2024 Official Spring Training Thread

[fjk090852-7]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/ ... njury.html

With Moreta being out for a notable period, someone like Peralta may come north with the team. Jones would also be a good candidate to open with the Pirates, but I wonder if they will not bring him north until that date when they gain that extra year of service time.

[Doc]

The Pirates will quickly point to the news today about Lucas Giolito (season ending surgery is needed on his right elbow) as the reason for not signing pricey free agent pitchers. They're averse to risk to begin with, so a situation like this just solidifies their lack of participation in the free agent market.

[Osushawn]

The Pirates will quickly point to the news today about Lucas Giolito (season ending surgery is needed on his right elbow) as the reason for not signing pricey free agent pitchers. They're averse to risk to begin with, so a situation like this just solidifies their lack of participation in the free agent market.

I don't necessarily have a problem with not signing the pricey pitchers if the kids work out for them. But at least use the potential monies on signing someone different than Tellez.

[Doc]

The Pirates will quickly point to the news today about Lucas Giolito (season ending surgery is needed on his right elbow) as the reason for not signing pricey free agent pitchers. They're averse to risk to begin with, so a situation like this just solidifies their lack of participation in the free agent market.

I don't necessarily have a problem with not signing the pricey pitchers if the kids work out for them. But at least use the potential monies on signing someone different than Tellez.

Like Cody Bellinger? I ranted for a month or more about signing him but I was a lone voice in the darkness.

[Bobster]

The Pirates will quickly point to the news today about Lucas Giolito (season ending surgery is needed on his right elbow) as the reason for not signing pricey free agent pitchers. They're averse to risk to begin with, so a situation like this just solidifies their lack of participation in the free agent market.

I don't necessarily have a problem with not signing the pricey pitchers if the kids work out for them. But at least use the potential monies on signing someone different than Tellez.

Like Cody Bellinger? I ranted for a month or more about signing him but I was a lone voice in the darkness.

The reason they don't sign pricey pitchers is because pricey pitchers are pricey. It's not as if they will take the money they didn't spend on pitchers and spend it on other players. They are not just averse to risk. They are averse to spending. So when they add to the roster via free agency, it's never going to be an established productive player who can command a high salary. And voila! We get Rowdy Tellez.

Spotrac shoes the team's total 2024 payroll at 78.8 million and no one getting more than 10.5 million. Bellinger signed a 3-year $80 million contract (27.5, 27.5 and 25 million) to remain with a team with legitimate postseason expectations. It's not reasonable to expect that Bellinger would have moved from the Cubs to the Pirates for the same amount of money. So how much more than 27.5 million per year, 80 million total would it take to convince a free agent in demand from numerous competitive, free-spending franchises to hitch his wagon to Bob Nutting enterprises? Anything above 30 million for the season would be 3 times what any other Pirate makes. And anything approaching 40 million for the year would be 50% of what the current team payroll is without him. The Pirates don't spend on pricey free agents because (A) they won't spend the money and (B) there is no incentive for pricey free agents to choose the Pirates over other, better teams even if Nutting offered similar money, which we all know he won't.

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/pittsburgh-pirates/payroll/

[Bobster]

Moreta has a ligament injury in his elbow. Probably out most if not all of the season. Keller has pitched poorly this spring and his velocity was down yesterday. That might not mean anything but it would be nice to see him look dominant. It seemed like Keller finally "arrived" last year but his 4.21 ERA ranked only 32nd of 44 qualifying MLB pitchers. As shaky as this rotation appears to be, Keller needs to be solid.

[3pirates3]

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/statu ... 3511113847

https://www.baseball-reference.com/play ... er01.shtml

[fjk090852-7]

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/statu ... 3511113847

https://www.baseball-reference.com/play ... er01.shtml

Might be a decent signing by the Pirates. Lefty starting pitchers have had success at PNC Park, so possibly Lauer will return to some of his previous success.

[fjk090852-7]

Bucs are supposed to have updated news on Bednar’s lat problem tomorrow. Makes me wonder why they couldn’t give an update today. Hope it is not more serious than previously reported.

[Doc]

Is anyone else intrigued by Jake Lamb? He’s 33 but I don’t think that’s an issue because he’ll be a back-up and he likely won’t be in Pittsburgh beyond this year or next as someone younger will come along. He’s a veteran who’s had success and I’d prefer an older guy pinch hitting in the late innings to an inexperienced guy. He may be a better option to platoon at 1B with Tellez than Connor Joe. I’m not sure Joe’s going to be an instrumental player for the Pirates in the coming years.