeyman minor leaguer. I suspect others have as well. Beyond that, he’s struck out in half of his ABs. I’d like for him to succeed, and he certainly offers more with the glove than Moran. But I’m going to predict that by the end of the year, either Hayes will be starting, or Bucs fans will be clamoring for him to start and will have completely turned on Kang. Just wait...when he’s hitting .185 on May 15, it’s going to be ugly. I would love nothing more than to eat crow on this.

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 4:15 pm

IMHO, they have all but given up on Newman. They invested a #1 pick on him but if he was the SS of the future, why not give him the job now and see what he can do before Tucker becomes ready so that they can make a choice between the two? Gonzalez has not been impressive in ST either offensively or defensively yet he is given the job, apparently because of defense. That doesn't say much for what they think of Newman's defense even after he clearly was the better hitter in ST and Gonzalez is no proven commodity. And Tucker seems to be the heir apparent, possibly as soon as next season. So Tucker will get the ABs in AAA this year while Newman sits on the Pirates' bench. Looks like he is insurance in case the unproven Gonzalez flops while holding the fort for Tucker and in the meantime will serve as a utility infielder, which might now be seen as his ceiling. I'm not saying this is the wrong move. I suspect it's based on what they see in practice as well as what they saw in a very small dose of Newman last season. I just don't see any other way to interpret this when considering how Newman, Gonzalez and Tucker seem to fit into the system.

SammyKhalifa · Post by **SammyKhalifa** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 6:43 pm

Marte is looking awesome though. Probably wishful thinking, but I wonder if this could be the season he puts it all together for an MVP type year. I think he could have it in him.

ScottinMass · Post by **ScottinMass** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 7:30 pm

121A192E381D3A355B0 wrote: I’m sorry, but I just don’t see it with Kang. Admittedly, I haven’t watched anything this spring. But he has five hits, all of them dingers. I know for a fact that one came off a journeyman minor leaguer. I suspect others have as well. Beyond that, he’s struck out in half of his ABs. I’d like for him to succeed, and he certainly offers more with the glove than Moran. But I’m going to predict that by the end of the year, either Hayes will be starting, or Bucs fans will be clamoring for him to start and will have completely turned on Kang. Just wait...when he’s hitting .185 on May 15, it’s going to be ugly. I would love nothing more than to eat crow on this.
3 more K's for Kang today (and a pop up to 2B)