Rosters To Be Reduced To 28 Players on Thursday

[mouse]

I suspect Shelton has been doing just what is expected of him. Bobster alluded to this a while back and I suspect he’s right. As fans, we look at each game as game seven of the World Series and get frustrated when we see obvious things that could be done to enhance the chances to win. But it appears management was serious when they said they wanted to see what they had. You can’t tell that in Spring Training or in one or two games. If you assume they are treating this silly season as an extended test, then the decisions make sense. Shelton is placing players in situations to see how they respond. One of the announcers yesterday said Rodriquez would definitely be a starter, given his excellent defense, if he could hit ML pitching. He said the team wanted to see how he did over a season with regular at bats. So in he goes, anywhere. Tucker they already know can play short. Can he hit? Can he play anywhere else? If you look at the season as spring training it’s a lot more palatable.

[GreenWeenie]

Everyone associated with the franchise knows what they have. If they don't, then that is the reason we're dead last. That would be blatant incompetence.....or, intentional.

[2drfischer@gmail.c]

0D0F151305600 wrote: I suspect Shelton has been doing just what is expected of him. Bobster alluded to this a while back and I suspect he’s right. As fans, we look at each game as game seven of the World Series and get frustrated when we see obvious things that could be done to enhance the chances to win. But it appears management was serious when they said they wanted to see what they had. You can’t tell that in Spring Training or in one or two games. If you assume they are treating this silly season as an extended test, then the decisions make sense. Shelton is placing players in situations to see how they respond. One of the announcers yesterday said Rodriquez would definitely be a starter, given his excellent defense, if he could hit ML pitching. He said the team wanted to see how he did over a season with regular at bats. So in he goes, anywhere. Tucker they already know can play short. Can he hit? Can he play anywhere else? If you look at the season as spring training it’s a lot more palatable.


I agree, Mouse, that BC is using this shortened season to assess his top 40 players, but there are some guys who really should never see the field, or play in certain positions. Here's what I would do:



1. Bell would almost exclusively DH. He's not going to be here maybe as soon as this offseason. There's no reason to have him bring his glove to games anymore.

2. Move Moran over to 1B and start him in every game. If he can better handle first than he can third, and if his good start at the plate is for real, he's a guy who can be here for a while.

3. Move Newman to 2nd. He's a below average SS.

4. Start Tucker at SS for the rest of the season. It's his natural position and he's a defensive upgrade over Newman. If he doesn't hit, he at least helps in the field.

5. Bring Hayes up to start at 3B. He'll take his lumps at the plate but he'll get a head start on 2021. He's wasting this year in Altoona. Evans is there in reserve just in case.

6. Reynolds would remain in LF.

7. I would see if I could trade Bell (or Frazier, Polanco, and/or Taillon) for the best center fielder who is blocked in another organization. The Yankees are loaded in the outfield. They may have someone available in their system, and they may be intrigued enough with Taillon to take Frazier and/or Polanco. Or a third team might be included in the trade that would take those two. If Bell is traded, Evans can DH. Dyson, because of his defense and the importance of the position, can play CF until a new guy is acquired.

8. I honestly don't know what to do about RF, except that Polanco wouldn't be out there anymore. Enough already.

9. Stallings would remain behind the plate because he's fine defensively. But it would be a priority to acquire someone who is an upgrade.



BC has to jump heavily into the international market. There are treasures to be found there.

[GreenWeenie]

182D3A3A31083A3A31363A5F0 wrote: Baby steps.



First, the guy has to jump, period.

[MaineBucs]

Long and short, this season is already becoming almost too painful to watch.



So few bright spots and so many glaring weaknesses.



The Bucs are not excelling at anything, except losing.



I know I should have expected this outcome with no Tallion, no Archer (and, yes, he is a substandard pitcher), no outfielders other than Reynolds (and he is not hitting), an undermanned pen, and our new revelation, our manager does not appear to be an improvement or up for the task.



At present, the best thing about this season is it will be a maximum of 60 games long for the Pirates.



Depressing.

[GreenWeenie]

Our take-charge GM hasn't raised your spirits?

[Ecbucs]

0134232328112323282F23460 wrote: Our take-charge GM hasn't raised your spirits?


I am having a tough time figuring out what they are evaluating. It sure looks like those that weren't fired earlier in the drafting and development departments need to go.

[GreenWeenie]

537574637565160 wrote: Our take-charge GM hasn't raised your spirits?


I am having a tough time figuring out what they are evaluating.  It sure looks like those that weren't fired earlier in the drafting and development departments need to go.




Nutting's Nutting and we're stuck with him for now.



He is hell-bent on proving that a "winner" can be made only through drafts, trades, and amateur free agency.



External free agents will be the "only alternative is Asia" kind.



With that, Cherrington shouldnt even CARE "what he has." He should act as if he has nothing, but that's what he has.



He should do three things and three things only: Scout, scout, and scout.



Because BOB won't allow for much else.

[Bobster21]

712731252A30202B263103242E222A2F6D20430 wrote: I suspect Shelton has been doing just what is expected of him. Bobster alluded to this a while back and I suspect he’s right. As fans, we look at each game as game seven of the World Series and get frustrated when we see obvious things that could be done to enhance the chances to win. But it appears management was serious when they said they wanted to see what they had. You can’t tell that in Spring Training or in one or two games. If you assume they are treating this silly season as an extended test, then the decisions make sense. Shelton is placing players in situations to see how they respond. One of the announcers yesterday said Rodriquez would definitely be a starter, given his excellent defense, if he could hit ML pitching. He said the team wanted to see how he did over a season with regular at bats. So in he goes, anywhere. Tucker they already know can play short. Can he hit? Can he play anywhere else? If you look at the season as spring training it’s a lot more palatable.


I agree, Mouse, that BC is using this shortened season to assess his top 40 players, but there are some guys who really should never see the field, or play in certain positions.  Here's what I would do:



1.  Bell would almost exclusively DH.  He's not going to be here maybe as soon as this offseason.  There's no reason to have him bring his glove to games anymore.

2.  Move Moran over to 1B and start him in every game.  If he can better handle first than he can third, and if his good start at the plate is for real, he's a guy who can be here for a while.

3.  Move Newman to 2nd.  He's a below average SS.

4.  Start Tucker at SS for the rest of the season.  It's his natural position and he's a defensive upgrade over Newman.  If he doesn't hit, he at least helps in the field.

5.  Bring Hayes up to start at 3B.  He'll take his lumps at the plate but he'll get a head start on 2021.  He's wasting this year in Altoona.  Evans is there in reserve just in case.

6.  Reynolds would remain in LF.

7.  I would see if I could trade Bell (or Frazier, Polanco, and/or Taillon) for the best center fielder who is blocked in another organization.  The Yankees are loaded in the outfield.  They may have someone available in their system, and they may be intrigued enough with Taillon to take Frazier and/or Polanco.  Or a third team might be included in the trade that would take those two.  If Bell is traded, Evans can DH.  Dyson, because of his defense and the importance of the position, can play CF until a new guy is acquired.

8.  I honestly don't know what to do about RF, except that Polanco wouldn't be out there anymore.  Enough already.

9.  Stallings would remain behind the plate because he's fine defensively.  But it would be a priority to acquire someone who is an upgrade.



BC has to jump heavily into the international market.  There are treasures to be found there.
I have no problem treating this short season like spring training. But if that's what they're doing they should be honest about it and they should not do it half-a$$ed. They know Bell is not adequate defensively. So why play him nearly every day there when they have a DH? Why not take a look at Osuna there on a prolonged basis? Are they so sure Newman is not the SS of the future that they want Gonzalez to play there while keeping Tucker in the OF? Why not take a look at Tucker on a prolonged basis at SS if that's the issue with Newman? If Newman is the 2Bman of the future, why not move him there and Frazier to the OF where he has played before and where they need help? Why not take a look at every pitcher with 3 innings per game similar to ST games?



And be honest with the fans. Admit that they have a new regime, a young team and are definitely in a rebuild. As for PR, they already lost the casual fans they try so hard to appeal to for that occasional day at the ballpark with the family. No one's at the ballpark! The only fans now are the ones who actually care about the team enough to watch them perform horribly on TV instead of watching the scoreboard for player interviews or leaving with bobbleheads or staying for fireworks.



But as is, Shelton acts like some games or even some innings are just on a look and see basis and other games and other innings are about trying to win. You can't have it both ways. He's made some ludicrous decisions that can only be excused if the idea was just to take a look at a player but can't be excused if they're trying to win the game. I think fans would rather believe something good might come of using these games as training exercises than to believe this team is actually trying to win and this is the best they can do.

[2drfischer@gmail.c]

133E33222534236360510 wrote: I suspect Shelton has been doing just what is expected of him. Bobster alluded to this a while back and I suspect he’s right. As fans, we look at each game as game seven of the World Series and get frustrated when we see obvious things that could be done to enhance the chances to win. But it appears management was serious when they said they wanted to see what they had. You can’t tell that in Spring Training or in one or two games. If you assume they are treating this silly season as an extended test, then the decisions make sense. Shelton is placing players in situations to see how they respond. One of the announcers yesterday said Rodriquez would definitely be a starter, given his excellent defense, if he could hit ML pitching. He said the team wanted to see how he did over a season with regular at bats. So in he goes, anywhere. Tucker they already know can play short. Can he hit? Can he play anywhere else? If you look at the season as spring training it’s a lot more palatable.


I agree, Mouse, that BC is using this shortened season to assess his top 40 players, but there are some guys who really should never see the field, or play in certain positions.  Here's what I would do:



1.  Bell would almost exclusively DH.  He's not going to be here maybe as soon as this offseason.  There's no reason to have him bring his glove to games anymore.

2.  Move Moran over to 1B and start him in every game.  If he can better handle first than he can third, and if his good start at the plate is for real, he's a guy who can be here for a while.

3.  Move Newman to 2nd.  He's a below average SS.

4.  Start Tucker at SS for the rest of the season.  It's his natural position and he's a defensive upgrade over Newman.  If he doesn't hit, he at least helps in the field.

5.  Bring Hayes up to start at 3B.  He'll take his lumps at the plate but he'll get a head start on 2021.  He's wasting this year in Altoona.  Evans is there in reserve just in case.

6.  Reynolds would remain in LF.

7.  I would see if I could trade Bell (or Frazier, Polanco, and/or Taillon) for the best center fielder who is blocked in another organization.  The Yankees are loaded in the outfield.  They may have someone available in their system, and they may be intrigued enough with Taillon to take Frazier and/or Polanco.  Or a third team might be included in the trade that would take those two.  If Bell is traded, Evans can DH.  Dyson, because of his defense and the importance of the position, can play CF until a new guy is acquired.

8.  I honestly don't know what to do about RF, except that Polanco wouldn't be out there anymore.  Enough already.

9.  Stallings would remain behind the plate because he's fine defensively.  But it would be a priority to acquire someone who is an upgrade.



BC has to jump heavily into the international market.  There are treasures to be found there.
I have no problem treating this short season like spring training. But if that's what they're doing they should be honest about it and they should not do it half-a$$ed. They know Bell is not adequate defensively. So why play him nearly every day there when they have a DH? Why not take a look at Osuna there on a prolonged basis? Are they so sure Newman is not the SS of the future that they want Gonzalez to play there while keeping Tucker in the OF? Why not take a look at Tucker on a prolonged basis at SS if that's the issue with Newman? If Newman is the 2Bman of the future, why not move him there and Frazier to the OF where he has played before and where they need help? Why not take a look at every pitcher with 3 innings per game similar to ST games? 



[highlight]And be honest with the fans.[/highlight] Admit that they have a new regime, a young team and are definitely in a rebuild. As for PR, they already lost the casual fans they try so hard to appeal to for that occasional day at the ballpark with the family. No one's at the ballpark! The only fans now are the ones who actually care about the team enough to watch them perform horribly on TV instead of watching the scoreboard for player interviews or leaving with bobbleheads or staying for fireworks.



But as is, Shelton acts like some games or even some innings are just on a look and see basis and other games and other innings are about trying to win. You can't have it both ways. He's made some ludicrous decisions that can only be excused if the idea was just to take a look at a player but can't be excused if they're trying to win the game. I think fans would rather believe something good might come of using these games as training exercises than to believe this team is actually trying to win and this is the best they can do.




There was no reason, this year especially when no one's paying to get into the ballpark, not to be honest that a rebuild is underway. They had a free pass without having to worry about people not showing up. I've always had the impression from the owner that he's out to fleece the fans. That plan was underway again this year from the outset, and continues in spite of the pandemic.



As I've said before, the main problem will always be Bob Nutting.