OnlyBucs

6D616865722E74696D6F746879323040676D000 wrote: Bad loss today to the Orioles. Only 4 hits for the Bucs. Hopefully the bats will come around.


What bats?


My question as well. I like Newman, Reynolds, Frazier, and Bell but, aside from Bell, none strike real fear in opposing pitchers. I can see Frazier and Bell being dealt by the Deadline. Other clubs will pitch around Reynolds after that. As for Polanco, he's terribly inconsistent.

1A4C5A4E415B4B404D5A684F45494144064B280 wrote: Bad loss today to the Orioles. Only 4 hits for the Bucs. Hopefully the bats will come around.


What bats?


My question as well.  I like Newman, Reynolds, Frazier, and Bell but, aside from Bell, none strike real fear in opposing pitchers.  I can see Frazier and Bell being dealt by the Deadline.  Other clubs will pitch around Reynolds after that.  As for Polanco, he's terribly inconsistent. 
Despite his streakiness, Polanco is otherwise consistent. But not in a good way. If we cast out his worst years (rookie/partial) season batting .235 and last year playing with injury), he has compiled a .255 BA with a high of .258 and a low of .251. His HRs come in bunches but his career highs are 22 and 23. He had nice but not great RBI years in 2016 (86) and 2018 (81). More than half of those in 2016 were in May (22 while batting behind Cutch who hit .284 that month) and August (23 batting behind Cutch who hit .280 that month). He was pretty consistent with RBIs in 2018 with monthly totals of 16, 9, 16, 18, 16 and 6 (before being injured in Sept). He began that year with a HR surge batting 2nd and then moved to 3rd hitting behind Dickerson and Marte as both had strong seasons. Hard to imagine any opportunistic RBI spot in this year's lineup.



Add to that his consistently poor defense and base running and he doesn't offer much even when healthy. A low average hitter with occasional power streaks who needs to have hot hitters batting in front of him to consistently drive runs in. And while that may seem obvious for any player, someone who maintains a low batting average like Polanco will not get hits frequently enough to drive in a lot of runners unless the batters ahead of him are on base often enough to happen to be there when he gets his infrequent hits. Last year in the NL, there 20 players with 90+ RBIs but only 1 of them (Hosmer) managed it with fewer than 27 HRs and a modest BA (.265). And while 8 of those 20 did it despite Polancoesque BAs in the .250 to .260 range, Hosmer was the only one with less than 33 HRs as the others ranged from 33-53 HRs. I know the Pirates keep saying they need a healthy Polanco but even a healthy Polanco is pretty mediocre.

507D70616677602023120 wrote: Bad loss today to the Orioles. Only 4 hits for the Bucs. Hopefully the bats will come around.


What bats?


My question as well.  I like Newman, Reynolds, Frazier, and Bell but, aside from Bell, none strike real fear in opposing pitchers.  I can see Frazier and Bell being dealt by the Deadline.  Other clubs will pitch around Reynolds after that.  As for Polanco, he's terribly inconsistent. 
Despite his streakiness, Polanco is otherwise consistent. But not in a good way. If we cast out his worst years (rookie/partial) season batting .235 and last year playing with injury), he has compiled a .255 BA with a high of .258 and a low of .251. His HRs come in bunches but his career highs are 22 and 23. He had nice but not great RBI years in 2016 (86) and 2018 (81). More than half of those in 2016 were in May (22 while batting behind Cutch who hit .284 that month) and August (23 batting behind Cutch who hit .280 that month). He was pretty consistent with RBIs in 2018 with monthly totals of 16, 9, 16, 18, 16 and 6 (before being injured in Sept). He began that year with a HR surge batting 2nd and then moved to 3rd hitting behind Dickerson and Marte as both had strong seasons. Hard to imagine any opportunistic RBI spot in this year's lineup. 



Add to that his consistently poor defense and base running and he doesn't offer much even when healthy. A low average hitter with occasional power streaks who needs to have hot hitters batting in front of him to consistently drive runs in. And while that may seem obvious for any player, someone who maintains a low batting average like Polanco will not get hits frequently enough to drive in a lot of runners unless the batters ahead of him are on base often enough to happen to be there when he gets his infrequent hits. Last year in the NL, there 20 players with 90+ RBIs but only 1 of them (Hosmer) managed it with fewer than 27 HRs and a modest BA (.265). And while 8 of those 20 did it despite Polancoesque BAs in the .250 to .260 range, Hosmer was the only one with less than 33 HRs as the others ranged from 33-53 HRs. I know the Pirates keep saying they need a healthy Polanco but even a healthy Polanco is pretty mediocre.


Great info. I've made this point on other sites in the past that his streakiness is epic. I did a study of his 2018 season and found that he had periods of four or five games in length where he was All Star-like, and then would quickly disappear for weeks at a time. On top of that, as you point out, his defense is average at best. Throw in his base running blunders and his low baseball IQ and he amounts to a player I'd rather see in some other team's outfield.

I am posting early today as the saga of losing continues. They are about to go down again and here is my impression of the game since they were televising it. I finally saw Polanco throw but I think he took something off of it because the guy doubled and he was trying to get the ball back in. At least I hope so because it did not have any mustard on it. John Ryan Murphy continues to impress with his bat as he homered for the second time with this one being a grand slam. Renolds had a lousy game as he lost a fly ball in the sun and his throw from right field later game would have been in time but it was so far off line that the guy was safe. Moran booted a throw from John Ryan and let a couple runs in. The pitching was bad except for Cinderland who came in with no outs and runners on base and got them out of the inning. His first pitch did go to the backstop but he settled right down.



So it looks to me like these guys are phoning it in and I have to be critical of DS . I know it is Spring Training but this is getting hard to watch already. JT Riddle and Cole Tucker seems to be the only guys with any excitement.

2C05030F0D600 wrote: I am posting early today as the saga of losing continues. They are about to go down again and here is my impression of the game since they were televising it. I finally saw Polanco throw but I think he took something off of it because the guy doubled and he was trying to get the ball back in. At least I hope so because it did not have any mustard on it. John Ryan Murphy continues to impress with his bat as he homered for the second time with this one being a grand slam. Renolds had a lousy game as he lost a fly ball in the sun and his throw from right field later game would have been in time but it was so far off line that the guy was safe. Moran booted a throw from John Ryan and let a couple runs in. The pitching was bad except for Cinderland who came in with no outs and runners on base and got them out of the inning. His first pitch did go to the backstop but he settled right down.



So it looks to me like these guys are phoning it in and I have to be critical of DS . I know it is Spring Training but this is getting hard to watch already. JT Riddle and Cole Tucker seems to be the only guys with any excitement.
_______

Don't worry Lecom, they are rebuilding so in the year 2023 they will win a spring training game.

0E27212D2F420 wrote: I am posting early today as the saga of losing continues. They are about to go down again and here is my impression of the game since they were televising it. I finally saw Polanco throw but I think he took something off of it because the guy doubled and he was trying to get the ball back in. At least I hope so because it did not have any mustard on it. John Ryan Murphy continues to impress with his bat as he homered for the second time with this one being a grand slam. Renolds had a lousy game as he lost a fly ball in the sun and his throw from right field later game would have been in time but it was so far off line that the guy was safe. Moran booted a throw from John Ryan and let a couple runs in. The pitching was bad except for Cinderland who came in with no outs and runners on base and got them out of the inning. His first pitch did go to the backstop but he settled right down.



So it looks to me like these guys are phoning it in and I have to be critical of DS . I know it is Spring Training but this is getting hard to watch already. JT Riddle and Cole Tucker seems to be the only guys with any excitement.
I've played in Lecom. The sun is brutal there so I cant fault Reynolds for losing a ball in that OF. Not much to say for them. No hitting other than Murphy's GS. Maile is no lock so Murphy could win a job. Williams, Brault, Feliz and Kuhl were all bad.

Don't encourage him Dave- New board and all- just trying to

prepare everyone for what we know will be coming

5B404D4C454946280 wrote: I am posting early today as the saga of losing continues. They are about to go down again and here is my impression of the game since they were televising it. I finally saw Polanco throw but I think he took something off of it because the guy doubled and he was trying to get the ball back in. At least I hope so because it did not have any mustard on it. John Ryan Murphy continues to impress with his bat as he homered for the second time with this one being a grand slam. Renolds had a lousy game as he lost a fly ball in the sun and his throw from right field later game would have been in time but it was so far off line that the guy was safe. Moran booted a throw from John Ryan and let a couple runs in. The pitching was bad except for Cinderland who came in with no outs and runners on base and got them out of the inning. His first pitch did go to the backstop but he settled right down.



So it looks to me like these guys are phoning it in and I have to be critical of DS . I know it is Spring Training but this is getting hard to watch already. JT Riddle and Cole Tucker seems to be the only guys with any excitement.
_______

Don't worry Lecom, they are rebuilding so in the year 2023 they will win a spring training game.


So far our new manager is disapointing to say the least. Seems he doesn't seem to care how poorly the team is playing. Losing becomes contagous, and hohum. I'd like to see him a little more serious about these games. It time to kick it in gear and get going Derek.

5F474542425544435E5F492C0 wrote: I am posting early today as the saga of losing continues. They are about to go down again and here is my impression of the game since they were televising it. I finally saw Polanco throw but I think he took something off of it because the guy doubled and he was trying to get the ball back in. At least I hope so because it did not have any mustard on it. John Ryan Murphy continues to impress with his bat as he homered for the second time with this one being a grand slam. Renolds had a lousy game as he lost a fly ball in the sun and his throw from right field later game would have been in time but it was so far off line that the guy was safe. Moran booted a throw from John Ryan and let a couple runs in. The pitching was bad except for Cinderland who came in with no outs and runners on base and got them out of the inning. His first pitch did go to the backstop but he settled right down.



So it looks to me like these guys are phoning it in and I have to be critical of DS . I know it is Spring Training but this is getting hard to watch already. JT Riddle and Cole Tucker seems to be the only guys with any excitement.
_______

Don't worry Lecom, they are rebuilding so in the year 2023 they will win a spring training game.


So far our new manager is disapointing to say the least.  Seems he doesn't seem to care how poorly the team is playing.  Losing becomes contagous, and hohum.  I'd like to see him a little more serious about these games.  It time to kick it in gear and get going Derek.
I don't think we can draw any conclusions from Shelton at this point. While it sucks to lose every pre-season game, there's little value in winning them anyway. He knows he's got crap to work with and wants to get enough of a look at everyone in camp even if it means giving less time to players who give the best chance to win. But that doesn't change the fact that he's got little talent to begin with so there's little margin for error even in Grapefruit League games. It's shaping up as a horrible season (thank you, Mr. Nutting) and pre-season results don't mean much. Shelton's pitchers don't pitch and his hitters don't hit. But we could look at the roster and see that coming. Nutting has pulled the rug out from under this franchise and no change of GMs or managers will compensate for that. Shelton could turn out to get the most out of a weak lineup or (IMHO) be like Hurdle and get even less out of them than they have to offer. Either way it will be a terrible, season but the verdict on Shelton has yet to be determined.

1A373A2B2C3D2A6A69580 wrote: I am posting early today as the saga of losing continues. They are about to go down again and here is my impression of the game since they were televising it. I finally saw Polanco throw but I think he took something off of it because the guy doubled and he was trying to get the ball back in. At least I hope so because it did not have any mustard on it. John Ryan Murphy continues to impress with his bat as he homered for the second time with this one being a grand slam. Renolds had a lousy game as he lost a fly ball in the sun and his throw from right field later game would have been in time but it was so far off line that the guy was safe. Moran booted a throw from John Ryan and let a couple runs in. The pitching was bad except for Cinderland who came in with no outs and runners on base and got them out of the inning. His first pitch did go to the backstop but he settled right down.



So it looks to me like these guys are phoning it in and I have to be critical of DS . I know it is Spring Training but this is getting hard to watch already. JT Riddle and Cole Tucker seems to be the only guys with any excitement.
I've played in Lecom. The sun is brutal there so I cant fault Reynolds for losing a ball in that OF. Not much to say for them. No hitting other than Murphy's GS. Maile is no lock so Murphy could win a job. Williams, Brault, Feliz and Kuhl were all bad.


I thought that both Williams and Brault would have been OK without the defensive lapses behind them.