2024 Official Spring Training Thread

[Surgnbuck]

Pirates hit some more HR's, continue to lead MLB with 34 through 18 games. They hit all of 32 last ST.

Chase Anderson has quietly had an impressive spring trainging so far.

[Bobster]

I am wondering whether Peralta, Anderson, and Fleming may be on the Opening Day roster at the end of the month. If all three would open the season with the Pirates, I would assume that would hurt Jones chances for being on the Opening Day 26 man roster.

my guess is the Pirates don't want a rookie pitcher like Jones on the opening day roster.

I don't blame them. And it's more than just Super 2. It's the extra year of control. A player has to serve at least 2 weeks in the minors in order for the season not to count as 1 of his 6 service years before free agency kicks in. If Jones turns out to be a quality starter, we're not going to want to lose him a year earlier than we had to just so he could open the 2024 season on the roster. Those of us who grew up on baseball before free agency and high finances were the deciding factor in roster management expected the best players to go north after spring training. But the modern day business of baseball makes roster manipulation a prudent way to operate. Hopefully we'll see Skenes and Jones before too long this season.

[Bobster]

Colin Selby and Canaan Smith-Njigba to Indy.
Tsung-Che Cheng optioned to Altoona.
Termarr Johnson, Jack Brannigan sent to minor-league camp.

[Surgnbuck]

Cruz with his 5th HR of ST, and also his 4th error. This in only 9 games.

IF he does this for 162 games, he'll hit 90 HR's, and have 72 errors.

I'm so good with both of those numbers, it's not even funny. They would both have to be some sort of record, I would think.

[Possum]

Cruz with his 5th HR of ST, and also his 4th error. This in only 9 games.

IF he does this for 162 games, he'll hit 90 HR's, and have 72 errors.

I'm so good with both of those numbers, it's not even funny. They would both have to be some sort of record, I would think.

Surg, you sound like "Chicken Little"

[fjk090852-7]

I kind of wonder if the Pirates will come up with some type of injury for Contreas when it is time to set the 26 man roster. He has not been very good so far this spring, and he is out of options so they cannot send him down to AAA without running him through waivers. He will get claimed if he is put on waivers. They can buy some time with an injury, and then a rehab assignment.

[Bobster]

I kind of wonder if the Pirates will come up with some type of injury for Contreas when it is time to set the 26 man roster. He has not been very good so far this spring, and he is out of options so they cannot send him down to AAA without running him through waivers. He will get claimed if he is put on waivers. They can buy some time with an injury, and then a rehab assignment.

Contreras doesn't have options and I don't think they can afford to take him north. They could offer him in trades for a bag of baseballs but any team acquiring has the same problem, i.e., no options. So they might just waive him anyway. Not much of a loss if he gets claimed.

[Doc]

I kind of wonder if the Pirates will come up with some type of injury for Contreas when it is time to set the 26 man roster. He has not been very good so far this spring, and he is out of options so they cannot send him down to AAA without running him through waivers. He will get claimed if he is put on waivers. They can buy some time with an injury, and then a rehab assignment.

Contreras doesn't have options and I don't think they can afford to take him north. They could offer him in trades for a bag of baseballs but any team acquiring has the same problem, i.e., no options. So they might just waive him anyway. Not much of a loss if he gets claimed.

It’s always been a head scratcher to me when a pitcher reaches the top tier of his profession, is one of the best performers at his task in this entire world of 8-plus billion people, and he suddenly can’t, or won’t, throw strikes. What goes wrong, either physically or in his head, that turns him into a pitcher who’s on the brink of being gone from baseball? It’s exasperating watching a pitcher, who has thrown a baseball all of his life, be forced to throw far too many pitches because he can’t, or won’t, throw the ball over the plate. Can they no longer do it? Are they afraid? It’s Kip Wells Syndrome.

[Surgnbuck]

Cruz with his 5th HR of ST, and also his 4th error. This in only 9 games.

IF he does this for 162 games, he'll hit 90 HR's, and have 72 errors.

I'm so good with both of those numbers, it's not even funny. They would both have to be some sort of record, I would think.

Surg, you sound like "Chicken Little"

Seriously, I would love for him to be the first 90/70 player in MLB history. Add in about 30 steals, 150 RBI, 20 fans on the rail across from first base in the ICU, and 10 sunken ships on the Allegheny.

He's just the guy to do it.

[mouse]

Ask Steve Blass about the sudden inability to throw strikes. Turned him into an announcer.