OnlyBucs

The "Window" is officially closed.



Three wild card games, one NLDS series.

6661777F7166212D547379757D783A777B79140 wrote: Welp, 2017 was fun while it lasted.  Frankly right now, I'd punt on the year.  I'd start looking to actively trade some key pieces, Cutch and Cole in particular, and begin rebuilding for next year.


I agree with this.  There is no "present" and Cole and Cutch have nothing to do with the Pirates future.  Build around the young pitchers, Bell, Meadows, Frazier, etc.   




Way too early to dump this year. Lets see how the kids are doing before we quit. Look at the Reds and their expectations versus how they started the season. Never expected that start either.

6F687E76786F28245D7A707C7471337E72701D0 wrote: Welp, 2017 was fun while it lasted.  Frankly right now, I'd punt on the year.  I'd start looking to actively trade some key pieces, Cutch and Cole in particular, and begin rebuilding for next year.


I agree with this.  There is no "present" and Cole and Cutch have nothing to do with the Pirates future.  Build around the young pitchers, Bell, Meadows, Frazier, etc.   




Cole should be part of the future.

I can accept a season derailed because of injuries or even poor performance. But to have two top contributors out because of stupidity and selfishness is really disappointing.

7C7B6D656B7C3B374E69636F6762206D61630E0 wrote: The "Window" is officially closed.



Three wild card games, one NLDS series.


IDK if I'd go that far. I do think the window is still very much open for next year. If Cutch has a bounce back year, he's still under contract for next year. Or, as I said, they can trade him for some other pieces. The rotation should still be strong next year. If anything, this gives the team incentive to sink or swim with the likes of Bell, Glasnow, Frazier, and Meadows, unless they are worried about Super 2 with him. That gives them a year to develop and hopefully hit the ground running next year.



Crazy that this would come out the day after ESPN did a nice expose on Marte last night during their broadcast. Pathetic. Frankly, I feel cheated as a fan of baseball in general, and the Pirates in particular.



I'm ready to say screw this team, but I also realize it isn't the team's fault.



I seriously thought this was a joke when I read the thread title. Then I saw it on ESPN.



Yuck.

7C777F7376776C292F586179707777367B77180 wrote: He was cheating.  Nandrolone isn't taken orally.  That's a needle, folks.


Unless he took Decabolin.  Decabolin can be had for like $60 and contains Nandrolone.



I just hope it wasn't intentional.  But still stupid. 

00272C0F420 wrote: I can accept a season derailed because of injuries or even poor performance. But to have two top contributors out because of stupidity and selfishness is really disappointing.


Yup. Exactly. Last year was full of injuries and underperformance. This year, it's just stupidity. And yeah, they aren't out the salary, but Marte is signed to such a team-friendly contract, it isn't much money anyway. Even if they wanted to take on a bad contract from someone, Kang and Marte only free up like $5-6 million or something like that.



Sad thing is that somebody will probably get fired because of this, maybe not directly because of this, but we just went from a potential 90 win team, to a team that will be lucky to win 75. Huntington or Hurdle will probably get fired because of that, and it isn't their fault. I know some on here would love to see that, but I'm not among them. I think NH is one of the top GMs in baseball, and I think that Hurdle is a great manager.

at least there's hockey

Well, I think Osuna and Frazier until June or Meadows heats up. We need Cutch to start pounding and Polanco to get healthy and hit. They still have a decent lineup but the depth is taking a beating.

7A4640465D54425B350 wrote: Welp, 2017 was fun while it lasted.  Frankly right now, I'd punt on the year.  I'd start looking to actively trade some key pieces, Cutch and Cole in particular, and begin rebuilding for next year.


I agree with this.  There is no "present" and Cole and Cutch have nothing to do with the Pirates future.  Build around the young pitchers, Bell, Meadows, Frazier, etc.   




Way too early to dump this year.  Lets see how the kids are doing before we quit.  Look at the Reds and their expectations versus how they started the season.   Never expected that start either.


I guess it depends on goals. Is it possible to make a WC? I guess. But is there any chance that this is a penant team? Not really. And that should be the goal.



This team simply can't absorb losing both Marte and Kang. Maybe if kang gets back?? But reality is what we have to deal with - the goal needs to be a WS. Turn a few relatively valuable "older" players into a more competative future.