OnlyBucs

5B404D4C454946280 wrote: The Asttros extend Lance McCullers for a 3.  What say you WWD?



Padres - O'Grady(.5),Snell(4.5),Kim(1).,Darvish(4.5),Caratini(.5).

--Kim(1.5),Musgrive(2,5),Profar(2),Melancon(2.5)

--Davies(3.5),Kela(2.5),Tatis(4)................................29.5

Mets - Stroman(3.5),Williams(1),May(2.5),McCann(2.5),Lindor(4.5)

--Carrascvo(3),Luchesi(1),Loup(2),Almora(1.5),Villar(2)

--Pillar(3),Walker(3)................................................29.5

Phillies - Neris(3),Alvarado(2.5.)Coonrod(0.5),Bradley(3)

--Realmuto(5),Moore(2),Gregorius(3),Anderson(2)

--Miller(2.5)............................................................24.5

Yankees - Britton(3),Kuber(4.5),Taillon(2),)'Day(2),Lemahieu(4)

Giants - Vosler(1),Gausman(2),Wisler(2),Desclafini(2.5).......

--Brebbia(1),Casale(2),Wood(1.5),LaStella((2.5)

--McGee(2.5),Sanchez(2),Alvarez(2).............................21

--Wilson(2.5),Gardner(2.5)........................................20.5

Blue Jays- Dolis(2),Ray(1),Chatwood(2),Yates(3),Springer(5)

--Semien(3.5),Matz(1),Phelps(2.5)...............................20

Marlins - Marte(3),Detwiler(1.5),Bass(2)Duvall(3),Floro(2)

--Curtis(2.5)Duvall(3)...................................................17

Athletics-Andrus(2.5),Fiers(2),Ko;arek(2),Petit(2.5),Romo(2)

--Rosenthal(3.5),Moreland(2.5).....................................17

Cubs - Rizzo(3),Romine(1),Stewart(.5),Williams(1.5),Chafin(1.5)

--Pederson(2),Marisnick(1),Arrieta(2.5),Workman(1)

--Tepera(1.5).............................................................15.5

Astros - Gurriel(3),Baez(2.5),Brantley(3),Castro(1),Odorizzi(3)

--McCullers(3)...........................................................15.5

Angels-Iglesias(2).Iglesias(3),Claidio(2),Suzuki(1),Quintana(2.5)

--Cobb(2),Fowler(1.5)Slegers(1)....................................15

Dodgers  Knebel(1),Kahnle(2.5),Treinen(3),Bauer(5),Turner(3.5).15

Indians - Perez(2.5),Gimenez(2),Rosario(1.5),Hernandez(2.5)

--Rosario(3.5),Perez(2)................................................14

Braves - Almonte (.5),Tomlin(2),Smyly(3),Morton(2.5),Ozuna(5)

--Lamb(1)...................................................................14

Nationals - Harrison(1),Clay(1),Bell(2),Schwarber(3),Lester(2)

--Zimmerman(1),Hand(3),Avila(.5)...............................13.5

Rays - Zunino(2),Wacha(2),Mejia(1),Archer(2)

--Hill(2.5),McHugh(1),Drake(1),Roe(2)..........................13.5

Red Sox  Renfroe(2),Andriese(2),Perez(2),Richards(3),Ottavino(1)-

--Gonzalez(2),Sawamura(1)...........................................13

Royals   Minor(2.5),Taylor(1),Holland(3.5),Benintendi(1.5)

--Dyson(.5),Perez(4)................................................13

Mariners - Graveman(1),Flexen(2),Montero(2),Hernandez(2)

--Giles(2.5),Paxton(3).................................................12.5

Twins - Simmons(3.5),Cruz(3),Colome(2.5),Andersen(1.5)

--Shoemaker(1)..........................................................11.5

Rangers -,Gotto(.5),Dunning(1.5),Lowe(1),Dahl(3),Arihara(.5)

--Foltynewicz(2),Davis(2.5)........................................11

Twins - Simmons(3.5),Cruz(3),Colome(2.5),Andersen(1.5)

--Shoemaker(1)..........................................................11.5

Cardinals - Wainwrighjt(3),Arenado(5),Molina(2.5)....................10.5

Tigers Urena(1),Grossman(2),Ramos(2),Schoop(2),Mazara(1.5)

--Teheran(2)...........................................................10.5

Brewers - Maile(.5),Robertson(1),Wong(2),Anderson(2.5)

--Bradley(3).Shaw(1)...............................................10

White Sox - Lynn(4),Eaton(2.5),Hendricks(2.5),Rodon(.5)...........9.5

Diamondbacks - Kelly(2),Soria(3),Cabrera(2),Clippard(2.5)..........9.5

Orioles - Iglesias(2.5),Galvis(2),Franco(3).........................7.5

Rockies - Stephenson(.5),Gomber(2).,Owings(1),Cron(2.5)............6

Pirates - Andersen(2.5),Cahill(3)...............................................5.5

Reds - Hoffman-(.5),Ramirez(1.5),Garcia(.5),Perez(1),Doolittle(1)4.5



I would just love to see the details of the extension offer the Prates made to Hayes.
McCullers-3

0A49504B584D5C4A0A390 wrote: "Todd Frazier has exercised his opt-out from the Pirates and will be a free agent. Led PIT with 3 HR this spring and had .996 OPS playing 1B & 3B. Healthy, still plans to play, will find best fit." - Heyman


this is surprising to me. Shocked he didn't make the team.

Very surprising and they needed veteran leadership. I guess this means Evans makes the team. Evans can play 1B, 3B and corner OF. It looks like they will go with a 4-man bench so the 3 who aren't a catcher have to be very versatile. Frazier plays 1B and 3B but has rarely played the OF and not at all since 2013. And he's been dealing with tightness in his back. I'm sure it's a practical decision with a minimal bench. But I'd rather have Frazier and a 5 man bench. They shouldn't need 9 in the BP.

163031263020530 wrote: "Todd Frazier has exercised his opt-out from the Pirates and will be a free agent. Led PIT with 3 HR this spring and had .996 OPS playing 1B & 3B. Healthy, still plans to play, will find best fit." - Heyman


this is surprising to me.  Shocked he didn't make the team.


Did the Pirates cut him or is this Frazier's decision to leave? It makes little sense if he was released because he was set to platoon and be that veteran presence the young guys could use. Why'd they bother to sign him? If this was his decision, why was he quoted in the Post-Gazette, just this week, about how much he liked being with the organization? Something stinks.

184E584C435949424F586A4D474B434604492A0 wrote: "Todd Frazier has exercised his opt-out from the Pirates and will be a free agent. Led PIT with 3 HR this spring and had .996 OPS playing 1B & 3B. Healthy, still plans to play, will find best fit." - Heyman


this is surprising to me.  Shocked he didn't make the team.


Did the Pirates cut him or is this Frazier's decision to leave?  It makes little sense if he was released because he was set to platoon and be that veteran presence the young guys could use.  Why'd they bother to sign him?  If this was his decision, why was he quoted in the Post-Gazette, just this week, about how much he liked being with the organization?  Something stinks.


I think the Bucs told him he wasn't going to make the team so he opted out so he has more time to find another team.



He even pitched a scoreless inning for Mets last year.



The team must have a lot of confidence in Evans but I have a hard time believing he is the real deal. Now its up to him to prove me wrong (as so many have done before)

4C6A6B7C6A7A090 wrote: "Todd Frazier has exercised his opt-out from the Pirates and will be a free agent. Led PIT with 3 HR this spring and had .996 OPS playing 1B & 3B. Healthy, still plans to play, will find best fit." - Heyman


this is surprising to me.  Shocked he didn't make the team.


Did the Pirates cut him or is this Frazier's decision to leave?  It makes little sense if he was released because he was set to platoon and be that veteran presence the young guys could use.  Why'd they bother to sign him?  If this was his decision, why was he quoted in the Post-Gazette, just this week, about how much he liked being with the organization?  Something stinks.


I think the Bucs told him he wasn't going to make the team so he opted out so he has more time to find another team.



He even pitched a scoreless inning for Mets last year.



The team must have a lot of confidence in Evans but I have a hard time believing he is the real deal. Now its up to him to prove me wrong (as so many have done before)


I thought Frazier was brought in for two reasons: to be that veteran example for the young guys, and to hope he'd perform well enough to return a decent prospect in a trade at the Deadline. So what happened? He was having a good spring. Things seemed to be going as planned.



Was it because Phil Evans convinced management that he was a better platoon option at 1B? I like Evans and would've preferred both he and Frazier make the roster instead of one of the marginal outfielders who haven't done well so far, have no future here, and wouldn't return anything in a trade.

This is exactly why minor league contracts are not scored.

114751454A50404B465163444E424A4F0D40230 wrote: "Todd Frazier has exercised his opt-out from the Pirates and will be a free agent. Led PIT with 3 HR this spring and had .996 OPS playing 1B & 3B. Healthy, still plans to play, will find best fit." - Heyman


this is surprising to me.  Shocked he didn't make the team.


Did the Pirates cut him or is this Frazier's decision to leave?  It makes little sense if he was released because he was set to platoon and be that veteran presence the young guys could use.  Why'd they bother to sign him?  If this was his decision, why was he quoted in the Post-Gazette, just this week, about how much he liked being with the organization?  Something stinks.


I think the Bucs told him he wasn't going to make the team so he opted out so he has more time to find another team.



He even pitched a scoreless inning for Mets last year.



The team must have a lot of confidence in Evans but I have a hard time believing he is the real deal. Now its up to him to prove me wrong (as so many have done before)


I thought Frazier was brought in for two reasons:  to be that veteran example for the young guys, and to hope he'd perform well enough to return a decent prospect in a trade at the Deadline.  So what happened?  He was having a good spring.  Things seemed to be going as planned.



Was it because Phil Evans convinced management that he was a better platoon option at 1B?  I like Evans and would've preferred both he and Frazier make the roster instead of one of the marginal outfielders who haven't done well so far, have no future here, and wouldn't return anything in a trade.


The 4 man bench (which I think is a terrible idea) really hamstrings them. Gonzalez and a catcher will be there. Evans can play 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, RF. And Difo can play INF and OF including SS and CF. So I think the need for 3 versatile reserves (plus the catcher) on the bench will give Difo a spot. It doesn't bode well for Fowler or Goodwin because the don't play INF and Frazier was only 1B, 3B. 

Interesting looking at Evan's and Frazier's numbers this spring. Both appeared in 12 games, both had 28 AB's. Frazier had 5 XBH, Evan's 1. Huge disparity in Slugging, which went Frazier's way, and OBP, which went Evan's way. Which one is more likely to be sustainable? TF's .643 SLG or Evans .486 OBP? Both had outstanding OPS, TF .996 and PE .914.



My guess is the tight back, Evan's youth and what appears to be a much better ability to get on base than Frazier had something to do with the choice when faced with what is likely a short bench.



One can only wonder how the injuries to Cederlind and Brault may have played into this, because those two being lost probably resulted in what will be 14 pitchers instead of 13 on the team, and I think Frazier loses out on the number crunch when he came up with the stiff back. That has to be somewhat worrisome.



Who knows? No one may pick him up either, and we could still see him in Pittsburgh.



In response to Shedman's comment about "this is why they don't score minor league contracts" this is exactly why you don't give major league contracts to question marks. I'm guessing the Pirates learned their lesson with Lonnie Chisenhall.

674A47565140571714250 wrote: "Todd Frazier has exercised his opt-out from the Pirates and will be a free agent. Led PIT with 3 HR this spring and had .996 OPS playing 1B & 3B. Healthy, still plans to play, will find best fit." - Heyman


this is surprising to me.  Shocked he didn't make the team.


Did the Pirates cut him or is this Frazier's decision to leave?  It makes little sense if he was released because he was set to platoon and be that veteran presence the young guys could use.  Why'd they bother to sign him?  If this was his decision, why was he quoted in the Post-Gazette, just this week, about how much he liked being with the organization?  Something stinks.


I think the Bucs told him he wasn't going to make the team so he opted out so he has more time to find another team.



He even pitched a scoreless inning for Mets last year.



The team must have a lot of confidence in Evans but I have a hard time believing he is the real deal. Now its up to him to prove me wrong (as so many have done before)


I thought Frazier was brought in for two reasons:  to be that veteran example for the young guys, and to hope he'd perform well enough to return a decent prospect in a trade at the Deadline.  So what happened?  He was having a good spring.  Things seemed to be going as planned.



Was it because Phil Evans convinced management that he was a better platoon option at 1B?  I like Evans and would've preferred both he and Frazier make the roster instead of one of the marginal outfielders who haven't done well so far, have no future here, and wouldn't return anything in a trade.


The 4 man bench (which I think is a terrible idea) really hamstrings them. Gonzalez and a catcher will be there. Evans can play 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, RF. And Difo can play INF and OF including SS and CF. So I think the need for 3 versatile reserves (plus the catcher) on the bench will give Difo a spot. It doesn't bode well for Fowler or Goodwin because the don't play INF and Frazier was only 1B, 3B. 




I agree, the short bench is stupid when you can shuffle pitchers between the minors and big league team easily. No one is more than 2 days away. Also, the Pirates starting 8 aren't exactly hall of famers so the bench is going to be needed.