OnlyBucs

I would have signed Serpico and started him at as.

I'll simply say: this is not a good sign....

I had to look up David Freese's contract. have to wonder why the Pirates signed him for this much:



6.25 million for 2017

4.25 million for 2018



6 million team option for 2019 or a 500k buyout.



IMO, the Bucs spend way too much on backups considering their aversion to spending above X percent of payroll on one player.



Maybe they have done a study showing World Series winners spend x percent of payroll on the bench.

260001160010630 wrote: I had to look up David Freese's contract.  have to wonder why the Pirates signed him for this much:



6.25 million for 2017

4.25 million for 2018



6 million team option  for 2019 or a 500k buyout.



IMO, the Bucs spend way too much on backups considering their aversion to spending above X percent of payroll on one player. 



Maybe they have done a study showing World Series winners spend x percent of payroll on the bench.


Freese, S-Rod, and Joyce were 4/5/6 in games played last season.  Some of that was due to injury and pinch hitting (though total AB are right there too), but that certainly shows how much a bench can matter.



Or maybe it shows that when you devote money to your bench at the expense of your regular starting lineup, your bench gets more playing time than it should because of the holes in your regular starting lineup.

2834392F2F255C0 wrote: I had to look up David Freese's contract.  have to wonder why the Pirates signed him for this much:



6.25 million for 2017

4.25 million for 2018



6 million team option  for 2019 or a 500k buyout.



IMO, the Bucs spend way too much on backups considering their aversion to spending above X percent of payroll on one player. 



Maybe they have done a study showing World Series winners spend x percent of payroll on the bench.


Freese, S-Rod, and Joyce were 4/5/6 in games played last season.  Some of that was due to injury and pinch hitting (though total AB are right there too), but that certainly shows how much a bench can matter.



Or maybe it shows that when you devote money to your bench at the expense of your regular starting lineup, your bench gets more playing time than it should because of the holes in your regular starting lineup.


yeah, I do think Freese got to play a lot more than I expected. I thought he would fill in for Kang and then platoon with Jaso. Kang did end up missing quite a few games. Freese started 105 games (71 at third and 34 at first), Joyce started 48 times including 4 at DH, and S-Rod 59 times. I just find it unlikely that Freese will do as well as he did in 2016 but perhaps the Pirates figured they need to make sure they have at least one veteran on the bench and that he was best of the three to bring back. He is certainly an adequate back up at first and third and could be decent pinch hitter too. Still it seems odd to me that the Bucs will pay a non-starter that much.

The question of why they pay so much for bench guys is quite perplexing. But I think they paid Freese so much is because he might have gone somewhere else and been a regular starter rather than a platoon player, bench guy, or late inning defensive replacement.

Pirate fest is a week from next Friday and Saturday. Are the Pirates even going to attempt to sign a free agent pitcher before then or make a big trade before then?? How about doing something to create a little buzz here because right now this team has absolutely nothing to go off of from last season. Maybe they can make another statement about how "we will see if the Cubs are as good as advertised on paper" Like I said this team won't get one cent of my money until they start showing signs about being serious about winning a championship and right now I see next to none.

This has been a very quiet off season so far. Normally they announce the signing of a couple minor league free agents. I think the Front Office has gone on an extended vacation since they announced the hiring of the 3 new coaches.

474B4A1118111914130C16210 wrote: This has been a very quiet off season so far. Normally they announce the signing of a couple minor league free agents. I think the Front Office has gone on an extended vacation since they announced the hiring of the 3 new coaches.


I've seem reports that most MLB teams are holding back on signings and deals until the CBA issues are resolved. So the Pirates aren't the only ones not making moves.

04233236332E11253233332E570 wrote: Pirate fest is a week from next Friday and Saturday. Are the Pirates even going to attempt to sign a free agent pitcher before then or make a big trade before then?? How about doing something to create a little buzz here because right now this team has absolutely nothing to go off of from last season. Maybe they can make another statement about how "we will see if the Cubs are as good as advertised on paper" Like I said this team won't get one cent of my money until they start showing signs about being serious about winning a championship and right now I see next to none.




Rule 5 draft is December 8 so there may be something to discuss from it. I'm sure something will happen move wise during the meeting.