OnlyBucs

567A72757E596E78681B0 wrote: With Polanco's immediate future a known, Bucs need to start Luplow every game from now until the end of the year.  Need to see how he responds to regular playing time. 



Bucs generally know what Dickerson and Frazier can offer.  Luplow still involves many questions.  If Bucs replace anyone in the OF it should be Dickerson who is hitting with so little power.   


If Luplow is seriously the solution, then we're fucked.

5A565F524519435E5A58435F4E050777505A370 wrote: With Polanco's immediate future a known, Bucs need to start Luplow every game from now until the end of the year.  Need to see how he responds to regular playing time. 



Bucs generally know what Dickerson and Frazier can offer.  Luplow still involves many questions.  If Bucs replace anyone in the OF it should be Dickerson who is hitting with so little power.   


If Luplow is seriously the solution, then we're ****ed.




He might be a better defensive outfielder than Polanco. There are people on this board who could be. Hitting wise, I think that is a big dropoff.

Looks like Polanco's 81 RBIs will lead the team despite missing the last month. The only other NL teams who look like they will not have a player with as many as 81 RBIs are the Mets, Marlins, Giants, Padres and Dodgers. Of those teams, only the Dodgers have a winning record but they have balance with 5 players with 60+ RBIs.



It's sad that the Pirates don't have anyone who can pass Polanco's modest RBI total even when he misses a month. They need another big bat in the lineup next year. They thought Bell would be that guy this year but he has been a huge disappointment as well as a liability at 1B. And now Polanco is out until about June next year. It's not their way to bring in a big bat. So unless Bell gives them the offense a corner infielder usually provides, next year's team could struggle for runs even worse than this year.

With a combination of Frazier and Luplow in RF we may be just ok. What they really need is an above average corner IF. Moran isn't it. Bell's defense is so bad he needs to put huge offensive numbers which also seems unlikely at this point. We were going to struggle to score runs even with Polanco, this is a killing blow to an already terrible offense.

Until Dickerson fell into our laps, we were going to platoon Frazier and Luplow, so I think that's Plan A in RF until Polanco gets back. So much hinges on how Kramer looks at 2B the rest of September and in ST next year.



We absolutely must get some help at SS beyond Newman. Whether it's another year of Mercer or other FA help.



I'm willing to try Osuna as the 1B-3B swing guy and hope for progress from the three young players.