OnlyBucs

735E53424554430300310 wrote: I would go with the July deadline unless there is a really good deal over the winter. The downside to waiting till July is that he may get injured, whatever. I expect they wait - I think they believe they can compete next year (with injured players recovering) and so won't want to miss that chance. By July, they will know if they are right or wrong.
It's hard for me to believe they think they can compete next year with the return of injured players. They knew Hurdle and Coonelly had to go even with players healing for next year. So it looks like they know the problems go deeper than injuries. And while Burdi and Santana should return to strengthen the BP, Vazquez is gone and they still have an awful rotation and Taillon is out next year. Polanco is not a difference maker even if he comes back at full strength. As it now stands, I see the same team with a better BP and a possible catching upgrade. But the rotation of 5 #4-5 types can't compete. 




I agree, there are so many question marks for next year that I don't see how the team can win as many as this year without an influx of outside talent. Bell needs to repeat and Polanco needs to turn into a Bell offensively in the outfield to have any chance of decent offense. Only starting pitcher that has had a good season in the past three years is Williams in 2018 (I consider Musgrove to have been about average in 2019).

Keep him til the trade deadline. They will not be a good team with him or without him. With further changes in the FO and Scouting Dept. it would be best to wait and see what their biggest need might be for the future and then they can dangle Marte out there to meet that need.

I am tired of trading players to save money.Keep Marte, make him a qualifying offer,. He signs, you have an excellent outfielder for 3 years. He doesn't sign, you have an excellent outfielder for 2 years and a draft pick.The team's payroll should be $120-150 million. Sign 2 starters a!nd a catcher.

Keep in mind, there are always two separate thought lines to consider - what should the Pirates do (at least in our opinion) and what do we think NH will actually do. The sense I have is that NH feels it important to at least act as though they will be competitive next year. Maybe maintaining that front helps with ticket sales. But whatever, if that is the approach they are planning to take, you have to ask what they are likely to do - and I see them holding Marte in that situation, at least until July.

I don't know if they should or not, but I don't want Neal making the decision.

With a new management team on board, I would expect that besides guys like Newman, Reynolds, Musgrove and Williams most of the other players could end up being traded. Most of them won’t be traded, but nothing would surprise me now.

Braves declined their option on Billy Hamilton, so there's one recognizable name that could send out to center.

I think they should definitely trade him, and what they get back with you good first assessment of our new GM, whoever he ends up being.

51627E7F7C74427F6478636475797E100 wrote: Braves declined their option on Billy Hamilton, so there's one recognizable name that could send out to center.


If he could play as good with the Pirates and he did against them, he would be a steal.

Marte is an enigma to me.  He has a huge boom or bust target on him for me moving forward.  I would move him after seeing what's out there.  But, I have no idea who is making the calls.  We get housed on these types of deals. I would move him and then re-invest that money on a starter for the rotation.